Early model brake performance

"You have to make an appointment to stop" is what I have been told, regarding the brakes on the early bikes. I'd like to find a reasonable way to upgrade the single side disc on my Zee. Aside from adding the additional weight of another disc and caliper, what would be the next best way to upgrade?

What model do you have? Z1?

The rear drum looks so much better that a disc don't you think?...Russ

these are all obvious .....but just in case....clean out and replace your brake fluid once in a while...get a magura power lever ...type brake lever..(big difference) take your brake pads out and sand the glaze off em...cleaning and polishing chems get on the disk..oils off the road...dust..water...and tend to help to glaze the pads to where they squeek and act like you have no brakes...you will be ammazed how much better your brakes are after you've.."roughed up " the pads a little....i use a really ruff spikey wood hasp and just scrath off the glaze, 80 grit sand paper would work too ,bleed the barkes really well with a long 12"-16" vertical clear tube and you'll see bubbles for sure that you can't get with a sloppy bleeder into a can set up....that and a power lever and you can stop pretty good compared ot a normal kz's non matained brakes.. get a steel braided line to if you can...hope this helps...craig

this is a clutch lever but it gives an idea of the added pitch for more travel/force on the lever.


i agree with russ the drum just looks to cool ...it's gotta be on my boulevard buster bike...and it WILL bring the bike to a hard stop

words of wisdom craig!
good work.

Yes, it is a Z1 900, and I am trying to keep it as original as possible, so the drum stays. To brake the glaze, I dabbed a little coarse valve grinding compound on the rotor. The bike was ridden around the block a few times, then the residual compound cleaned off. Now the squeal is gone and she stops a little better, but still feels inadequate. Braided lines are the next step, any opinion on these?

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The current pads are either EBC or Tuffstop, I can't remember. Is any one brand more preferable than the others?


Thanks!

brakelikethe wrote:

Yes, it is a Z1 900, and I am trying to keep it as original as possible, so the drum stays. To brake the glaze, I dabbed a little coarse valve grinding compound on the rotor. The bike was ridden around the block a few times, then the residual compound cleaned off. Now the squeal is gone and she stops a little better, but still feels inadequate. Braided lines are the next step, any opinion on these?

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stainless-Steel-...9QQitemZ190272962021

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-Z1-Z2-S...9QQitemZ190272958798

The current pads are either EBC or Tuffstop, I can't remember. Is any one brand more preferable than the others?

Would first check out all the brake lines, pads, etc, available at Z1 Enterprises.

Good Luck!

Put a EX500 caliper on then. I have one on my H1 and it stops quick!

When did you last change the brake fluid?

Patton wrote:

Would first check out all the brake lines, pads, etc, available at Z1 Enterprises.

Good Luck!

you may have gotten the compressed pad /glaze off with your method....i just did this the other day and i had to use a rough wood rasp to get mine off of 3 month old pads...what i'm trying to say is that a really good flush and bleed,de-glazing job, and brake lever...will do more than you can imagine....
i just did it a week ago and today went 90 miles with a new feeling front brake(at the end of the ride still good too)....i think your glazing will be more than you can get without removing the caliper and padsin your hand to visually remove the material...before you go spending money...you might wanna invest thiry minutes in what i just did to mine...it is 100% better...if yours did not feel way better ...you did not bleed enough or de-glaze enough....imo...good luck..

Personallyh im a big fan of the Russel stainless braided brake lines, with the -3 AN fitting on the end.




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Anouther thought, while cleaning/bleeding, pull/clean/lube the caliper carrior bolts. the caliper needs to "float"for max performance, since inside pad is stationary, all travel is from piston/outside pad. if the caliper binds, then the working piston needs travel further/overcome stationary side. in a perfect world, inside pad would always "skim" rotor. standards have changed, but in the day a single disc was ample when working properly. Luck G