Improve Braking

[XXscraper]

Had braided hoses on my old Fox eye Blade and hated them, it was like having digital brakes.......just 2 positions.....on and off! Have to be careful where you route the braided hoses too as they cut through anything they touch

 

[andy102]

Had braided hoses on my old Fox eye Blade and hated them, it was like having digital brakes.......just 2 positions.....on and off! Have to be careful where you route the braided hoses too as they cut through anything they touch

You wanna try riding a 1098 then; the brakes on that are truly scary, it's like shoving a metal bar into the front wheel

 

[Omega Man]

IMHO / IHMO

his brakes are no good, and it's not a black one so accelration won't do it either. IMHO

I might not be able to read or write (my dog is doing this for me), but excuse me, I've never had a problem with acceleration..............but, lupms, don't know what "accelration" is - must have summit to do with the speed at which your rear axle turns where it meets the diff on all those basic slow black ones, a bit like tractor units, i'm told b0x2

Its bikes like mine & Smix's that adds extra colour to the world of XX riders -
we're just not dull people...oh... IMHO!

 

[SimonC]

You can fit braided hoses just to the front cicuit of the brakes, improves the feel no end ! That and the usual ebc HH's are a great cost effective ( Yorky cheap) way of getting better brakes brok3

 

[Mushroom Pete]

The cheapest way to improve brakes

Nick a tennis ball from Woolworths. Place tennis ball in right hand and squeeze repeatedly with thumb and fore fingers. (or just two of them LOL.) practice throughout the day, and hey presto better braking within a week.
or;
Go on a diet, reduced mass equals less effort required to stop. make sure you eat enough to keep your strength up or you'll suffer from weak brake lever actuators. (fingers and thumbs )
or;
degreasae the brake disks with brake cleaner and make sure your shampoo and wax goes nowhere near your brake disks.

( Seriously, I do not condone stealing, you should always pay for your balls.)

 

[parttimepilot]

I had no notion to de-link mine, but totalled my first Bird. When I bought my replacement Bird it had already been de-linked with braided hoses all round.

I don't really think theres much extra in the way the front brakes, perhaps a little extra initial bite with the expence of less feel. but the back is pure pants.

Ive tried holding it on the back brake at a steep junction, the bike kept creeping backwards:bang:

In my opinion, I wouldn't de-link. I'd go for, in order

• Fluid change
• Change the pads, sintered
• Braided front, original back.

HTH

Neil

 

[andy102]

Not sure if the reason below is why people are having problems with their back brakes, mine (de-linked) is excellent, loads of feel and will lock up if I'm being silly.

It wasn't like this until I totally stripped and greased the rear brake lever mechanism(including the bit that attaches to the master cylinder), even though I thought it was ok'ish, after being stripped, cleaned and greased the difference was quite amazing, went from 'wooden to 'spot on' :yo:

 

[Oldbull]

Im with Neil ...

• Fluid change
• Change the pads, sintered
• Braided front, original back.

Hel front brake lines on order as we speak, connect in race mode with
double banjo at M/C and a line down to each calliper direct ..

R#?

 

[Duck n Dive]

Not sure if the reason below is why people are having problems with their back brakes, mine (de-linked) is excellent, loads of feel and will lock up if I'm being silly.

It wasn't like this until I totally stripped and greased the rear brake lever mechanism(including the bit that attaches to the master cylinder), even though I thought it was ok'ish, after being stripped, cleaned and greased the difference was quite amazing, went from 'wooden to 'spot on' :yo:

I'd "second" that ... regular service item for me is pulling the footrest/brake lever support off and cleaning/freshly greasing.


The other is regular cleaning/regrease for the rear caliper slide ... it seems to get clagged up very easily.

I've not got de-linked brakes .. wouldn't describe the rear as having much feel to it but it does work well and can lock up if too heavy handed with it.

 

[Smix]

Not sure if the reason below is why people are having problems with their back brakes, mine (de-linked) is excellent, loads of feel and will lock up if I'm being silly.

It wasn't like this until I totally stripped and greased the rear brake lever mechanism(including the bit that attaches to the master cylinder), even though I thought it was ok'ish, after being stripped, cleaned and greased the difference was quite amazing, went from 'wooden to 'spot on' :yo:

guess this is my next vertical learning curve then!!!!

 

[andy102]

guess this is my next vertical learning curve then!!!!

If it hasn't been apart before you'll probably have to shear the split pin holds the pivot pin that connects the lever to the master cylinder, mine had got so bad the only thing I could do with it was shear off both ends, remove the pin and drill it out.

If you're going to do the job I'd suggest a trip to your local Honda dealer and get a new pivot pin and split pin before starting the job (did mine on a Sunday so a right pain)

 

[Smix]

If it hasn't been apart before you'll probably have to shear the split pin holds the pivot pin that connects the lever to the master cylinder, mine had got so bad the only thing I could do with it was shear off both ends, remove the pin and drill it out.

If you're going to do the job I'd suggest a trip to your local Honda dealer and get a new pivot pin and split pin before starting the job (did mine on a Sunday so a right pain)

Thanx Andy. I'll make sure I start it on a Saturday with all the kit and bits and pieces!! And keep a phone handy for the 'phone a friend' option!!

