My Brakes Suck

I recently put some DP HH sintered pads on my bike, but to be honest, the brakes still suck.

I have to pull firmly for hard braking, and they don't feel very smooth. Under hard braking, right before the bike comes to a stop, they feel grabby/snatchy (if that makes sense).

Regardless of how I try to describe how they perform, in the end I know that they're not exactly right.

I realize this is a subjective issue, but does anyone have any idea how I can improve the situation?

I haven't bled the brakes since I bought the bike, and I'm up to 22000 miles. Not sure if bleeding and new fluid will fix anything, but I've got to do something...

BTW, rear brakes are still original pads.

When I ride other bikes, regardless of age, type, etc, my brakes just don't compare.

Any thoughts?

Hell yeah I have a thought. Bleed your brakes man. IT will make a NIGHT and DAY difference. Especially in the smoothness of application. FWIW you should bleed your front brakes every season, 2 at the most.

also, clean out the bulk of the crap in the calipers and grease your guidepins...

you brakes should feel much much better when you are done. Take your time, the process is a pain on these bikes with the linked brakes.

Original rear pads, original brake fluid, 22,000 miles.....hmm. I wonder.

Maybe they're just not bedded in fully. Give it a little time and do some progessively hard stops to bed them in. You might also have air in the system, so a good bleeding of the lines should help.
But you really have to change your brake fluid anyway, after 22K miles.

Beck
95 VFR

[image: View Post]Alien TLR, on Oct 1 2008, 01:07 PM, said:

I haven't bled the brakes since I bought the bike, and I'm up to 22000 miles. Not sure if bleeding and new fluid will fix anything, but I've got to do something...

Umm, this is your problem. Bleeding the LBS is not fun but it's not that difficult, mainly time consuming. You need to follow a specific procedure as outlined in the manual. A mity-vac is STRONGLY recommended as you need to do a complete fluid flush too.

22,000 miles on the original brake fluid? I change my brake fluid and bleed with every oil change, and put a zip tie around the brake lever the night before I go for a ride. I don't like mushy brakes.

[image: View Post]Alien TLR, on Oct 1 2008, 01:07 PM, said:

I recently put some DP HH sintered pads on my bike, but to be honest, the brakes still suck.

I have to pull firmly for hard braking, and they don't feel very smooth. Under hard braking, right before the bike comes to a stop, they feel grabby/snatchy (if that makes sense).

Regardless of how I try to describe how they perform, in the end I know that they're not exactly right.

I realize this is a subjective issue, but does anyone have any idea how I can improve the situation?

I haven't bled the brakes since I bought the bike, and I'm up to 22000 miles. Not sure if bleeding and new fluid will fix anything, but I've got to do something...

BTW, rear brakes are still original pads.

When I ride other bikes, regardless of age, type, etc, my brakes just don't compare.

Any thoughts?



i did a full flush at 2000 miles on the abs model, yes 2000 miles, clutch and brake was gunky, I flush the resvoirs every month on clutch and brakes, cuase of the gunk buildup. After 20,000 miles or so stuff holds up better, I'm a one finger braker , the brakes seem very adaqute for the street.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Oct 1 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

and put a zip tie around the brake lever the night before I go for a ride.

Please 'splain why.

Like others have said.. fluid will make a world of difference. It's hygroscopic - it absorbs water over time (regardless of miles). Even moderate braking can bring that water to to its boiling point. When that happens, little compressible bubbles are released in your brake lines, making your brakes feel spongy.

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on Oct 1 2008, 06:10 PM, said:

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Oct 1 2008, 04:19 PM, said:

and put a zip tie around the brake lever the night before I go for a ride.

Please 'splain why.
Someone told me to try it one time, I did and liked the results.

Supposedly, with the fluid under pressure for a long time, it will force small air bubbles out.

