Help!!!!! Back breaks went out when going down hill
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 501
Likes: 8
From: Central Florida
I just hit the top of Sonora pass (for those that do not know Sonora pass it starts and 9600 feet above sea level and has a lot of 15 mph turns) and was heading down hill for some stupid reason I decide to not use my gears and use my breaks. With in about 1 minuet my back breaks were not working they got to hot, when I push the break pedal to stop it would go all the way down to the hard stop. Talk about a scary felling. The front was still working and I down shift to slow down the bike when I let the breaks cool they work fine. I was surprise how fast the breaks went out
I think Sonora pass said"s DOWNHILL use low gears .my buddy hit me in the back , doing what u did . With his brand new ultra classic . Not to bad. but he said it wouldn't stop .luckily I saw him coming . So I speed up
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
Yup, it seems like a lot of illegals who know little English are posting and abusing our hospitality. Time to arrest and deport!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,417
Likes: 56,984
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
I just hit the top of Sonora pass (for those that do not know Sonora pass it starts and 9600 feet above sea level and has a lot of 15 mph turns) and was heading down hill for some stupid reason I decide to not use my gears and use my breaks. With in about 1 minuet my back breaks were not working they got to hot, when I push the break pedal to stop it would go all the way down to the hard stop. Talk about a scary felling. The front was still working and I down shift to slow down the bike when I let the breaks cool they work fine. I was surprise how fast the breaks went out
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,417
Likes: 56,984
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
too common .... not to common
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 977
Likes: 184
Once the brakes cool they work fine the rear disk is a little brown I have the Harley floating disk and breaded lines. All my life of riding I always use the compression to slow me down. This time I thought I will save my clutch and use the breaks to slow down, bad move use the gears to slow down. I post this for nobody else will have this problem.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,977
Likes: 85
From: Nevada
You most likely have some air in your lines. You may not notice it at the altitudes you normally ride. At high altitudes it is a big problem because the air in the line expands.
I found this out some years ago. I replaced rear pads and inadvertently turned the wrong bolts on the caliper and let air in. Finished the job, the pedal was fine so I didn't bleed. A few weeks later I was on one of the Sierra passes, might have been Sonora, and the same thing happened to me that happened to you. When I got back down to about 5000' everything was fine. Got home and bled the lines and everything is fine.
I found this out some years ago. I replaced rear pads and inadvertently turned the wrong bolts on the caliper and let air in. Finished the job, the pedal was fine so I didn't bleed. A few weeks later I was on one of the Sierra passes, might have been Sonora, and the same thing happened to me that happened to you. When I got back down to about 5000' everything was fine. Got home and bled the lines and everything is fine.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 761
Likes: 9
From: lewisville, nc
If you ride roads like that like me uou need brakes that are set up for that
Stainless lines = more positive feel
fluid i use Wilwood fluid you
Want the highest boil point
pads ebc hh style something meant for aggressive stopping
All this added up means eith minimal brake pressure you get more stopping power
Will you have brake squeel/noise
Maybe will you survive yes
Alot of bikers complain about brake noise and use stock pads for quiet but ehen doing rides like yours just not cut out for the job
want the highedt boil
Stainless lines = more positive feel
fluid i use Wilwood fluid you
Want the highest boil point
pads ebc hh style something meant for aggressive stopping
All this added up means eith minimal brake pressure you get more stopping power
Will you have brake squeel/noise
Maybe will you survive yes
Alot of bikers complain about brake noise and use stock pads for quiet but ehen doing rides like yours just not cut out for the job
want the highedt boil
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