Best brake mods and which first?

[Blacksmith]

So as per my internet research since I first got "Pashence" I've been practicing quick stops from low to high speed, turning that kind of thing and even with my lack of experience the brakes feel soft and 'just enough's but she goes way better than she stops. I've searched here and other sites and I know there are 1000 different mods for our brakes so I need to know from you experienced guys out there, what really makes the best improvements? What' has been done that didnt help much? What is the best money spent or just wasted? And should I put money aside and do everything (ie: rotors calipers lines master cylinders) or do it one step at a time to get used to the new feel of the improved stuff? Thanks for the advice.

Btw I was looking at the wave cut rotors just for the looks, is there a benefit or drawback to using them other than they look cool?

 

[mabupa]

So as per my internet research since I first got "Pashence" I've been practicing quick stops from low to high speed, turning that kind of thing and even with my lack of experience the brakes feel soft and 'just enough's but she goes way better than she stops. I've searched here and other sites and I know there are 1000 different mods for our brakes so I need to know from you experienced guys out there, what really makes the best improvements? What' has been done that didnt help much? What is the best money spent or just wasted? And should I put money aside and do everything (ie: rotors calipers lines master cylinders) or do it one step at a time to get used to the new feel of the improved stuff? Thanks for the advice.

Btw I was looking at the wave cut rotors just for the looks, is there a benefit or drawback to using them other than they look cool?

Everyone has different experiences and views on this, but if I had to do it again, I would do MC, braided lines and HH pads. Im
Still running stock rotors and love my brakes.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

What's the year model of your Busa?
If it's Gen 1 like mine, the upgrades I did, which was the budget cheap way out, was m/cyl rebuild kit, braided hoses, caliper rebuild kits and EBC HH Sintered pads.
My brakes improved 110%.
If you have a Gen 2, the Gen 2 boys here will inform you of their upgrades and best way to improve your brakes.
You'll have blisteringly good brakes before you know it!!

 

[Johnnie Phatt]

first. Busa's Definitely have more acceleration than deceleration get use to it Ride accordingly for the environment
secondly as Kiwi said It depends on the year
However for some quick and dirty immediate improvements I would do, In Order
1) bleed the brake lines. For the price of a can of brake fluid (Just in case) it never hurts to make sure there is no air in your lines. That way you are starting from the best place possible. and not trying having to fight a fault with better equipment. Do not open the fluid until you are sure you need to.
2) better brake pads. Sintered HH seem very popular and that is what I went to Much improved
3) Braided lines. They do not seem to make a huge difference compared to pads but they do and you will really notice the improvement when you really really need them. Remember you have rear brakes for a reason If you do not do it along with the fronts consider doing it eventually

After that again depending on the year and how long since these things have been done consider
rebuild the calipers
rebuild the master cylinders Do not ignore the rear It is there for a reason
I do not think you will notice a huge difference from average quality replacement rotors but if you change them AND you have a dry place to store the bike AND a reasonably dry climate full floating cast iron rotors are a nice addition. yes they are But they are iron so they rust if not maintained and they really like to be maintained
when you change tyres a really sticky front will help
Some on here have removed the anti lock on their bike's brakes. If you have that feature it maybe worth your consideration. It depends on how sure of your braking skills you are
Thats it from me Practising is a good idea If you have not yet taken one consider looking for a rider improvement course or a "learn how to race school" at a track day. We have FAST school up here There are probably Those here who can direct you to something similar near you

 

[fallenarch]

1. get suspension setup right.
2. Good pads
3. Braided lines
4. Brembo or Berhinger MC
5. New calipers

As you go the list your riding skill will have to improve to realize the improvement. Do one thing at a time, feel it then do the next. Stop when you are satisfied. You will note I didn't mention rotors. I think a rotor is a rotor unless you are very skilled.

 

[greg3852]

1. get suspension setup right.
2. Good pads
3. Braided lines
4. Brembo or Berhinger MC
5. New calipers

As you go the list your riding skill will have to improve to realize the improvement. Do one thing at a time, feel it then do the next. Stop when you are satisfied. You will note I didn't mention rotors. I think a rotor is a rotor unless you are very skilled.

