watching storms bounce around--and brake maintenance question

[lucydad]

All,

Watching the storms bounce around the Gulf Coast of TEXAS.  Its hot, pegged out humid, overcast, and clouds of mosquito and pollen time.  Summer is almost here, end of our six months or so of reasonable outside weather.  Mosquitoes so thick and hungry I count every kill as a personal victory.  Did my errands on my Friday day off, most important is poodles have their "magic food bin"  filled, with extra bag in garage. 

So yeah light lunch, then gear up and take the V7R out before rush hour.  Need to watch radar though, tired of being soaked.  I just cleaned both bikes up, wow they get grimy. Aerostich leathers need cleaned really bad, I want to take care of them and put them away in good shape.

Ok, question for you guys on the 2012 V7R brakes.  The brake fluid is original, so about 3-4 years old.  The pads are also original, and this winter I have done a lot of wet/dirty riding.  I think the front brake is not up to specs on performance.  The question:  is there a way to clean brake pads?  Or should I just change them out?  Same with the disc:  what is a good way to clean them please?  Is it time to change out the brake fluid?  I know the fluid is hydroscopic, and loses composition with time, particularly in our wet climate.

thanks,

[nc43bsa]

If the fluid is becoming cloudy or tea-colored, it's past time.  IIRC, the recommendation is changing it at least every other year.

As for the pads, you'd need to remove them to clean them, and at that point it's just as easy to replace them as clean them.

I've always cleaned rotors with a rag and Brakleen or something similar.

[toma nova]

Greg,

I'd be happy to help you do brakes if you ride up to The Woodlands.  Your pads are probably fine but it never hurts to upgrade to HH pads;  disks just get cleaned with brake cleaner.  You should replace brake fluid every two years (cars too).  Easy to do with a Mity Vac or extra set of hands.

I do all my own maintenance (valves, TB, GuzziDiag, etc.) and only go see Mike and Larry for warranty (none yet) or to buy a bike.

Tom

[canuguzzi]

Deglaze your rotors. You can clean them all you want but if they have glaze on them, you'll just have clean looking glazed rotors.

You can use scotchbrite to get the glaze off. They make dark grey items for metal. They won't gouge or otherwise put the rotor out of round or flatness. You can use a block and go cross-wise over the rotor. Then clean the rotor off. It works great on the edge too.

Duplo sells some neat spray can stuff to remove grease, oil and wax from paint finishes (paint prep). It is safe for plastics too but does a wonderful job of cleaning a rotor. Plus, if some gets on anything else it won't harm it so you can use it and not worry. Comes in very handy if you want a fresh wax job on anything, just spray on and wipe, wax comes right off.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture quite readily, change it yearly. When you do your annual.

When you get your annual physical, give your bike one too.

[balvenie]

This topic might interest you

             wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=75392.msg1184859#top

Especially the reply about pushing the pistons

[clubman]

If you still have the OEM pads, throw them away and replace them with any quality aftermarket "HH"rated pad. Your bike is too new to need any "deglazing" or other treatments, just clean everything up with BP cleaner. You will be surprised at how your Brembo's are supposed to work. I use EBC's , but everybody makes pads to fit this caliper. Dunlopads are very good too. Your fluid is overdue for replacement. Use any DOT 4 synthetic fluid. Prestone is cheap and readily available. There's a current thread on "Mighty Vacs" and speedbleeders around too, if you need that.

[LongRanger]

I know what's wrong with your V7's brakes: STR-X.

[lucydad]

Ranger,

Yes, you are on the right track:  big contrast between the STRX and Guzzi, let's be accurate and call it huge difference.  Given that the Guzzi has been ridden in wet grime all winter.  Capping the drowned rat episodes were two rides in early April where the bike was coated by road grime by oncoming trucks to and from Galveston and Freeport area.

I am pretty sure the Brembos would benefit from new pads (did not know HH are better, now I want some) and brake fluid change.  I changed the pads and fluid on my old Kawasaki EX500 myself.  And yeah it was a bit of a pain as I did not have the right tools.  I will either have MPH do it soon, or drive to the Woodlands and take a free offer. 

Thanks all, Little Goose will get a bit of attention.

[redrider]

"did not know HH are better"

I like mine on the V11 and Benelli. They need a bit of bedding in but when they are done, almost uncanny how they react to speed. Two fingers from 60 is really good. At 90 they let you know some serious stoppage is available. Right now.

[rocker59]

I know what's wrong with your V7's brakes: STR-X.

Yeah.  That's what I'm thinking.

[Perazzimx14]

How often does everybody change the brake fluid, clean the rotors and/or brake pads in their car/truck/SUV?

LD has been using higher spec/powerful brakes on his new triple. The brakes on the V7 are going to feel very inadequate after switching rides no matter what he does to the V7's brakes. What he needs to do is go ride a bike fitted with drum brakes and then switch over to the V7. I'm betting the brakes will feel better than ever.

 

[lucydad]

Rocker, Perazzi:

No doubt you are both spot on.  Given that, I will have the V7R brakes maintained soon, it is a safety confidence issue.

I remember drum brakes on motorcycles. 

The Triumph twin discs with ABS are a revelation indeed.  Should Guzzi add twins on the small blocks?  Maybe yes, maybe no: perhaps more as an enhancement than anything.  I can tell you from experience the ABS helped during a recent Triumph drowned rat ride on highway 36. 

Dang more storms this morning.  Maybe this afternoon.  Can we ship some of this rain to CA?

[rocker59]

whatever gets you through the night, LD

[lucydad]

Yes it will, safety first.  Its my life on the bike.  Optimal brakes are crucial.

More storms closing this morning.  Geared up, but decided not to risk being drowned on the southwest freeway.  Maybe we will roll later today.
Fed up being deluged.  The lightning is what concerns me the most. 

[Irn]

Please send some rain our way here in Northern Cal.  Simple question, why the need to flush brakes every year.  I have a 11 year old Prius, 95k miles, brakes have never been touched, pads still over 60% so no fluid flush, why the difference on a motorcycle? Given out drought I might be flushing my brake fluid more often then my toilets.

[gsf12man]

I've never ridden a V7 . . . having said that I wonder if a braided-steel brake line might help perk up the front brake as well? I had them on a couple of Suzukis (Bandit and VX800) and they greatly improved brake feel.

[Kev m]

The 1TB models come with a braided steel brake line. But I don't remember noticing much of a difference between the V7C and my Stone in braking? Not that I have any complaints about the brakes on my Stone anyway.

[rocker59]

It's not a brake line problem. Hell, it's not even a brake problem.