Help: Front brake lever adjustment

airoh69

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Hi, kind of tough to explain as its not my native language but here is a try.

I want to adjust the front brake lever to make the bike fully brake at roughly the half pull distance as it does now. I know that there is that lever with numbers from 1-5 on it. I have it on 5 but still want much more. Is there any way i can do it?
 

dpaul007

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So you are saying that your brakes are a bit "squishy"? There are a few things you can try.

-One thing that's part of regular maintenance is to flush the brake fluid. I put new brake fluid in this summer and it firmed up the lever a bit.
-Another thing is to go with braided ss brake lines. They should help with what you are looking for, giving you a more controlled, consistent, firmer feedback.

Other than those two things, next would be upgrading your front fork springs and/or oil to prevent nose dive, but that has nothing to do with the firmness at the lever.
 

Motogiro

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Those numbers on the adjustment thumbwheel on the lever are to change the distance of the lever from the grip. It allows for people with larger or smaller hands. It does not adjust brake pressure. The FZ6 can apply enough front brake pressure to flip the bike end over end.
Make sure your brake system has been properly serviced. Some people put steel braided brake lines which greatly improves feel and performance of the brakes. New brake fluid is never a bad idea. :)

Edit: Beat me to it dpaul! :p
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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+1 on both ^ posts.

I have SS braided lines on mine, the adjuster wheel set on 3 and can lock up the front wheel with no more than a half pull.

The stock rubber lines flex a fair amount, especially under hard braking causing longer lever travel (for the same amount of braking)...
 
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agf

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No you have to have an extreme familiarirty with the weight of the bike and be pretty foolhardy to undertake stoppies.
ss lines just give more direct feeling of braking input at the lever and the effect at the wheel
 

Motogiro

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The steel braid lines are specially nice when your having fun in the twisties on a hot day where OEM lines will flex and give you less feel.

Sent from Moto's Droid using Tapatalk 2
 

airoh69

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Well i cant lock front wheel cause of the ABS but, in order for the abs to kick in i have to pull the lever little bit more than 3/4 the distance between the lever and the handle bar.
 

airoh69

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Yep, the US bikes don't get ABS (IMHO, which I would prefer NOT to have, keep it simple). :D

Well this was my opinion also at the beginning BUT after a trip to the mountains where we got hit by a massive hail storm and 7 bikes fell down and all without abs and none fell with abs , well, i changed my mind :BLAA:
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Well this was my opinion also at the beginning BUT after a trip to the mountains where we got hit by a massive hail storm and 7 bikes fell down and all without abs and none fell with abs , well, i changed my mind :BLAA:

If a massive hail storm hit, IMHO, I'd being finding cover (to keep paint damage to a minimum) or at least pulling over and stopping.

I'll still pass on the ABS, haven't needed it in 39 years of street riding, including our Florida down pours.

Its a moot point, ABS equipped FZ6's don't exist in the US (nor do immobilizers)

Now, back to the original thread! :D
 

airoh69

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Well the brakes fill squishy, so I think i will try to remove any air that may be trapped and if it doesn't work i will flush the brake fluid . if that doesn't work i will install the SS lines. Cause, seriously my Peugeot speedfight 3 50cc brakes have better feel :p
 

Motogiro

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Well the brakes fill squishy, so I think i will try to remove any air that may be trapped and if it doesn't work i will flush the brake fluid . if that doesn't work i will install the SS lines. Cause, seriously my Peugeot speedfight 3 50cc brakes have better feel :p

You may very well have air in your brake lines so replacing the fluid will also includes bleeding the lines... :)

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Motogiro

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I just thought of something....:rolleyes: If you try to do a burnout by holding the front brake does the ABS then unlock the front wheel when the rear wheel begins to spin? Hmmmmm? :confused:
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Yep, a good bleed and flush should help as Cliff mentioned.

Just for S&G's, look around the master cylinder on the right side handlebar for any leakage. Its somewhat unusual for it to leak or fail, but if its never been maintained, its possible for the MC to NOT put full pressure down the lines...

Even with rubber lines, the bike should stop pretty good (considerably better than your other bike).
 

airoh69

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Ok i have removed any air that might be in the brakes. Now my brakes have improved like 25% infront and around 40% rear.
I think i might try and go also with SS in the future
 
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