Give it a try, even without going for a ride. Squeeze your brake lever, then put a zip tie around it and the handlebar, squeezing the brake lever. Tomorrow, take off the zip tie and squeeze the brakes, you will see a huge difference, even on just bled brakes.

[image: View Post]Alien TLR, on Oct 1 2008, 02:07 PM, said:

I recently put some DP HH sintered pads on my bike, but to be honest, the brakes still suck.

I have to pull firmly for hard braking, and they don't feel very smooth. Under hard braking, right before the bike comes to a stop, they feel grabby/snatchy (if that makes sense).

Regardless of how I try to describe how they perform, in the end I know that they're not exactly right.

I realize this is a subjective issue, but does anyone have any idea how I can improve the situation?

I haven't bled the brakes since I bought the bike, and I'm up to 22000 miles. Not sure if bleeding and new fluid will fix anything, but I've got to do something...

BTW, rear brakes are still original pads.

When I ride other bikes, regardless of age, type, etc, my brakes just don't compare.

Any thoughts?

Did you ever get your brakes worked out? I had the same thing happen to mine. (4th gen w/ 30,000 miles, new DP HH pads) Please let me know if and how you fixed yours.

Travis

Flush out the old fluid and replace with new. It should feel much better. Remember...brake fluid is hydroscopic (it absorbs water). Water in the lines is bad mkay.

http://www.vfrdiscus...;hl=brake+fluid

[image: View Post]tdchonda1, on Oct 15 2008, 07:38 PM, said:

Did you ever get your brakes worked out? I had the same thing happen to mine. (4th gen w/ 30,000 miles, new DP HH pads) Please let me know if and how you fixed yours.

Travis

Maintenance, as outlined in the owner's manual, is the "fix". "Fixing" the original problem is unrelated to the pads.

Most of us just replace fluid every year or two. The manual(s) actually outline the mileage and timetable for this. One thing very few do is actually rebuild the master cylinders and calipers. (Definitely a winter project for me!)

Just want to add something no one else has covered here yet and something that I experienced.

On one of my none moving drops a few years ago, the front brake lever was snapped off. I always try to carry extra levers when on a multi day trip and I installed a cheap aftermarket lever I had in the tank bag and continued my trip. I'm a PACE type rider and don't use my brakes much most of the time, but weeks or months later I was thinking that the brakes felt like crap. This aftermarket lever I installed was not a factory adjustable one, so I installed a factory level and my brakes improved two fold! :blink: What I realized is that different levers have different ratio's of leverage/force applied by a pull of the lever and that the factory lever had twice the mechanical advantage of that aftermarket piece. Amazing! :cool:

This may not have any effect on what your dealing with, but wanted to eliminate one possibility in your search for better brakes.
Also the VFR's linked brakes never feel that strong to me, but in a braking test of sport bikes done in the UK had the VFR 800 finish 3rd of something which really blew me away! :biggrin:

Good luck!

22,000 miles on the same fluid? Oh man,that juice is cooked. Change the fluid you'll have stopping power again.



If that fails you could always swap for the RC51 320 mm front brakes and as an added bonus you get real front suspension as well.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Oct 1 2008, 05:19 PM, said:

22,000 miles on the original brake fluid? I change my brake fluid and bleed with every oil change, and put a zip tie around the brake lever the night before I go for a ride. I don't like mushy brakes.

That also "opens' the brake valve in the master cylinder to allow any tiny trapped air bubbles to make their way out to the top overnight. Slick idea Jeremy.

Whenever I bleed a brake system, my final step in to just barely depress the lever with the top of the master cylinder open. You'd be surprised at how many "tiny bubbles" will work their way up to the top. Also, you have to keep in mind that brake fluid is relatively viscous (compared to water or alcohol). It takes a minute or two for the bubbles down near your caliper to work their way up to the master cylinder. They travel up through the system slower than you think.

Back bleading from the calipers up (by pushing in the pistons a little) after flushing helps sometimes. Don't forget to bleed the banjo bolt at the master cylinder.