Delinked Rear Brakes are weak

[bongobobny]

Yes, the pivot pin is in the same place, but the diameter is different. The MK1 has a diameter about the size of a dime whereas the MK2 has a diameter more like a 50 cent piece! You can try to unscrew the pin from an MK2 swing arm or you can machine or MacGyver a larger pin and attach it via a hole in the middle of your adapter to the swingarm with a bolt...

[BlueSky]

Absolutely. The weight transfer is a major reason why the rears lock up so easily on the 2nd gen. But to be honest, a 4 piston caliper was NOT needed on the rear...and 2 pot would have been just as good, IMHO. Rick's last post on his valve solution gives the parts needed to make this modification ourselves. I'm sorely tempted to make one as my last panic stop resulted in the rear end swinging out to the right. Thankfully my reactions are still good as once I let off almost immediately, she came back in line. Another second longer and it would have been a high side accident for this kid.

 

But the bottom line here is twofold:

1: The rear brake is very good, we just need to practice emergency stops from speed so your right foot does it's job without panic.

2: For any riders new to the 2nd gens, not to panic about this problem. It's really your foot's problem not the bikes!

 

As far as the front brakes...they are good as well...but here I think the stock pads are weak. Better pads are a worthy investment.

 

On dry pavement, the responsive rear brake may not be a big problem. But, in slippery conditions, it could cause problems so quickly you can't save yourself.

[videoarizona]

On dry pavement, the responsive rear brake may not be a big problem. But, in slippery conditions, it could cause problems so quickly you can't save yourself.

 

 

Practice. The only true solution.

[GaryZ]

It seems to me that this thread has too many folks worrying about the rear brake.

My de-linked '85 has about the same wooden feeling as both of my ZX11 Ninja sport bikes.

Maybe the rear brake is not supposed to lock up?

 

As has been said two or more times, the front brake is the primary and delivers 75% or more of the needed emergency braking on a motorcycle.

The rear brake stabilizes the bike under very hard braking.

Many of my sport bike friends are proud to say they do not use the rear brake under normal riding conditions, because it is not needed.

The very fact that Yamaha, and others, have "linked" the brakes speaks to the fact that many riders do not know how to properly stop a motorcycle quickly.

 

With this idea, why would any experienced rider be interested in locking the rear brake on purpose? Just askin'

[Patch]

I think this thread has as expect, fogged what the dynamics of motorcycling braking is calculated for in the design and intended use?

 

Even with all the engineering and money Yam had to address sport feel and feedback for gen2, they still managed to not satisfy everyone. This must tell or at the very least suggest that mods without math are dangerous.

 

Hoping that inexperienced Venture riders 1st put some miles on the bikes before associating past feed backs to these bigger heavier touring bikes which are designed, to not feel like cafe sport rides.

 

Quick unexpected stops: change hand position from throttling grip, extend fingers, eye scan and process, squeeze front lever, push back by stiffening arms, squeeze lower bike body like your ****ting out a high rise, reach for and engage incorrect height adjustment on rear peddle.... Seems to me there has to be a better way.

 

Dynamics here's some: jackknife (not something you ever want twice in your life)

another one: Steering stem load

: 1/2 the contact patch

:reduced if any avoidance steering

That's just the obvious stuff.

 

Engage the peddle and manage the unexpected intrusion by bleeding off speed using the linked system, as you reach for and add more braking power to the front wheel while reducing steering loads, lowering CG because of rear brake forces

which also nearly eliminating G force rotation around the stem.

 

Why anybody would want to lockup the rear while steering 1200lbs all the while crushing the front geometry, is startling to me.

 

Your bike your way but..

Patch

[BlueSky]

Nobody wants to lock up the rear brake. That is why I was shocked to find out just how strong the rear brake is on my newly acquired RSV. I'm sure it could be easily locked up.

 

We drive our cars/trucks for decades using our right foot to stop the vehicle. The quicker we want to stop, the harder we press the pedal. In a panic stop we press the brake pedal for dear life. Even though we know we are riding a motorcycle, in a panic stop instinct and decades of training our right foot will most likely cause us to push the rear brake pedal too hard and we will crash. It has happened to many RSV riders. In an old post I read today, Rick Butler said he personally knew two riders who died after locking up the rear wheel and crashing. Blame it on inexperience if you want, but poor engineering has as much or more to do with it than inexperience. Yamaha should have known and done better. Like I posted previously, I would prefer my RSV to have linked brakes, a poor man's ABS.

