Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Radial Brake master cylinder 999vsRace

[Andy748]

I am looking to update the brakes on my 99 748Bip and am looking at P34 calipers (much as I would love a bling JHP radial set up I don't have the extra grand) with braided hoses and a radial master cylinder. The question is which one?

The two (Brembo) options I can see are the standard fit 999PSC radial lever with a 18mm bore and unknown ratio or race lever with 19mm bore and 18 ratio.

I will still be using the bike on the road and hence don't want to be using supersoft pads to compensate for reduced hydraulic leverage. Also the 999 mc comes with a brake light switch.

What I'm really asking is has anyone tried to fit the standard 999 radial master cylinder to a 748-99*. How does it compare to the race item, any thoughts.

Cheers Andy

[Felix]

If you're changing the master cylinder, I would definitely go with the race version. There is 19x20 and 19x18. The 19x20 is the one usually fitted to bigger bikes including the 748. The 19x18 is supposed to provide slightly better feel but less maximum power. Go with the 19x20. That with P34 calipers, good discs and pads will be better than the standard radial setup you get on all new bikes. The only better brakes (and not that you would notice unless you're on at least a BSB grid) are 3 grand +.

Oh, and don't forget, you'll need a banjo pressure switch as the race version don't have brake light switch built-in.

[Edited on 5-3-2005 by Felix]

[m1keyp]

I fitted the discaciati master cylinders, it comes with the brake switch.

Fitted with HEL brake lines and the feel is much improved

Ordered both clutch and brake from the company below, if you buy them make sure that you order a spare lever as you will never find one in the UK

http://www.redracingparts.com/en/english.htm

[m1keyp]

And if you have a VAT number you can get them tax free 20%

[m1keyp]

These people are cheaper

http://www.carpimoto.it/product/Lang...Prod_13787.htm

[Nattyboy]

Ive got a 19x18 brembo radial on my 888 and love it..as felix says lots of feel.

Hodgson always used the 19x18 on his bikes so cant be that bad !

Good luck..

Cheers
Nat

[bradders]

good deal from the states at the mo - if a couple of guys club together worth getting

www.motowheels.com

c£130 plus delivery (hence buy a few and its the same price!) and UK tax 17.5%

Just got some ccat bar risers from there but couldnt justify the cost to replace something which is good enough for me at my sedate pace!

[Mr_S]

I've got the same setup as m1keyp

It's awesome, even with standard calipers and disks.

keep having to repeat "do not do stoppies, do not do stoppies"

[Andy748]

Hmm, think I might just go with the master cylinder to start off with then see if I feel I need more. After all I have spent enough recently on crash repairs after Silverstone last year!!

[Shazaam!]

The 4-pad calipers will give you more stopping power. Used on the 998R, they are a significant upgrade to caliper stiffness along with the advantages in using one pad per piston.

The radial master will change the feel of the brakes by changing the hydraulic and mechanical advantage of the lever.

They do not increase stopping power.

Make the choice of either 18 or 20mm radial master carefully. The current after-market 19mm diameter master cylinders offer you the choice of a brake lever fulcrum-to-piston distance of either 18mm or 20mm. The stock Brembo lever has a 16mm dimension.

This different geometry means that the stock lever will need a lower pull force over a longer pull distance than the other two after-market MC’s to yield the SAME stopping power.

The 18mm lever will require 11% less pull force than the 20mm lever, but it also needs to be pulled through an 11% longer lever distance to get the same stopping force at the calipers. Conversely, with the 19X20 MC, you need to apply the highest pull force, but need the least lever movement to get the same amount of braking.

Some riders think that this short-pull trigger action means that they have "better" brakes, but they don't - at least not for street riding conditions.

http://ducatisportingclub.com/xmb/vi...11855#pid99185