The Brakes Thread

[LXnastynotch93]

Well since there have been so many oil threads popping up, I figured I should stir up the pot and ask which kind of brakes everyone uses. Do you use a standard or non-round rotor, what kind of pads, and what brands are you partial to?

Also has anyone used the Braking STX rotors on their bikes? They're like half the price of a Galfer and they look almost exactly the same.

[G21forme]

Stock rotors with hh galfer pads on my 03 636 work the balls, but I'm a slow guy on track and for stop and go traffic they are either on or off so she gets a little herky jerky.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[MaRce1o]

Stock rotors, stock pads, stock master, stock lever. Spigler lines though in the front only lol

[Tricky Mike]

Stock rotors, stock calipers (Monoblocs on the EVO), Vesrah SRJL pads, HEL lines, Brembo 19RCS master

[nhbubba]

I bought my track toy last summer with the following items supposedly installed:

Galfer Stainless steel Superbike lines
Vesrah Pads
2nd gen SV650 master
Galfer Wave rotors front/rear

I can verify that the lines are in fact braided steel and the rotors are in fact Galfer waves. I have no reason to believe that the rest of the components are not as listed. The brakes are stunning and far and away some of the best I've ever worked. ... But I favor cheap thrills and don't have a lot of experience with high dollar sport-bike running gear.

Still, I am blown away with this setup. So much so that I jumped at a set of SM wheels for my new KLX/DRZ toy partly because it had similar Braking branded hardware. I will probably be installing braided lines on everything else in my garage this spring. Many have told me it doesn't help enough to make the costs worthwhile.. but my track toy tells me otherwise.

[Chippertheripper]

SS lines, good pads, and high temp fluid will be enough for most.
A good master helps with feel, especially when paired with a lesser system.
Nothing out there will stop as good as a motard with the appropriate racey bits.

[RandyO]

I wear 3xl gloves and have no problem locking up the worse brakes with 1 finger If I want to, I'd rather have brakes that take a little effort, as its easier to control when ya got gorilla paws

[Chippertheripper]

I wear 3xl gloves and have no problem locking up the worse brakes with 1 finger If I want to, I'd rather have brakes that take a little effort, as its easier to control when ya got gorilla paws

You've gotta have one gentle finger on them mitts.
That's the finger to use on brakes that don't suck.

[Dave603]

I just started doing the brakes on my sv650 (gen 1) superbike build so your thread came at a good time! So far have brembo billet m/c, galfer gp ss lines, and going to test it out at jennings next month to decide whether i will keep the gsxr calipers or go with brembos and/or r6 calipers (have the spacers already). Also not sure about rotors, just
gonna see if i am happy with the bite i get from the brembo m/c first before i drop another couple grand on the bike lol. Im mostly curious to hear what people think of different rotors.

[Ducati999]

I have a 03 Sv650 and I just purchased the adaptors to add the GSXR Tociko calipers up front. I use HH EBC pads (not sure of the model#) and the stock lines. I may add a Brembo Mc since I have an extra stock one from my Ducati laying around. I found the pads helped with the stock calipers and rotors but I have been spoiled with the braided lines and big rotors on the duke. I will see how the GSXR calipers feel before I decide on changing the master or add SS lines or different rotors. I don't know how fast I am but I feel I ride pretty hard on the street.

[Chippertheripper]

I have a 03 Sv650 and I just purchased the adaptors to add the GSXR Tociko calipers up front. I use HH EBC pads (not sure of the model#) and the stock lines. I may add a Brembo Mc since I have an extra stock one from my Ducati laying around. I found the pads helped with the stock calipers and rotors but I have been spoiled with the braided lines and big rotors on the duke. I will see how the GSXR calipers feel before I decide on changing the master or add SS lines or different rotors. I don't know how fast I am but I feel I ride pretty hard on the street.

This is some reverse engineering if I've ever seen it. You're on rubber lines, and you're expecting calipers to "fix" your problem?
Lines
Pads
Master
Calipers
^ in that order, as far as bang/buck results are concerned.
Pads are usually cheaper, but ss lines are so much more effective by themselves vs pads with rubber lines.

I know I'm repeating myself here, but I just got rid of an sv with absolutely tits brakes.
19/18 master, ss lines, stock pads/rotors/calipers.
They were pretty much as good as you'd want, for most needs. Better than what's on my duc currently too.

[Ducati999]

I never said I had a problem the OP asked what everyone was using. I like the brakes on the SV but they are not the same as my Ducati (and I am not trying to make them that way) and I would like to get a little better feel from them. The SV as you know does not need much more than the stock brakes provide but I did feel a little better bite with the new pads so I decided to try the GSXR calipers. I don't know if I will keep/use them I just wanted to try them out and since its winter and I need a project I don't see an issue with that. I will decide if I like them or I will continue to change things. I just wanted to do one change at a time. I have a set of ss lines and will try them when I want. I did not realize there was a mandatory order in which brakes had to be changed/moded. I understand you had great brakes on your bike and I hope when I am done making my changes I will have brakes which feel great to me.

[Chippertheripper]

Good luck.

[OreoGaborio]

I did not realize there was a mandatory order in which brakes had to be changed/moded.

