VFR Dual Combined Brake System

[beasty1711]

Anyone got it, tried it ??
I'm getting a VFR800 1999 tonight... and its got the Dual Combined Brake system fitted. I've never come across it before so interested to hear peeples comments on it.


Cheers

Pete
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currently riding:
a nice bright yellow vfr 800 ......Yes i have a thing for yellow bikes

[mr.z]

Apparently very good, makes the most of your stopping and keeps stability.. allthough it has downpoints much like abs.. when it goes wrong it will be expensive, and when oyu hop on another bike without it you'll have to be extra carefull..

Personally i'm not really into electronic assistance things like abs or traction controll, not on bikes.. but thats personal preferance..

Good luck with it though
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Fastgut]

I had a new VFR as a loan bike. I'll be honest I wasn't that impressed. In a straight line its an awesome idea...really brakes hard with the sort of efficiency only seasoned bike pros could brake at. However I found that if you went into a corner a little hot and wanted to trail a bit of back brake it made you run a bit wide as the front came on slightly. Apparently the old linked brakes didnt link front to back just back to front whereas on the newer models its both ways. Hope that makes sense.
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Was a driving instructor now working in Insurance
Bikes:2005 Speed Triple and 2004 FZ6 Fazer (now the other half's)

[Dark]

I'm not a big fan myself, only because it takes control away from me somewhat, but i haven't tried it so i really shouldn't be commenting
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[beasty1711]

hmm.. its a 1999, and i think its a mechanical 3way piston, unfortuantly i'm getting it from salavage yard as a repair'er so not sure
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currently riding:
a nice bright yellow vfr 800 ......Yes i have a thing for yellow bikes

[G]

It is more 'mechanical' rather than electronic.

Personally, I don't like the idea.

It connects the rear brake to one of the front brake calipers and the front brake to the rear brake, meaning you always use both brakes.

I suspect it may help people that only use the rear brake.

[beasty1711]

hmm.. anyway to disconnect?
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currently riding:
a nice bright yellow vfr 800 ......Yes i have a thing for yellow bikes

[G]

I expect you could probably have a play and bodge something, one way or another.

However, while I don't like the idea, I've been told the execution isn't as bad as you might expect.

[dodsi]

I have ridden a blackbird with the same braking system as this VFR.

Initially its a little off putting when you touch the rear brake and the front end dives a little because it activates the front to a degree.

But then I really liked it, helps keep the bike stable and doesnt bother you after about 10 mins, you can just jam on the anchors from speed with the front only and in town with just then rear.

[martin young]

Rode a Blackbird with it on and it was awful. the bike would sit up going into corners if you dabbed the brakes.

[beasty1711]

hmm.. so i think the concensus is personal choice
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currently riding:
a nice bright yellow vfr 800 ......Yes i have a thing for yellow bikes

[martin young]

Yes of course...but you did ask......

[Fastgut]

[ace1]

Mornin folks, i'm from the great VFR club someone posted a link here in our hondavfrclub site

An beasty1711,
just like to say my odie friend said

Most people who slag off the linked brakes fall into a number of categories:-
1. A bike journalist who slags them off because other journalists do.
2. Someone who's read the article by a bike journo slagging the system off.
3. Someone who's never ridden a bike with linked brakes and is in fear of the unknown.
4. Someone who believes their road riding ability is superior to everyone elses, which is fine if your name is Mr V Rossi

I have every faith that there are are the odd few occasions where an unlinked system could be better than a linked system, but those cases would only be in an extreme condition. Those would be the sort of times where, for the vast majority of cases, and average rider is heading to the scene of a potential crash no matter what the hydraulic set up of the brakes. Given the litigious nature of product liability in the US, if it were dangerous Honda would have been sued in a big spectacular fashion.
The VFR 800s brakes were tested by PB mag against a couple of sports bikes R1,R6, an split the pair of them. Yes full on they are good.

< when it goes wrong it will be expensive,<never heard of linked brakes going wrong> and when you hop on another bike without it you'll have to be extra carefull..
That bits true heard about a once great VFR rider that brought a ZZR12 then forgot the brakes were not linked,big slide. VFR owner brought a new bike non VFR was asked if changing back to non linked may have brought him down? was not able to rule out the shaper front brake action.

One more thing <when you touch the rear brake and the front end dives a little because it activates the front to a degree. >

Think what your trying to say is when you touch the rear brake the bike just sinks onto it's suspension.This often gives the feeling of pulling the bike tighter to the road.On odd ocasions if you tap the rear it may just get you out of a holy moment


<hmm.. anyway to disconnect?>Really not worth the effort do give the system chance to show how good it is.

I hope you injoy your VFR an if you need any help on VFRs then
https://www.bikersoracle.com/vfr/forum/showthread.php?t=65970
Return link
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VFRs possibly the greatest all round motorcycle ever made.

[the grim reaper]

I owned a Blackbird and a Varadero for quite a while and I didn't like the linked brakes but only because I was used to using front brakes on their own.

Anyone who says that they don't like them because they make the bike stand up in corners is an idiot who shouldn't be braking in corners

It's one of those things, if you're used to sports bikes and like heavy braking with loads of feel, you won't like them, if you're Joe Average, you'll find them to be very good.

The system is actually mechanical and electrical (on the Blackbird anyway), there is a lever on the front left caliper that, when the front brakes are applied, pushes another brake piston. This feeds hydraulic fluid into a valve which then controls the braking force to the rear caliper.

If you want to remove it, it gets expensive, the brake lines aren't too bad but you'll find that the standard calipers don't work too well as stand alone items.

Plus, braided hoses for the full system will set you back £100+. Oh and bleeding them is a pain as it has to be done in the right order.

Cheers

Grim
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Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.

[beasty1711]

ok thanks all
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currently riding:
a nice bright yellow vfr 800 ......Yes i have a thing for yellow bikes