M1100 sharp rear brake !

[Italiatwin]

My bike is new to me, I've only had it for a few weeks
I find the rear brake very sharp, very easy to lock the rear wheel with relatively gentle rear brake pressure. It has Rizoma rear sets fitted.
Is this a common thing ? My previous bike was an Aprilia RSV which had basically no rear brake so maybe it just requires some getting used to ????
Maybe I need to fit some rock hard pads that don't bite as well ??

[slob]

I'd say very unusual, the stock setup is almost useless (but only really used for scrutineering and MOTs, unless you spend alot of time in traffic). make sure you have plenty of free play at the pedal, without enough free play Brembo rears are prone to binding when hot, leading to knackered a disc and/or caliper.

[Italiatwin]

Yep, I have a good 10mm of free play.

[SunEye]

I think you've got a rare one there :) The rear brake on my M1100 and M1100evo were both fairly useless. Sharp is definitely not an adjective that I would use to describe them. The rear brake on my SF848 is a lot better and exactly how I would expect a rear brake to be.

Personally I'd probably try to live with the good rear brake on your Monster. The last thing you want is someone fixing it and making it how Ducati intended it to be ;) As far as I am aware there are three things that Ducati don't expect you to do with their bikes (1) ride at night (2) ride in the wet (3) use the rear brake ;)

Generally I only tend to use the rear brake for low speed control. If this is when you are using it and you are managing to lock the rear wheel then either you're being very heavy with the brake lever having been used to a bike with a useless rear brake or it is clamping on very strongly as soon as you touch the lever. Have you put the bike on a paddock stand and activated the rear brake to see how agressive it is? You should be able to apply gentle pressure to slow the rotation of the rear wheel, it shouldn't stop it dead as soon as you touch the lever.

[damien666]

Are the rearsets in need of being re positioned so you have less leverage?
Can this be done whilst keeping a comfy riding position?

[Italiatwin]

I spoke to Motorapido and they think it is not in common when after market rear sets are fitted. I think I'll just have to get used to it.

[Flip]

Surely those two massive round things on the front wheel being gripped tightly are enough when you pull on the right hand lever?? :biggrin:

Maybe I should change the rear pads on my 900- last time I did it was the bikes 10th birthday- it'll be twenty next year, it can wait until then!!

[Nickj]

It is scary riding a bike with a rear brake that actually works. First time I used the hack priller I locked it, too used to the Monsters err 'soft' characteristics

[Luddite]

I think it might just be a question of "feel" as a result of your rearsets. The standard footrest comes with quite a strong return spring hooked under the pedal so you feel some resistance when you press it.

When you remove the standard pegs, you lose that spring. A lot of rearsets don't come with a replacement so it's hard to gauge how much pressure you're applying. Some rearsets do have a small conical coil return spring like this one from Sato http://satoracing.com/brakereturnspring.htm that fits on or in the master cylinder and that can improve the feel.

My current rearsets don't have a spring and I had thought about fitting one but soon got used to the feeling so didn't bother. Now they feel perfectly natural.

Hope that helps.

[slob]

I think it might just be a question of "feel" as a result of your rearsets. The standard footrest comes with quite a strong return spring hooked under the pedal so you feel some resistance when you press it.


that's a good point

[yusaf1]

I too am in a similar position as just changed from standard set up to rearsets with no return spring. I am going to try some sort of set up the same as the sato ones to retain that " feel " and to eliminate any chance of binding.

[Flip]

I too am in a similar position as just changed from standard set up to rearsets with no return spring. I am going to try some sort of set up the same as the sato ones to retain that " feel " and to eliminate any chance of binding.

If you have the DP style rear sets just make sure there is plenty of play on the adjuster rod and the brake won't bind on when it gets hot- keeping it properly bled helps this also.

[yusaf1]

I think there is plenty of travel, compared to stock that is....
While on the DP rearsets subject, there is a small nut and bolt on the underside of the brake lever, what is it for exactly??

[slob]

it's a stop screw and locknut.

[utopia]

Lack of feel could also be caused by poor adjustment (rather than poor design).
Maybe the bite point could be lowered a little so your foot gets less of a "purchase" on the lever ?
Depending on the design, this can perhaps be achieved by juggling the stop screw mentioned above and the length adjuster on the operating rod.

Similarly, the crank ratio of the lever will make a difference ... shortening the foot lever side or lengthening the linkage side will reduce feel ... not that you probably have much scope for adjustment here but some designs do have a minimal amount (and then there is the potential to modify).

[yusaf1]

Stop screw of what exactly? Mine seems to just go into the brake lever and that's it...