Front brake question

[fulcrum]

Hi,

I have a question regarding the front brake on the Kat, and it's normal operation.

On my bike I've adjusted the dial thingy (technical term... sorry about that) up to 4 and I still have quite an amount to pull before the brake starts engaging and quite a bit of brake lever movement once it does until it is fully on.

On my wifes 2002 SV650S the front brake engages almost instantly (after a couple of millimeters of pull) and doesn't have much lever movement from once it enagages until it is fully on.

Is mine normal for the Kat (been like this since new - I can't remember on the bike I test rode) or is it odd?

What could be done to improve this?

It is currently in getting fixed since the prang and I've asked them to look at it, but I was wondering if it is normal, what could be done to improve it.

Thanks for any advice.

[chriskatana]

Sounds like your have air in your brake lines,
that is not normal operation, The dial thingy only adjusts the distance from the bar to the brake lever. Your brakes should engage as soon as you touch the lever.
Bleed the brakes and try again. You also should check your lines for bulges.

as far an improvements to the brakes, Stainless lines, gsx-r master cylinder, better pads.... that's all i can think of, I have done the gsx-r master cylinder, it's much better.

good luck

[md86]

I put in HH pads and there was a HUGE difference in the way the brakes now "bite" . They seem to engage almost TOO quick if you grab a handful of brake REAL fast . They also will take less lever effort for more "bite" too , so I don't need to pull it as far or hard as a stocker that I've ridden .

[The CyberPoet]

Usually a delay in bite means one of four things:

(A) The lines themselves are old. As lines age, the repeated use makes them swell and shrink, and then the force you use to activate them goes to expanding the rubber before pushing the caliper piston forward. This is why the guideline is to replace the lines every four years; this is also why everyone swears by steel/kevlar/titanium sheathed lines -- the sheathing keeps the rubber from disforming under pressure.

(B) The caliper pistons themselves have dirt, brake dust or other debris at their edges, or the pads' carrier rods are particularly dirty/rusty, meaning that it takes quite a bit of pressure to get the whole set set-up to breakfree of it's static position before wanting to move forward.

(C) There is air in the brake lines. Usually this is a result of either brake fluid that is too old (hence contains too much water suspension, which forms bubbles of steam when it gets too hot), or from a poor job of bleeding the brakes.

(D) The pads are glazed or the rotors are dirty (oily, grimy). In this final situation, the pads are coming in contact with the rotors at the right time, but aren't biting correctly, thus giving you the feel as if they aren't moving forward at the right time. Spraying the rotor down and cleaning it with either a brake cleaner or a simple window cleaner (Windex and a paper towel) will clean any grease off the rotor; the pads if glazed will require sanding to resurface or replacement.

KNOW THIS:
If your wheels are coated with road-grime, your rotors are probably just as dirty. Making a habit of cleaning your rotors every week or ride will help keep the brakes operating at maximum efficiency.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[fulcrum]

Thanks guys.

The bike is only about 8 months old, so the lines and fluid should be in good condition, but I think it probably is air in the lines.

The lever takes a while to provide any real pressure, so my guess is that is the air in the lines compressing. Must've been set up wrong from day one, or somehow got air in it (but I seem to remember it always like this).

I'm glad I tried the brake on my wifes bike. I hadn't ridden since I got mine and you just sort of get used to what your vehicle does.

I'll get them to check it out while it's in the shop.

[Black_peter]

The dial thingie is really just to adjust the position of the lever so you can grab it.
(adjust for finger length)

[fulcrum]

I thought that was what it was for (as that is what it said in the owners manual) but it did seem to make a small difference in the response of the brake.

Probably just my imagination though.

[The CyberPoet]

I thought that was what it was for (as that is what it said in the owners manual) but it did seem to make a small difference in the response of the brake.

Probably just my imagination though.

Just changes the amount of leverage you can apply by putting it closer or further away. If the bike is only 8 months old, I'd clean those rotors and pads well (scrape up the pad surfaces with some steel wool, the rotors with scotchbrite).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet