Since I've put HEL lines, ASV levers and full strip and clean of front calipers the front brake lever feels hard ... I.e. The 'feel' I had with standard setup has gone and it feels like I'm having to pull the lever harder ... Anyone experienced this? It's like the brake pads aren't biting into the discs as well as used too? Maybe it's time for a pad upgrade although they were fine before I fucked about with it
You'll find the HEL lines take away that springy feel you had previously. Honda designed the bike to have that feel to stop the brakes snatching when braking in an emergency. The original rubber lines had a degree of expansion in them. I've just put Brembo pads in my 2011 blade. The old pads were still ok but I convinced myself they had lost their edge but after a few rides I don't think there is much in it. A lot depends how you ride on the road. If you ride with plenty of planning you tend not to use the brakes so much. Then when you come to us them they are cold and don't bite that well. Once the pads are warmed up it really does stop well.
Makes sense ... I might stick in SBS RS pads that I've always used. Plan to check Pistons on calipers again to make sure all in fine fettle.
Whats the best pads for standard calipers. I've just overhauled the front callipers and they are just fine but the rear has no feel whatsoever. There is no grab there and I'll be surprised if it would lock in an emergency. I will be fitting braided lines shortly but would like to know the best pads with good feel to them.
It's not supposed to lock in an emergency. I've got standard pads in mine and they felt fine till recently ... Currently cleaning the Pistons and covering in red grease to help the feel ... Will clean up the pads and throw them back in for now but SBS RS will be ordered tonight
Still not got the 'feel' back from the brakes ... looks like I will need to strip the calipers properly as suspect the reason the pads are glazing are due to them dragging slightly. 6,000 miles and 4yrs old and already I'm having to deal with this shit.
hmmm.... i've just had HEL's fitted to my abs bike, out in the sunshine today and the brakes feel "vague". With the original lines they felt sharp and I knew what to expect, with the HEL's fitted, it's a kind of "well we might stop you we might not kind of feel" it got to the point this afternoon where I was braking much earlier and leaving larger gaps than I ever did with my original lines, so instead of improving the bike I appear to have diminished it somewhat. Its my first ride on them so I take into account what Red (post 2) has said and will give them a couple more trips yet, if I were to replace/upgrade the pads and discs what would be my best options please ? thanks..
Your right to let things bed in but ABS systems on the blade are notoriously hard to bleed correctly. There are posts on here describing how this should be done.
Have you really warmed up the pads with some hard braking? Mine are crap cold but once they are warm they really do bite.
Id bleed again, i fitted hel braided lines to my 2011 bled bled and bled again but didn't get them right, the key is to make sure you bleed the master cylinder properly before you bleed through the callipers bleeding the longest/furthest calliper first, another trick is to pull back and tie back the lever and leave overnight to get any trapped air out.
