stock is as stock does

[RM]

Stupid KLR trick: Take your Galfer pad-equipped KLR up to 70mph, grab the front brake as hard as you possibly can, hold it there until the bike stops, immediately look down at the front caliper and note the SMOKE rising from the pads. Now do it again for the "that's neat" factor and warp your front rotor. RM <-- going back to sintered PS. Anyone notice improved braking performance with aftermarket rotors? More iron = higher coefficient of friction. Supposedly.

[Devon Jarvis]

Iron rotors work better, period. But they don't look good after being parked in the rain for a couple of days, and people start whining so the factories start with stainless and try to find an alloy that brakes OK. A compromise. I am back to EBC sintered pads, after my last set of Galfer Green fronts lasted 1800mi. Yes, at 1800mi there was 1mm or less pad left on both sides. Granted they are not designed for mud riding, but that was a little ridiculous. The EBCs may or may not give more friction, but the pad material itself has less "give", a new set of EBCs gives a stiffer lever feel than new Galfers. Fresh Galfers are noticeably more mushy than when there's only 1mm of pad left. Devon A15 RM wrote:

> > Stupid KLR trick: Take your Galfer pad-equipped KLR up to 70mph, grab the > front brake as hard as you possibly can, hold it there until the bike > stops, immediately look down at the front caliper and note the SMOKE > rising from the pads. Now do it again for the "that's neat" factor and > warp your front rotor. > > RM > PS. Anyone notice improved braking performance with aftermarket rotors? > More iron = higher coefficient of friction. Supposedly. >

[Sonny Bulla]

>RM writes: >Stupid KLR trick: Take your Galfer pad-equipped KLR up to 70mph, grab the >front brake as hard as you possibly can, hold it there until the bike >stops, immediately look down at the front caliper and note the SMOKE >rising from the pads. Now do it again for the "that's neat" factor and >warp your front rotor

Sounds like you need to go back to stock. If I took my stock brake equipped KLR to that speed and grabbed the front brake with said force...they would be scraping my face off the highway after the bike flipped over and ground it in! I must have an unusual stock brake system on mine. So far, I haven't found any reason to change it. As I stated once before, one finger on the lever slows me adequately from any speed for a turn and two fingers worth of force can bring me to a rear-wheel-lifting panic stop (don't ask how I know ). ...or, maybe I just don't know good brakes when I see 'em. Sonny '02 KLR650

[guytal1]

> I must have an unusual stock brake system on mine. So far, I > haven't found any reason to change it.

I always felt it was "soft" but never considered it dangerous until one day I almost missed my exit ramp, swerved into it quickly and came to a stop sign at the end of it. It scared me to death as I was rapidly closing in on the stop sign, looking at oncoming traffic and wondering if I would actually be able to stop in time. I kept squeezing harder and harder and the bike just kept on going. On my old CBR in a similar situation, you'd have to push your feet into the pegs to avoid a serious testicular injury as the bike grinds to a halt and your pelvis is mashed against the tank (don't ask me how I know). Hmmm... which is worse? risking death by running a stop sign or potential impotence? Guy KLR650 A13

[kilrcalikawi]

I kept

> squeezing harder and harder and the bike just kept on going.

Thats a standard feature that other guys pay thousands of dollars for, Anti-lock brakes!

[RM]

On Wed, 8 May 2002, Devon Jarvis wrote:

>I am back to EBC sintered pads, after my last set of Galfer Green fronts >lasted 1800mi. Yes, at 1800mi there was 1mm or less pad left on both >sides. Granted they are not designed for mud riding, but that was a >little ridiculous.

I mentioned before (after running the blacks on the rear) that the OEM sintered pads along with the EBC 'R' compounds seem to last 3-4x as long as the organic Galfers. My experience with the greens up front is about the same. Even if you stay out of the dirt, you still won't get the same service life. I used my brakes very little on my recent cross-country trip and just the rotor dragging on the pad wore it down quite a bit.

>The EBCs may or may not give more friction, but the pad material itself >has less "give", a new set of EBCs gives a stiffer lever feel than new >Galfers. Fresh Galfers are noticeably more mushy than when there's only >1mm of pad left.

I noticed that too. Lever feel has never been quite up to par since putting the greens on. Minor difference, but the KLR can't afford to give up any lever feel at all. I've decided to make the Galfer brake line my next must-have upgrade, since my handgrip has been getting stronger and I can now squeeze the lever down to the stop at will. RM PS. There are HH-rated sintered pads available for the rear. These could be just the ticket for providing more bite along with a good service life. I intend to try one sooner or later, rotor life be damned.

[RM]

On Wed, 8 May 2002, Sonny Bulla wrote:

>I must have an unusual stock brake system on mine. So far, I haven't >found any reason to change it. As I stated once before, one finger on >the lever slows me adequately from any speed for a turn and two fingers >worth of force can bring me to a rear-wheel-lifting panic stop (don't >ask how I know ).

I'd love to know what's special about your bike. I have never lifted the rear wheel nor have I locked the front wheel with ANY pad combination. Yes, I have bled the system more than once. My lever feel is just as good as any other stock KLR I've tried, so I doubt there's air in the system.

[RM]

On Wed, 8 May 2002, guytal1 wrote:

>wondering if I would actually be able to stop in time. I kept squeezing >harder and harder and the bike just kept on going.

Use that rear brake. The KLR keeps enough weight on the rear wheel to make a difference. At least mine does...

[Christian]

> >wondering if I would actually be able to stop in time. I kept squeezing > >harder and harder and the bike just kept on going. > > Use that rear brake. The KLR keeps enough weight on the rear wheel to > make a difference. At least mine does...

Yes, I have found that the rear break does help a lot, HOWEVER..... it has locked pretty easily. In one sense it's not really a problem, just don't lean and allow the bike to come to a stop. -Christian

[Sonny Bulla]

>RM writes: > >I'd love to know what's special about your bike. I have never lifted the >rear wheel nor have I locked the front wheel with ANY pad combination.

It might have been my 230lb ASS sliding up the tank providing the ballast to lift the rear! But really, most all of my previous bikes needed help in the brake department and I was prepared (and expecting) to do the same for this one but, so far, I just haven't felt it needed it. Sonny '02 KLR650