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By PeteF
#84731
I have a few hundred miles on the new bike now and was expecting the brakes to improve. They were pretty poor when new.
Front brake is still not good for a disk and the back is just about useless.
Has anyone found this is typical? Will they improve? Or do I start complaining.
User avatar
By stinkwheel
#84734
What are/are they not doing? How's the feel at the lever? Firm/spongy? Are they braking ok then fading or is nothing happening at all?

While not the worlds most amazing brakes, I've found those calipers to be entirely adequate. They aren't going to stand it on its nose with 2-fingers but they should haul it up reasonably sharply even at speed.

So if it's not working well, probably best to take it back to the dealer to get it sorted out. Could be there's a fault with the ABS system or perhaps there is some contamination on the pads?

As I say, I'd describe them as "effective" rather than "good" but the ones on the example I rode were certainly effective, and it only had 6km on the clock when I picked it up.
User avatar
By Presto
#84735
After a ‘few hundred’ miles the pads should be bedded in and you’d have noticed if hydraulic fluid was low.

My bet (but only a small one!) is the brakes have not been bled correctly or the fluid is contaminated – moisture?

I’d agree that the disc brakes are perfectly adequate, in my experience maybe better than adequate for the performance of the EFIs.
User avatar
By stinkwheel
#84750
In fairness, If I'd bought a brand new bike, I would be pretty hacked off if I was having to bleed the hydraulics in the first couple of hundred miles. That's a job I wouldn't expect to need doing for a couple of years and even then I'd be doing it because it is in the service schedule, not because I had a problem.

I'd take it back to the dealer. If the hydraulics need bleeding, they should be doing it.
User avatar
By PeteF
#84787
It's in for first service soon so I'll get it sorted then.
No way I would do this myself though I did whip out the front pads to clean them - marginal improvement.
By Lou E
#84798
Mine work well 1147 miles on. Hitchcocks lists upgraded pads, will get some up my sleeve.... they are consumadles, like oil and filters.
User avatar
By stinkwheel
#84801
In my experience there are three grades of brake pads. Normal. Sintered -which I like mainly due to their wet weather performance. Then there are Brembo which are a whole other ball-park in feel and effectiveness but you pay for them (nearly double what a high-quality sintered pad from any other make costs and they WILL wear your disc down more rapidly)!

I was particularly keen on getting my preferred Brembo SAs for my bullet so I spent quite some time going through cross reference lists and found the following.

Interestingly, the RE brembo callipers use the same pad fitment Honda used on their 1999/2000 CB500 and CB500s. Brembo part number: 07BB03.SA

For older bikes (like my one with an electra front end), the RE pricol front pads are the same as on a 2009 Kawasaki KLR650. Brembo part number: 07YA21.SA

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