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dfox · April 22nd, 2014, 04:53 AM

Brakes brakes brakes.

this topic comes up a lot, but it ultimately boils down to a few basic facts

- You can easily lock up the front and rear wheels on our bikes with the stock brakes. Increasing braking "capacity" is a moot point, because the tires are the weak link. Developing your ability to use the brakes you have is much more important.
- What the 250/300 lacks is brake feel and heat dispersion. A small single rotor has limited surface area to cool under heavy brake use. If you find your bike suffering from "brake fade" during spirited driving, you may want to consider a dual rotor setup.
- Upgrading pads, and fluid will make your brakes feel more firm. Your tires and braking technique are still the weak link in the braking ability of the bike.
- A larger caliper only decreases the force you need to exert on the lever, and may give a minor amount of additional heat dispersion. More brake power for less lever movement. You can still achieve the same braking force with a smaller caliper (all other things equal).
- Supersports with dual rotors are beneficial for heat dispersion when riding extremely hard, to the point that your rotors start to glow. For day-to-day street riding, a dual setup is overkill.
-Rubber lines aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be. They're not as "soft" as everyone would like you to believe. They are typically reinforced internally with materials that have a higher tensile strength than stainless steel. A while back I came across some testing done on stainless and internally reinforced rubber lines, and the rubber was actually "stiffer" when tested with compressed fluids. That article could be incorrect, or misleading, I can't find it now. Most people also upgrade pads and flush brake fluid when they install stainless lines and make the assumption that the brake lines made the difference, when it's a combination of things. Where I think stainless lines have an advantage is in overall strength, they're going to be more resistant to gravel or debris. For a commuter bike, something that doesn't see a track, I'd have a hard time recommending stainless lines.

bottom line, if you want better brake feel, get better pads, and flush the fluids. If that's not enough, try stainless lines (may or may not help). If you're getting brake fade... consider a larger rotor or dual rotors. The stock setup is still capable of outperforming most tires (can't speak to super sticky race tires), and upgrades are for feel or heat dispersion only. You can only stop as fast as your tires let you.

April 22nd, 2014, 04:53 AM	#31
dfox ninjette.org sage Name: Fox Location: Boston Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): 08 250R Posts: 881	Brakes brakes brakes. this topic comes up a lot, but it ultimately boils down to a few basic facts - You can easily lock up the front and rear wheels on our bikes with the stock brakes. Increasing braking "capacity" is a moot point, because the tires are the weak link. Developing your ability to use the brakes you have is much more important. - What the 250/300 lacks is brake feel and heat dispersion. A small single rotor has limited surface area to cool under heavy brake use. If you find your bike suffering from "brake fade" during spirited driving, you may want to consider a dual rotor setup. - Upgrading pads, and fluid will make your brakes feel more firm. Your tires and braking technique are still the weak link in the braking ability of the bike. - A larger caliper only decreases the force you need to exert on the lever, and may give a minor amount of additional heat dispersion. More brake power for less lever movement. You can still achieve the same braking force with a smaller caliper (all other things equal). - Supersports with dual rotors are beneficial for heat dispersion when riding extremely hard, to the point that your rotors start to glow. For day-to-day street riding, a dual setup is overkill. -Rubber lines aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be. They're not as "soft" as everyone would like you to believe. They are typically reinforced internally with materials that have a higher tensile strength than stainless steel. A while back I came across some testing done on stainless and internally reinforced rubber lines, and the rubber was actually "stiffer" when tested with compressed fluids. That article could be incorrect, or misleading, I can't find it now. Most people also upgrade pads and flush brake fluid when they install stainless lines and make the assumption that the brake lines made the difference, when it's a combination of things. Where I think stainless lines have an advantage is in overall strength, they're going to be more resistant to gravel or debris. For a commuter bike, something that doesn't see a track, I'd have a hard time recommending stainless lines. bottom line, if you want better brake feel, get better pads, and flush the fluids. If that's not enough, try stainless lines (may or may not help). If you're getting brake fade... consider a larger rotor or dual rotors. The stock setup is still capable of outperforming most tires (can't speak to super sticky race tires), and upgrades are for feel or heat dispersion only. You can only stop as fast as your tires let you.