Simple way to improve brake performance - grease!

Rob

Rob

Hero member
Location
Midlands, UK
Rather embarrassed  :-[ to be posting this, but it may help someone....may also explain why Brembo brakes aren't thought to be up to the mark these days! 

A weekend on the RGS in the soggy and foggy SouthWest made me realise that the front brake action was very poor - almost a gritty feel.  Investigation back home revealed a rusting brake lever pivot bolt.  A quick clean and application of grease transformed the feel.  ::)    I can't imagine how I missed this but it looked as though the part hadn't seen any grease in years!  It isn't as though I can blame over-enthusiastic bike cleaning for the lack of lube...  :D

Other insights - the newly fitted Michelin Pilot Activs performed reassuringly in the wet and dry and also coped with diesel and mud which seemed to be liberally spread across the Queen's highways.  I'd rate them as good as BT45s - will be interesting to see how they wear.  Their very rounded profile and stiff sidewall does give the bike a slight feel of 'falling' into corners.  The Mikunis continue to work well and deliver useful fuel savings - I recorded 47 mpg in the mixed conditions.
 
At the risk of highjacking your brake thread, I have to add my comment on Mikunis and economy.  I fitted mine just before a trip to Northern Ireland for the NW200 - about 1200 miles over 5 days - up through Wales to the ferry, Dublin to the north NI coast and around and about the coast road.  It's a great trip if you have the time in mid-May, or at other quieter times too...

But that's not the point of this.  I had been getting about 35-40 mpg on Dellortos and standard ignition, and the switch to RS36s, a Witt and Dyna coils (thanks Keith!) lifted that figure to over 50.  The average for the whole trip was 53, and the best on one tank was over 60 on an unfamiliar road through Wales on the way back (and no, we weren't pottering everywhere...).  At that rate even the Mickies will have paid for themselves in about 3-4 years on the mileage I do, to say nothing of the improved throttle response and midrange.  I couldn't be happier with them.

Nick
 
Years ago all the calliper and master rebuild kits came with a tiny tube of I think rubber grease.I spent a lot of money buying 4 spots after having really abrupt and horrible feel,and then Rob Berryman noticed the wear ridge on the dogleg lever where it contacted the piston on the master .30 seconds with a file and some lube improved the feel and action 100%.I then fitter the 4 spots and it was better but I wouldn't have bothered if I had not done the fettling.Tiny change = big result,cheaper too.
 
breganzane said:
The point where lever meets piston is also worthy of close inspection.
Click to expand...
reckon these days, the older versions of master cylinders, that have the hand lever acting directly against the piston, are crap.
 
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