 

[XXscraper]

Not that i find the braking that bad, but feel it could be improved a touch.

I've read some threads about braided hoses etc and the fact the brakes are linked coming into play.....but i'm looking for a quick fix... something like a low-cost upgrade without going mad on parts.

Any suggestions?? :dunno:


Oh, and mine is about 8 years old on the original rubber hoses with well under 20K miles!

was gonna say originial rubbers.....but knew i'd get all the quips from you guys and gals.....:blush:

I know a few of you've de-linked, but cant say i want to go to that trouble.

ta
:beer:

Have you ever changed the brake fluid :dunno: might help :beer:

 

[Oldbull]

Im with Neil ...

• Fluid change
• Change the pads, sintered
• Braided front, original back.

Hel front brake lines on order as we speak, connect in race mode with
double banjo at M/C and a line down to each calliper direct ..

R#?

My Hel brake lines landed this morning ... and Im off to the garage right now :-0)










Normally on all my bikes I have owned I always change the rubber hoses for stainless. Usually before their is anything wrong with the originals so I have never really been in a position to compare properly.. this time tho my Bird hoses are 9 years old and compared to the 3 year old ones on Marcusfordus bird these are well and truley PAP.
Every time you swap to stainless the braking is always improved..

The best way to do a proper job tho is to get a decent master cylinder as the OEM are proper sh*te, they have tolerances of +/- 1mm in the bore sizes alone



Off to the garage now to kick some brake fluid over :-0)



EDIT: forgot to mention.. the quality of the master cyl is the key to the best brake 'feel'.. You do not get wooden brakes with a proper M/C

p0pc0rn41

 

[p.ludlow2]

My Hel brake lines landed this morning ... and Im off to the garage right now :-0)










Normally on all my bikes I have owned I always change the rubber hoses for stainless. Usually before their is anything wrong with the originals so I have never really been in a position to compare properly.. this time tho my Bird hoses are 9 years old and compared to the 3 year old ones on Marcusfordus bird these are well and truley PAP.
Every time you swap to stainless the braking is always improved..

The best way to do a proper job tho is to get a decent master cylinder as the OEM are proper sh*te, they have tolerances of +/- 1mm in the bore sizes alone



Off to the garage now to kick some brake fluid over :-0)



EDIT: forgot to mention.. the quality of the master cyl is the key to the best brake 'feel'.. You do not get wooden brakes with a proper M/C


p0pc0rn41

:yo:What master cylinder works well then.:bow:

 

[Oldbull]

Brembo radials are the dogs danglies..
19mm if you delink, 16mm if you dont is what I would go with,
you will need a presure switch for the brake lights as well..

watch out for the fake ones on ebay at the moment tho..

New lines on and bled up.. feels a LOT better now, not tried it yet due to winter weather :bang: but all the spongey- nesss has gone .. all I need now is a Brembo brok3

:-0)

 

[Omega Man]

My Hel brake lines landed this morning ... and Im off to the garage right now :-0)










Normally on all my bikes I have owned I always change the rubber hoses for stainless. Usually before their is anything wrong with the originals so I have never really been in a position to compare properly.. this time tho my Bird hoses are 9 years old and compared to the 3 year old ones on Marcusfordus bird these are well and truley PAP.
Every time you swap to stainless the braking is always improved..

The best way to do a proper job tho is to get a decent master cylinder as the OEM are proper sh*te, they have tolerances of +/- 1mm in the bore sizes alone

Off to the garage now to kick some brake fluid over :-0)

EDIT: forgot to mention.. the quality of the master cyl is the key to the best brake 'feel'.. You do not get wooden brakes with a proper M/C

p0pc0rn41

worth making a note for ref.

:bow:

 

[Oldbull]

OK Grumps , +/- 1 whole mm mite be a little extreme but it got the point over.
The tolerances are still very poor and can vary a lot and not for the better I may add.A mate binned his bandit once when the front brake locked due to the piston in the M/C sticking because it was that sloppy ... Take a rear one to bits, they are usually the worst .. it makes you wonder how they ever stay pressurised..

so your saying that my info is tosh and that Brembo master cylinders are not better than OEM ???.. whatever you say O wise one fl4g71




p0pc0rn41

 

[Oldbull]

Thats Rubbish Grumps.. there isnt ANY road OEM mastercylinders that are better than the Billet Brembo's, if there was the race teams would leave OEM stuff on there race bikes for a start

I have fitted Brembo's onto two of my bikes, one on my TL and now one on my CBR6 trackbike.. So I speak from experience, not from what Ive read.The question was asked 'how can you improve the brakes on the Bird'.. Everyone always says pads and s/s brakelines, very rare is the master cylinder even mentioned.. as it wasnt in this post until I did. The M/C is rarely up graded but it improves the overall braking by as much again as the hoses and pads..
mainly due to finer tolerances used in there manufacture etc etc.. Fact

now stop nit picking my posts you cantankerous old fart.. cos yer gerrin me gooin

:k :-0)

 

[Duck n Dive]

Good this ...... it's like tennis innit ...........



Now over to MacEnroe Lumpy ...... your serve .........





:-0)