Brake upgrades
Either way I can give you exact measurements next Thursday
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 303
Likes: 16
From: Stockton, CA
Grit. On non-ABS bikes you can do dual brakes. It involves changing the right front tube, master cylinder and adding the calipers and rotors.
The 03-04 Duece had dual rotors and such so parts should be easy to find. The challenge is on ABS bikes. Not sure the ABS will work even though the CVO breakout came with it stock
The 03-04 Duece had dual rotors and such so parts should be easy to find. The challenge is on ABS bikes. Not sure the ABS will work even though the CVO breakout came with it stock
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 604
Likes: 22
Clearance
The problem I've run into with previous brake conversions with spoked wheels there is less room to fit the caliper in because of hub width and spoke angle. One advantage the six piston caliper has is it's overall size except for length seems smaller. I know you'll like the additional braking force but I'm not hip to what it will take on your wheel.
If you buy a hanger already made, make sure you check what years it's for (eg pre 99 or 2000 and up) so you can get the right calliper.
Pm 6 piston calipers for a 13" rotor are great as you don't need any extended mounts or anything, the calliper has extended mounts moulded into it, so it's a simple as bolting it straight on. From there, you will need to make 3 new axles spacers for the side the brakes on to get the calliper centered on the rotor, and keep the wheel centered obviously
Not sure if I explained that clear enough but feel free to ask anything
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,994
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From: Newport,TN area
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 196
Likes: 11
From: Western Washington
Not to hijack this tread, but Tommy where did you get your setup?
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 278
Likes: 58
From: Connecticut
I'm curious as to what you notice differently when upgrading to a 6 piston caliper and a larger rotor on a non abs bike? The amount of rubber touching the road compared to a car is tiny and definitely our limiting factor. Our front tire can only grip the road so much until it locks up. Do you just get better feel for the brakes so you can really feel that point before it locks up? Does upgrading your brakes on a non abs bike really make you stop faster? I can stop fairly quick as far as non abs bikes go and feel like upgrading brakes isn't going to give my tires more grip to not lock up.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 303
Likes: 16
From: Stockton, CA
To answer your question. You get a better feel less fade and better initial bite.
Yes the tire will still lock up and will do so with less lever effort giving you more control.
Right now now the softail brakes are real stiff to pull and no real feedback when braking.
In my case I was living in California where lane sharing is allowed. On three separate occasions I had cagers cut me off. I would grab a handful of brakes and stomp on the rears. In all cases it felt as if there was no front brake while the rears activated the ABS with ease. It was scary because it felt as if the bike didn't have enough braking.
Luckily i stopped in time as I was going fairly slow (35 mph) but it was enough of a scare to make me realize I need better front brakes.
Having said the above, the cost difference between upgrading to a floating rotor and caliper of stock size and going to a 13 inch rotor and caliper is negligeable. So why not just get the best possible combination you can for the money.
In my case I want the composite pieces from lyndall as they guarantee 50k miles if you use their pads and rotors.
I could save about 200 with steel rotors as the price of the calipers in either 11.5 and 13 are the same.
Qtmi has a 12.6 inch braking kit that includes steel rotors, 4 pad calipers and associated pads made by brembo.
Another option i on I looked at is a radial mounted caliper but the bracket alone is 200 plus you have to source a caliper from a crotch rocket. I don't like this option as it takes away from the look of a Harley.
Yes the tire will still lock up and will do so with less lever effort giving you more control.
Right now now the softail brakes are real stiff to pull and no real feedback when braking.
In my case I was living in California where lane sharing is allowed. On three separate occasions I had cagers cut me off. I would grab a handful of brakes and stomp on the rears. In all cases it felt as if there was no front brake while the rears activated the ABS with ease. It was scary because it felt as if the bike didn't have enough braking.
Luckily i stopped in time as I was going fairly slow (35 mph) but it was enough of a scare to make me realize I need better front brakes.
Having said the above, the cost difference between upgrading to a floating rotor and caliper of stock size and going to a 13 inch rotor and caliper is negligeable. So why not just get the best possible combination you can for the money.
In my case I want the composite pieces from lyndall as they guarantee 50k miles if you use their pads and rotors.
I could save about 200 with steel rotors as the price of the calipers in either 11.5 and 13 are the same.
Qtmi has a 12.6 inch braking kit that includes steel rotors, 4 pad calipers and associated pads made by brembo.
Another option i on I looked at is a radial mounted caliper but the bracket alone is 200 plus you have to source a caliper from a crotch rocket. I don't like this option as it takes away from the look of a Harley.