There isn't a "mandatory" order, there are just orders that make more sense than others. Starting out by replacing the calipers is.... unconventional

[Ducati999]

Again I will explain that the original Post was to see what people were using and what they think about their setups. I like the brakes on my SV I am just trying to get a little different feel from them. I have several bikes and have owned several more over the years each of witch I have modded to make them my own. I will change components one by one until I like the feel. I have ss lines, Mc, calipers and new pads and I will try all of them till I am satisfied in the results. I would like to feel the difference between the stock calipers and the GSXR ones and I do not want to make any other changes until I get to try this out. I cannot understand why this is such a big issue but there seems to be a bit of Dogma against swapping the components I want and not changing the lines first. I have stated above that I have all of the components and would like to try them all but this seems to be considered wrong unless I do it a certain way. I respect the knowledge of the people on this site that is why I joined and I am by no means an amateur at doing mods. I was just stating what I was using on my bike and what I was planning and not looking for advice and I did not intend to hijack the OPs thread so to him I apologize and I will put the parts on my bike I want hank you all

[OreoGaborio]

We're not making a "big issue" out of this, we're just questioning your approach.

Contrary to what you obviously wanna believe, some of us know the braking system on the SV pretty well... we know its weaknesses, how to correct them and get the feel we're looking for. If you tell us what the hell you're trying to do then maybe we can provide some advice. The braking SYSTEM is just that... a system... and the order in which you throw parts at that system CAN AFFECT how each individual one changes the overall performance of that system.

But if you wanna throw parts at it willy nilly for the hell of it to experiment and see what happens, go right ahead. No one's gonna stop you... but you don't have to cop an attitude when we question what the hell it is you're trying to do when you tell us what you're doing.

[Chippertheripper]

After you experiment, put it all back, and then swap out the rubber lines for ss. Please report back afterwards.
I don't know what kind of feel you're after, but let us know what combo gives it to ya.

[GixerJockey]

I cannot understand why this is such a big issue but there seems to be a bit of Dogma against swapping the components I want and not changing the lines first. I have stated above that I have all of the components and would like to try them all but this seems to be considered wrong unless I do it a certain way. I respect the knowledge of the people on this site that is why I joined and I am by no means an amateur at doing mods. I was just stating what I was using on my bike and what I was planning and not looking for advice and I did not intend to hijack the OPs thread so to him I apologize and I will put the parts on my bike I want hank you all

Then you would know that everything you're trying to accomplish could be had by changing out $80 worth of brake lines...



Jesus... Have fun being a whiney little bitch with soft, squishy, expensive brakes.

[Jim]

This is some reverse engineering if I've ever seen it. You're on rubber lines, and you're expecting calipers to "fix" your problem?
Lines
Pads
good fluid
rebuild Calipers
Master
rotors
^ in that order, as far as bang/buck results are concerned.
Pads are usually cheaper, but ss lines are so much more effective by themselves vs pads with rubber lines.

added an item, but i agree with chipper

[Chippertheripper]

Righto, shimmy.

Rbf660 tastes awful, for the record.

[nhbubba]

It's very odd. Most 'wisdom' I've read on this subject says that braided lines are a waste of money unless replacing old rubber lines that have weakened.

But as I say, the one bike in my stable that has braided lines has by far and away the best damned brakes.

[Jim]

It's very odd. Most 'wisdom' I've read on this subject says that braided lines are a waste of money unless replacing old rubber lines that have weakened.

they might have been talking about the rear line. front is one of the 1st upgrades for track riding.

[Chippertheripper]

That's crap. Go out to your garage and squeeze the brakes on the strom. I can almost guarantee you can watch the lines expand somewhere.
That expansion should ONLY be happening on the pistons pushing towards the rotors. Everything else is a loss in braking force. But if the squish is the feel you're going for, disregard.

[OreoGaborio]

Even brand new rubber lines flex under pressure. Braided lines eliminate the flex which makes for a firmer, more responsive lever with less travel for the same stopping power.


I'm running the following on my SV:
Accossato master 19x18 cylinder
Galfer superbike lines
Galfer wave rotors
Stock calipers
Carbone Lorrane C59 pads (bout to be replaced w/ C60)
Off the shelf DOT 4 fluid (which I may switch out but I haven't really had any issues with it)

[TheIglu]

Stock SV calipers are fantastic. I'd just put on the braided lines, a fluid change and some good pads. If they are sticky, put in new seals and polish up those pistons well. Lot of people like the EBC HH, I also do. I find the best street feel out of a set of Galfer Greens on my Rex and Vmax (heavy bikes). Lot of dust on your wheel, but easy on your rotors and super feel. Can't go wrong either way though.

The stock lines/pads/calipers/rotors on my Wee are wonderful as they sit. Can do a controlled lock of my front tire on dry warm pavement. Progressive feel is good. Bite is plenty for that bike. They are the same calipers as the SV.

In fact, they are better than non-radial GSXR750 calipers. Which, btw, I have on a GSXR with stock lines. The braking is far worse than my SV with braided lines and stock rotors/calipers.

So, in a completely unrelated comment, no, it isn't worth swapping GSXR calipers over to an SV. Braided lines all the way. But what do I know? Not like I have 3 different bikes with all those combinations to know the actual difference.