Brake Conversion

[Bear1300]

Hi All,

 

I know the R1/R6 monoblock calipers will bolt on to our Royals front forks.. My question is if the same monoblock will bolt onto the rear? The caliper looks identical to me.

 

Any ideas?

[Guest]

I have the R1 conversion on my 99 for the front. I personally have not seen it done on the rear. There is nothing wrong with the rear caliper that would need an upgrade. Probably the best upgrade you can do in the rear is going with a braided S/S brake line along with EBC HH pads. I did that last year as well as rebuilt the rear caliper and it stops just fine.

[Bear1300]

Thanks for the feedback Ruffy.

 

I understand your advice on the rear replacement. It really is decent, but i just have this thing about mismatched parts. I would like to replace all the calipers and add braided lines. I also considered upgrading to the Road Star front M/C but i would rather replace the calipers and assess it from there.

 

Any other opinions ?

[allwx]

This is a matter of riding style as much as anything. Personally I don't like to have a lot of grab from the rear. I crashed seriously in 92 when I apparently locked up my rear brake on wet surface causing a lowside... could have been a highside if it'd worked out differently, in which case I'd be writing from hell.

 

After that I've always distrusted my braking instincts. I don't remember even touching the brakes on that day, but a witness said I fishtailed and went down. Most likely I flinched at an upcoming curve and gave too much brake input. I've done the same thing at other times, but avoided crashing in those cases. Anti-lock brakes would solve that prob, but that's another issue. I almost never use the rear brake now, except in low speed maneuvers, or in "panic" stopping. My bike locks up the rear with very little foot pressure, and that is with oem stock brakes, lines and pads. It is worse to lock up the front, but locking up the front is much more difficult because the weight shifts forward onto the front wheel during braking. This also aggravates the tendency for the rear to lock up as it gets lighter.

 

So... my own pref is to do nothing to make the rear brake more powerful.

[Guest]

Thanks for the feedback Ruffy.

 

I understand your advice on the rear replacement. It really is decent, but i just have this thing about mismatched parts. I would like to replace all the calipers and add braided lines. I also considered upgrading to the Road Star front M/C but i would rather replace the calipers and assess it from there.

 

Any other opinions ?

 

I used the kit from Sky Doc, a member here. I replaced both front calipers as well as the splitter with a vmax splitter. SS lines and EBC HH pads all around and I rebuilt my stock rear caliper with a ss line. I use Motul 5.1 brake fluid, not to be confused with synthetic 5 fluid. Same as DOT 4 but with a higher boiling point. Brakes worked just fine for me. Some will get real technical with different diameter bores, lines, etc. In my opinion this is a heavy touring bike and the way I have my brakes set up is just fine with me.

 

Now that being said, the replacement of the stock calipers with the R1 calipers didnt really make a tremendous difference in braking power. I just felt the braking ability to have been improved over stock. Smoother and better regulated braking was what I found. And im sure the addition of SS lines contributed to that all on its own. Like anything else, its a personal choice. May not work for some but it may just be what you are looking for. All I know is that I am comfy with the set-up.

[twigg]

Mis-matched parts?

 

You are mis-matching the parts as soon as you add SS brake lines!

 

The point isn't whether or not the parts fit someone's idea of what matches, the idea is to improve the braking, and the best parts are the ones that work best.

 

R1/R6 calipers up-front, plus braided lines, with or without the splitter will be an improvement both is stopping ability, and feel.

 

Getting rid of the linked brakes is another advance, but increasing the rear braking power is a dubious idea. The rear brake, especially in the dry is used for little more than balancing the bike while the front brakes stop it. In the wet it is far more significant, but in the wet the OEM brake has more than enough ability ... Leave it stock, other than the de-linking.

 

I don't much like splitters ... but that's me ... It's just an additional expensive brake line and more places to leak.

 

Two separate lines, one double banjo and you are sorted on the front.

[dingy]

This is a matter of riding style as much as anything. Personally I don't like to have a lot of grab from the rear. I crashed seriously in 92 when I apparently locked up my rear brake on wet surface causing a lowside... could have been a highside if it'd worked out differently, in which case I'd be writing from hell.

