4 piston real Brembo
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 167
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From: ATL
4 piston real Brembo
OK, here is the run down on the real Brembo setup. The caliper is found on many Italian sportbikes (Ducati, Aprilia and such). They come with either 65mm of 40mm bolt spacing. Mine is the 65mm, but the 40mm are actually cooler. Purchased on eBay brand new for around $70. There are tons of them on eBay.
The hard part to score is the rotor. You need a 320mm rotor for this to work with of-the-shelf parts. QTM (the Brembo importer in the US) gets an outrageous amount of money for these new. I found one on eBay for $50 new. For my cast wheel it is the same rotor as a v-rod.
QTM sales brackets for either the 40mm or 65mm spaced calipers. They normally chrome everything for Harleys, but they sold me a raw (not chromed) bracket for like $70 shipped. I had to shim the caliper a couple of mm to get it to align with the rotor. I think this is because of the lack of chrome on the bracket and caliper.
Bottom line. It works great. I had the Harley fake Brembo on it prior to this setup and there is a world of difference.
The hard part to score is the rotor. You need a 320mm rotor for this to work with of-the-shelf parts. QTM (the Brembo importer in the US) gets an outrageous amount of money for these new. I found one on eBay for $50 new. For my cast wheel it is the same rotor as a v-rod.
QTM sales brackets for either the 40mm or 65mm spaced calipers. They normally chrome everything for Harleys, but they sold me a raw (not chromed) bracket for like $70 shipped. I had to shim the caliper a couple of mm to get it to align with the rotor. I think this is because of the lack of chrome on the bracket and caliper.
Bottom line. It works great. I had the Harley fake Brembo on it prior to this setup and there is a world of difference.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 577
Likes: 4
Chandler, I have talked with QTMI a couple times (as well as PM, Fastharley and others).
QTMI offers two different 4 piston Brembos....a "standard" one with 2 brake pads and one with 4 brake pads (i.e. one for each piston). The leading edge of a brake pad provides much of the initial "bite"...4 small pads are better than 2 large ones.
Also, they offer a 12.6" rotor (versus 11.8 or 11.5 stock). there's is also full floating. As you mention, a larger rotor provides superior "torque" when being gripped by the caliper.
There is also a real difference in metalurgey in a rotor. Not all rotors are created equal.
Not at all disagreeing with getting the stuff on E Bay...just curious as to what you are getting? As you point out, the QTMI stuff is pricey. In my case I need to stay with only one caliper (cast wheel on an 07 FXD) so the differences in calipers and rotors are more important that if I could mount two.
Which stuff are you finding?
Thx for the info
greg
QTMI offers two different 4 piston Brembos....a "standard" one with 2 brake pads and one with 4 brake pads (i.e. one for each piston). The leading edge of a brake pad provides much of the initial "bite"...4 small pads are better than 2 large ones.
Also, they offer a 12.6" rotor (versus 11.8 or 11.5 stock). there's is also full floating. As you mention, a larger rotor provides superior "torque" when being gripped by the caliper.
There is also a real difference in metalurgey in a rotor. Not all rotors are created equal.
Not at all disagreeing with getting the stuff on E Bay...just curious as to what you are getting? As you point out, the QTMI stuff is pricey. In my case I need to stay with only one caliper (cast wheel on an 07 FXD) so the differences in calipers and rotors are more important that if I could mount two.
Which stuff are you finding?
Thx for the info
greg
Last edited by gregbenner; Mar 19, 2009 at 10:49 AM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: ATL
Greg, the rotor is from QTMI and is the 12.6" (320mm) one. I just happened to find a new one on eBay at a great price. Once I had the rotor I searched a caliper. Mine is the four piston, but two pad model. Again, I found a new one at a great price. The four piston, four pad caliper is a better caliper but I could not find a new left side caliper for what I wanted to pay for it. And as stated the bracket came direct from QTMI.
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: ATL
Redbeard, I don't recall actually using the word "fake", but I don't see Brembo putting their name on it anywhere.
I tried the Harley "Brembo" before going with this setup. The difference is significant. I didn't take pictures at the time but the piston mass and such is much better on the Brembo.
Bottom line is HD went to suppliers and Brembo produced a caliper at a price point HD was willing to pay. The other one (real Brembo) is a caliper they build to a higher standard put their name on it and is used by Ducati, Aprilia and the like. At least that is the way I see it.
I tried the Harley "Brembo" before going with this setup. The difference is significant. I didn't take pictures at the time but the piston mass and such is much better on the Brembo.
Bottom line is HD went to suppliers and Brembo produced a caliper at a price point HD was willing to pay. The other one (real Brembo) is a caliper they build to a higher standard put their name on it and is used by Ducati, Aprilia and the like. At least that is the way I see it.
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 577
Likes: 4
Cool
I think I will order mine soon, I want a black caliper, so not optimistic I will find what I want on E bay.
Have ridden a dual caliper stock harley that you might compare to?
Also, I was a little worried about fork flex/twist with one "real" caliper. I do have a Superbrace, but still not sure. Have you noticed anything?
thx
greg
I think I will order mine soon, I want a black caliper, so not optimistic I will find what I want on E bay.
Have ridden a dual caliper stock harley that you might compare to?
Also, I was a little worried about fork flex/twist with one "real" caliper. I do have a Superbrace, but still not sure. Have you noticed anything?
thx
greg
Greg, the rotor is from QTMI and is the 12.6" (320mm) one. I just happened to find a new one on eBay at a great price. Once I had the rotor I searched a caliper. Mine is the four piston, but two pad model. Again, I found a new one at a great price. The four piston, four pad caliper is a better caliper but I could not find a new left side caliper for what I wanted to pay for it. And as stated the bracket came direct from QTMI.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,500
Likes: 0
From: Brunswick, OH
redbeard, i don't recall actually using the word "fake", but i don't see brembo putting their name on it anywhere.
I tried the harley "brembo" before going with this setup. The difference is significant. I didn't take pictures at the time but the piston mass and such is much better on the brembo.
I tried the harley "brembo" before going with this setup. The difference is significant. I didn't take pictures at the time but the piston mass and such is much better on the brembo.
