Twinpot Brake upgrade on 78 Skunk

[salty_monk]

I've used a variety of pads. The stock Tokico ones are actually pretty good.

I've used some HH's some organics and some Ebay cheapies. Generally you get what you pay for but all are better than the stock Suzuki setup...

[mmattockx]

what brake pads are you guys using in these, other than the ones that came in them or the ebay cheapies?

EBC HH pads.


Mark

[greg78gs750]

what brake pads are you guys using in these, other than the ones that came in them or the ebay cheapies?

[Chuck78]

Chuck, think you could do an in depth review of your gs750/920, the whole bike? On it own thread of course?

Look in the recent few weeks of the "Post pictures of your custom GS" thread on here in the Appearance sub-forum.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?130532-Post-a-picture-of-your-custom-GS&p=2405669#post2405669

I listed all the mods I have done over the years to make that sort-of-stock-looking bike into a fine handling sports/tourer. My idea of touring does not include hardcase saddlebags, luggage racks, big windshield, etc... by sports touring I mean I load a minimal amount of backpacking gear onto my bike and tools / food / rain gear in saddlebags and head for the mountains!

It's a very fast 750, I often think I need to do more mods (head ported by Rapid Ray sometime soon, mega cycle cams) because it's "not quite fast enough yet" & then I ride with other people or ride other bikes that I used to think were really fast, & I realize mine is really really fast! My buds on a 2000's Ninja 750 and a ZRX1200 can barely keep up with me in the twisties and can just sneak by me on the highway as they slowly pull ahead. They are thoroughly impressed with how fast I can pull away from them or pass cars. It pulls well even at 115+!
With GS850 pistons / pods&pipe / careful re-jetting it was a rocket at high rpms and would hang with modified KZ1000 1132cc quite well. He was actually very impressed at how fast the bike would go when downshifting and burying the tach needle through the gears above 5500rpm-9000 or so. It revs to 11500 well while still making power. With bigger pistons I try to keep it under 10000rpm now.
At 920c it's an absolute street menace. I try not to ride it in the city much as I just screams for me to twist that throttle grip backwards rapidly... it's a bad influence on me for city riding!
A 77-79 GS750B/C/N/EC/EN with brake&suspension upgrades, Wiseco K844's, & Megacycle camshafts is one heck of a package if you don't have any GS1000's available or just want a slightly smaller bike than a 1000

[thebrandonbeezy]

Thanks Dan for the awesome brake research you have done! I can ride faster more confidently for many years now than if I had stock GS brakes... Very crucial, and very good looking brake package!

Chuck, think you could do an in depth review of your gs750/920, the whole bike? On it own thread of course?

[salty_monk]

Nice! Shame the exchange rate is in the toilet or it would be even better!

[bobtail84]

Thanks Dan, I'm in the states in August and I'm going to order the Racetech emulators as they are a lot cheaper in the USA and take them back to blighty.


Looking good Chuck, looks like a great road to ride from the pictures.

[Chuck78]

Thanks Dan for the awesome brake research you have done! I can ride faster more confidently for many years now than if I had stock GS brakes... Very crucial, and very good looking brake package!

[salty_monk]

I made up some adapters & ordered the ones from MikesXSthat are made for 35mm forks. A little cheaper that way... https://www.mikesxs.net/suspension.html

Racetech - FEGV-S3301

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?88036-Link-for-GS1100-RaceTech-fork-upgrades

Being a lightweight I cut down some stock springs to give me about a 43lb spring.

[bobtail84]

Looking good. I have straight weight springs & emulators fitted - they help with dive too.

I have Hagon progressive springs in the front and they do dive a bit under breaking with the new set up. I don't suppose you remember what the code was for your emulators do you Dan?

[salty_monk]

You should make sure that stainless bolt is an A2-70 one & not made of Cheese but I wouldn't have a problem using the standard thread as long as there is a locking element or threadlock.
The load is 90 degrees to the thread so the only real benefit of the fine thread is vibration resistance (and more threads in the thin caliper bracket but as this is the one with the nut on it that's not applicable here).

Looking good. I have straight weight springs & emulators fitted - they help with dive too.

The progressives with the close together coils lopped off are about a 50lb/in spring (approx 1.0 KGmm from memory, you can google that) so that might be a cost effective option for you if the spring rate is right... Replace what you cut off with Schedule 40 pipe.

Another angle a little closer up...

20170524_165104.jpg

Finished her up last night! Glad I looked back through this thread because I had missed the part of having to trim the speedo dust shied, but caught that BEFORE everything was assembled, so took care of that.

Everything bolted together perfectly, and DANG, these feel very nice. Proportional, smooth, and zero caliper movement when applied. I want to replace the front Progressive springs with some non-progressive rate springs, which I think will help with the dive, but otherwise, this is a nice improvement.

Thank you, Dan, for the elegant solution with those brackets and all the info on calipers and rotors.

Looking forward to this summer!

20170524_165123.jpg

Howdy, neighbor. I looked everywhere for stainless socket head bolts in fine thread, no joy. Ended up ordering OEM for a couple bucks each.

I have picked them up at my local Tru Valu store. He has a good selection (even if they are really expensive!)

I've used Bolt Depot in the past https://www.boltdepot.com/Catalog.as...FdRyfgodHBMJgw

Not used these but they're out there...

http://www.theboltguy.com/

http://www.stainlesscycle.com/presta/en/

You can also use the bolts from the Ninja Calipers - they are the same size. Lots of them available on Ebay.... I currently have six of the grey plated ninja ones in mine.

Thanks, Guys.

The bolts that came in my calipers are a tad too short, so I'm just going to reuse the two factory bolts, and then I picked up a third Stainless Rounded Head Hex-Drive bolt in M10-1.50 with a locking nut for the lower bracket to fork mount. Looks pretty good. I'll replace them when I can find the right ones. Weather is too nice to drag this out for weeks!

Hoping to have it wrapped up later this week.

[salty_monk]

I have picked them up at my local Tru Valu store. He has a good selection (even if they are really expensive!)

I've used Bolt Depot in the past https://www.boltdepot.com/Catalog.as...FdRyfgodHBMJgw

Not used these but they're out there...

http://www.theboltguy.com/

http://www.stainlesscycle.com/presta/en/

You can also use the bolts from the Ninja Calipers - they are the same size. Lots of them available on Ebay.... I currently have six of the grey plated ninja ones in mine.