upgrading brakes

[Oaksong]

I am curious, how hard would it be to add a second disk brake to the front of the M50? What would you have to do?

[tdurham]

why would you want to do that? I would not think that it would not decreased stopping distance enough to warrant the cost. I am sure there is some fancy math out there but I sure wouldn't do it! I would be spending my money on other stuff like pipes, chrome, seat, windshield, FC's, etc. unless ur all decked out and still have a wad of money you want to blow.

[Petcop]

Originally Posted by tdurham

why would you want to do that? I would not think that it would not decreased stopping distance enough to warrant the cost. I am sure there is some fancy math out there but I sure wouldn't do it! I would be spending my money on other stuff like pipes, chrome, seat, windshield, FC's, etc. unless ur all decked out and still have a wad of money you want to blow.

Speaking for myself, I couldn't care less about different pipes, can't stand a windshield, bought the bike because it has very little chrome, and would prefer to have a better braking system. Daily I ride in stop and go traffic as well as heavily traveled freeways, and have to do some major braking more times than I'd care to (and yes I watch ahead to prevent those emergency braking maneuvers but sometimes they're unavoidable). I used to think there was very little I didn't like about the bike, but the braking system is definitely one of my complaints.

[MotoJPizzle]

I think better brakes would be cool - maybe a larger disc with beefier pads and caliper.

[Majestik]

Replace from break pads with performance pads and you will increase your overall breaking power quite sum..

Also, tighten up the bolt on the rear break, 1 click at a time, until the rear break pedal feels good and breaks easily.
The trick with the rear break is not to over tighten the bolt for 3 reasons:
1. over tight and the drum is engaged all the time, causes friction, heats up your rear wheel to the point of catastrophic failure (blow out).
2. excessive wear and tear on the rear break drum.
3. much easier to lock the rear wheel and lose control on the bike.

to make sure you are NOT over tight, tighten it 1-2 clicks, take a 10 minute ride and DO NOT use the rear break AT ALL!
Drive back in and touch the drum housing, if it's HOT it's too tight.

It will always be warm/hot but if you are feeling a burning sensation on your hand when touching it, it's too tight.

Once you have tightened it just enough, start practicing your emergency breaking/lockup on the rear wheel, since you have adjusted it, you need to "adjust" your own feel for the break.

I hope this will help some people get better breaking power as well as control

[Oaksong]

Originally Posted by tdurham

why would you want to do that? I would not think that it would not decreased stopping distance enough to warrant the cost. I am sure there is some fancy math out there but I sure wouldn't do it! I would be spending my money on other stuff like pipes, chrome, seat, windshield, FC's, etc. unless ur all decked out and still have a wad of money you want to blow.

what petcop said. I don't care about any of that. I am not buying a bike for the "lifestyle" or anything like that. I am buying the bike to have fun and have it look cool, yes, but practicality is also a very real concern. Especially when that practicality is directly linked to potential life/death/injury concerns.

[Oaksong]

Originally Posted by Majestik

Replace from break pads with performance pads and you will increase your overall breaking power quite sum..

Also, tighten up the bolt on the rear break, 1 click at a time, until the rear break pedal feels good and breaks easily.
The trick with the rear break is not to over tighten the bolt for 3 reasons:
1. over tight and the drum is engaged all the time, causes friction, heats up your rear wheel to the point of catastrophic failure (blow out).
2. excessive wear and tear on the rear break drum.
3. much easier to lock the rear wheel and lose control on the bike.

to make sure you are NOT over tight, tighten it 1-2 clicks, take a 10 minute ride and DO NOT use the rear break AT ALL!
Drive back in and touch the drum housing, if it's HOT it's too tight.

It will always be warm/hot but if you are feeling a burning sensation on your hand when touching it, it's too tight.

Once you have tightened it just enough, start practicing your emergency breaking/lockup on the rear wheel, since you have adjusted it, you need to "adjust" your own feel for the break.

I hope this will help some people get better breaking power as well as control

You dont want to lock the brakes. If the brake locks and the tire starts to slide you get less traction and braking power... not more.

