Twinpot Brake upgrade on 78 Skunk

Sending you a PM about the brake upgrade Salty...

Bugger! How about front fork transplant.. what best suits with least amount of engineering or am I being greedy again?

[salty_monk]

They are way too wide to work with the stock GS fork and wheel. I did make a bracket to fit them to GSXR 1100 RSU forks using a GSXR wheel though...

Hi, I'm hoping you have made or can make a bracket to suit 6 pot Tokicos off a zx9 as I have a set sitting in my shed?

QUOTE=salty_monk;1031849]Yes, all that stock stuff is coming down in price. These brackets don't work with those calipers though, you'd need a much more complex stepped bracket to make them fit, the 6 piston calipers would need cross drilled spacers as they're the ones that are radially mounted I believe.

These brackets work only with the Kawasaki Twinpot calipers. Sliding type. Not opposed piston.

Dan [/QUOTE]

[salty_monk]

"Feel" at the lever and less likely to squeal. The pads tend to wear even regardless in my experience. I believe the main reason they probably changed is for cost reasons. Less material & less SKU's, less material in the pad & a slightly easier pad swap (which helps dealer margins). They have one less piston & one less size O ring to stock.

I have ridden a couple of bikes with those later brakes fitted. Similar in every way. The bracket does not suit our purposes as well & they don't work with that bracket. Eventually I will look at them as an alternative when it becomes impossible to get good calipers but haven't had a chance as yet other than to have a quick look and see that it will be a 4 bolt bracket & will be more complex than what we currently have. (Read MORE EXPENSIVE )

Chuck, No, what I'm talking about is the 2 different types of twin pot calipers- the ones folks here are using, are the big and small piston version - while the other type is the matched sized piston twin pots. Lacking a pick Id say the one type in question would be the oem matched sized piston, twin pot calipers of an 07 Kawi EX650A7f.
Using CrazyClouds last posted pick- that type of twin pot caliper has the big piston hole on top and a lil one on the bottom- twin pot, but two different sized pistons.....the ones on an 07 Kawi EX650A7f have both pistons the same size....hope that helps explain my end of it.

Edit- yeah, sometimes it's hard to convey things from my head to the web...or others. Wasn't trying to talk down to you or anything.

[Chuck78]

what's the braking difference between the different sized twin pot calipers that everyone is using and the matched hole calipers?

my 07 Kawi EX650 MC came with it's matching calipers - which happen to be the same sized hole type. I'm told those aren't the ones of choice.

but it's my usual curiosity that makes me ask why this is?...why is the big and lil holed version so much better?

is that a typo and you meant master cylinder bores?if your caliper setup does not properly match your master cylinder, you will have either a very spongy lever feel since you need to be moving twice as much fluid as you are, or a very hard lever feel.

EDIT - Ahhh I see... your wording and terminology were confusing. I looked up those calipers. That year has similar calipers to the ones we use, but non-universal L and seperate R caliper brackets without the matching holes on top and bottom on the universal L or R brackets

Also, more likely what you are referring to is that both of the pistons are the larger diameter, unlike the ones with the "universal L &/or R" bracket that have a smaller piston and a larger piston in each caliper. The pads look nearly the same. That would be excellent if those calipers would also work with dan's brackets as well. They appear to have a steel bracket still, so they could also be chopped up and welded onto as I did on mine.

I am guessing that with a smaller&larger piston, you may get a little bit of brake shoe toe-in to avoid squeal/noise, but causing a little more uneven pad wear. with a larger piston pair in each caliper, I am speculating that if the master cylinder bore is the same as with the older style, then you will get more power out of the caliper but a softer lever feel with more lever travel needed to reach full braking. basically you would have easier effort on the lever, but more travel of the lever needed. So you would have more powerful brakes, but your lever would come back further. I suppose they could change the geometry of the lever and the leverage it exerts to alter that as well. Lots of variables here.

I gotta ask...what's the braking difference between the different sized twin pot calipers that everyone is using and the matched hole calipers?
Salty knows where this is going....along the way of procuring parts for my twin pot upgrade, my 07 Kawi EX650 MC came with it's matching calipers - which happen to be the same sized hole type. I'm told those aren't the ones of choice.....I get that....but it's my usual curiosity that makes me ask why this is?...why is the big and lil holed version so much better?

[salty_monk]

A bit more traditional looking than the CBR ones. A good option to have

[CrazyCloud]

Thanks, I wasn't sure how they would look but I think they gave it some class!

[steve murdoch]

That pic works fine.
Dual disc spoke wheels are my favourite look. I think those rotors look great.

[CrazyCloud]

Full shot for you Steve. I'll try to replace it with a better one when I get a chance.

[steve murdoch]

Jason can you post a pic of the whole bike showing the new set-up.
Very different look.

CrazyCloud, now that's different, and in a good way!

[CrazyCloud]

I used Honda GL 1500 Valkyrie rotors for mine (1997-2003). They are nice because the bolt pattern is the same as stock, just need to enlarge holes to 8mm. They are a 296mm rotor. Also, the inner part of the rotors are Aluminum, so they drill very easily. They are a little different look than the CBR rotors, I like 'em. All clearances were fine with Salty's kit.