I've searched the forums but most of the threads I come up with are quite old. I have a 2012 Road Glide Ultra with ABS and just ordered a 21 up front. Considering going with a single disc set up and want to get some pros and cons from members that have went to the single set up. How much if any is the stopping power reduced if I stick with the stock caliper and stock size rotor? To go to a single disc basically all I have to do is run a new single brake line from the ABS to the Caliper? I've also heard that on 08+ baggers you no longer need to change out the master cylinder because they are now closer to the 9/16 bore, is that correct? Thanks in advance, Its not to late to go have them set up with a dual hub so I just want to make sure Im making the right decision.

 

I get wanting to see more of the wheel but I wouldnt want to take a caliper off these heavy pigs. If you go to single disc, I'd upgrade the single caliper and rotor...but that's just me. I guess it depends how you ride also. Im sure there are plenty of guys with single disc that are perfectly happy.

 

I wouldn’t be comfortable removing one of the brakes on the front. In fact if it wasn’t so cost prohibitive, I would add a second rotor/caliper on my Heritage.

 

If you're going to remove one, go with a bigger setup like the multi-piston Brembo calipers and a bigger rotor. Do not scrimp in this area.

 

As we all know, 75% of the bikes stopping power comes from the front brake assembly so if you do the math, you'll need to compensate for that by increasing the remaining sides performance without compromising it's reliability which is often much easier said than done. Brembo or Performance Machine would be a good place to start doing your research!
Myself, I'd much rather have the knowledge that I will be able to stop if needed instead of being able to say "Ooooh, look at my front wheel!" but that's just me.

 

Yes sir your front brake is your best friend. I do not think I would compromise this for looks!
My front brakes have saved my *** too many times!

 

Are you stupid or all for vanity?

cosmetics are for chics

 

You can lock the front tire just fine with a single disc. So yes, you can certainly stop the bike with just a single rotor and caliper up front.

You lose heat capacity, and therefore the ability to keep on using the brakes, hard, before they fade out from overheating. A single caliper and rotor will fade out in hard braking far faster than a dual caliper and rotor brake system will. In fact, in about half the time it takes a dual system, since the single system has half the thermal capacity.

As for lever feel, while I've not done yours exactly, on others that I have done or have experience with, the lever motion will be reduced and additional force will be required for the same braking action as with the dual caliper and rotor brake.

Does all this matter? It's a question of how your ride.

 

Thanks for all the input, I may go back and have them set up for dual rotors. Just so much information out there so i wanted to hear from people that have actually went to the single set up.

 

Yeah, that`s true, but it may take a godzilla grip, depending on what the configuration on the bike is.

Just because you can lock up a wheel does not mean the brakes are just as good. If that were true, there would be no reason for dual disk brakes.

My old Softail has single disc up front, and originally came with a master cylinder that gave very little advantage so it required a super firm grip even to slow down, and yeah, it could lock up if it was squeezed hard enough, but the feedback through the lever was very poor.

Even though I could lock the front brake with enough squeeze on the lever, the front brake sucked big time.