 

After that I've always distrusted my braking instincts. I don't remember even touching the brakes on that day, but a witness said I fishtailed and went down. Most likely I flinched at an upcoming curve and gave too much brake input. I've done the same thing at other times, but avoided crashing in those cases. Anti-lock brakes would solve that prob, but that's another issue. I almost never use the rear brake now, except in low speed maneuvers, or in "panic" stopping. My bike locks up the rear with very little foot pressure, and that is with oem stock brakes, lines and pads. It is worse to lock up the front, but locking up the front is much more difficult because the weight shifts forward onto the front wheel during braking. This also aggravates the tendency for the rear to lock up as it gets lighter.

 

So... my own pref is to do nothing to make the rear brake more powerful.

 

Somewhere on this site is a thread on a brake mod for the RSV's to help reduce the likelihood of a rear brake lockup. It involves installing a flow control valve in rear line.

 

I think Rick Butler did the write up.

 

Found them, links below.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2940

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13098

 

Gary

Edited March 24, 2012 by dingy
Found links

[Guest]

Bear has a Royal Star so there are no linked brakes on his bike. All Royals have splitters under the front fork. On Sky Docs recommendation I added the Vmax splitter for better flow. Bottom line here is any SS line will provide a positive upgrade all on its own. Rebuilding the stock calipers while installing the SS lines will also be a positive upgrade. Your not mis-matching parts, your upgrading your stock system mildly. Now, adding the R1 calipers will certainly improve your braking but not to the extent you may be thinking. I did stop more easily with the R1's but nothing earth shattering. The "feel" at my fingertips felt better and a bit more positive if you understand what im saying. And I have never had my rear wheel lock up on me while braking hard. 1 time it did lock up slightly but I stood on the pedal pretty hard and backed off right away. Your riding experience where it concerns braking will play a big part in this. But sometimes you just cannot avoid a panic stop and wheel lock-up can be part of that experience.

[Rick Butler]

Yeah Gary,

 

I still make these kits up and I probably sell 2 or 3 a year....especially when the guys realize how easy it is to lock up the rear brake on a RSV and get scared. I lost my ad a while back when Don was having problems with the Classifieds and I haven't got around to putting it back out there. I started out selling a turn-key kit for $140 but now I've got the cost down and sell them now for $120.

 

So they are still available, just drop me a line,

 

Rick

 

 

Somewhere on this site is a thread on a brake mod for the RSV's to help reduce the likelihood of a rear brake lockup. It involves installing a flow control valve in rear line.

 

I think Rick Butler did the write up.

 

Found them, links below.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2940

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13098

 

Gary

[Squeeze]

.... Now, adding the R1 calipers will certainly improve your braking but not to the extent you may be thinking. I did stop more easily with the R1's but nothing earth shattering. ...

 

Ruffy, did you change the front M/C from 5/8" to a 14 mm Piston ?

 

Sounds like you didn't do that, because with a 14mm, you'll most likely change your Wording.

[Guest]

Ruffy, did you change the front M/C from 5/8" to a 14 mm Piston ?

 

Sounds like you didn't do that, because with a 14mm, you'll most likely change your Wording.

 

No, still running the stock master. However, I did polish the MC housing....doesnt that count for something?

 

I knew about the master upgrade but for what I need, this set-up works just fine. Not looking to do front wheel stands, just to improve my braking somewhat, which I feel was accomplished to my satisfaction.

[Squeeze]

.. which I feel was accomplished to my satisfaction.

 

said the Man until he felt the Lever on his freshly aquired and mounted 14mm M/C.... :whistling:

[Guest]

said the Man until he felt the Lever on his freshly aquired and mounted 14mm M/C.... :whistling:

 

So Squeeze, shall I expect a freshly acquired 14 MM in the mail anytime soon???? And will it be polished??? Hmmmmmm

[Squeeze]

Ruffy, i'm quite sure you can expect the Mail Man as soon as you found a 14mm M/C and made a Deal with the, then former, Owner and payed for it. Polishing will remain unknown until you made it happen, but i'm quite sure, the Guy that did your stock M/C will be able to make it happen again.

[wrenchrob]

I am interested in sing the caliper upgrade. There is a local salvage yard near me and he has several R6s. What year do i need to get the calipers from? And will I need to get the caliper anchors as well. Thnks Rob