[Fixed] Brakes: The 1000$ mistake!

ELCouz wrote:

The Fish, if a customer go to your garage with the same problem do you recommend trowing everything to thrash and start from scratch or he still have chance to get something fit ?

No,I only do that to people on the internet (LOL- That was a joke...)

The only thing you need is calipers(that fit).Don't get rid of your discs. Half of the battle is won with the larger discs.

Like I have said before, some customers have the "I got these calipers, these discs and I want them on that" mentality and it can't always be done. Most people understand, some don't and they take their stuff elsewhere (probably to their closet).

I am only able to make kits for front ends that I have in stock or if a person is local to me it can be made on their bike. Most people don't want to ship their front end to me to make a kit for them(some people have though).


Search Feebay for some calipers. A dual 2 piston(floater) caliper set up will be fine and more brakes than what you had.

Like I said before, Research it to death. It really sucks to find a set of calipers that would work only to get them and then find out that they are either incomplete or totally useless (like the linked calipers above).

Good luck with it.

Thank you for your lukewarm reply

What i need to take consideration when buying calipers?

-back thickness.. of course
-Floating style
-No linked stuff
-No radial mounting
-Be sure that slide bracket is coming with the calipers (for float calipers)
-Disc thickness compatibility
-Rebuild kit & brake parts availability for the calipers

Is caliper radius really important (can 300mm rotor caliper fit on 320mm)?

Is there anything else i should check before buying?

Regards,
Laurent

b]trianglelaguna wrote:[/b]

I don't know how to say this but I'm feeling that I'm wasting my motorcycle season and money on this vintage restoration project.

seems like you said it just fine...the brakes these bikes come with work fine...you chose to mess with it...and waste time and money....

people walk right by hybrids to check out a vintage kz that is'nt trying to be somthing it is'nt.....walk right by em....a stock gpz 550 with a few era mods is a terrific bike...and can more than keep up with the jonses.....

there were so many modern grafts-modded-vintage based bikes at the quail lodge classic.....sitting there unnotcied alone...while crowds hung around era modded ones....when i parked my p.o.s kz900 i had folks telling me kz stories before i even had my helmet off...you said it just fine......waste of time and money to fix somthing aint broke...if folks want 130 h.p upside down fork four piston 310 mm rotors single shock bike....why not just buy one used for 2500 and be done with it.....my 2 cents...good luck fixing your brakes...you could be riding.....

Why don't they just buy one and be done with it? Because any jackass can do that

Stay the course with the project. Setbacks are all part of the game. It's what separates the kiddies from the real wrenches

As for the Tri's perspective on "crowd appeal", all I can say is the real hard core riders will spot the significance of the effort you put into your ride and strike up a good conversation. Happens to me all the time when I have my LTD on a ride with a group. You wouldn't believe how many HD riders congratulate me on the bike...

Listen to Fish..the guy knows more about brake systems for these bikes than anybody else I can think of. He'll get you going in the right direction.

Larry C

If you are looking for calipers on Feebay, ask questions and ask for pics of the backs,sides,etc.. measurements,etc.

(and the "research" thing).

I keep stressing the research "thing" as some sellers on feebay (and elsewhere) just want to make a sale and then hide behind their "No returns" policy regardless of what they may have said or "implied" or they may be misinformed as to what it fits. An educated buyer makes better purchases. Just because a seller says its off a "XXXX" doesn't mean it is so. Research it. Don't get in a hurry to get calipers.

I usually like to get the whole brake system (master cyl. and all).

Most newer calipers can fit on different dia. discs easily. The same goes for the disc thickness as most newer bikes use the thinner disc also.

how about switching the triple trees out with a kz1000p. they are wider and may give u enough clearance. there are guys here that could give u some measurements. Dutch has them on his i think.

Yea swap out some trees and front hub/ calipers off a later KZ, all same brand and not an expensive swap, could get the master and every thing pretty cheap. Do you want to be track racing that bike? I'd say $200 tops for a swap, duel discs and calipers.

Swapping fork is a no go for the mechanical inspection. Even I'm not sure if the modified brake will pass it.