[GaryZ]

In an old post I read today, Rick Butler said he personally knew two riders who died after locking up the rear wheel and crashing. Blame it on inexperience if you want, but poor engineering has as much or more to do with it than inexperience. Yamaha should have known and done better. Like I posted previously, I would prefer my RSV to have linked brakes, a poor man's ABS.

 

I respectively disagree. Although your logic about the cars and right foot seems reasonable at first blush, it actually points to the lack of experience as the main issue.

 

The linked brakes are not an advantage, they are a placebo for the rider that does not know how to properly brake a motorcycle in an emergency on dry concrete or asphalt. I say this because our linked brakes could be very dangerous on wet or slippery surfaces.

 

The linked brakes on the Gen 1 and 2 apply more force to the front wheel, correct for upright and dry conditions. The front wheel needs to be modulated under less than ideal conditions to prevent the front wheel from locking. The linked system on our bikes does not know the conditions and cannot make judgements. You have mentioned a couple of riders that have locked the rear wheel and crashed. How many have locked the front wheel because of the linked brakes and crashed without ever knowing why?

 

I am very aware of the linked brakes of my '92 every time I go down my daughter's driveway.

[cowpuc]

Probably has nothing to do with nothing but one of the things I learned early on while out CTFW on a MotoCross track or even Hare Scrambling/racing Enduro's was this thing that I call Trail Braking = defined by yours truly as the act of steering the bike thru the berms, hair pins, between the trees and even setting up for jumps at speed by both body language input with the knees into the side of the tank and applying the rear brake.. For me,, 95% of the actual stopping of those bike when coming in to hot was performed with the front brake - and this was in some narliest, slipperiest, soft sandish of conditions that I knew of...

Fast forward thru the years of using the same techniques on our 1st Gens and into this day when, as my bucket list bike I am playing with an early model MotoGP liter bike (it is one of the ones produced before they detuned and applied speed limiters to them of 186 mph) and I gotta say,, it is amazing how similar braking design tactics are/were sewn into these precision built race bikes riaght from the factory IMHO.. The reason I say this is because, at least IMHO, the rear brake on my R1 is about useless as an actual stopping brake but is an absolute essential tool for at speed cornering (enter that same old "trail braking" thingy that I utilized for many many years in a completely different environment. This is gonna sound nuts but, with the R1 (as with my Ventures, other street scoots and all my woods/track bikes) if you are ripping a buck 50 and you wanna stop = you apply 1 finger pressure to the front brake lever and using as a machinist would use micrometer = you can literally control your stopping power to the point that the rear wheel will raise off the ground (these kids that grew up on these amazing bikes and have aquired high levels of skills with them - from practicing A LOT - call the raising of the rear wheel like a reverse wheelie a "stoppie".. I have personally seen watched highly skilled riders/brake users ride down a MotoGP from 170 mph to 0 in a stoppie = those front brakes have that much controllable stopping power!!!

If you look at one of the bikes I am talking about you will quickly notice the huge difference in both caliper and rotor size front to back.. IMHO, this is telling evidence that by design,, the stopping power is up front and the rear wheel braking must be about something else.. When riding one of these bikes (any bike for that matter - IMHO) at speed, it only takes a couple times of pushing it in a corner to realise that front brake usage when cornering is not a good plan - touch the front when in a good lean and the scoot wants to right itself.. Use the rear brake and, even though it does not feel like you have much stopping power - what you do have is speed scrub while maintaining lean angle = kind of strange when ya think about it..

I know,,, I boring you lop eared varmints and I'll shut up but that is the kind of stuff that pops into my mind when reading about brakes and scoots....

Dorky eh

[camos]

My de-linked '85 has about the same wooden feeling as both of my ZX11 Ninja sport bikes.

Picking up on this wooden feeling. I have experienced it twice, once with the front brakes on my 1100 Virago and once with the rear brake on my 90 VR. Both times were resolved by a proper bleeding. For what it's worth, I can't say that sticky pistons did not play a part but I did not clean them at the time.

 

It's my belief that the brakes should never feel wooden just because the normal rubber lines with allow some expansion under pressure. If there is a wooden feel then it is most likely that there is some kind of hydro lock between the MC and the flexible lines.

 

This is just a theory as to the cause since it has only happened to me twice.

[Patch]

I respectively disagree. Although your logic about the cars and right foot seems reasonable at first blush, it actually points to the lack of experience as the main issue.

