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Inzane 17

Better Brakes?

Started by Hedgehog, Mon 04, Jun 2012, 20:33:04

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Hedgehog


Good luck with the 'research' sandy! Lets us know results.

Having mulled over whats been said..I'm going to go with Robert and Hoser on this one... I've ordered EBC Contour discs and EBC HH Sintered pads for the front. Also booked bike in to have master cylinders overhauled (last part of 'old' braking system to be replaced).

I've also booked a refresher training course with the IAM and asked the instructor for us to go to an old airfield and practice emergency stops...including soem high speed wet ones (!) :o :o

See how we go from there - that may be enough to provide more feel and control.... if not then the rear will get some attention, followed by Pretech 6 pots on the front.

Will report on how it goes...

Thanks again to everyone.  :cooldude:
Dave King
Proud owner of Honda Valkyrie F6C 1997 Standard
& owner of BigBikeMad.com

Hedgehog

#41
Recently fitted the EBC Contour rotors and EBC HH pads to the front of my Standard. Entire braking system now completely overhauled as I did both master cylinders at the same time, put HH pads on the OE rear; Pistons and seals in all calipers replaced a while back and also all lines with braided steel.



Here's one of the old ones . Nothing wrong with it, in fact very good nick .




When I picked the bike up from the workshop there was good initial bite but overall performance was a tad worse than stock.( Just new pads of course...)

Just done 140 miles and, Wow! A real difference. Much more feel and control - you know through the lever exactly what's happening. Lever is firmer and grab is immediate. No fade at all and very predictable in terms of stopping. Not earth shattering performance increase - still takes a fair amount of pressure - but IMO that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hopefully things should get better as they bed in further.

My guess it about two yards less stopping distance from 20mph, perhaps several times that at 40.

An expensive fix, but a good one. I'm glad I did it. I can certainly recommend these rotors.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.


Dave King
Proud owner of Honda Valkyrie F6C 1997 Standard
& owner of BigBikeMad.com

lifguardct

Quote from: T.P. on Tue 05, Jun 2012, 12:57:17
Let's not be so hard on HEDGHOG,  there was something back some time, when someone here fitted the VTX 3 piston calipers to their Valkyrie.  T.P.

Are the VTX front brakes better??? If they will fit that would be great.  I would love to improve the fronts my other bike is a ZX14 and the brakes on it are incredible so it makes the fat lady brakes feel all the weaker...

Hedgehog

Ah, lifegaurdct -  I know where you bare coming from! I too had a ZZR1400 (as they are here)_ - incredible brakes, and my Blackbird wasn't far worse - guess I was spoilt! :2funny:

The next step up - and far easier -  is to fit Pretech 4 or 6 pot calipers... Harrison's do some also, but the Pre tech ones seem to work better. These units use existing master cylinders and lines.... just bolt on...

These will give the bike all the braking it can handle...

Remember its a cruiser - weight distribution is not far forward enough to load the front wheel under braking as much as on a sports bike, and without that its easier to lock the front....

HH



Dave King
Proud owner of Honda Valkyrie F6C 1997 Standard
& owner of BigBikeMad.com