Airhead front brakes

Last year I was finding even more difficult to stop the 100GS so I fitted an EBC disc from Motorworks, I already had a 4 pot caliper I fitted new sintered pads but it still wasn't up to much so I had an operation on my hand ( Dupuytren contracture) which I hoped would mean I could get a decent grip on the lever but I think things are made worse because other bikes I own I can easily lock the front wheel with one finger on the brake lever so it's hard to get out of the habit of using one or two fingers. I think the only answer is a bigger disc.
 
One of the answers to braking on Airheads apart from the larger disc which is excellent is Lucas TRW pads, I've got them on all mine and they're way better than anything else Ive tried, I've got two finger braking on everything and no 4 pots.
 
Arkwright said:
One of the answers to braking on Airheads apart from the larger disc which is excellent is Lucas TRW pads, I've got them on all mine and they're way better than anything else Ive tried, I've got two finger braking on everything and no 4 pots.
Click to expand...

Where did you get the pads from ?
 
Sometimes they come from a place near Chester but for my GSPD I had to get them from Germany. You need the MSV versions!
 
Cookie,
Thanks again - useful to know. :thumb2
ianboydsnr said:
It should work fine,

I converted my single disc R80RT to twin disc using the original master cylinder and it worked much better, with plenty of feel and only a little more travel.
Click to expand...
Ian,
the only issues i have with the present set up, (on the front anyway :rolleyes: ) is lack of feel and lever travel. Though quite a 'wooden' (i.e; insensitive) feel to the brake - it's very bloody efficient! :eek: :D
Thanks guys. :)
 
Ogmios said:
I agree with you.
I know - i'm surprised too. :blast

Anyhow,
i cant be this nice for long, so - to derail your thread; :green gri :p

Dear collective,
If i "unlink" my Guzzi brakes* - can i get away with just that - new brake lines and no fecking about with new different size master cylinder? :nenau

*i.e: front brake lever = one front disc. "rear" brake pedal = one front disc + the rear disc.

Thang queue in advance. :)
Click to expand...

Can you please not agree with me. It makes me nervous.
Thanks .:augie
 
I've been doing some brake testing ( on closed roads :D) down from just over 100 mph on the front brake ( standard ) my conclusions ?

It's actually not that bad with progressive firm pressure applied.

I think where improvements could be made is in the dive of the front forks ? They feel like they need to be firmer and dive less , I'm well over the front during hard braking .
 
solidstate100 said:
Which is the main reason I carried out the various upgrades that I did.

Just as an experiment, (see Myke Rocks post above) I have this very evening refitted my OEM rubber hose just to revisit what the difference is, stainless verses rubber. (i have the disc upgrade and ceramic pad thing going on)

I shall report back in a day or so once I have had a ride out
Click to expand...


Ok, so how did that work, stainless too harsh? Rubber giving servo effect?
 
Why not just ride to the bikes original capabilities, slow down a little or learn to look a little further up the road so as to anticipate the necessity to stop just a tad sooner? I ordered a large front disc for my first XR650R because I thought the front brake needed improvement. While waiting for it to arrive I had a young lady in front of me, stationary at traffic lights. Lights went green, I accelerated as she moved off then she hit the brakes and stopped dead. I almost went over the handlebars. The brake worked perfectly. Still fitted the big disc though and have the same on my present XR. It looks cool :cool:.
 
B Murr said:
Ok, so how did that work, stainless too harsh? Rubber giving servo effect?
Click to expand...

No discernable difference in absolute stopping power BUT a big difference in feel and modulation - the rubber being much better than the wooden heavy dead disconnected feel that the stainless gives. Its all releative of course as the rubber set up, compared to a modern brake, is still somewhat cr*p - but its a clear winner. I shant be swapping the stainless line back on any time soon.
 
solidstate100 said:
No discernable difference in absolute stopping power BUT a big difference in feel and modulation - the rubber being much better than the wooden heavy dead disconnected feel that the stainless gives. Its all releative of course as the rubber set up, compared to a modern brake, is still somewhat cr*p - but its a clear winner. I shant be swapping the stainless line back on any time soon.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear that. was on verge of buying a twin caliper off someone then decided not when I read this thread. Current shoes are fairly worn so I think I'll just go for whatever the grippiest pads are out there.
 
junglejim said:
Why not just ride to the bikes original capabilities, slow down a little or learn to look a little further up the road so as to anticipate the necessity to stop just a tad sooner?
Click to expand...

Time moves on; we went all over Europe on the R80ST back in the eighties and although I knew the brakes were feeble it didn't seem to matter, just lived with it, although racing with some Gendarmes on the Route Napoleon nearly endedin disaster. The R100GS is the same, back in the day it was just about OK but having had other bikes alongside it, being able to get the front tyre on the limit of adhesion with just gentle pressure on the brake lever and actually feel what is going on, is much more satisfactory than having to use my, non insignificant, full plumbers grip to lose a couple of mph. The dire back drum doesn't help either. In short, these days, it needs all the help it can get.
 
B Murr said:
Glad to hear that. was on verge of buying a twin caliper off someone then decided not when I read this thread. Current shoes are fairly worn so I think I'll just go for whatever the grippiest pads are out there.
Click to expand...


From previous posts best pads are seemingly Lucas TRW pads http://www.ebay.de/itm/TRW-Lucas-Br...658804?hash=item35f494cb74:g:8RYAAOSw4A5Y0Sxx ??

, someone in USA reccomended I use galfer Green Organic pads http://www.ebay.de/itm/Galfer-Brems...229526?hash=item3ada385ad6:g:L2wAAOSwTuJYoero not sure if they are the green organic ones though.

Whats the view on best pads, the green galfer?
 
Lucas TRW sintered but check the size of your pads before you order as 100 GS's can have two different calipers, one slightly smaller than the other.
 
Having played around with the front brake and suspension quite a bit, here is my summary.

Agree that the move to stainless traded cable is a retrograde step. Good rubber hoses give better feel.
Ceramic pads in OEM calliper once warm give better stopping power....but not good enough.
Larger disk conversion gives all the power you need to stop with a degree of control and safety.
OEM forks are crap and dive...progressive springs make no difference other than make the ride harsh over ridges.
Gold valve emulators and springs wound for my weight make a huge difference (£300 all in) to both ride and a significant performance under breaking.

So...£600 to sort out my mono front end to something approaching every day use comfort and safety.
 
ChasF said:
Time moves on; we went all over Europe on the R80ST back in the eighties and although I knew the brakes were feeble it didn't seem to matter, just lived with it, although racing with some Gendarmes on the Route Napoleon nearly endedin disaster. The R100GS is the same, back in the day it was just about OK but having had other bikes alongside it, being able to get the front tyre on the limit of adhesion with just gentle pressure on the brake lever and actually feel what is going on, is much more satisfactory than having to use my, non insignificant, full plumbers grip to lose a couple of mph. The dire back drum doesn't help either. In short, these days, it needs all the help it can get.
Click to expand...

Point taken ChasF :thumb.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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