This is how I would do it as it goes from free to most expensive.

 

[Blacksmith]

Thanks boys. Shes a gen 2, 09 so I don't have the anti locks or the radial calipers (whatever they are)

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

Thanks boys. Shes a gen 2, 09 so I don't have the anti locks or the radial calipers (whatever they are)

Actually , you do have radial calipers..... just do the pump and braided lines pads and fluid when you can bro .

 

[Mr Brown]

Thanks boys. Shes a gen 2, 09 so I don't have the anti locks or the radial calipers (whatever they are)

Radial mounting of calipers and master cylinders transfers force more linearly, increasing feel and response.

 

[Blacksmith]

Actually , you do have radial calipers..... just do the pump and braided lines pads and fluid when you can bro .

Really? I thought the radial calipers didnt start until '13? Well glad to hear it and thanks again

 

[Blacksmith]

'Toad why you gotta laugh at me bro? I got feelgoods too ya know.

 

[Mythos]

Btw I was looking at the wave cut rotors just for the looks, is there a benefit or drawback to using them other than they look cool?

If you get Galfers, they should be lighter. Rear Galfer rotor for sure lighter than stock.
Don't think you will increase stopping power more with any rotor.

I would do MC, braided lines and HH pads. Im

The MC is what makes the brake pressure. I would think that would be the place to start. Learn about MC ratios and compareto what the stock busa ratio is. You would be best t get advice from people with experience on this before you buy but educate yourself.

3) Braided lines. They do not seem to make a huge difference compared to pads but they do and you will really notice the improvement when you really really need them. Remember you have rear brakes for a reason If you do not do it along with the fronts consider doing it eventually

Agree on the braided S lines. I can't tell any difference from my fairly new stock rubber lines but if I ever get the point where I get my brake fluid real hot, the SS lines will help prevent fade.

I think the real problem with the busa's brakes however is that they are too punkass. They are extremely linear and plain don't have much power until you almost got the lever to the grip. They will lock up at about that point but do you really want to search through the full throw of the brake lever to find your maximum brake without locking? I sure don't. Instant bite and max power at just a touch of the lever is what you want as crazy as that sounds. Those are racing brakes. They work best for extreme situations. What sounds best for the street (progressive braking where you can pull the lever a long way) is dangerous. Anyone who needs that to avoid locking the brakes doesn't belong on or in a high performance vehicle, IMHO.

4. Brembo or Berhinger MC
5. New calipers

Brembo MCs have the best reputation. Berringer seems like a very good company as well. Beringer calipers will save you some weight without costing too terribly much and they look beautiful. I think the MC is what is really going to strengthen your brakes though.

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

'Toad why you gotta laugh at me bro? I got feelgoods too ya know.

Is all good bro , just having a bit of fun with ya , don't take it to heart , I think it is good you are asking about doing something with the brakes , I sometimes do not think things through enough bro . I changed it to like , cos I do like you and can see you got a young one into bikes , and that is the best bro , sorry for being a smart ass bro !!

 

[ZeePopo]

1-New Brake master cylinder with new brake lines and performance Brake fluid like Castrol SRF for the front. This will give you increased pressure at whatever pad you will be running. To me this is a must first step
2-New pads, EBC EPFA Extreme Pro are amazing.
3-New rotors. After that work on your rear.

Remember that when you increase braking power the force on the front springs increases dramatically so ya better make sure your spring rate and sag are set properly. These birds are heavy. If ya can't afford all the upgrades at the same time one upgrade at a time is better than none. Stay safe

 

[pashnit]

What is the best money spent

Best bang for the buck : For least amount of cash will always be stainless steel braided lines.

After selling over $200K in brake components, I'm still convinced of this. For about $90, you can get a brand new bike. Dramatic improvement over stock rubber lines - toss those - and swap out lines to stainless steel braided. You'll wonder how you survived without them.

 

[Bumblebee]

Really? I thought the radial calipers didnt start until '13? Well glad to hear it and thanks again

Brembos started in 2013.

I have a Brembo MC, Brembo calipers, HH sintered EBC pads, EBC disks and braided lines on my '09. My beastie stops like a champ.

