Have 2005 Road King Classic and now have 16,500 miles on it. I will be putting a front tire on soon and thought I would replace my brake pads while I was at it. In addition, I was considering going to floating rotors in front, but wanted to know if there were any performance gains from doing this? I've read where they help reduce squeeling and some of the low speed grab/drag thing, but other than that, do they actually do anything for increased braking?

Also, are there any pad/rotor combinations that offer an increase in the actual amount of pad/rotor contact area? I'm just wondering if for a reasonable price I can increase my bikes braking abilities or am I spending money on something with little to no performance gains?

Your thoughts and experiences on the subject are very much appreciated.

 

to start with, whenever you mount new tires due to wear, install new pads. Free Floating rotors do give you more stopping power due to heat disipation and are some what self centering. Prices vary greatly, I have the low end set with the black centers from HD.

 

You will not see any performance gain from the floating rotors on your bike due to heat dis. If the pads are good leave them alone. Floating rotors will typically squeek and squeel less because they float. If you are thinking that 230$ will be seen as anything more than a look or sound improvement, save your money.

 

as stated floating rotors keep better pad contact for a slight improvement get a floating rotor with an iron contact area for better braking lyndall Z+pads are said to help braking also ,depends on what you want to get and spend, oem is always a compromise due to profit margins aftermarket that specializes are vastly BETTER my stainless oem sporty rotors will be off soon

 

Your best brakeing performance comes from equal pressure applied to both pads. If the rotor is a little off to one side, you'll get an imbalance of pressure, and decreased pad pressure.

A floating rotor moves back and forth a small amount. This makes sure you get that equal pad pressure. On a car or truck the rotor is fixed, and the caliper slides back and forth on pins.

HOWEVER - new H-D calipers have pistons on both sides, and a single fluid line into the caliper. The caliper pistons are now floating, and will self center.

Floating rotors are nice in theory, and tend to be a little quieter. But I don't think you'll notice any differance one way or the other.

 

I have them on my 2004 Fatboy and have never had any squeeks at all. I am having them put on my 2005 Road Glide right now because the stock rotors squeeked rolling up to every damn stop light and that sound is like fingernails on a blackboard to me. I don't care if you are riding a Harley or driving a Ferarri if the damn brakes squeek it equates to POS in my book.

I know that sounds crazy but it just reminds me of some piece of crap 72 Pinto pulling up next to you at a stop light.

 

 

I switched to a Lyndall racing brakes and rotors great stopping power for my Electric Glide with out the wear on rotors and the brake hiss cause by the metalic material in stock pads. I talk to the owner and he stands behind his product. http://www.lyndallracingbrakes.com

 

Lyndalls work very well. Great stopping power.

 

>> NO BIG TWINS HAVE FLOATING CALIPERS, THEY JUST HAVE 4 PISTONS ON A FIXED CALIPER <<

What?