KAWASAKI KH & S SERIES FORUM

netbikes · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject: bad brakes

I have really bad brakes on my S3, in the wet thay are pretty much non existant, and not much better in the dry. They have new pads and oil. Anyone else have this problem. Personally I think it is the stainless disc, just polishes up the more you use it. Thinking I may fit a drum brake front end off a S2 or a H1.

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husson73 · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject:

On the wet, every triple guy has bad brakes. But on the dry, you must have brake, master cylinder or /and caliper to change or to work.

The Wolfman · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject:

In the wet the time delay can be worrying but in the dry there should be plenty of bite and you seem to have covered quite a few potential problems already.

Is there any sponginess(?) in the system? Old brake pipes can expand under pressure.
There might still be some air in the fluid, sometimes they are a real bugger to bleed fully.
The Pistons often seize and it feels like everything is working fine at the lever cos there's plenty of pressure.

I would be tempted to have a real good look around before condemning the disk, although it's not an outlandish suspect.

The brake must be pretty bad to edge you towards a drum setup, although a well balanced TLS can be very effective.
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simonh · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject:

simonh · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:49 pm Post subject:

it is easy to kill new brakepads if too hot on the brakes, as graham says check everything else, see if yor pads are glazed. piston is likely siezed???

The Wolfman · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:08 am Post subject:

kas750 · 5th gear Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 836 Location: chorley

netbikes · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:08 pm Post subject:

you could be right about a ceased piston, I have not pulled them apart yet. My T350 suz has a GT250 disc front enad and it works great, same disc as the S3 I reckon. All the same TLS drum brakes do work well when set up correctly and they sure look the part too.
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Chris at
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tony_d123 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject:

My standard KH250 disc could have the front tyre howling 25 years ago in the dry, although admittedly they were TT100 tyres. It wasn't that bad in the wet either once it "wiped" the disc. It must be knackered caliper or contaminated pads or a crap pad compound.

There seems to be lots of weird sounding (korean/chinese?) pattern stuff about these days, that could make a big difference. I always try to buy a known brand of brake pads if possible.

simonh · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject: