If you put together a system which will skid the front tire, then your brakes are generating as much stopping power as they can. Not that you want to take it to that point, but you won't be shortchanging yourself. Then, work on getting a tire that can take the load without skidding. Of course, that assumes a uniform road surface. You will have to moderate brake force taking into account type and condition of road surface. But, you'll have the max available if needed. "More is better, too much is not enough". The late Richard "White Rat" Williamson.

 

Interesting thread. The brakes on my '09 Super Glide are just barely adequate for a solo rider. With my 200# plus luggage they are unfortunate.

 

Great posts. Intuitively, I know that locking them up can't give the shortest stopping distance. That's why I asked why people upgrade their brakes. If you can't lock them up, then you might be really far from optimum - and it makes sense to upgrade. But if you lock them up when you are not trying to, that's as bad of a problem.

So do these upgrade brakes allow you to come close to locking up without really doing so? That would be optimum.

 

I've got Hogpro floating rotors and Lyndall gold pads on my 2001 Dyna and they work much better than OEM. They start activating with much less lever pull. The lever was coming almost back to the grip before I changed to the Lyndall pads. They do seem to wear much faster, but I like them so much I wouldn't change back.

 

I believe a lot of people are confused on this topic. Locking your brakes does not mean you have more braking power. This is taught in your MSF basic rider course. If you squeeze the front brake lever fast and hard enough, the front tire will lock up easily because the weight of the bike did not transfer forward fast enough. That's why you are taught to squeeze slowly and increase the pressure gradually to put the weight on the front tire and achieve maximum braking. Everyone I ever witnessed lock up their front brake went down.

 

Good video Howard posted, and really shows how good braking should be done. I would like to have a stock setup from harley incorporating twin front brakes, but they don't see the need to do it on several of their bikes, so not that mine is better than everybody elses, I'm sure it's better than some, but yea I also switched to the Lyndal pads, and went to magnum stainless braided brake lines, front and back to remove flex out of the stockers.

 

The Lyndall gold pads alone made no positive difference in stopping my 07 FXD. Maybe even worse than stock. I guess I'll need to investigate a rotor in conjunction.
I make my own teflon/ss braid hoses using either the anodized or stainless fittings by Earl's. Easy to do.

 

Well i used the HD floating rotors and aftermarket EBC kevlar compound pads on an FXDX dual disc front end(2005 Dyna). Braking is smooth and progressive from light application until the point where the wheel approaches lockup with front 100/90 Dunlop E3. Amazing difference over stock. You could spend a lot more money buying fancy parts and still be in the same place. The Road Glide is getting the same setup this winter when i figure the rotors/pads need replacing.

 

My last Harley had dual-disc front brakes. When a flatbed truck I was passing made a sudden left turn, I went down INSTANTLY, as soon as I grabbed the front brake. Did manage (somehow) to avoid being run over and seriously injured, but the bike needed $$$$.

 

It's a shame these threads get hijacked by responses that show the person is not trying to understand the statements they are reading.
It is also nice to see that there are people on this thread that understand the importance of powerful front brakes.
If you can't lock up the front wheel, you have no idea how close, or far away, you are from the maximum coefficient of friction of the front tire. That is a fact. The point of maximum coefficient of friction is the minimum stopping distance. (kind of important). Obviously, you moderate the force on the brake lever to get as close to that point as possible without locking it up. If you can't do that, go out and practice until you can. Your life depends on it.
75% of your stopping power is in the front wheel. Ignore that at your own peril.