R1200S poor rear brake

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:48 pm

Guys just a quick query, when I bought the R21S I stripped and cleaned the brakes and deglazed the pads and the fronts are great but the back continues to be poor. I have bled the rears as well but no joy!

I struggle to bring the bike to a stop even at slow speed using it andit has little effect while filtering slow speed manoeuvres etc. The pedal pressure is fine it just seems that the is no bite (grip) with the pads on the disk.

Is this normal or is there something I should be doing? New pads? Different pads?
Any suggestions welcome!!!

Droptarotter · Post by **Droptarotter** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:52 pm

Read on......it's all documented here, with the solution..............

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/bmw-r110 ... -crap.html

Cheers

Steve1200S · Post by **Steve1200S** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:14 pm

Yea it sucks.

I think it's the way the pedal hinges, you sort of have to push it down and forward, but the way your foot works when resting on the peg is to push down and backwards (as your foot rotates around the peg).

I tried lifting my foot clean off the peg and pushing the pedal straight down with the very tip of my toe, it's much better but not an easy or comfy way to do it.

I know it's been designed to be soft as 'sportsbikes' only need to use tiny amounts of rear brake while banked over to tighten liInes (a sharp rear brake would be no good), and the front brake is for stopping in all situations. My problem with this is the 12s is not a super stock racer where the rear brake is actually mostly useless, it's a road bike, the rear brake is very useful in traffic and around town.

All said, I wish BMW had made it better and I don't buy the it's not neccery excuse. IMO of course.

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:51 am

Phew 26 pages of back and forward argument about the best use of a rear brake, before I read the solution to this!!

to anybody who wants to know the solution but soesnt want to spend an hour of their life reading sonmeof the off topic rants seemingly there is a bush where the rear brake pedal pivots and this ( in conjucntion with a very stiff return spring) actually limits the movement of the pedal thus restricting the braking force. There was a german engineer (and 1100 owner) who made replacement parts with needle roller bearing which was a raving sucess!!!

I'm going to strip and lubricate and try removing the spring to see what difference it makes. I may bleed it as well but it doesn't feel soft quite the opposite it feels almost rigid!

I'll report back!!

Sugarhillctd · Post by **Sugarhillctd** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:59 am

Almost as bad as a Ducati

Ride one and ANY bike feels like it has a better rear brake.

SyRexx · Post by **SyRexx** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 6:14 pm

Sugarhillctd wrote:Almost as bad as a Ducati

Ride one and ANY bike feels like it has a better rear brake.

have you ever ridden a kawasaki er6f? the rear brake was marginally worse than the r1200s

i may look into this mod just to get abit more feel on the rear

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:35 pm

Hmm, seems that I'm the only one happy with the r12s rear brake then!
not too grabby at low speeds but does require a little more pressure than any other bike I've ever owned, but i find it perfect for town work and filtering.

Maybe I'm just odd

Steve

gus · Post by **gus** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:51 pm

rear brake seems ok for me too.
Gus

dave the german · Post by **dave the german** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:37 am

SyRexx wrote:
Sugarhillctd wrote:Almost as bad as a Ducati

Ride one and ANY bike feels like it has a better rear brake.

have you ever ridden a kawasaki er6f? the rear brake was marginally worse than the r1200s

Versy owners complained about the brakes but in all honesty I never had a problem with the rear brake - or the rear on an er6n - guess we are all different

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:47 pm

Well I finally got round to working on the bike and I removed the brake pedal and bracket and on doing so noticed that the metal collar (stainless??) that sits inside a brass coloured bush in the pivot of the bracket wasn't that free moving. On pulling them apart there were a few bits of corrosion (???) on the stainless collar. I gentle rubbed these areas down with fine emery paper then smothered it all in grease and re-assembled REMOVING the insanely strong return spring and the difference is amazing!!

I was concerned about removing the spring causing the rear light switch to activate on or for the brake to drag but so far on the paddock stand it doesn't. Once I manage a good run I'll have a feel of the rear disc to see if it's hot but to be honest i'm not concerned about this!

Again apologies I didn't think to photograph the parts disassembled

Using it for slow speed manouvering you can actually feel it working. So all you guys with poor rear brakes this is a solution.