V85TT bad rear brake |
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Pernao ![]() Guzzino ![]() Joined: 19 Sep 2022 Location: Portugal Status: Offline Points: 6 |
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Thanks to all. Perhaps I should have explained that I have not a big experience with modern road bikes. However about 20 years ago I had a Triumph 900 and I didn't found the rear brake particularly bad, neither in other motorcycles that I have used, namely, more than 20 years ago a Africa Twin and more recently, 4 or 5 years ago, a Transalp 700.
But I have raced raid type motorcycles for 15 years, occasionally also in roads, and I do use the rear brake to control the bike, more than for braking and I am truly disappointed with the V85TT rear brake. On the 1000km revision I will try to see if there is something wrong, I will mount better pads and see if the braking gets better. Again, thanks to all. It was relevant information.
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Simond ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 May 2021 Location: Kent Status: Offline Points: 687 |
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I suspect back in the 70’s Guzzi were far ahead of the crowd with linked brakes, my LeMans still has them, and they’re excellent. I can’t think why anyone would change them, unless they’re racing. I’m pretty sure that Guzzi's brake engineers know / knew more about it than hobby enthusiasts and journalists.
My 2020 BMW also has linked brakes, though all electronic & clever, with ABS etc., and controlled by my right hand rather than foot. They seem pretty damn good too. I too spent a few years of my professional life designing & developing disc brakes - big ones, for trains…
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Dave P. ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 12 Jan 2015 Location: Northants Status: Online Points: 5325 |
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I'm just wondering why twin discs might be "pointless" Andy. I have no opinion on this as my bikes all have drum brakes. I'm just curious.
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TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE LAW YOU MUST BE HONEST.
1971 V7 Special. 1972 850GT. 1970 T120 Bonnie. 2009 500 Bullet. |
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Speciality ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 31 Aug 2022 Location: Bucks Status: Offline Points: 194 |
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The rear brake on my 850 Special is better than most of the bikes I’ve had in the last couple of decades, apart from the drum rear on my glad-I-got-shot-of-it RE C5. It’s not great but I can feel it working, which is something these days. The one on my NC750X is wooden and does very little. Neither brake is spongy. FWIW I wouldn’t expect the brakes on a brand new bike to work brilliantly until scrubbed in a bit. As advised I removed the retaining pins and Coppaslipped them. Mine came out easily enough; there was nothing on the threaded part of the pin by way of loctite or similar. Front brake is a bit spongy but works well.
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Speciality ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 31 Aug 2022 Location: Bucks Status: Offline Points: 194 |
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That was true of most British bikes until the second half of the sixties….
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ranton_rambler ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Location: Stafford Status: Offline Points: 1096 |
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I recently borrowed a 1923 Matchless - the rear brake was much more useful than the front.
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Brian UK ![]() Moderator Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 13 May 2014 Location: Surrey Status: Offline Points: 16982 |
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Did they have rear brakes in 1915?
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Brian.
Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next. |
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Andy M ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 27 Jan 2015 Location: Leeds Status: Offline Points: 1062 |
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I can't remember the last modern bike I had with a back brake that did anything without putting your full weight on the pedal. Honda NC and CB's, V7-850, Weestrom, all rubbish. Enfield's are better . It's race fashion (along with pointless twin discs), the designers don't think we use them and no one ever walked out of the showroom over it.
I've fitted a pedal extension like Mike H. Guzzi went down the right lines 50 years ago with linked brakes and plain cast iron discs, but faced with the extra costs and angry toddler journalists rejoined the fashion herd. I've been selling and designing brake systems for 30 years and what racing has made the motorcycle market thinks it wants is honestly disgusting, but as a fashion product there is nothing much to be done. You've only to read all the "wah wah the linked brakes make my tum tum feel squidgy I'm going back to 1915" stuff on every forum related to bikes that have them to see what you are up against. Andy
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Brian UK ![]() Moderator Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 13 May 2014 Location: Surrey Status: Offline Points: 16982 |
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If spongy then get it back to the supplying dealer to sort out. Spongy brakes are not right. Possibly just needs bleeding, but it does need sorting out and if you start modifying things on a bike that is only a few days old you void the warranty.
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Brian.
Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next. |
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Mike H ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: East Anglia Status: Offline Points: 8494 |
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Mine isn't the 85TT, but the V7 850 - however similarly the rear brake is next to useless. No it is not linked to the front. Guzzi stopped doing that a while back, can't remember when exactly.
However rear brake has been improved somewhat by changing the pads to sintered, and adding a Harley type brake pedal extender to the pedal, this provides a large flat oval pedal that I can get a good stomp with. Sorry but I've concluded brake pedals that look like gear pedals are just daft. Don't know about the spongy thing - you might want to take the caliper off and pads out for examination - two issues with the V7 850 - the caliper is single piston sliding type and could get hung up on the pins it's meant to slide on (but are seized) - second issue, pads are retained by 2 pins that screw in with heads like grub screws with Allen key hex holes. - these must be removed and greased ASAP. They are held in with a locking compound (not Loctite) if not removed fairly soon will seize solid and Allen key will just round out the holes.
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"Chicken nuggets don't dance on a Tuesday."
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Pernao ![]() Guzzino ![]() Joined: 19 Sep 2022 Location: Portugal Status: Offline Points: 6 |
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Hi,
New to the forum. I bought yesterday a new V85TT and I have made some hundred kms of mountain roads. Liked the bike with the exception of the rear brake that is incredibly bad. Very, very weak, without sensibility and spongy, going deeper and deeper with prolonged use. This is "normal", I mean do that V85TT has a bad rear brake or the motorcycle was delivered with a problem? I know that in the past the Guzzii rear brake also actuated the frontal brakes. It is still the case?
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