General Discussion Anything SuperHawk Related

Let's talk brakes...

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Old 07-31-2008, 05:40 PM
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Let's talk brakes...

And how unhappy I am with the factory brakes. How about some ideas from you guys who modded the brakes. The back brake is only good for skidding or slowing you down from 30 mph or below. My fronts..... Well I think they should do a better job.

Who has bigger rotors???? What kind of a job was it to convert???

Joe
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Old 07-31-2008, 05:57 PM
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i have f4i calipers & a 5/8" MC from a 900rr ( uses the same levers as the hawk ). i have kevlar brake lines & Vesrah RJL pads. stock rotors.
motul RBF600 dot 4 fluid. i'm VERY happy with this setup.


tim
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Old 07-31-2008, 06:16 PM
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I've always thought the main drawback to the stock Hawk setup on the front was the way the left caliper line goes up above the splitter. It creates a natural airlock that can be damn hard to bleed regardless of the method you use.
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Old 07-31-2008, 07:29 PM
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Have a look at "List of bolt-on front brake mods" in the Modifications-Performance category. There are a lot of cost effective improvements you can make. The stock front brakes are awful and the stock rear brake is next to useless.
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Old 07-31-2008, 07:36 PM
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Lots of people have reported satisfactory results with just a brake pad change-EBC HH pads are popular. Caliper swaps are popular, especially now that lots of companies have quite making parts for VTRs--I know the excellent Vesrah RJL pads are not made for VTRs, but they are for F4is, 600RRs, 954s, etc. I currently have a 954 front end, and the brakes are great, but before I had the F4i setup with Vesrah pads and it worked quite well with the stock front end and rotors.
The rear brake is a rear brake. It works as well as any other on a sport bike.
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Old 07-31-2008, 11:43 PM
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rc/600rr/f4i/929/954 calipers
rc51 mc
HH pads
stainless lines

done
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Old 08-01-2008, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Anto
rc/600rr/f4i/929/954 calipers
rc51 mc
HH pads
stainless lines

done
Pretty much agreed, except that there's no magic in the RC51 master cylinder. The SP2, 954 and 03-04 600RR master cylinders are all the same 11/16" bore.
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Old 08-01-2008, 10:29 AM
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Here. I'll post this info again for anyone who's interested.

2003-2004 CBR600RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm

2000-2001 CBR929RR mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/30mm

2002-2003 CBR954RR mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm

2000-2001 RC51 mc 19mm
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm

2002-present RC51 mc 11/16” (17.4625 mm)
caliper pistons 32mm/30mm

1999-Present CBR600F4(i) mc 5/8” (15.87mm)
caliper pistons 34mm/32mm
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Old 08-01-2008, 01:55 PM
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I made the swap to braided lines, and went with the HH pads, and just that alone made a noticable difference.

I want to go with the F4i calipers and RR/RC MC as well, but have been too poor/lazy lately to get it done...
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Old 08-01-2008, 03:39 PM
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954 M/C, lever, and calipers with HH pads. <---for $65 on Ebay. Very happy with brakes now. SS braided brake lines next.
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Old 08-01-2008, 04:39 PM
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oops, forgot to add that it was the sp1 mc i was referring to. that or the 929, which is uber hard to find (for me at least).

i went 600rr mc and im longing for a bigger mc
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Old 08-01-2008, 07:15 PM
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I only use the rear brake, lightly to moderately, for hard stops. Like when the light goes yellow and there's a cop on the corner. I use front brake only 98% of the time.
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Old 08-02-2008, 06:43 PM
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AH, stock front brake stops the bike.

It's a bit mushy, but it works fine.
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Old 08-02-2008, 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by HondaJim
I've always thought the main drawback to the stock Hawk setup on the front was the way the left caliper line goes up above the splitter. It creates a natural airlock that can be damn hard to bleed regardless of the method you use.
That's why I got rid of that line system and put on the Goodridge braided lines. What a difference!!!
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Old 08-03-2008, 04:44 PM
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Apart from the comment about bleeding the front brakes, which I understand, I am obviously missing something about the VTR's brakes. Mine are totally stock, and the thing seems to stop as well as any other machine it goes out on trackdays with, including race bikes.

So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead .

Last edited by PJay; 08-03-2008 at 08:29 PM.
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Old 08-03-2008, 05:14 PM
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The best way to improve braking and all around performance for that matter would be losing 10 pounds off your ***! Its the cheapest mod too.
I just put a F4i setup on mine, $60 on Ebay, and put EBC HHs on the rear. Haven't had a chance to take her out though, somebody forgot to renew the tags on time...
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Old 08-07-2008, 12:52 AM
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I'm getting pretty good rolling stopies from my kevlar lines and HH pads. I rebuilt my callipers also and that made a huge difference. Think i'm gonna swap front ends though... maybe 954???
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Old 08-08-2008, 01:28 AM
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Originally Posted by PJay
Apart from the comment about bleeding the front brakes, which I understand, I am obviously missing something about the VTR's brakes. Mine are totally stock, and the thing seems to stop as well as any other machine it goes out on trackdays with, including race bikes.

So what's the bad stuff about these brakes? Is it just that my bike's only done about 13,000km? I have now replaced the pads, with new stock ones, and I'm wondering if I should have replaced the whole front end instead .
I don't like the feel of the standard set up, way too spongy compared to a race set up which I am used to from dirt bikes.
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