Brakes Fading

[WuzzaCBXRider]

Mythos I have no such experience using HH pads on otherwise stock 2006 brakes. One finger pull can produce a rear wheel lift. Not sure I could ever get used to what you’re referring to. Also, braking in a corner does not cause a crash. Braking too hard in a corner does. Nobody just touches the brake lever, it always requires a pull, light or otherwise.

 

[fallenarch]

That's definitely NOT what I want.

I agree. What you want is that when you pull the lever (preferably with one finger) the lever comes back a little to where it firms up a bit. This should start to slow the bike but not bite aggressively. With the slack out of the lever, you should literally feel the tire on the road and feel it's traction. That sounds weird but that's how it should feel. Then if you need to actually stop, you should be able to pull the lever with just 2 fingers and bring the bike to a stop. The brakes should be able to function like this over multiple stops without fade. The front wheel of the bike has the most traction when breaking, but it is still a small footprint. Abrupt braking moves are never a good idea, front brakes should always be applied smoothly and with progressive aggression. Also note that maximum brake performance depends on a properly setup front suspension. If your forks collapse when you brake hard, the bike becomes unstable. Also, you should hold the bike against the engine braking so proper gear selection is important to the highest braking performance.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

Arch, can you rephrase that last sentence?

 

[fallenarch]

If you watch MotoGP riders they will over shoot the turn if they hit a false neutral. That's because they are using engine braking to help stop the bike as well. This also keeps the attitude of the bike from diving as much. You have to be careful with this because too low a gear and the bike can react badly. If this is not the case, correction please.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

It must have been the “hold the bike against the engine braking” that confused me. I too use engine braking when riding thru corners, occasionally giving the brakes a pull in the short straights between when I’m upright if I feel I’m too fast for the next one. Brake usage is minimal unless I’m seriously railing. Engine braking is your friend but it’s effectiveness is dependent upon your speed. You could say I got a lesson on cornering one day on my Honda when, as I approached a familiar right hander and pulled in the lever. Instantly the lever came all the way to the grip and I had no brakes. Just as instantly I had to adjust my lean, press down on the seldom used rear to seriously trail brake as I started to lean and then, off brake and just do it! Turns out I can corner faster than I thought! Oh, a banjo bolt had loosened up and brake fluid was dripping when I stopped to look.

 

[Tian]

So the callipers i found i mentioned in an earlier post-is not fitting....

So my search for new callipers will start today.... Will look on Ebay-Amazon & Ali Express. I will post picture on what i find.
The better quality brakepads mentioned in this thread-I did give those names through to a bike shop but no luck sofar in finding them. I am also trying to track down a bike shop in South Africa who have an exporters code. Most of the shops i contacted have those pads for between $200 and $380 for 2 front sets 1 rear combos. But none have exporter codes so they are unable to sent it down to me. But if i find none, i have people coming down to Namibia from SA about twice a year. And they are willing to bring it with them. So if i cant find a place with that stupid exporters code i will do it trough them and then just buy some extra sets for the time periods they are there.

@jellyrug also connected me to a place who do shipping from US for cheap. So even if SA is too expensive i might use them to bring in pads and what ever else US purchases i make.