R 80 G/S front brake recommendations?

[solidstate100]

Hi all,

Can I pick the collectives wisdom on the above subject?

I have a new to me R80 G/S and all is well . Great fun!

I will be making one or two improvements, and the woeful front brake performance is one of the areas I want to look at.

Whats the "best" mod out there? I have done a bit of Googling and cant really find a definite winner out of twin discing, oversize rotor mods, 6 pot billet caliper etc etc.

My own gut feeling is that a larger single rotor mod using the original caliper, stainless hose and taking care on set up would bring about worthwhile improvements, probably for the best cost (Motorworks sell a kit for £300 quid odd) other than that sourcing maybe second hand/twin disc OEM from other models might be worth a try?

 

[cookie]

i have the HE big disc kit on mine and it's a big improvement over the original set up. it's not ever going to stand the bike on it's nose however, but it's enough to overwhelm the forks (doesn't take much)

i have also tried a g/s with the harrison 6 pot on std. disc briefly, and felt it provided broadly similar performance.

don't bother with the modified BMW 4 pot option. it's a lot cheaper, but does very little.

 

[Rob Farmer]

I rode mine for years with the standard set-up and never felt the need to improve the brakes. I obviously wasn't trying hard enough. What pads are you using. Most airheads seem to be fitted with the cheapest nastiest pads on the market.

I hate the feel of brakes with stainless brake lines and generally stick to new original hoses.

If you feel the urge I have a cast disk that's had very little use. I'm not a fan of those either to be honest.

 

[tuftywhite]

I haven't done it to mine yet, or found it necessary, but I am tempted to do this.

http://www.bmwboxersupplies.com/brake-disc-conversion-1988-p-164.html

 

[chrisshrops]

Bigger disks is the way too go

 

[how much for a service!]

i have the HE big disc kit on mine and it's a big improvement over the original set up. it's not ever going to stand the bike on it's nose however, but it's enough to overwhelm the forks (doesn't take much)

i have also tried a g/s with the harrison 6 pot on std. disc briefly, and felt it provided broadly similar performance.

don't bother with the modified BMW 4 pot option. it's a lot cheaper, but does very little.

I too after a lot of research ( mostly on here) went down the HE disc route great improvement

 

[2gses]

R80G/S front brake

Leave it as it left the factory.

 

[solidstate100]

Result!

On the basis that this bike is a rider as opposed to a garage queen or one to be excessively polished etc, I decided low tech was the way. So rather that spaffing excess hard earned coin on aftermarket modifications. I bought a pattern Grimeca disc, new ferodo pads, a stainless hose (sorry Mr. farmer!) and bled it out. The fluid was a black as your hat and there was more contaminant in the fluid than there was fluid!

Result - a just about acceptable front brake, which if squeezed hard enough can still overwhelm the forks. Job done I say!

Thanks to all that responded and PM'd me, much appreciated.

 

[tuftywhite]

Nice work.

Happy to have you ride behind me now!

 

[solidstate100]

Nice work.

Happy to have you ride behind me now!

Nah will still be behind you - Im a shit rider !