 

The linked brakes are not an advantage, they are a placebo for the rider that does not know how to properly brake a motorcycle in an emergency on dry concrete or asphalt. I say this because our linked brakes could be very dangerous on wet or slippery surfaces.

 

The linked brakes on the Gen 1 and 2 apply more force to the front wheel, correct for upright and dry conditions. The front wheel needs to be modulated under less than ideal conditions to prevent the front wheel from locking. The linked system on our bikes does not know the conditions and cannot make judgements. You have mentioned a couple of riders that have locked the rear wheel and crashed. How many have locked the front wheel because of the linked brakes and crashed without ever knowing why?

 

I am very aware of the linked brakes of my '92 every time I go down my daughter's driveway.

 

Nope!

 

 

Puc, when wee use dynamics it is to bridge known or unknown potentials; meaning that we are looking deeper into...

 

Somewhere I wrote recently when leaned in and down and, when we run out of throttle twist to hold the line: what really we or I am saying is, the curve was unknown and misjudged, meaning, wish I was 1 more down. So which brake will we choose? On these bikes I will if properly position touch my rear in a steadying way ( I'll say again I'd rather bleed speed, hold the line via throttle)

 

Linked the rear begins her drag and shakes the looseness out, but we still have lots of role inertia up front this is where the linked smaller cal starts to have it's effect. Lets for now increase the fun ahead: coming out of the above twist instead of throttling to lift then gear up one; my eye see 8% grade with a left and to finish with a right twist. Lets forget for a moment that I know road rash all to well and assume, the road is all mine and no obstructions. What is my next strategy, go up 1 to get some wheel speed or put more speed on my crank? Same question: am I riding a bike on 2 wheels or a power plant on 2 wheels?

 

Every long ride I have had with my gen 1.5 has been influence by height, suspension, wind-Then I pick my level of aggressive approach. I know that I am corning a touring bike. Time has proven to me that I can rely, on my linked brakes for much of whats ahead then squeeze - after I have the bike stretch out which is what the link system can do.

 

No one is discounting the braking power up front. But unlike stunting at low speed or without twists the 2 don't compare!

 

Also I won't usually sit out rain; my new Metz were very good but it erked me to see the Mich's handle the curves in deeper puddles surer footed. Stand each side by side you'll see why..

I had no problems with brakes wet or dry.

[CaseyJ955]

My driveway is almost 3 miles of rough dirt and gravel, I couldnt delink the brakes fast enough, it was so far from ideal that I 100% agree with the above statement suggesting it is a safety issue.

[videoarizona]

Hmmm interesting for sure.

 

Two thoughts to add to the fire:

 

1: The linked brakes on the 1st gens are designed to apply brake pressure to the rear first under light brake pressure...then as pressure is increased...more power goes to the front brake. I've had no troubles trail braking my linked 1st gen. Even in dirt/sand it works well....

 

2: If linked brakes are so dangerous, why are so many manufacturers going with them now...on many different types of scoots?

[7 lakes]

Hmmm interesting for sure.

 

Two thoughts to add to the fire:

 

1: The linked brakes on the 1st gens are designed to apply brake pressure to the rear first under light brake pressure...then as pressure is increased...more power goes to the front brake. I've had no troubles trail braking my linked 1st gen. Even in dirt/sand it works well....

 

2: If linked brakes are so dangerous, why are so many manufacturers going with them now...on many different types of scoots?

 

A couple more thoughts:

 

1: You're right.

 

2: The first thing a street rider learns to do with independent brakes is to brake the way a linked, proportioned system does, because that's the appropriate way to brake a vehicle in most conditions. Cars have used this system forever. Not a darn thing wrong with it.

 

3. These bikes weren't built or intended for anything other than asphalt or concrete roads.

 

4. Liking linked brakes doesn't mean you are an unskilled or incompetent rider. I drive an automatic, it doesn't mean I don't know how to shift. I like the linked brakes on the Venture. Would I like them on one of the XS1100s? Heck no, I ride those a lot differently than I ride the Venture. I act my age on the Venture.

 

None of the above is intended to disagree with anything that's been posted, if the linked brakes work for you, cool. if you prefer the extra flexibility that independent braking gives you, and it does, that's cool too. The only thing that I disagree with is the idea that linked brakes are a stupid idea and those running them are unskilled and/or incompetent.

[Flyinfool]

I hope it was not anything that I said that gave anyone the impression that linked brakes are for incompetent riders. Most riders here are a lot more competent than I am, linked or not. I was just saying the the roads that I have to ride everyday are dangerous with the linked brakes. After the 2nd time I was forced to brake hard on pea gravel over cement with the linked brakes I very nearly went down because the front locked. It may be partly due to my incompetence, but for me delinking fixed it.

