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shrek · 12-21-2009, 11:50 AM

I ride an RE Std 350 and a Yamaha RX-135, both these bikes have front and rear drum brakes, and have very different braking characteristics:

RX 135: The bike is light, accelerates very well and my bike has a continuous issue of loosening brake cable (front). Every now and again (few weeks), I need to tighten the front brake cable and reduce the play in the lever to obtain optimum braking. In spite of a brand new liner, drum and cable, this play is unavoidable, and hence is part of my checklist of maintenance every weekend. The rear brakes are grippy, and if used in isolation, increase the risk of the rear wheel locking and sliding on rubble or muddy roads. On tarmac, the ideal combination of slowing down using front and coming to a halt using front and rear brakes in conjunction is IMO the safest approach. My only bugbear is the tension in the front brake cable, which occassionally loosens considerably, causing the lever to hit the handlebar grip, hence reducing braking ability.

RE Std 350: For a 20 year old bike, which is heavy, has poor front drum brakes and rear brakes that are so grippy, they lock the wheel, this bike has its own handling and braking characteristics that set it apart from other bikes in the Indian market. The front brakes are ineffective if not maintained regularly, and many bulleteers notice that on an incline, the front brakes will not hold the bike stationary on their own. The massive weight of the bike and its poor front brakes lead to many riders relying entirely on the rear brakes for stopping, leading to faster wear of the rear brake shoes and liner. To add some bite to the front drum brakes, the drum itself can be scrubbed with emery paper, enabling the brake shoes(poor quality again) to obtain greater friction and improve stopping power. Bulleteers rely on engine breaking to a great extent, and this IMO adds to the character of the bike and the frame of mind required to ride it.

In this era of brake disc's, I would appreciate it if riders with older Two-strokes, Thumpers and exotics could detail their bike's unique braking characteristics. In addition to learning about these things, they will also provide an insight into the personality of such bikes, that are found rarely, but when seen always bring a smile to our lips.

Cheers,
Sriku

12-21-2009, 11:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
shrek Mumbiker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 75	Older bikes with drum brakes both F and R I ride an RE Std 350 and a Yamaha RX-135, both these bikes have front and rear drum brakes, and have very different braking characteristics: RX 135: The bike is light, accelerates very well and my bike has a continuous issue of loosening brake cable (front). Every now and again (few weeks), I need to tighten the front brake cable and reduce the play in the lever to obtain optimum braking. In spite of a brand new liner, drum and cable, this play is unavoidable, and hence is part of my checklist of maintenance every weekend. The rear brakes are grippy, and if used in isolation, increase the risk of the rear wheel locking and sliding on rubble or muddy roads. On tarmac, the ideal combination of slowing down using front and coming to a halt using front and rear brakes in conjunction is IMO the safest approach. My only bugbear is the tension in the front brake cable, which occassionally loosens considerably, causing the lever to hit the handlebar grip, hence reducing braking ability. RE Std 350: For a 20 year old bike, which is heavy, has poor front drum brakes and rear brakes that are so grippy, they lock the wheel, this bike has its own handling and braking characteristics that set it apart from other bikes in the Indian market. The front brakes are ineffective if not maintained regularly, and many bulleteers notice that on an incline, the front brakes will not hold the bike stationary on their own. The massive weight of the bike and its poor front brakes lead to many riders relying entirely on the rear brakes for stopping, leading to faster wear of the rear brake shoes and liner. To add some bite to the front drum brakes, the drum itself can be scrubbed with emery paper, enabling the brake shoes(poor quality again) to obtain greater friction and improve stopping power. Bulleteers rely on engine breaking to a great extent, and this IMO adds to the character of the bike and the frame of mind required to ride it. In this era of brake disc's, I would appreciate it if riders with older Two-strokes, Thumpers and exotics could detail their bike's unique braking characteristics. In addition to learning about these things, they will also provide an insight into the personality of such bikes, that are found rarely, but when seen always bring a smile to our lips. Cheers, Sriku __________________ Four strokes move my body, two strokes move my soul. 1988 RE Std 350 (Bull) 1998 RX 135 4-speed (Stella) 2002 Kinetic GF-125 (what was I thinking?) 2008 HH Karizma R (Elsie - sold) 2012 KTM Duke 200