 

[fallenarch]

Here are some interesting things about brakes:

1. Racers almost never use brakes to stop! They do use them to scrub off speed but more importantly they use them to steer and control the bike's position/attitude. If you put high end braking parts on your bike, they are certainly going to provide power, but the holy grail to a racer is feel. The whole point of a radial MC is the lever pull equates directly to plunger pull, dramatically improving feel as there is no gearing or redirection of force . If you're just using brakes only to stop, you won't get it with expensive brake parts.

2. If your brakes are fading and you're not on a track turning respectable lap times, you're using them wrong. Lot's of people ride the brake lever rather than letting the engine braking slow the bike. In a race situation, you can only go fast if you reduce the time you spend braking. Fast riders are good at reducing the time spent braking to a minimum with some really heroic braking skills. The difference is racers know when they are going to have to stop.

3. The limiting factor on braking no matter how much you spend on brakes is always the front tire. Go out with stock brakes, get up to about 40 mph and grab a big hand full of lever and tell us how it felt to face plant a Hayabusa. So, the tire is the limit of braking and how close to that limit you can approach in control is essentially what good braking is all about. That's why expensive brakes maximize feel. But what about the tire? This is where the suspension comes in. The more your suspension "dives" when you brake the more weight you are moving forward and driving the front wheel closer to it's limit of traction. Your suspension has to support the braking forces. When I got my Ohlins, the biggest improvement was braking.

Believe me my knowledge of bikes far out rides my ability. There is little chance I'll be able to get the maximum out of the mods I've done to the bike. But these expensive parts are no joke and they can do magical things. Now whether or not you need that on a street bike is a question you'll have to answer yourself.

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

The stock Gen 1 320mm and stock Gen 2 310mm ( made by Sunstar Japan ) are stainless semi floaters , and use the same stainless 420 as used by companies selling aftermarket replacement rotors for Busa . Really the most benefit from replacing the stock rotors with aftermarket is hopefully both weight , and price saving . To get an increase in braking performance from rotors , you either need to use different rotor material , (carbon ceramic composite or ductile iron to name 2 ) or increase the SS disc diameter .

 

[Blacksmith]

Is all good bro , just having a bit of fun with ya , don't take it to heart , I think it is good you are asking about doing something with the brakes , I sometimes do not think things through enough bro . I changed it to like , cos I do like you and can see you got a young one into bikes , and that is the best bro , sorry for being a smart ass bro !!

Nah bro dont change nothing is all good I was just responding to it that's all. I'm a true smart A I just have to be careful online cause sarcasm doesn't come through a keyboard very well. It wasnt taken wrong at all and I always appreciate your advice. Fallenarch thanks for that explanation! Makes a lot of sense

 

[mabupa]

If you get Galfers, they should be lighter. Rear Galfer rotor for sure lighter than stock.
Don't think you will increase stopping power more with any rotor.



The MC is what makes the brake pressure. I would think that would be the place to start. Learn about MC ratios and compareto what the stock busa ratio is. You would be best t get advice from people with experience on this before you buy but educate yourself.



Agree on the braided S lines. I can't tell any difference from my fairly new stock rubber lines but if I ever get the point where I get my brake fluid real hot, the SS lines will help prevent fade.

I think the real problem with the busa's brakes however is that they are too punkass. They are extremely linear and plain don't have much power until you almost got the lever to the grip. They will lock up at about that point but do you really want to search through the full throw of the brake lever to find your maximum brake without locking? I sure don't. Instant bite and max power at just a touch of the lever is what you want as crazy as that sounds. Those are racing brakes. They work best for extreme situations. What sounds best for the street (progressive braking where you can pull the lever a long way) is dangerous. Anyone who needs that to avoid locking the brakes doesn't belong on or in a high performance vehicle, IMHO.


Brembo MCs have the best reputation. Berringer seems like a very good company as well. Beringer calipers will save you some weight without costing too terribly much and they look beautiful. I think the MC is what is really going to strengthen your brakes though.

If I could only replace one thing in a completely OEM setup, it would be the MC. That was the biggest improvement, in my experience on the “great brakes quest”.