Let's talk brakes...
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Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 204
From: Garden Grove, Ca.
Let's talk brakes...
And how unhappy I am with the factory brakes. How about some ideas from you guys who modded the brakes. The back brake is only good for skidding or slowing you down from 30 mph or below. My fronts..... Well I think they should do a better job.
Who has bigger rotors???? What kind of a job was it to convert???
Joe
Who has bigger rotors???? What kind of a job was it to convert???
Joe
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,051
From: Portland, Oregon
i have f4i calipers & a 5/8" MC from a 900rr ( uses the same levers as the hawk ). i have kevlar brake lines & Vesrah RJL pads. stock rotors.
motul RBF600 dot 4 fluid. i'm VERY happy with this setup.
tim
motul RBF600 dot 4 fluid. i'm VERY happy with this setup.
tim
Will drum for BBQ
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 166
From: Kentucky
I've always thought the main drawback to the stock Hawk setup on the front was the way the left caliper line goes up above the splitter. It creates a natural airlock that can be damn hard to bleed regardless of the method you use.
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SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 807
From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Have a look at "List of bolt-on front brake mods" in the Modifications-Performance category. There are a lot of cost effective improvements you can make. The stock front brakes are awful and the stock rear brake is next to useless.
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SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
Lots of people have reported satisfactory results with just a brake pad change-EBC HH pads are popular. Caliper swaps are popular, especially now that lots of companies have quite making parts for VTRs--I know the excellent Vesrah RJL pads are not made for VTRs, but they are for F4is, 600RRs, 954s, etc. I currently have a 954 front end, and the brakes are great, but before I had the F4i setup with Vesrah pads and it worked quite well with the stock front end and rotors.
The rear brake is a rear brake. It works as well as any other on a sport bike.
The rear brake is a rear brake. It works as well as any other on a sport bike.
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SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,806
From: Atlanta, GA
Here. I'll post this info again for anyone who's interested.
2003-2004 CBR600RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
2000-2001 CBR929RR mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/30mm
2002-2003 CBR954RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
2000-2001 RC51 mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm
2002-present RC51 mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
1999-Present CBR600F4(i) mc 5/8” (15.87mm)
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm
2003-2004 CBR600RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
2000-2001 CBR929RR mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/30mm
2002-2003 CBR954RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
2000-2001 RC51 mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm
2002-present RC51 mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm
1999-Present CBR600F4(i) mc 5/8” (15.87mm)
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm
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Back Marker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 158
I made the swap to braided lines, and went with the HH pads, and just that alone made a noticable difference.
I want to go with the F4i calipers and RR/RC MC as well, but have been too poor/lazy lately to get it done...
I want to go with the F4i calipers and RR/RC MC as well, but have been too poor/lazy lately to get it done...
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 105
From: Elgin, Illinois
That's why I got rid of that line system and put on the Goodridge braided lines. What a difference!!!
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Back Marker
Back Marker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 229
From: Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Apart from the comment about bleeding the front brakes, which I understand, I am obviously missing something about the VTR's brakes. Mine are totally stock, and the thing seems to stop as well as any other machine it goes out on trackdays with, including race bikes.
So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead
.
So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead
.
Last edited by PJay; Aug 3, 2008 at 08:29 PM.
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SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 714
From: Fredericksburg, VA
The best way to improve braking and all around performance for that matter would be losing 10 pounds off your ***! Its the cheapest mod too.
I just put a F4i setup on mine, $60 on Ebay, and put EBC HHs on the rear. Haven't had a chance to take her out though, somebody forgot to renew the tags on time...
I just put a F4i setup on mine, $60 on Ebay, and put EBC HHs on the rear. Haven't had a chance to take her out though, somebody forgot to renew the tags on time...
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Squid
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 65
From: The valley of the sun stroke
I'm getting pretty good rolling stopies from my kevlar lines and HH pads. I rebuilt my callipers also and that made a huge difference. Think i'm gonna swap front ends though... maybe 954???
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SuperSport
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 963
From: Sunshine Coast, Australia
Apart from the comment about bleeding the front brakes, which I understand, I am obviously missing something about the VTR's brakes. Mine are totally stock, and the thing seems to stop as well as any other machine it goes out on trackdays with, including race bikes.
So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead.
So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead
.
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