| Author | Message | ||
     Erz |
Can't tell if I am am just not used to it or if rear brake is out of adj but it seems like I have to REALLY stand on the thing to get any stopping power. And when it does finally feel like it is breaking, it seems to want to lock. Not much feel in between these two extremes. Of course the front brake is fantastic. Any thoughts from the more experienced ULY crowd? | ||
| Adrian_8 |
This gets posted quite a bit from newbies....the rear brake is weak on purpose. Use the rear to scrub off a little speed in corners(trail braking) and to hold your bike at a stop...When it comes to stopping... use the front brake... practice using it..your rear brake is probably just fine..I was riding with a guy a few weeks ago that rolled thru a red light with the back wheel skidding on his Harley ...he had no conception of using the front brake...he was lucky...he rode ahead of me the rest of the trip...enjoy the ULY | ||
| Windrider |
Erz, The rear brake is weak... I think this is by design. The rear brake caliper has a single piston. Once I got calibrated to it, I kind of like it for power, but feedback isn't great. It is powerful enough to lock up the rear tire but you have to really stand on it to do so. Again, I think that this is by design so that riders don't lock up the rear wheel by accident? Use it a bit and try to get used to it. After a while you might decide that you like and be happy with it. Remember, Buells are "different in every way".  | ||
| Erz |
Thanks guys, that is what I needed to know. | ||
| Ulyssesguy |
One thing that i have experienced on my uly is a little less brake feel once the brake is a little dirty. If you clean it with some brake cleaner every 1000mi or so it really helps... | ||
| Jk3campbell |
I heard it was designed to be weak for use on dirt and gravel roads without locking up. I only have 200 miles on mine so far but it has definitely gotten better as it is breaking(braking) in. | ||
| Bails |
This gets posted quite a bit from newbies....the rear brake is weak on purpose. Use the rear to scrub off a little speed in corners(trail braking) and to hold your bike at a stop...When it comes to stopping... use the front brake... practice using it..your rear brake is probably just fine..I was riding with a guy a few weeks ago that rolled thru a red light with the back wheel skidding on his Harley ...he had no conception of using the front brake...he was lucky...he rode ahead of me the rest of the trip...enjoy the ULY I think this is a Bullsh!t excuse for poor design. Perhaps it stops lard arse Hardley riders only using the rear but it's less than acceptable for a supposedly well designed motorcycle. The forces required and the extra thought input is outside of refined riding, yes it shouldn't be easy to lock but it should be able to retard, I have experienced plenty of bikes that can achieve this muck better, poor trades man blaming ?? come to mind Eric ! | ||
| Chief |
Thats funny I constantly find myself locking up the rear and not even really noticing it. Poor design, let's see when you apply the breaks your weight transfers forward making the rear lighter so it really can't do much no matter how powerful it is, I guess Eric is supposed to redesign physics and the laws of nature so rear breaks can be more effective on his bikes. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Anyone know how to make the rear brakes less sensitive? Evidently I have lead feet because I can't use it for anything but slow speed braking without locking up the rear. If you use the front in an aggressive stop situation. The weight of the bike shifts forward decreasing the mass over the rear wheel making it more prone to locking up. I would like to have the ability to use both the front and rear, but the rear is simply too sensitive. I would like to trade the block of wood for two blocks of cheese. | ||
| Teeps |
Those that think the rear brake on the Ulysses is "weak" or "poorly designed", are certainly entitled to their opinion. However, I suspect those with that opinion have never done any roadracing. That is, racing on a real race track at 110%. The Uly rear brake is just fine the way it is, so I'll leave it at that... | ||
| Chadhargis |
The Ulysses brake is PERFECT! Weak as whale piss, the way a rear brake should be. Due to the short wheelbase of the bike, I can easily, even without trying, lift the rear tire off the ground using the front brake (and Lyndalls pads of course!!). If the rear brake were any stronger, every time you went to stop and the weight transferred to the front compressing those long travel forks, you'd lock the rear up potentially causing a nasty highside should you let off the rear while the bike is the least little bit sideways. I use my rear brake for slow speed turns, trail braking in some situations, and for holding the bike when stopped on a steep hill. I will lightly use it most every stop, but if I'm braking REALLY hard, I hardly use it at all since I know that the rear tire is extremely light in that situation. I've heard of people actually inducing air into their rear brakes to soften them...thank goodness Buell made a rear brake as it should be from the factory. My buddy has a V-Strom, and I was riding it one afternoon. With very little effort, the rear brake will lock up. Very frustrating. I'll take the Uly brake any day. | ||
| Adrian_8 |
Chad...I tried to tell them that...... The rear brake on my Aprilia Tuono is just like the Uly's...by design... | ||
| Al_lighton |
I have mixed feelings about the Buell rear brakes.. I learned to ride when only the rear brakes activated the brake light switch. As a result, EVERY time I apply the front brakes, I apply some rear brake, it's ingrained habit. But my rear pads last FOREVER, because I never put any heat or serious bite into the rear brakes. I just don't expect anything from them beyond some suspension settling on corner entry, or some drag if I'm on loose stuff (dirt bike mode kicks in) Fact is, the Buell rear brakes provide as much stopping power as I need from rear brakes. When you REALLY need to stop fast, the rear brake becomes worthless anyway because all the stopping power is in the front. Simple physics, normal force * coefficient of friction= stopping force. No normal force = no stopping force. BUT, the single pot mechanism is antiquated. The floating single piston caliper is heavier and "looser" than it should be, and becomes more wiggly with time. I would much rather have a fixed mounted dual piston caliper with it's piston area ratios set up for more "feel" and less "bite" than the Buell caliper is. That would give the best of both worlds. I'm not sure why Buell has stayed with a single pot caliper. My wife's SV650 has the common twin pot Brembo on it, and it's a touchy SOB. Every time I get on her bike I have to relearn the damned rear, I lock it up routinely. It would be better with a less sensitive feel to it. But at least it doesn't have floating pin wear on it. In the end, both do a good job of keeping me from rolling backwards at a stop on a hill without having to keep my hands on the bars. That's probably the single best use of the rear brake. Al | ||
| Bails |
well mine won't lock, I've tried, so it seems I've got a bike that has just been serviced with a bad rear break, would figure I suppose. I have ridden a lot of bikes, my previous R11s (non ABS) was hard to lock the rear,really had to think,but it would retard you forward motion. rear brake, is good in wet conditions,dirt roads , setting up corners what ever, the Buell rear is poor by my standards. | ||
| Treadmarks |
I'm not a big fan of the factory pads on the front and the rear. A quick switch to lyndall golds, some high speed bedding and a fresh change of fluid made all the difference in the world for me. | ||
| Chadhargis |
Lyndalls on the rear may give you what you're looking for. They certinly work a lot better than stock. | ||
| Teeps |
How is the cold braking on the Lyndall pads? | ||
| Treadmarks |
They work pretty good cold and great hot. I tried EBC pads, and they did not want to bite well until they were warmed up. I have had no issues with the lyndalls yet. | ||
| Bails |
Well under recommendation of this board I'm up for some Lyndall pads, I 've just e-mailed the company to see if they have local dealers, if not it's an e-mail to Al. | ||
| Chadhargis |
Be SURE you break them in as instructed. 10 HARD stops from 20mph 10 HARD stops (read...stoppie or near stoppie) from 40mph Then let them cool to ambient temp. | ||
| Windrider |
Bails, You should be able to lock up the rear wheel with a little , er, concerted effort. I would think that if the brake can not lock up the rear tire something is amiss with your bike. |
