Weird front brake behaviour?

[OB_Animal]

Don't know if any of you have experienced this, but maybe it's recognizable?

When I've been doing some extended hard-core riding AND BRAKING on the Busa, leading to the brakes having been used quite heavily and thus probably having become quite hot, the next time out (after good cool-down, maybe an hour later, maybe days later) the front brake lever will come to the bars a lot more than usual. although actual braking itself is still the same, just less travel left for those extreme circumstances.

Only when I remember to squeeze the lever with maximum force a couple of times before taking-off on that next outing, everything is OK like it used to be.

It's just as if not all 6 pots per caliper come back close to the rotor after being heated more than usual and only by braking with close to maximum force (at a standstill) will they be forced out again?

First noticed this on the trackday at Assen I did with my Busa and have encountered it only a couple of times afterwards on very "spirited" rides with a friend of mine.

Just wondering if others have this too.

 

[Guest]

At first glance I would guess it's air in the brake lines. Try bleeding the brakes before doing anything else.

 

[OB_jan]

Hi ANIMAL
I have that too,but I had it also with my other two bikes,gsx 1100rw so I think its normal,every time after hard riding a day before I pump it up and not having problems with it during riding,maybe its coming from overheating the discs!I dont know.
What color you have?[I mean youre busa]

jan [another dutchman]

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

Kevlar/Stainless Lines,,Bleed,,and wipe Down each pot/piston, to get rid of any dust,,that way all six pots will squeeze at the same time. You may need a light sand paper to get all the Dust off the pistons.

161 ®

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Animal the same thing happens to me each time I do a track day, but the sponginess goes away between sessions.

I have no idea what the cause is, but I've never had need to bleed the brake system for this reason...it always recovers fully in no time.

This is not unique to the Busa. It happens to every bike I've run on a track.

Possibly the hydraulic fluid rises in compressability as it heats up by coming into (near) contact with hot calipers/pistons?

Hydraulic engineers please speak up!

COMMENT: Animal you must be pushing like hell to make this happen on the street...I've never had it happen on the street.

 

[OB_jan]

Heey Animal what do you think of the new colors for 2000 ?
I had the plan to buy a new 2000 bus,but now that there is noting changed except the colors I am not sure what to do, I wait til I see them at the motorshows, I like oure color too!!
Have you seen the interview from the guy that was busted? also a red busa
That good time blackbird coppers,you watch out when a blackbird wants too race you ,you never know how easy it is too come on nationel t.v as the news of the day SECOND HAYA BUSA BUSTED hahaha heeeyy take care
jan

[This message has been edited by jan (edited 28 September 1999).]

 

[OB_Animal]

Jan, same color as you of course. 8-)
I'm sure glad that we DID have the choice of 3 over here.

All, thanks for the feedback, seems I just have to get used to this?

DP, like I said, only happened a couple of times in the half year that I have my Busa and only after I got quite used to it.
These rides are always with the same buddy that has a very similar riding style and he takes me to some of the best possible routes in some neighbouring countries over here.
Some of these have many continuous miles of the swoopy, curvy stuff with very little to no traffic and almost perfect tarmac.
You know, not the very slow serpentine-like bends or the 150+ mph fast & gentle bends in highways, but the small roads with only one lane for each direction and bends that can be taken anywhere between 25 and 125 mph, depending on mood/courage/weather/view of the road ahead etc etc..
These trips come extremely close to the trackdays I have done for amount of joy!

 

[Guest]

When you put your baby to bed tonight, squeeze the brake lever as hard as you can (pump it first if you have to) and then put a big cable tie on it to hold the lever right in overnight.

The pressure in the system will make the tiny bubbles go back into solution, (like coca cola) and the next day your brake will feel a lot better. I do it about once a week, depending how hard I ride.

And no, I am not a brake expert, a racer told me about this trick on my last track day, my TLR has similar brakes to yours and very hard braking does that to it. Kevlar or steel lines will help, but the fine bubbles will still occur.

Works for me (and a few racers too I bet!) Happy braking!