I am a little disappointed with how ineffective the rear brake is. It's been like that since I bought the bike and several changes of fluid hasn't improved things. It is still on the stock pads and rotor, I have changed the front pads to EBC HH and got a little more bite but I don't think it would improve it too much.

Are there any caliper or rotor upgrades? Is an EBC or Galfer rotor better than stock?

I've had the bike 3 years and it's 4 years old so I guess it's time to upgrade to braided lines.

Is an EBC or Galfer rotor better than stock?

No. HHH pads and rear Galfer wave rotor and no difference that I recall. Galfer rotor looks cooler and is lighter though.

I've had the bike 3 years and it's 4 years old so I guess it's time to upgrade to braided lines.

So basically it is what it is.

Stop using the rear brake as much.

I very rarely use the rear brake, maybe on wet streets or dirt roads.

A set of rear pads will last me the life of the bike.

I've actually wanted to try cutting my rear pads in half so the times
I actually do use them they work even less.

I am "old school" regarding rear bake usage and am also disappointed in the rear brake on my 2016 ZX-14SE. My Kawasaki tech, who I trust implicitly, has checked it a couple of times and said that is how it is supposed to work.

When I started to ride a 650 Bonneville after high school (way pre-ABS), then a 750 Bonneville, 750 Trident, etc., they all had drum brakes and if you unintentionally locked up the front brake, things got really exciting. If the rear brake locked up, it just slid some and the bike was light enough that it was no big deal.

I have now gotten much better about using the front brake for more aggressive stopping but find I still use my rear brake much more when I am not really pushing the bike hard. My C-14 Concours had linked brakes on the earlier years which kind of sucked but were fixed on the 2015 model which I have.

* Last updated by: d04011 on 11/27/2016 @ 5:17 AM *

I ride a fair bit of dirt road, just the nature of where I live, which is why I'd like to get a more effective rear brake. If I can't, then it looks like I'll need to find a new bike.

So does anyone know the bore size of the rear brake master cylinder?

* Last updated by: Fazed on 11/27/2016 @ 3:14 AM *

So does anyone know the bore size of the rear brake master cylinder?

No, but that would be my first idea to improve rear brake power. The bore of the front MC is what makes those so good. The bore size is cast on the bottom of the front mc. Maybe the rear has such a marking. I'd try finding a better mc and mounting that. I don't see why it wouldn't improve the rear brake power. I think it's going to be impossible to equal the power of the dual front brake.

Have you tried adjusting the rear lever position? I use mine around town all the time. I find that for me it makes a big difference in rear braking and feel. If it is positioned up relative to my foot position it "feels" like I have significantly more leverage and when adjusted down less. When I set the bike up for a track day I always adjust down just in case I subconsciously stand on the rear in one of the "oh shit" moments. I find when the petal is up and I have to place my foot on it I can feel much more rear compared to down when I just slide my toe over to the lever and rotate my foot down while the ball of the foot is still on the peg.

But I do agree with you, either way it doesn't seem like rear slows the BBW down much at alll - compared to the front.

So off a picture I've found off the net, I think it would be a 14mm bore? Am I correct? Link to picture below.

http://thumbs3.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/262605796034_/2016-ZX14R-SE-rear-brake-master-cylinder-lever.jpg

I know I am never going to be able to get the same braking power as the front, physics will win that one. Just that out of all the bikes I have owned I would have been confident of riding the bike back home if ever the front brake failed, with the ZX14 I'd get it trailered back home.

* Last updated by: Fazed on 11/27/2016 @ 8:08 PM *

Unless they changed the brakes between the gen 1 & 2 models, my 08's rear brakes are more than enough and the limiting factor is traction on my rear tire. I did upgrade the rear line to stainless steel and I found that the SS lines for the front brakes made a HUGE difference but I never paid enough attention to the rear brakes to give you any good feedback as to the difference that the lines may or may not have made.

If you aren't able to easily lock up the rear tire its possible that there could be a fault in the caliper or the master cylinder. The caliper is easy to do a basic check, pull it off, pump the brakes, both pistons should move freely, if only one side is moving, hold it with your fingers and pump the pedal again, the other side should move. If the other side still isn't moving there's a good chance you have a frozen piston.

I also wonder how you are using the brakes and feeling that the performance is underwhelming. For me I typically only use the rear when going very slow (ie, parking lot, last couple of seconds when coming to a stop at a light) or to assist my front brake when slowing down at regular riding speeds (its a good habit to get into and front pads are bloody expensive compared to the rears!). So, my point is, perhaps I'm not aware of the lack of braking performance simply due to how I use them and my brakes may be the same as yours but I just don't notice it.

I'd like to get a more effective rear brake. If I can't, then it looks like I'll need to find a new bike.

I think you should get a new bike.

Hi Fazed.

I think I understand your dilemma. You're a dirt bike kinda guy whats got a street bike cycle for a few years now.

You're used to being "out there", wayyyy out there maybe, and you're worried about brake failure modes and then getting back "in here" if one of those ugly failures were to happen. Like, a front brake failure...

You're also used to using the rear brake to get the dirt bike stopped, probably have been riding your whole dirt bike life like that. It's what you know, and how you've been taught.

So, in that context of what I think I know about you, here's what I got for ya.

Instead of trying to improve on the rear brake OEM setup, which most (including me) say is not so good, and feels "wooden".

Instead of that, my opinion is: Learn to effectively use the front brake, and don't worry so much about the possible failure modes. The OEM front brakes are *very* good.

I know you're going to throw coin at the brake modifications. Yup, upgrade what you need to do. You're not gonna get much more than whats there already from either the front or rear setup. Yup, "it is what it is", pretty much. But, the front brakes are already quite good out of the box. The rear brakes, well, you've already noted that physics is what it is.

You'll need to re-learn the brakes when you've made the modifications. Any mod you make *will* require re-learning / training.

Don't worry about the front brakes failing, and limping home on the rear brakes. It just does not occur on this cycle.

Spend the coin on learning those Very Effective front brakes.

It will cost a lot less than changing street cycles.

My problem is the linearity of the rear brake. It's made that way to try to prevent soeone from panic stabbing the rear brake causing a lock up. I've learned not to use the rear downshifting into first but still use it a little otherwise.

So off a picture I've found off the net, I think it would be a 14mm bore? Am I correct?

I presume you are correct.

Cannot look right now but the gen1 had a 16 or 19 on the brake and a 3/4 (3/4" = 19mm) on the clutch.

Smaller bore increases pressure/reduces volume/increases lever travel.

Larger bore decreases pressure/increases volume/reduces lever travel.

You may get more potential power from a master cylinder with a smaller bore but you also will need to press the pedal down farther to get the level of power you are after.

So is your problem with the 14's rear brake that it lacks power or is it actually that you need to press too far to get the power you want?

I see Ebay sells cheap rear mastercylinders. Might be able to get the bore size from seller. good way to try it out without spending too much. It probably is same bore size as stock though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Fit-Motorcycle-Rear-Master-Cylinder-Hydraulic-Brake-Pump-Fluid/262732462792?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3Da20e67d8053745b0aee1fd8e8b6e92a7%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D13%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D282028292768

I think what you want is larger bore. more immediate reaction/less linear. Unfortunately, this will also reduce the maximum power of the brake. I can lock the rear brake on mine if I press hard enough so the power is there. It's just hard to get it with toe action.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/28/2016 @ 5:43 PM *