Anybody else like the linked brakes? Poll added.

While I doubt I would enjoy them on a proper racing bike, I really like the linked brakes on the VFR for street use. Seems to me that they got the balance pretty damn close and I can get it perfect with just a touch of rear on the really hard stops or into a tight corner. I like em enough that I am keeping them linked when I go to stainless lines. Just wondering if I'm alone on this one as it seems that every brake post I see here is about de-linking.

i too like them.  never on my track bike, but on the street and with the lack of adjustment on the forks, they definitely help lessen the dive under breaking and make the ride more comfortable.

I love them.  The only downside for me is when I ride my 3rd Gen sometimes I forget it doesn't have linked brakes and I apply the rear brakes a little too hard.


Rollin

I don't even think about the fact that the brakes are linked when Im applying them...They work for me.

Like them.
That plus ABS makes for a safe and comfy ride.

Hated them. The front end dive while using the rear brake pedal just messed with my head. I revised and delinked the bike long ago. I'm good to go now.

I like my linked brakes, the front dive when using only the rear only happens when I really punch the pedal so it dosen't bother me very often.

I like them, particularly when I am lane splitting. They allow me to keep a full grip on the throttle yet control my braking. It's so funny that this post came up because I was thinking the same thing, when I do the SS brake lines I am going to keep them linked. I was looking at the HEL kit, right now they're going for $399.00 for the full set, plus $49.00 for the clutch line. I'm hoping that the Long Beach Motorcycle show will have some show specials! It's only a month away...

 Rice, on 03 November 2011 - 07:05 PM, said:

Like them.
That plus ABS makes for a safe and comfy ride.

:+1:

I like mine...I like the ABS too. I don't ever realize they are anything other than normal brakes and they just work. No muss, no fuss.

Mine have got to go. I have a long steep snakey 'driveway' to our place. Gravel and quite steep with a couple of off camber corners. I always trail brake any moto down the driveway with the back brake...to control speed and to keep things straight over what is a pretty dicey descent. No crashes ever amongst me and my bike buddies so far, but the linked VFR? Not good to have front brake going on, downhill on gravel with a ~500lb bike.
They (linked brakes) are kinda ok when just cruising around...One can be totally lazy...you don't even have to lift your toes to get the back brake working, but if I want to be "lazy" I'll take my 4-wheel vehicle... ..There are situations where any front brake at all is a No NO...and sometimes those situations are unavoidable...Coming up to a stop on a very slick road...where some turning is required or a hazard shows up at the last second...
Don Hanson

I rarely use the rear brake very hard, an emergency stop is the only time I really step on it. A light right foot used in conjunction with the front brake seems to settle the bike and I get very little front end dive as I increase the front brake pressure.

To me they just flat @ss work!

I am a racer and thought I would hate linked brakes.

They are freaking fantastic. The rear brake is actually useable, not on or off.

I have found I can trail brake much better, when others claim it cant trail rake.

LOVE THEM!

I like the linked brakes too. My bike will never see the track and for street use, they're great. The one thing I don't like is the complexity of the system. Bleeding brakes on the Viffer is a real nightmare - and that's if everything goes well!

To be honest I was quite surprised that in the Lee Parks 'Total Control' book he admits to liking the linked brakes of the VFR800. Although he does point out that this can pose a problem on wet or slick gravel surfaces. I can definitely see that as a potential issue. Too bad there was not a way to disable them when you are in these situations, sort of like turning off an air bag.

yeah I could see that as an issue for dirt, sorta...

I mean even on my dirt bikes I still use both together but I have knobies on those so its different.

duc2v4: Im doing Galfer, $330 retail for the whole set including clutch, pm me if you wanna do a package deal.

HATED ¨EM! got no regrets about gettin rid. once replaced the difference was night an day, 100% improvement....

I don't mind them, but I want more adjustment in my forks, so the linked brakes will go bye-bye when my new front end goes on.

I love linked brakes. Last year I got caught in the Rocky Mountains on a dirt road (Mapquest said it was paved) that was super-steep downhill and rutted, a real ATV goat track and no place for a VFR with Dunlop Roadsmarts-- but turning around wasn't an option after a freak blizzard started.

Stood up on the pegs, elbows out and loose, and feathered the rear brake all the way down. The front never acted like it wanted to slide out and I stayed upright, but I'd bet no VFR has ever needed a wash as badly as mine did when I got to the bottom!

Why hasn't anyone (toro1 comes to mind) machined slider ends for linked brake on the end of upside-down forks? It would be doable in terms of geometry.

They don't bother me so I guess you would say that I like them. I learned to ride very many years ago when this kind of stuff was not even thought of and I still use those techniques today. I know that I can stop my VFR by using only the front or the rear brake levers as they are linked but I always find myslef using both together :tour: . Some habits will never die.

I think they are great.  I constantly think about changing them on my old Gold Wing (first year for linked brakes) because they are not all that great.  But, on my VFR they are subtle and no problem.