But thanks for the idea

For everyone following this thread...

I've got a reply from Harrison Billet company...

Our calipers measure 31.5mm from centre line of disc to the innermost
surface of the caliper.

If you decided to go with a 6 piston caliper, the prices are

Billet original 6-piston calipers, show polished are £568.00 per pair.
Billet original 6-piston calipers, clear or black anodised are £611.00 per
pair.

Holy S--- ! That's my friend a lot of money around 850 $ / pair but will fit for the thickness problem. (+ shipping from UK to Canada)


Also a reply from a italian company who also make calipers

Hello Laurent
The last possibility for to help you it is our 4 piston caliper that from center disc to end caliper misure 32 m.m.
You can to see it in web site www.discacciati.net enter in Triumph brake,Bonneville rear kit.
Regerds
Enrico

damn around 450$ usd per caliper !

Still looking for brand and model idea of caliper that is thin on ebay.

Many have replied to my question asked on ebay about different calipers they sell... still around 40mm for the center disc to back of the caliper... i think this kind of standard.

have a nice day everybody
laurent



EDIT: oh btw dutchz, did you had the time to measure your grimeca calipers ? they look promising...

i was thinking u could swap the trees and use your forks? this would just give u more width to work with at the bottom. if your fork tubes are narowwer, u can simply sleeve them.
who would know?
if they dont notice the 3 pots they will never notice a tree, or forks for that matter.

ELCouz wrote:

oh btw dutchz, did you had the time to measure your grimeca calipers ? they look promising...

Not yet, but I will do it tomorrow.

mark1122 wrote:

i was thinking u could swap the trees and use your forks? this would just give u more width to work with at the bottom. if your fork tubes are narowwer, u can simply sleeve them.
who would know?
if they dont notice the 3 pots they will never notice a tree, or forks for that matter.

ElCouz,

You might want to pay attention to this idea....the disc spacing (and presumably fork spacing) on the KZ Police front end is 10mm wider than standard KZ's, and Im sure that you could get these triple clamps and front axle a lot cheaper than any other option

I have a set if you need some measurments.

mjg15 wrote:

mark1122 wrote:

i was thinking u could swap the trees and use your forks? this would just give u more width to work with at the bottom. if your fork tubes are narowwer, u can simply sleeve them.
who would know?
if they dont notice the 3 pots they will never notice a tree, or forks for that matter.

ElCouz,

You might want to pay attention to this idea....the disc spacing (and presumably fork spacing) on the KZ Police front end is 10mm wider than standard KZ's, and Im sure that you could get these triple clamps and front axle a lot cheaper than any other option

I have a set if you need some measurments.

Swapping the front end wont accomplish anything as the speedo drive is the limiting factor on the 1 side of the wheel. If you swap the wheel along with the front end(to the typical KZ 4 bolt style), they you will have pissed away the cost of the custom made discs.

If you are looking for new calipers also check these guys out

www.isrbrakes.se/products/calipers/22-042.shtml

The calipers are pricey also, but from their stuff I have used in the past, they are usually noticeably thinner then the OEM calipers. Ask them for measurements.

Or just get a set of 2 piston "floater" calipers and be done with it. There will be a very noticeable improvement over the stock brakes with the 2 piston "floater" calipers.

Here's a link from a Goldwing site that has a 2 piston "floaters" on a GL 1000(a lot heavier than a GPz)with a "semi-review".

www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18867&start=0

Randakk recently went to Lester mags and a complete brake and bike make over(6 pistons, 310mm discs), just because. The added "depth" of the Lester wheel spokes(VS the stock spoked wheel) made this conversion easier to accomplish.

www.randakks.com/Randakk%27s%20Endurance%20Special.htm

And his CBX

www.randakks.com/CBX%20Farkles.htm

and the making of the CBX kit. Notice the tight clearances in the last few pictures needed to get this kit to fit.

s111.photobucket.com/albums/n130/dgfisch...?albumview=slideshow

Fish. would it make sense to just drop the speedo gear, to pick up extra clearance? can he not use his forks in the KZ P triples, by bushing the tree clamps?