Life without Linked Brakes

[mgwtrike]

Those that triked your Goldwings and had to give up your linked braking that came standard on the Goldwings,
do you notice a difference in braking???

Are you like me that applies your rear and front brake evenly?

Just Curious.

 

[keepinon]

My current ride, '07 Wing w/MT conversion, still has the linked brakes. But I rode a Valkyrie/MT for years, no link... I still brake the same, front/rear at the same time. I never really notice the link.

Rode various Valks since '98, & everything from HD to Yamaha since '67, so two brakes at once has been ingrained for a long time.

 

[msocko3]

I've always been my own linked brake, when I got the Wing and road as 2 wheels I never noticed them. As a trike with them disabled, still don't miss something I never noticed.

 

[Gold Rush]

Those that triked your Goldwings and had to give up your linked braking that came standard on the Goldwings,
do you notice a difference in braking???

Are you like me that applies your rear and front brake evenly?

Just Curious.

Actually Mike I probably use a tad more rear then front brake stopping power. I start with the rear and add front as necessary. Usually the rear is plenty but I find myself at least touching the front brake lever. This process has worked for years and I don't see me changing this far into the adventure..... :xszpv:

 

[mhgoldwing]

I use both front and rear on my RS trike which is delinked but, I've added prominence to rear brakes.

On my ST1300, which has linked brakes, I use predominantly front brake with some rear brake.

 

[JaysGone]

Ive always been a rear brake user with front used as needed.
With my still linked MT trike. I just have to pay alot more attention to my front pads.
The inner left seems to wear alot faster then the front right.

 

[bikerbillone]

As a previous poster mentioned, Road Smith brakes are de-linked, works for me. A bit more heavy on the rear brakes becomes natural, those rear brakes are huge and do a good job. My RS installer recommended 80% rear, 20% rear, if you can think of it that way. Emergency stop, just grab everything simultaneously.

 

[mgwtrike]

A bit more heavy on the rear brakes becomes natural, those rear brakes are huge and do a good job.

I just had this discussion with my Roadsmith installer yesterday about heavy rear braking.

He rides a Goldwing Roadsmith and said he even removed his brake pads and ran them
though a sander, but he claims it's didn't make any difference.
He said about 50% of his customers mention this, but Roadsmith doesn't look at this as a issue.
To me it's just natural to stand-on the rears a little harder.

 

[Solidbob]

For you Roadsmith guys having trouble with braking on the rear, Roadsmith a few years back changed to EBC YellowStuff brake pads that where true EBC Pads, Taylor sent me a set to try and when I received them they where slightly longer and had the shim made on the pad so everything pushed down evenly, the pads that came on my kit where pushing cockeyed and not flat (see Photos) So to maximize their performance I went to the EBC site for Yellow Stuff Breakin procedures, http://ebcbrakes.com/articles/how-to-bed-in-your-new-brakes-for-streeturban-driving-2/ , and I removed the old pads which were glazed from not riding flat and took some 200 Grit sandcloth and skuffed the rotors to remove the glaze.

The new EBC pads come with a breakin coating that will help in the wear / breakin time it takes but you must break them in correctly. New brake pads are not pre-broke in and some do not use the coating, but done correctly and blead correctly you can lock these brakes at will... I was a Road Racer in my younger years and lived on the front brakes and breaking the rear loose guite often. Now I am the opposite and use the rear 90 - 95% and really only use the front in an emergency, panic stops, or at a traffic light to hold the trike. I know that the DP-4105R EBC Yellowstuff are the same as the DB15 - D30A - or the VW #311-698-151B pads that fit the #311-615-107 & 108 VW Calipers used on Roadsmith and quite a few Champion Trikes.

So life without linked brakes for me has no bearing / and it shouldn't for anyone as long as the parts used in your kit are setup correctly. Then its only breakin and becoming familiar with how they work. But please remember once your brakes are setup correctly you have to use them and at times with no one around use then hard to keep the glaze off and from building up. Again read breakin proceedure and learn how or find someone who is skillful at brake bleeding... take you time and have plenty of fluid on hand to keep your reservoir full.