 

As for the newer bike coming out with linked brakes, they ALL have ABS so it will not be an issue no matter what the surface and therefore are no comparison to our 30 year old systems.

[CaseyJ955]

I hope it was not anything that I said that gave anyone the impression that linked brakes are for incompetent riders. Most riders here are a lot more competent than I am, linked or not. I was just saying the the roads that I have to ride everyday are dangerous with the linked brakes. After the 2nd time I was forced to brake hard on pea gravel over cement with the linked brakes I very nearly went down because the front locked. It may be partly due to my incompetence, but for me delinking fixed it.

 

As for the newer bike coming out with linked brakes, they ALL have ABS so it will not be an issue no matter what the surface and therefore are no comparison to our 30 year old systems.

Im going to agree on all points, your experience mirrors mine. ABS would be a game changer. Once I delinked I could ride my driveway much better, the loose ridged gravel was a pucker factor 8.5 linked and 4.75 delinked. I think for a skilled rider that is used to it it's great but I noticed a much more controllable machine once I was back in charge of braking function. I ride some really lousy roads and in the zpring there is often sand and salt on the road and its killer for bikes. I fret if I cant control it completely and differently under varying conditions. On tight low speed and some slow surfaces I may not use fronts at all. I sort of like the option to lowside the bike to avoid a highside or direct collision if something unfortunate were to happen, I feel like that would be easier without the link. My rear caliper is off the front of an R6S with HH pad and it will lock up if I step hard, when I deli ked I used R6/HH on all three rotors so my results were not delinking alone.

[saddlebum]

Here is some food for thought. I delinked the brakes on my MK II. I removed the proprtioning valve completely and connected directly to the master. The pedal is hard and yes to lock up the rear wheel I pretty much have to stand on it. On the other hand If I make a hard application of both the front and rear brakes at the same time on dry pavement, the rear will lock up and the rear wheel will skid sideways if I hold the full application of the brakes. I can only assume this is because with applying the front brakes some of the bikes stopping weight is removed from the rear wheel and transferred to the front wheel. On gravel or wet road I have no problem locking the rear brake. I do believe if you want toucher rear brakes you either need to reduce the piston size in the master cylinder or increase the piston size on the caliper. This may be why 2nd Gen brakes are toucher ( and I am just guessing here) I wonder if they may run a smaller piston size in the master which would increase the ratio difference between the master and the rear caliper or have a longer brake pedal arm.

[7 lakes]

I hope it was not anything that I said that gave anyone the impression that linked brakes are for incompetent riders. Most riders here are a lot more competent than I am, linked or not. I was just saying the the roads that I have to ride everyday are dangerous with the linked brakes. After the 2nd time I was forced to brake hard on pea gravel over cement with the linked brakes I very nearly went down because the front locked. It may be partly due to my incompetence, but for me delinking fixed it.

 

As for the newer bike coming out with linked brakes, they ALL have ABS so it will not be an issue no matter what the surface and therefore are no comparison to our 30 year old systems.

 

Jeff, my comment wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular, I was referring to statements like "Linked brakes are for unskilled riders", "Linked brakes are for those who don't know how to ride a bike", etc. that I've seen here in the past. They make about as much sense to me as "Automatic chokes are for people who don't know how to warm up an engine" or "Seat belts are for people who don't know how to hang on". Just plain silly. I certainly understand the urge to modify, improve performance or tailor a bike to your particular needs, especially for a situation like yours where independent braking is definitely an advantage (pea gravel? oh crap!) but I bristle a little bit at the idea that guys who don't want to modify their brake system are somehow screwing up or missing out.

[7 lakes]

Here is some food for thought. I delinked the brakes on my MK II. I removed the proprtioning valve completely and connected directly to the master. The pedal is hard and yes to lock up the rear wheel I pretty much have to stand on it. On the other hand If I make a hard application of both the front and rear brakes at the same time on dry pavement, the rear will lock up and the rear wheel will skid sideways if I hold the full application of the brakes. I can only assume this is because with applying the front brakes some of the bikes stopping weight is removed from the rear wheel and transferred to the front wheel. On gravel or wet road I have no problem locking the rear brake. I do believe if you want toucher rear brakes you either need to reduce the piston size in the master cylinder or increase the piston size on the caliper. This may be why 2nd Gen brakes are toucher ( and I am just guessing here) I wonder if they may run a smaller piston size in the master which would increase the ratio difference between the master and the rear caliper or have a longer brake pedal arm.

