Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 999 / 749 > Brakes - no bite?

[Twinfan]

I've had my 749S for a few months now, so the brakes are bedded in. However, they don't seem to have much initial bite. The seem really slow to get up to power and even then they're not as good as the Brembos I had on my Aprilia RSV. They're supposed to be the same - Brembo Serie Oro 4 pad per calliper jobbies.

Have I glazed my pads? Are they all like this? I thought at first that it was the relative lack of engine braking compared to my RSV that was affecting the braking, but now I'm not so sure. Is it worth a pad upgrade? The trouble is, everyone seems to rave about the non-radial Brembos on 749/999s so I think it might just be my bike...

[dickieducati]

worth getting it looked at i'd say, they should be pretty good as standard.

[nelly]

They should bite pretty well. You may well have glazed the pads, although this doesn't seem to be as much of a problem with the 4 pads as the earlier calipers.
The std. Brembo pads are a "supersport" compound, so should be pretty good.
You could upgrade to Bendix MF or SBK3.
I'd pull the pads first and "deglaze" them, then go from there.
You could also check you've not got a fluid leak? Fork oil or brake fluid? That would bugga them up a bit.

[nathanhu]

maybe ist´s worth cheaking if there is any air in the master cylinder i found that these new brake and clutch cylinders are prone to sucking in air i went through both assemblies on my old bike they also suffer from a changing brake point on the front brake which is most fustratiing ...opps im waffling

[keefer]

give them a good bleed and sand down the pads,
whack it back together and see if its any better.
If not as Nelly says go for some new pads.

[nathanhu]

anybody using different pads??


sorry to hop onto your post twinfan
ive been using Gold Fren fron thr Czech repub 25 euros a side

i was told the best pads are the part no. for the 748 rs or the very first ser of p4 calipers used on the Rsv Mille

[Twinfan]

Cheers folks - I'll get them looked at. Maybe I glazed the pads when I ran the bike in, but I'd be surprised. Could just be a duff set of pads?

I had a 2001 RSV, which were the first four pad Brembos used on the RSV and they were superb. If I need to change the pads, I may go for those used on the RSV.

[nathanhu]

is the 2001 the first usng the 4 pad set up?

[WeeJohnyB]

Were the brakes on this bike ever any good, or are they just different in their feel? Do they actually stop you fine, but maybe don't have such a responsive 'bite' as you're used to?

It may be that your brakes are the same as every other 749 out there, but just not the same as another bike you've owned.

There are loads of variables here that will effect how your brakes feel. Lever adjustment, master cylinder, fluid type, line type, caliper, pads, disk.....some combinations will be extremely responsive and have very little movement at the lever, whilst others may feels a little spongy and require more effort to pull. It depends on what you're used to and what you prefer.

Even with the very basic brakes on my CB500 race bike, I've done a lot of fettling to try to get the right feel and I now actually prefer to have to pull the lever very hard to make the bike stop as opposed to having very little freeplay in the lever. The effect is the same in that I don't detect any difference in the stopping power/distance, just a different way of doing it.

Unless you're at the extreme of your brakes, ie doing stoppies, it's unlikely there is anything 'wrong' with them. Check for air and leaks in the system, I'm assuming your fluid is new, check everything is done up tight and the line isn't kinked or snagged anywhere, check the disk isn't warped in any way. Try using some brake cleaner on the pads and disk and rub the pads a bit with some wet 'n' dry. Get someone else to ride the bike and give you an opinion. Ride someone else's 749 and compare them. If it's still the same. Seek help.

WeeJohnyB

[Edited on 15-11-2004 by WeeJohnyB]

[nathanhu]

it may be a little more model specific than some of the things youve mentioned wjb , the new radial pumps fitted to the new 749-999 models are a bit of a pain in the a##e ,
just through my experience they need bleeding often the clutch being the worst of the two .
the head of fluid is lower that the old system ,not realy a problem you might think but next time you watch the gp or supers have a look how the brake fluid is is thrown around in the reservoir ,
this seems to allow a little air into the brake master cylinder ...


but i my be wrong.......