Improving the front brakes

[Glyn Pickering]

Hi Everyone

Still playing with ideas for mods to the bike. I've put the slotted type discs on the front (off an XZ400) as well as braided lines. New seal kit also  so it's prob about as good as it will get without radical modifications. Not sure what pads are in the front, but at 45,000 km they are prob after market ones, at least 10 years old I'd guess.  Do you think upgrading the pads for new will improve things, if so what type / brand is recommended. It rains a heck of alot here - but I've heard that pads with a high metal content stop well but wear out the discs well also.

The brakes work OK but not a patch on a Honda Hawwk GT I recently sold.

Supose the next logical step would be to change the front end to get a more modern fork / disc set up. Anyone had experience of this?

Be a good winter project to get stuck into.

Cheers

Glyn

[h2olawyer]

Hi Glyn -

Sounds like you've made all the right improvements so far.  You're right, sintered pads will wear your rotors quicker.  OK if you have a good supply at reasonable prices.  I have a similar setup - dual discs, slotted 83 rotors & braided lines on my 82.  82s in the US came with only a single left front disc.   ::)

I replaced the pads with a set from SBS (Scandanavian Brake Systems).  They are ceramic based, not metal.  They seem to work well in all conditions so far.  Not much wet weather yet.  I've heard that Ferodo pads are excellent as well.  Either of these brands should work well for you.

I made the swap all at once so I couldn't tell which component made the most difference but the bike stops very well now.  Haven't tried to do any "stoppies" yet & don't want to even attempt one, but the brakes on my bike are much improved over the original setup.  8)

Ron McCoy has upgraded forks & brakes on his bike and would be the one who is probably in the best position to tell you what's involved.  I know he did some fairly extensive machine work to the triple tree & made brackets to hold the calipers.

Good luck with this part of your ongoing project!

H2O

[jasonm.]

I have a brand on my bikes called "velvet touch" SV186 from an ebay seller. I think EBC bought them out. But they are "HH" rated" metallic pads. Higher the letter the more stopping power.The SV186 pads I have now are the only reason.  I have not done more mods on the brakes. They plain work. If you can find these pads, get them. Much better than the standard EBC pads. The package says made by S.K. Wellman Corp., Solon, Ohio,part #SV186.  DP pads are also metallic "GG" rated.

[Glyn Pickering]

Thanks for those replies, sounds like new pads are the way to go, at least in the short term.

For some reason I've been blessed with small hands (I'm 6ft 1 inch high). This makes reaching for the std brake lever a real battle.  Mt old GT Hawk had an adjustable lever via a dial setting, I think most new top range bikes prob have this set up now. Has anyone fitted this type of lever (and master cylinder) to a Vision? If so off what bike. I think if buying off e bay for example you'd have to be careful about cylinder volumes (as discussed) and also bar diam. Is that R1 brake and cylinder compatible?

Cheers and safe z'ding.

Glyn

[George R. Young]

Doesn't the stock brake lever have and adjusting screw for position? Somewhere near where the lever presses into the master cylinder.

[Glyn Pickering]

George, you are absolutely right! Havn't even seen how far that is would out. Will check tomm.

You may have saved me a whole heap of $$!

Sometimes I'm so stupid.

Regards

Glyn

[louthepou]

Mind you, the screw isn't as useful as a true indexed position adjusting round thingy (sorry for lack of technical thing). The screw, I think, is mostly for adjusting freeplay, rather than adjusting relative position to twistgrip. All isn't perfect in Visionland.

Louis (also with not super long fingers)

[Rick G]

I have large hands , ridled with arthritus , and I have used the freeplay adjustment to bring the lever closer to the throttle grip  as my hans have more power when the are  half way closed . it works just fine.
I used a 2 pot calaper on my bike, prior to installing the 83 front end with twin discs. it worked very well and was a serious improvment.  Mine is off of some kind of Honda . You could find something similar at a breakers.

[Glyn Pickering]

Thanks for that advice Rick. I adusted the free play bolt and yes it's brought the lever right in. The lever naturally returns to the fully out position when not holding the brake, but that's not a major. I may make a small adaptor on the lever at the brake switch end so that it's constantly held in the near bar position.

Anyway problem solved and $ saved. Sounds like a good s/h double pot caliper would be a worthwhile mod tho'. Another project..

[Extent]

If you want to make the handle stay closer to the bar you could always just trim a couple of loops off the return spring, but there's no going back if you cut too much.  Make absolutly certain that your brakes don't drag if you keep it from coming out to full extension.  

The thing I'ld be carefull with adjusting the freeplay to bring the handle closer is the more freeplay over the max for factory spec is it will lower your maximum breaking power.  To put more pressure on the breaks you want a longer stroke and less freeplay.