 

Yeah, hydraulic systems are balanced and if you change one component you usually need to make a corresponding change elsewhere in either mechanical or hydraulic advantage to maintain the balance. They can get touchier or wooden depending on the change.

Edited July 5, 2018 by 7 lakes
speling currection

[Patch]

Yeah, hydraulic systems are balanced and if you change one component you usually need to make a corresponding change elsewhere in either mechanical or hydraulic advantage to maintain the balance. They can get touchier or wooden depending on the change.

 

Yes that is exactly the point if we unbalance to find a new or to impose a new balance, regardless the motivation, the entire circuit must be a part of the consideration for cause and effect.

 

One of the interpretations I have been visualizing reading these posts with regards to - can't lock rear wheel or more control up front, or more braking power up front - is that the poster must be in an upright position when he/she is wanting to lock the brakes? That's not real world riding!

Also and this happened to SK an I last fall; we ran up to a family of Geese crossing the HW while on a down grade well leaned in on hot asphalt. All in here I'd say I grabbed front before I had time to peddle down!!

Lets think about that, 1 rotor because mine are linked - still pushing in likely 3rd- then peddle and clutch or clutch and peddle.

In such a touring situation I am not in "full patch contact" when I began braking! I would rather keep the odds on not loosing grip at all, because we know that once that starts it always means lost of control and usually end badly.

 

So I feel too much power up front in a panic stop will likely cause a drop as the springs begin to push back and, you are in a forward position or have a passenger out of position as well if riding straight up. If leaned well like I said break grip and who knows..

[saddlebum]

I am sure every one has their personal reasons as to delink or not to delink.All the bikes I have ever ridden had independent front and rear brakes so I learned the scary way that my 89 had linked brakes and could not understand why someone would do that.

 

In my case it had to do a lot with how I discovered linked brakes. I once topped a hill only to to be faced with a stop sign. Now usually there is a warning sign indicating stop sign ahead and whether it was there in this case I can't really say, Bottom line was I was now on a paved road coated with loose gravel and sand so naturally I only applied rear brake (or so I thought since at this time I was not aware that the brakes on the venture were linked) next thing I know front wheel locks up and slides out I quickly release the brakes and thinking I must have touched the front brake without thinking I reapply the rear brake. Now this time I am fully aware that I am not touching the front brake yet again the front wheel locks up and slides out. I quickly release the brake and now with no chance of stopping I quickly look both ways, roll on the throttle and scoot through the intersection, something I never want to willingly repeat.

 

I get home and check the bike over to see why this is happening and discovered my brakes were linked so my first thought right then and there was to do something about delinking the brakes. While working out the details as to how I was going to go about this I happend to have a conversation with another member on the sight and discovered I was not the only one who was not comfortable with linked brakes and found out eventually that they too delinked brakes which eventually led me to skydoc and his kits. Personally I am happy and feel safer for doing it, but like I said to each his own.

[skydoc_17]

Far be it for me to claim any "special" knowledge about First Gen. braking systems, but I can share the knowledge that I have gleaned by working and riding on First Gens. for over 25 years, and riding motorcycles for over 50 years in no particular order. (No, this doesn't make me an "expert", it just means I crashed a bunch, broke off a lot of bolts learning how to work on a motorcycle properly, and lived to tell about it!)

1. Brake fluid is Glycol Alcohol Based, (like Antifreeze) ANY Rubber brake or clutch line that has been exposed to Alcohol for more than 20 years is DONE. Period. Part of the "blackness" you see in your sight glass is decomposed rubber!

2. In 1983 to 1991, there was NO technology available to control the ratio between front and rear braking, (ie. computer control) other than a spring loaded "pop off valve" which by the way has been around since the steam engine days. So to compare a mechanical proportioning linked motorcycle braking system from the 80's with a computer controlled, electric over hydraulic linked braking system that may even have "anti-lock" from a late model Goldwing or BMW is well.... A Stretch, to say the least. When I first started riding motorcycles, MANY didn't even have a front brake! NONE, Nada. And I don't remember crashing into a bunch of stuff as a younger rider. I do however vividly remember NOT overrunning the ability of my motorcycle to STOP, and after i had the rear end of my bike slide out from under me a few times, I learned not to jam on the rear brake. In my opinion, it's really about the equipment you have on your bike weather it be stock of custom, and your ability to TRAIN yourself to operate that equipment effectively, no matter if it is linked, de-linked, ABS or whatever the powers that be come up with tomorrow!

