P34,s are the calipers used on later models,they are a 65mm mounting as opposed to the 888s 40mm mounting.Adaptors are available.The other options all depend on the depth of your pocket,Brembo GP calipers,radial master cylinders,master cylinder from later models etc.Maybe an idea to start with a good set of pads,I prefer Bendix and aftermarket hoses,HEL are excellent.Then if you need more braking power,a new master cylinder,calipers etc.And a decent front tyre to handle all the braking!.
if you still have the standard rubber hoses they would be the first thing to change. they deteriorate badly over time and bulge when you apply the brakes, meaning the force from the master cyl isn't being transferred to the calipers. if you have decided on new calipers and are happy with 40 to 65mm adapters go for the 4 pad brembos, they are great value and are very strong (i have em on my S4R). note though you need a specific hose for these, so don't go buying new hoses for your existing calipers thinking they will fit the 4 pad version, they won't. radial m/cyls are great but i decided on 996 goldline m/cyls after thinking they are hard to fit (no experience with radials, i chickened out!) in short it depends on your budget and how far you want to go.
The main problem I think is the small bore of the standard brake master cylinder..change it for a brembo radial, and with some good pad material youll notice a huge difference..
I know what you mean, when I got my T8 the brakes were the first thing I wanted to update after a couple of "Oh my gawd the lever is back to the bar and I ain't slowing down much" moments.
Don't go down the P34 caliper route. P34's are later Brembo brakes with a brake pad for each of the 4 pistons in the caliper. I'm not knocking them, I have them on my ST2 and they are without doubt awesome. In fact my ST has the best stopppers of any bike I tried at the recent Cadwell trackday. Trouble is that for a T8 they are just plain wrong. Because they have 65mm spacing on the mounting holes you can only fit them to the earlier 40mm spacing forks on a T8 with an adaptor plate. It works, and you'll have fabulous brakes but it will look awkward and clumsy (not to say plain ugly).
I would go for the Brembo radial caliper and the GP billet brake mod, either one or both in any order. You'll have to be pretty flush to buy both straight away...I got the GP billets first because they're pornographic, but they do need the master cylinder uprated as well to get the best from them.
I have a radial m/cylinder,used to have P34's with adaptor plate,awesome brakes,but look so wrong on the SP5.I changed them for the P4's now they are truly awesome.Costly mind you.
Jools
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