R80g/s brakes advice wanted

andrewb2006

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My r80 brakes are a bit lacking what’s the best way to improve?

What’s the best pads ?
Is the bigger disc conversation worth the money ?
Could I add another disc and Caliper?

Thanks

Andrew
 
andrewb2006 said:
My r80 brakes are a bit lacking what’s the best way to improve?

What’s the best pads ?
Is the bigger disc conversation worth the money ?
Could I add another disc and Caliper?

Thanks

Andrew
Click to expand...

Andrew,

The bigger disc kit is worth it. Arkwright will be on to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I also use the Lucas sintered pads with it. Makes it stop a bit more like a normal bike.!!

The pads will help, but the bigger disc really makes a difference. :thumb
 
Go slower!
 
The only feasible option is the larger disc. The standard rota is just too small for a 21” wheel.
 
I think you'll find https://www.boxxerparts.de/index.php?cat=c98_Brake-parts.html&XTCsid=dge14kr3vbbomgtpnpvkdui0c5 is the most cost effective when you've converted the Euro then add Lucas TRW SV pads, you'll get them from Germany on ebay, then 2 finger braking!

016-X2.jpg
 
Based on the glowing reports I had read about the Lucas sintered pads I tried a set, instead of my usual EBC hh pads.
The ones I was sent were rubbish , probably slightly better than organic but nowhere near the EBCs.
I pulled them PDQ.

My G/S came with a oversize floating wave disk which uses the OE dished centre and a skeleton spacer for the caliper.
Dont know what brand or where it came from, and as the disk needs replacement if anyone does know please post.

All that seems to be around today is a flat non floating standard disk, which uses drum shaped spacer and longer bolts in lieu of the OE dished centre ,and has a solid bracket for the caliper.
Moteren Israel has them at a good price, most other German sites have them too.

FWIW the bike also had a twin pot caliper - when it started drawing air I replaced it with the OE item which actually works better with HH pads, as the smaller pads get hotter and HH pads work best when they are hot.

Some websites indicate that the OE hose does not work with their oversize set up and sell a new braided hose to suit separately, but who knows----.
There isnt much clearance with my set up, everything has to be shimmed carefully, and when I had tires fitted by someone who preferred to remove the caliper to facilitate wheel replacement I neglected to tell him about the shims--------.
 
Based on the glowing reports I had read about the Lucas sintered pads I tried a set, instead of my usual EBC hh pads.
The ones I was sent were rubbish , probably slightly better than organic but nowhere near the EBCs.
I pulled them PDQ.

My G/S came with a oversize floating wave disk which uses the OE dished centre and a skeleton spacer for the caliper.
Dont know what brand or where it came from, and as the disk needs replacement if anyone does know please post.

All that seems to be around today is a flat non floating non wave disk, which uses a drum shaped spacer and longer bolts in lieu of the OE dished centre ,and has a solid bracket for the caliper.

Moteren Israel has them at a good price, most other German sites have them too.

FWIW the bike also had a twin pot caliper - when it started drawing air I replaced it with the OE item which actually works better with HH pads, as the smaller pads get hotter and HH pads work best when they are hot.

Some websites indicate that the OE hose does not work with their oversize set up and sell a new braided hose to suit separately, but who knows----.
There isnt much clearance with my set up, everything has to be shimmed carefully, and when I had tires fitted by someone who preferred to remove the caliper to facilitate wheel replacement I neglected to tell him about the shims--------.
Edit, looks like my post crossed in the post with Awkrights, but my comments on the pads still stand.
 
Yes Rolf but you can't show us anything 'cause you're too tight to pay any subs so back to your prison cell thank you!
 
Brakes

Yes the brakes do lack a bit of stopping power compared to todays bikes, ride it for what it is, I do.
 
320mm disc + standard calliper or Billet 6-pot on the standard disc. Both seem to work about the same and will twist the forks out of shape.

Nothing like modern standards of braking though.
 