Now that the history lesson portion of my rant is over with, I would like to address some of the honest issues that have come up in this thread, again in no particular order.

1. If you De-Link your brakes on a First Gen. and use the port that was used for the proportioning valve and the rear brake line I can Guarantee you that an air bubble as big as a pea is going to get trapped at the junction between the upper rear master cylinder port and the new rear brake line. And if you gut the proportioning valve and connect your new line to that valve, you might as well connect an air compressor to your brake line because you will never get that air out. EVER.

2. If you use a stock right front MKII caliper or an R1 front right caliper on the rear of a First Gen. MKII the bleeder is in the WRONG place to bleed that caliper properly. Is it possible to get MOST of the air out....MAYBE, but I would hardly call that an upgrade.

3. If you buy a new stainless steel, kevlar lined, line set, and install it on a set of 30+ year old calipers and master cylinders OR a set of 15 year old EBAY R1 or R6 calipers and your braking performance doesn't improve much or you have leakage, or the master just flat won't activate the caliper, then don't blame it on the line set, the real problem is, you haven't completed the upgrade yet. You wouldn't put one new tire on your car then wonder why the other three keep sliding off the road would you?

4. For the MKI owners, (1983 to 1985) There are two excellent upgrades I suggest you consider. A) The MKII rear master cylinder has a larger bore than the MKI and is a direct bolt on item. B) The MKII Front Forks will allow you to install 4 piston calipers (even the R1/R6 progressive engagement calipers) and are a direct bolt on replacement. Yes, you will have to pony up a few bucks for these upgrades, or you could just plop down the cash for a new Wing or BMW.

5. There is a difference between the MKII rear brake caliper and a Second Gen. rear caliper. The MKII rear caliper has 4 pistons of equal size, and the 2nd Gen. caliper has 2 larger pistons and 2 smaller pistons. This is called a progressive engagement caliper. When you lightly engage the foot pedal, the two smaller pistons start to move first due to the smaller surface area. As you engage the pedal more, the larger pistons start to move to the point of full engagement of all 4 pistons. The Second Gen. Caliper is a direct bolt on item for the MKII VR, and the bleeder is in the correct position to bleed this caliper properly. Now this is what I call an upgrade!

5. This next tip is for the Second Gen. owners, or you "BIG guys" that have had trouble with the rear brake locking up on your MKII First Gens. I highly suggest you consider the KEVLAR (Arimid is the generic name for kevlar) rear brake pads. The reason behind this is this pad was made for bikes that can go 160 MPH+!

You won't even warm these pads up at highway speeds. You will get decent braking action, but a MUCH smaller chance of lock up.

 

Normally this is where I would sneak a link to the items I offer in the Member Vendor Section of the Classifieds to the original poster that mentioned an issue with his First Gen. but I think this time I would like to point out to all of you "Arm Chair" mechanics, who haven't actually tried any of the upgrades available for the First Gens. or you posers, (I'm sorry, that was a typo, I meant to say POSTERS!) that think the answer to the issue this gent is having with his motorcycle is "well, if all of the motorcycle companies are putting linked brakes on bikes, it must be a good thing!?!? The last time I looked, this was the First Gen. Tech Talk part of the forum, and this is where I always came when I needed help with MY First Gens.

My thoughts, for what they are worth.

Don, I'm sorry brother, I think I'm channeling Yammer Dan!

[luvmy40]

Just another opinion. Take it for what it costs you.

 

My Gen 1 Mk 1 is the first(only) bike I've ever ridden that has linked brakes.

 

I've logged many thousands of miles on HDs with rear drum brakes and no front brakes at all.

 

I've logged many thousands of miles on rear drum and single front disc bikes.

 

I've logged many thousands of miles on rear disc and dual front disc bikes.

 

I have about 10K miles on the Venture.

 

All without a major incident caused by my application of the brakes or a lack of braking power. Heck, I rode several hundred miles on the Venture with just the un linked front caliper working with no issues. Not that I'd recommend it.

 

Though it took me a little time to get my head wrapped around the concept, I like the linked brakes. I don't see the system as weak. I have plenty of stopping power. If I'm in gravel or sand, light application of the pedal seems to work fine. I suppose if I get into a situation where I'm moving too fast for the surface, the linked brakes could be a detriment. It hasn't happened yet.