[cyclechris]

yeah I am +1 on the brakes thing and interested in what things anyone has done and how they helped. Right off the top of my head, I would think that higher performance pads and maybe stainless steel brake lines would help.

[sarjent]

would rather replace the %%%%ty rear drum with one like the front disc.

[Majestik]

Originally Posted by Oaksong

You dont want to lock the brakes. If the brake locks and the tire starts to slide you get less traction and braking power... not more.

Obviously you did not understand what i wrote.

You can have a better rear braking power with less effort, but it comes in the price of easier "locked wheel".

If you get it just right where it is easier to break (less force needed on the foot) and yet not that easy to lock up, that's the sweet spot.

This spot is different for EVERY RIDER, that's why you want to prepare yourself and "re-learn" the foot force, and how hard it can take it BEFORE it locks up on you.

Everything on a motor vehicle can be adjusted for the personal preference of the driver/rider.
We are here to learn from others and share what worked for us with others.

[Mario]

Well....... I do see the need to increase the bikes stopping power it is on the weak end, and would be a smart decision to spend money on stopping power. As of now I have not seen anything on the market but don’t forget about the riders initiative on fabrication one, A great fabrication from a rider on the M50 was the DJ Drive look for it on the Volusia sight, it is also mentioned on here, there are countless original fabrication from riders good luck and let us know. Confucius says: One with fast car and no tires or brakes eats through a straw.

[Angusdog]

The M50 is underbraked, especially if you are coming from a sportsbike background like me. Are there high performance (and also faster wearing) disk pads available? Braided lines will reduce the sponginess at the lever and reduce the effort somewhat, but not make the bike stop much sooner.

I'd have thought it possible to engineer a second disk, but at quite a cost. Off the top of my head, you'd need a second RHS fork, a brake mounting plate made up and a custom wheel. Plus possibly a different master cylinder depending on the calipers used.

A cheaper alternative would be to source a six piston caliper and a larger, full floating disk, probably from a wrecked sportsbike. Then you'd only need to adapt the mounting to suit using an adaptor plate which would be fairly easy and you may get away with your existing master cylinder. In fact, typing this makes me think this is the best route to try. Could be a really good project for Mr 07M50 to try next...

[05HDRAM]

Originally Posted by Angusdog

The M50 is underbraked, especially if you are coming from a sportsbike background like me.

I had the same feeling when I went from a sportbike to the M. I had to learn to ride it like a cruiser, and not a sportbike. Yes the brakes could be better, but I changed my riding habits and it is not so bad. I brake earlier for a corner, and I allow more stopping distance.

[boooya]

I've looked into this also, the brakes on the M suck its as simple as that. There underpowered and heat up to quickly when riding hard, once that happens they make noise. There are some things you can do to better them like already posted here, Adjusting rear brakes properly for the rear, (not to sure about using the hot to the touch method), and for the front you can upgrade the pads and use steel braided brake line. Now take a look at this, im sure some of you have already seen this>>>>2008 Suzuki Boulevard 400 specifications and pictures
Note were it says rear disc brake.. Its the same bike just with a 400cc engine, im sure with little modification it will work, but is it worth the $$$?

[Ray Nielsen]

I've done several things to improve the M50s brakes. When almost new I installed Dunlopads, DP323 if I remember correctly. These are NOT the HH rated pads, rather the normal Dunlop metallic pads. Great improvement and they last a long time. I've now got about 18K on them and they're about 1/3 worn. Got them from Dennis Kirk at <www.denniskirk.com> for about $43.

Centralizing the rear brake backing plate helps with rear brake effectiveness. To do this you start with the rear wheel jacked up off the ground. Loosen the rear axle nut until just finger tight. Then, spinning the rear wheel in a forward direction, clamp down on the brake pedal and hold it firmly while tightening the rear axle nut. It helps to have a second person holding the brake pedal down. This action forces the brake backing plate and shoe assemblies into the center of the drum and achieves better shoe to drum contact.