I sure like mine.  I have them on both the VFR & the Blackbird.  Strange but I feel the front brake more on the Blackbird.  Recently went to stainless lines &  the brake feel improved considerably.  I also have F3 fork insides & a Penske rear shock.  I really like them for trailbraking as it settles the bike nicely for the turns.  I can brake late into the turns no problem.

Perhaps not for all but I'm glad I have them.

Love 'em. Never an issue in the wet/dirt or on the track. They just work.

I have bikes with linked brakes and without.  I do not find I favor one over the other.  If one learns to brake properly linked brakes have no advantage.  The time I really hate the linked brakes is when changing fluid, then they suck.

Actually I like LBS more than I thought I would.

I can understand how someone who may ride on the ragged edge like a racer might not like LBS, for it does take away a degree of control. However, for most street riders I feel LBS is a definite plus. Also for those who own 6th or 7th generations and may have w/ABS & LBS, I feel the two in combination provide a major safety advantage for panic braking situations.

Lets face it-unless you are somone who rides a lot more often than you drive, in a split-second panic situation it's an instinctive response to react by applying lots of pressure w/your right foot simply because that's what you would need to do if you were driving. Of course lots of practice can help counteract this reaction, but when you're suddenly caught by surprise it's hard to overcome this instinctive reaction-especially when you're riding relaxed and your "radar" for danger may not be fully active.

Case in point: A few years ago I was leading some friends south along the BRP in southern VA (in Monk's neighborhood) while on the way to Willville, which is a motorcycle's-only campground located just off the Parkway on hwy 58 at the Meadows of Dan. The three of us had already ridden ~ 250 miles that day and were on a fairly straight stretch of the Parkway. At the time I was enjoying myself and riding my non-ABS/LBS ST1100 in a relaxed (less-than-alert) state of mind. Suddenly what had been a stationary brown form in the grass caught my attention as four legs of venison hopped into my lane. My reaction? Grabbed both brakes simultaneously as I should have, but was too hard on the rear brake-causing the tire to lock-up briefly before my brain woke up and signaled my right foot to relax a bit. Thankfully, I slowed down quickly enough to avoid hitting the deer, but you might say the incident turned out to be "a little too close for comfort".

In that situation ABS & LBS would almost certainly have allowed me to slow down a little faster. Of course, sometimes "just a little" can mean the difference between having a bit of a scare or catching a ride to the hospital. Also, even in poor traction conditions I don't feel having LBS active would be a disadvantage.

The only thing I don't like is feeling the bike stand up as the front-end tucks slightly if I may still be bleeding off some speed when it become necessary to countersteer and lean into an unfamiliar, or unexpectedly tight curve. When that happens I do miss being able to release the front brake while still stabilizing the bike somewhat by continuing to trail brake using just the rear.

But not enough to make we want to de-link the brakes on my 5th generation.

They work great on the VFR and teh 6th gen system is even better, more front bias!

I added a Poll to the thread for you. :rolleyes:

BR

Regarding VFR brakes: The January, 2011 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News has a performance index of motorcycles, current and older. The list is 3.5 pages long. The '98 VFR800FI shows a braking 60-0 distance of 107.9 ft. On the last page of the article it shows six categories  of ten best performers. The '98 VFR is listed as the 6th best stopper. #1 came in at 104.8. #'s 2 and 3 at 106.something and #s 4 - 6 at 107.something. Other reviews consider 120 ft. stops from 60 to be excellent. This indicates 5th gens are exceptional at braking. That, I believe, is the strongest vindication of linked brakes.

Personally, there have been several times I have felt compelled to dive toward the shoulder of the road to avoid potentially hitting the vehicle in front of me. My "seat cover was sucked into the increasing vacuum of fear" as a result. In each instance I stopped short of the bumper of my potential "brick wall". I give all credit to the linked brakes. This is in spite of the fact that I failed the quick stop in the road test portion of my MSC safety class, which I took on a provided 1970's 250 cc bike because mine was under repair from a one vehicle crash (blush). It feels like I went from worst to first. LINKED BRAKES FOREVER!

 MaxSwell, on 04 November 2011 - 01:32 PM, said:

Regarding VFR brakes: The January, 2011 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News has a performance index of motorcycles, current and older. The list is 3.5 pages long. The '98 VFR800FI shows a braking 60-0 distance of 107.9 ft. On the last page of the article it shows six categories  of ten best performers. The '98 VFR is listed as the 6th best stopper. #1 came in at 104.8. #'s 2 and 3 at 106.something and #s 4 - 6 at 107.something. Other reviews consider 120 ft. stops from 60 to be excellent. This indicates 5th gens are exceptional at braking. That, I believe, is the strongest vindication of linked brakes.


Thanks, I knew that info was out there but couldn't remember where so I didn't quote my memory! :rolleyes:

BR, you are welcome. It took a search thru many old issues to find it. (My memory is very bad.)

Heck even some MotoGP bikes have a type of linked brakes.