If this is still correct the EBC Pads that Roadsmith furnishes are all black in color and have only Roadsmith stamped on the reverse, now the pads bought thru other sources will be actually Yellow in color and the box will say Yellowstuff.... Just FYI Taylor is on the right looking at the photo... and Doug the owner is on the left.... http://www.trikeshop.com/contact/

 

[Solidbob]

This brake pedal extension will also help applied pressure as it allows you to move to different angles instead of just one notch, does require a drilled hole thru your stock pedal but it does work well and really increases pressure for those with weaker muscles (in my case after a stroke and bad knee )

http://wingstuff.com/products/36648-driver-floodboard-brake-pedal?from_search=1

 

[dirtdobber]

Rear brakes are harder to change which makes it more costly.
Those that use the rear brake mostly is losing a lot of stopping power with more usage on the pads.
I have always used 70-80% front, 20-30% rear

As far as stopping power our Roadsmith does it well

 

[Solidbob]

Pad removal is very simple for the Roadsmith calipers, there are 2 Large pins going thru each top side of the pads and there a (2) smaller pin-clips to remove / first place a larger screwdriver between the pad on one side and pry slowly against the rotor until the hub spins freely, now remove the small clip pins with needle nose pliers, next use a pin punch and litely tap out the larger pins... done / reverse to put back together after you skuff the rotor... then to the next side... 45 minutes tops for both sides, a little longer if you need to bleed and flush brake fluid. Click on the caliber for a larger view to see the small clips... don't loose them....

For you Roadsmith guys having trouble with braking on the rear, Roadsmith a few years back changed to EBC YellowStuff brake pads that where true EBC Pads, Taylor sent me a set to try and when I received them they where slightly longer and had the shim made on the pad so everything pushed down evenly, the pads that came on my kit where pushing cockeyed and not flat (see Photos) So to maximize their performance I went to the EBC site for Yellow Stuff Breakin procedures, http://ebcbrakes.com/articles/how-to-bed-in-your-new-brakes-for-streeturban-driving-2/ , and I removed the old pads which were glazed from not riding flat and took some 200 Grit sandcloth and skuffed the rotors to remove the glaze. The new EBC pads come with a breakin coating that will help in the wear / breakin time it takes but you must break them in correctly. New brake pads are not pre-broke in and some do not use the coating, but done correctly and blead correctly you can lock these brakes at will... I was a Road Racer in my younger years and lived on the front brakes and breaking the rear loose guite often. Now I am the opposite and use the rear 90 - 95% and really only use the front in an emergency, panic stops, or at a traffic light to hold the trike. I know that the DP-4105R EBC Yellowstuff are the same as the DB15 - D30A - or the VW #311-698-151B pads that fit the #311-615-107 & 108 VW Calipers used on Roadsmith and quite a few Champion Trikes.

So life without linked brakes for me has no bearing / and it shouldn't for anyone as long as the parts used in your kit are setup correctly. Then its only breakin and becoming familiar with how they work. But please remember once your brakes are setup correctly you have to use them and at times with no one around use then hard to keep the glaze off and from building up. Again read breakin proceedure and learn how or find someone who is skillful at brake bleeding... take you time and have plenty of fluid on hand to keep your reservoir full.

If this is still correct the EBC Pads that Roadsmith furnishes are all black in color and have only Roadsmith stamped on the reverse, now the pads bought thru other sources will be actually Yellow in color and the box will say Yellowstuff.... Just FYI Taylor is on the right looking at the photo... and Doug the owner is on the left.... http://www.trikeshop.com/contact/

 

[wiredgeorge]

I had a RS GL1500 conversion. The conversion de-links the brakes. The brake lines came from the same place so only one front rotor/caliper were used making wear uneven. The rear pads were pathetic with no stopping power and RS sent me a set of replacements which cured this issue. I assume they are no longer using the inferior pads. They are super easy to change as has been noted.

 

[consitter]

My Harley has linked brakes, but truthfully, I can't tell a difference. I've always used both front and rear brakes at the same time, except when slowing a few mph at highway speed.