Another addition to my bike is Dunlop rear brake shoes. From Dennis Kirk again, they're of higher friction material than the originals and seem to offer much improved braking with less force. Of course I "centralized" the rear brakes when installing them!

I'd say I've achieved about a 30-35% increase in braking power with these techniques. The bike feels more surefooted as a result.

Hope that sheds a little light on the subject.

Ray Nielsen, in Minneapolis and went for a ride today!

[Angusdog]

Originally Posted by boooya

Now take a look at this, im sure some of you have already seen this>>>>2008 Suzuki Boulevard 400 specifications and pictures
Note were it says rear disc brake.

I think the spec is wrong. This 400cc Boulevard looks to have a drum:


I wouldn't have thought the 400 would have a disk although you never know with jap market only bikes.

[machdeg]

My only problem with the brakes is that many times when I'm going slow and turning I can hear the front pads rubbing against the disk. It also seems like the disk might have a couple grooves worn into it. Maybe I went through some dirt or something. I don't think its a big deal though.
Can anyone suggest someplace to get the steel braided cable and is it easy to put on?

[shelby322]

try pulling the caliper off and greasing the pins that the pads ride on, definetely quieted mine down some

[buster]

I went to my local custom bike builder with the same question, his answer was very technical and involved, it went something like....." Do NOT %%%% about modding brake systems unless you absolutely know what you are doing, everything else on the bike is fair game. Give the braking system to the experts.

Reflecting on this nugget of info. I believe the following two quotations to be the most sense talked in this thread.

Originally Posted by Majestik

Replace from break pads with performance pads and you will increase your overall breaking power quite some..

Also, tighten up the bolt on the rear break, 1 click at a time, until the rear break pedal feels good and breaks easily.

The trick with the rear break is not to over tighten the bolt for 3 reasons:
1. over tight and the drum is engaged all the time, causes friction, heats up your rear wheel to the point of catastrophic failure (blow out).

2. excessive wear and tear on the rear break drum.

3. much easier to lock the rear wheel and lose control on the bike.

to make sure you are NOT over tight, tighten it 1-2 clicks, take a 10 minute ride and DO NOT use the rear break AT ALL!

Drive back in and touch the drum housing, if it's HOT it's too tight.

It will always be warm/hot but if you are feeling a burning sensation on your hand when touching it, it's too tight.

Once you have tightened it just enough, start practicing your emergency breaking/lockup on the rear wheel, since you have adjusted it, you need to "adjust" your own feel for the break.

I hope this will help some people get better breaking power as well as control

Originally Posted by Ray Nielsen

I've done several things to improve the M50s brakes. When almost new I installed Dunlopads, DP323 if I remember correctly. These are NOT the HH rated pads, rather the normal Dunlop metallic pads. Great improvement and they last a long time. I've now got about 18K on them and they're about 1/3 worn. Got them from Dennis Kirk at <www.denniskirk.com> for about $43.

Centralizing the rear brake backing plate helps with rear brake effectiveness. To do this you start with the rear wheel jacked up off the ground. Loosen the rear axle nut until just finger tight. Then, spinning the rear wheel in a forward direction, clamp down on the brake pedal and hold it firmly while tightening the rear axle nut. It helps to have a second person holding the brake pedal down. This action forces the brake backing plate and shoe assemblies into the center of the drum and achieves better shoe to drum contact.

[EDIT By Buster: I have been in the stealership when the mech's have been doing this but was too embarrassed to ask why]

Another addition to my bike is Dunlop rear brake shoes. From Dennis Kirk again, they're of higher friction material than the originals and seem to offer much improved braking with less force. Of course I "centralized" the rear brakes when installing them!

I'd say I've achieved about a 30-35% increase in braking power with these techniques. The bike feels more surefooted as a result.

Hope that sheds a little light on the subject.

Ray Nielsen, in Minneapolis and went for a ride today....and imparted some bloody good advice!

.....and please people, read Majestik's entry PROPERLY...

[cyclesinct]

ok, time for a n00b question. Why are steel braided cables better than the rubber ones that come with the bike?