A few issues all a once if I may...
I guess we all know that steamer brakes were not brilliant in the first place and the spongy fork travel does not help but recent events have got me thinking that it is time to try and improve what Triumph provided. Seems like anything could out brake me right now. Certainly my car would stop in half the time from 70mph.
I'm not the sort of person to ride on the bumper of cars or the sort to go that fast, so it's more of a generally performance thing than any need for race track style performance.
The brake pads and disks are fine, no air in the system. It just doesn't do what it might in terms of stopping. When it does stop the forks feel quite soft.
- Does a 17" front wheel help? I am looking to get a set of my wheels re-rimmed? Could do this...
- I am going to get a set of new tyres thereafter (probably Tourance nexts on the basis of advice received here, if sticking with 19" front)
- New brake pads? Is there a type with a bit more bite?
- Braided hoses? Do these actually work?
If I make the brakes, wheels, tyres better will the soft forks negate the improvement?
All thoughts welcome... :ear
Depends what you are looking for in terms of braking. I do not think a 17" wheel would make much of a difference if the rest of the system is up to snuff. I have just taken Stanley out for his first ride and noticed that the braking is 'adequate'. Adequate for the way I ride, which is extremely defensively. If you like to ride to the 'edge' then obviously a re-think is in order for your bike. Just my 22 cents worth (2 cents + inflation.)
ebc 'HH' pads with std steamer rotors works good
if you lead with your rear brake first the front end doesn't dive near as bad under braking conditions .
and braking can be improved by upgrading the rotors to ebc or galfer , just depends on what you want to spend .
I'm with Mustang, I've tried a couple of makes that just didn't cut it. EBC's do seem to work well. I've just put a set of Armstrong pads in the tug after rebuilding the calipers, we'll see how they work when I put it through MOT brake test.
if ya after better brakes, go big and do the three spoke conversion :nod brilliant brakes plus it gives you a spacin that if you want you could put 6 pots on it. you also get a wider range of tyres to fit. if ya after some uprated springs i have a set in my garage i wont be usin.
Quote from: nickcalne on March 23, 2014, 10:39:13 PM
Braided hoses? Do these actually work?
Yes they most certainly do... especially if you are still running the OEM hoses, my brakes are probably not capable of stoppies, but I've never had a shock whist being 'friskey in the twisties' and the rear locks up quite easily, I'm also running Girly rotors at the front, don't know which pads tho'. the only thing about HH or sintered pads is they wear your discs more rapidly.
Quote from: JayDub on March 24, 2014, 05:05:08 PM
Quote from: nickcalne on March 23, 2014, 10:39:13 PM
Braided hoses? Do these actually work?
Yes they most certainly do...
:nod :nod
Good point, I'd just assumed the original long balloons had all been replaced by now :icon_redface:
Quote from: nickcalne on March 23, 2014, 10:39:13 PMBraided hoses? Do these actually work?
Yes, +1. And since they are now quite reasonably priced why not switch over 'just because'. If nothing else they look nice.
On the later bike they're braided already, check before you buy because I have a feeling the steamers were too
My 96 did but the 95 still has the hollow bungee chords :icon_scratch:
95 steamers were the only ones that did not have braided steel lines
Quote from: Mustang on March 25, 2014, 01:57:55 PM
95 steamers were the only ones that did not have braided steel lines
Really :icon_scratch:
Just (yes it has taken me a while to get round to it) put some EBC HH's on and the difference is frightening! I can stop!
It always helps :augie
:ImaPoser Better late than never eh Nick :icon_wink:
When it comes to braking "late" is never good!
It's taken me years to successfully bleed my front brake. The rear has always locked easily, especially if I wasn't thinking about it (like the time I got it wrong approaching a roundabout. I thought the car approaching was taking the exit before mine and so I wasn't making any attempt to stop as there was room behind him for me. But he didn't, he came round. I bottomed the front, locked the rear and dodged behind him somewhat sideways due to the locked rear. No way could I stop, but I slowed enought to avoid a collision).
I recently cleaned the calipers, pistons and seals, refitted everything but, crucially, held the calipers up as high as the brake pipes would allow when changing the brake fluid. It's very important to get the left one above the height of the mudguard. Result is for the first time the lever is firm and stayed firm. In the past it's always gone a bit soft after a day or two.
I know this isn't new news or rocket science, more a case of getting round to a job I should have done ages ago. when I opened the bleed nipple for the first time to do the fluid change a small bubble of air came out. Probably the same bubble that's been causing the problem. Maybe I should put this in the Jobs You Should Get Round To section :icon_rolleyes:
It's odd how easy it is to put this sort of thing off. Oil change? All done. Gotta look after the engine. Bleed the brakes and save my life? Yeah I'll do it next week...
Maybe we ought to have the public New Year's resolutions thread for overdue service items...
You're right Nick, in our busy busy lives we tend to just live with niggly little issues instead of getting on and fixing them.
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on November 11, 2015, 08:14:50 PM
You're right Nick, in our busy busy lives we tend to just live with niggly little issues instead of getting on and fixing them.
Ah yes, but you guys have an excuse to put stuff off....... you can ride almost 365 days of the year.
We here really have no excuse because the bike sits and looks at you smugly all through the winter. Daring you to make the time to go and do all the stuff that needs to be done. With no excuse, because it's too flippin' cold to ride anyway. Of course, an unheated garage with minus temperatures might be considered a deterrent too :icon_wink:
Add to your list to replace the fork springs with some of proper rate. You use up a lot of braking energy compressing the mushy front suspension. Making no other change but fork springs, you will think you added 25% to your braking power.