Is it normal to want better stopping from what I think is a totally stock brake system on a 2003 F4i? There is plenty of pad, rotors are in spec and good condition, the fluid is right and looks pretty clean, the lever is not 'soft' other than as is normal with stock rubber lines...but the bike just doesn't stop like I want.... I have to use 3 fingers and really grab the lever to get to an almost stoppie....At speed, there is no feeling like I could lock the front wheel at all....When I do a full power stop I can get really noticeable extra braking with the rear added, which isn't the way most of my bike have behaved... Usually the rear will just lock since there isn't any weight back there under full front brakes....

Is there a common retro or change that people do for these? Besides doing some SS brake lines, which is in my near future. And some new pads because the Previous Owner was kinda cheap and I bet he has China pads up there...
Just asking rather than starting to look at different MCs and such.

Thanks, Don Hanson

 

Switch the pads, bleed the lines, should make a big difference.

 

So in general, the F4 brakes are not a problem? I just have issues with mine that aren't a "known issue"? Like the crappy regulator/rectifiers on VFRs or the timing chain tensioner in the early 600s?

If I know it's simply 'poor execution' in the stock braking system on my particular machine...I can fix that easy. If they are a known weak point, I'd rather do the modifications that everyone may have discovered to work than to try to fix my current brakes and then find out that even when functioning perfectly, they aren't good enough and I have to modify them.

I was messing with them today, changing a front tire and checking for pad wear. The P.O. had replaced the rear fasteners that hold the fender and the brake hoses with zip ties....that is the kind of mechanic he was..

 

Change the pads to ebc HH and if you still need more stopping power,look into a 954 master cylinder a really feel the difference.

 

Brake pad material has one of the biggest effects on stopping power.. I also agree swap the pads out for something like the EBC HH and it should make a noticeable difference. I have a similar compound from a different brand on my old CBR F1 and the brakes feel great..

 

I'm using galfer front waves, with galfer stainless steel brake lines, and some front Galfer GG green pads and the stopping power is amazing.

 

How much stopping power do you want? These both sounds like good things; I wouldn't want to pull a stoppie on accident or lock the wheel up lightly.

 

How much of a performance gain does SS lines give over stock or they just cosmetic?

 

If you can lock the front tire without them, that tells you it's not possible for them to give you 'more' braking. They'll change feel and effort, though, which may be worth it to you.

 

SS lines don't really give you much of an increased performance. They give more of a consistent performance. As you use the brakes the pressure tends to expand the line and make your brakes a bit spongey. With SS lines this won't happen. You won't notice much of a difference unless you do hard braking both before you make the change and after. Some people do notice a difference when they change from old lines to new SS lines.