improving front brakes,01 rsv

[Condor]

So Bob, you never did try the R/1 calipers with the OEM master, and you just cogitated.... :-)

 

OK guys... All I'm trying to do here is save members a few bucks. Whether you go with the 14mm or the OEM it makes no difference to me. I'm out of here....

[Prairiehammer]

@pegscraper (2008) has first hand knowledge of the importance of the proper master cylinder bore. Not theory, not conjecture, but real life experience in the first person. Follows is his write-up:

 

Well, here's the report on the R1/R6 calipers. I had installed them a couple weeks ago, and put some riding time on them. They seemed adequate. I could feel that they operated differently, but I can't say they felt like any real improvement. The difference I was feeling was that the brakes would engage sooner in the lever travel. It took a lot of hand effort to operate them, which is not an issue for me. But they just didn't feel like they were stopping me any better. I was less than excited. I was beginning to think I was chasing ghosts, that I was simply expecting too much out of an 800 lb. bike.

 

Squeeze had said here that the R1/R6 calipers were designed to be used with a 14mm master cylinder, where our bikes have a 5/8" master cylinder stock (real close to 16mm). What that means is that with our bigger diameter master cylinder, the caliper pistons will move farther for a given amount of master cylinder piston (or brake lever) travel. To say it another way, it means that the mechanical advantage of the master cylinder over the caliper pistons is reduced.

 

Squeeze suggested that I get the 14mm master cylinder with which these calipers were designed to be used and give that a try. With that, the master cylinder will travel farther for a given amount of caliper piston travel, and the mechanical advantage at the brake lever will be increased. So I got one and got it installed today, and went for a ride. MAMMA MIA HOLY MOTHER OF MOSES what a set of brakes! Good gravy! I was beginning to think it wasn't possible for any brakes at all to have this kind of stopping power on a bike this heavy. I did a number of quick stops, and as I learned the new feel of these brakes, I did a few from 60 mph where I braked all the way down to a dead stop. I heard creaks and groans from stress in the front end of this bike I've never heard before. I was half afraid I was going to wind up standing on the front tire. Even one tiny pebble under the front tire at that point probably would have spelled major disaster.

 

The real test now would be to put some time on these brakes, and then go back to the stock setup and see if I thought the braking power dropped. One can often be convinced that they see whatever result it is that they want to see in a case like this. I may or may not do that, but I'll put some time on these first to really get used to them. I really don't think I'm off base though. This is too great of a difference to be imagining things.

 

Needless to say, I'd recommend this modification to anyone who wishes they had more stopping power out of their front brakes. It turns out that my bike already had four piston front calipers. In fact, I learned that they are the same thing as V Max front calipers. V Max owners have been doing this R1/R6 front caliper swap for quite a while now. Second gen RSVs and RSTDs have only two piston front brake calipers. I can't think that they're even as good as what I had.

 

I used R1/R6 calipers on mine. Those anodized colored aluminum bore plugs don't really look right on our bikes. That's a sportbike look. I already had big chrome caliper covers on mine, which will require a little tweak to clear the new hose location and I will put them back on. At the very least one would want to put the small calipers covers on, which are still available. A slightly better way to go would be to use the calipers from newer Roadstars or Roadliners or Stratoliners or even Raiders. Some Warrior calipers may work, but the newest model of Warrior has gone to a different style of caliper. All these calipers from these models already have chrome bore plugs in them, and some of them have the whole caliper chromed. These wouldn't need any covers at all. Some of them have black bodies and some are natural aluminum color. The 'Liners and Raiders have a different style of bore plug than the Roadstars. It's all just a difference in looks. They're all four piston calipers with 100mm mounting bolt spacing. Any of them would work here. Just make sure to get ones that have the same basic mounting bolt and body configuration. If they look like they will fit, they will. There is a newer style of caliper filtering into Y's bikes that will not fit, but when you look at them, it is obvious that they are a different style. I'm not going to take the time to figure out all the years and models which will have the calipers that we need. Just make sure to match up a similar body style.

 

As far as the 14mm master cylinders go, the Roadstars' and Warriors' master cylinders are identical to ours in looks, except that they have the different piston diameter - at least the ones with this style of caliper do. The piston diameter is cast right into the back of the reservoir next to the fluid inspection window, where you can see it from the seat. It will be either 14 or 5/8, so you can tell what you're looking at even if the thing is off of the bike. There are brushed aluminum with a clear finish units available, and the midnights have chromed units, so pick whatever matches your bike. The Raiders' and 'Liners' master cylinders have a different style to them and wouldn't match the looks of our bikes.

 

The only other minor issue is that because of the new brake hose mounting location on these calipers, now the existing brake hoses are a shade too long, and require a twist in them to mount which makes them buckle out a little bit. If it doesn't bother you, then they're fine. But hoses from a Roadstar with these calipers would probably fit against the bike a little better. Now might be a good time to go to braided hoses.

 

The big chrome caliper covers from Show Chrome made to fit our bikes might not fit now with these calipers, because of the new brake hose mounting location. But I'd bet that the model designed to fit the Roadstars that have these calipers would now fit.

 

Now let's see some of the rest of you do this and hear reports from someone else. There's no substitute for good brakes. Just do it.