The alternative is BAMW www.bamw.co.uk) who will also sell you a revised hard lower brake pipe as part of the package so probably not that much more expensive. Also, cookie is right on the fork twisting thing so if you haven't already got a lower fork brace that bolts to the sliders...get one...don't argue, just do it...from the same site!

And after that, you can then go and get some gold valve emulators which re-valve the forks, stop them collapsing under breaking and turn them from awful the barely OK....and...and...and.

Or just accept that it is a 40 year old design and ride accordingly.

On the pads...the best I have found are the ceramic one (blue backing...on eBay) because as others have said, being single pot calliper the pads get very hot. On an extended spirited ride brake fade it an issue and once hot, the ceramic pads offer much better performance IMO....particularly on a long fast(fish) decent in the Pyrenees :eek:
 
For clarification : I have the 320mm disc/ Lucas TRW SV pad set up on all my Airheads.

This follows extensive research on my GSPD which with a full tank wants some stopping.

I've tried every combination of pads, discs and calipers I could come up with. It was evident very early on that

Lucas TRW SV pads were in a class of there own (I've got more used sets of pads here than you can believe!)

The 320mm disc was also a significant improvement.

I've tried all sorts of calipers and came to the conclusion that the standard 48mm Brembo caliper was by far the best for me along with Hyperpro
progressive springs and the Howard Millichamp fork oil formula and a proper fork brace.

These are purely personal opinions of course, I am by no means the most aggressive rider , I usually get 10,000miles out of each set of tyres,
(and I always fit them in pairs)
 
I bought my Lucas sintered pads one German Ebay, and there were a few reviews on the pads which were very complementary.
But the pads I received were crap, little better than organic , and I left a review saying just that.
The vendor promptly cancelled the listing and started a new one, which off course did not have my scathing review of the crap Lucas pads.
He made no attempt to contact me.
So there is the possibility that there are bogus Lucas pads around, and of course the possibility that Auk has either never tried EBC HH pads, or he know what HH pads are, or the set of EBC HH PADS he tried were bogus too.
FWIW the point where organics fade is the point where sintered pads start to hit their stride, so if you manage to fade sintered pads you are doing something seriously wrong!
Or you have Lucas ones.
Lucas rear brake shoes are great , best I have tried, which does raise another possibility---------------------------.
 
Arkwright said:
For clarification : I have the 320mm disc/ Lucas TRW SV pad set up on all my Airheads.

This follows extensive research on my GSPD which with a full tank wants some stopping.

I've tried every combination of pads, discs and calipers I could come up with. It was evident very early on that

Lucas TRW SV pads were in a class of there own (I've got more used sets of pads here than you can believe!)

The 320mm disc was also a significant improvement.

I've tried all sorts of calipers and came to the conclusion that the standard 48mm Brembo caliper was by far the best for me along with Hyperpro
progressive springs and the Howard Millichamp fork oil formula and a proper fork brace.

These are purely personal opinions of course, I am by no means the most aggressive rider , I usually get 10,000miles out of each set of tyres,
(and I always fit them in pairs)
Click to expand...


Good advice...however, just for clarification the “millicahmp formula” won’t work on a g/s at they are compression and rebound on both sides...unlike the GS ( I know you know this...some others reading may not).
 
Very true, I use 15wt fork oil with hyperpro progressives in the G/S. I did the research on my GSPD. I daren't tell you about brake fluid!
 
I have the softest BMW springs in the G/S 36mm forks, with around 20 mm preload, and 5wt Maxima Synth suspension Fluid with around 30 mm less air gap than stock.
And of course a tubular lower brace and billet top triple. With Metz 3s at 31 psi
I have dialed in the extra soft custom Ohlins at the rear to suit, and have ended up with the Ohlins magic carpet ride both ends.
And a rider sag that has people running after me to tell me it is wrong!
Only tried Hyperpro springs once, on a VFR and they were so stiff the bike was almost unridable on the bumpy spray seal roads around here, and FWIW if you need 15 wt oil in G/S forks something is far wrong!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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