Linked Brakes

[DezzertRider]

Hi,

A co-worker is thinking about purchasing a used FJR. He has his Boulevard Cruiser up for sale, so he seems to be pretty serious. He stated the Gen II FJRs have linked braking system and he was concerned about this. I've never seen any info or complaints about linked brakes on an FJR. Can any of you confirm this information one way or the other?

Thanks,

John

 

[MrZappo]

Yes it has linked brakes. They work well and have never been an issue for me.

In fact they are the best brakes I have had on any bike.

 

[Denver_FJR]

What's his concern?

 

[SkooterG]

Yes, Gen II and on, or 06+ has Yamaha's version of linked brakes. The front brake lever controls the front brake only. It does this by activating 6 of the 8 pistons on the front two calipers. All four on the left side, and two on the right side.

The rear brake pedal activates the rear brake and a little bit of the front brakes - two of the pistons on the right side front caliper.

The system is seamless and works very well. If you didn't already 'know' the brakes were linked, you would never know it just from use. The Gen II/III brakes and ABS system are much more advanced than the Gen I system.

This system should not be seen as a deterrent to buying the FJR, just an advantage.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

What's his concern?

He is coming off a cruiser and all his friends have told him to never use the front brakes. Now he is looking at this crazy FJR that is applying the front brakes when you press on the rear brake. You should all know that you should never want to touch those front brakes or "you'll go down".

Last summer I was teaching an Experienced Rider Course that contained a husband and wife. The first time I watched her stopping her bike I noticed that she did not touch the front brake lever. I coached her on proper front brake use and she said her husband told her to never touch the front brake. I informed her that a minimum of 75% of her braking effectiveness comes from the front brake and that she should learn to use it proficiently for when she really needs it.

Of course later in the class she over cooked the front brake, tipped over her bike and proved her husband right and me and the MSF wrong.

 

[DezzertRider]

Yes I think the concern is when you are on gravel / loose dirt and you just want to use the rear brake in those situations. I think the concern is it would control the front brake too much and possibly send you to the ground. I'll provide him the info above and it should calm any fears about the linked brakes since it seems they are linked lightly and intelligently. Thanks for the responses.

 

[SkooterG]

Not once have I noticed anything detrimental about the system in low traction areas such as gravel, or low speed maneuvering.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Not once have I noticed anything detrimental about the system in low traction areas such as gravel, or low speed maneuvering.

Yeah, but you don't know how to ride and you don't put any miles on these bikes so you would not have noticed.

I really have to pay attention to feel any effects on the front when I am using the rear brake for low speed maneuvers. I honestly like this linked system very well. For the average person, if you did not tell them the system was linked they would probably never know it.

 

[SilverHound]

Weird. I rode cruisers for years. Always used the front brakes except in very low speed maneuvers. Never fell down. Guess I was doing it wrong.

 

[Twigg]

On the Venture Royale it was common to "improve" the brakes because Yamaha's offering to stop that beast was pitiful.

It too had an earlier implementation of linked brakes, but the brakes were weedy and the reduction in the stopping power of the front brake was noticeable.

The fix was to fit front calipers from an R1 or R6 and take the opportunity to de-link them. It was quite a transformation.

That said, the amount of ignorance out there about brakes, and many others matters motorcycling, is truly frightening at times. Did you know that some people even put car tires on a motorcycle???

 

[ionbeam]

Yes I think the concern is when you are on gravel / loose dirt and you just want to use the rear brake in those situations. I think the concern is it would control the front brake too much and possibly send you to the ground. I'll provide him the info above and it should calm any fears about the linked brakes since it seems they are linked lightly and intelligently. Thanks for the responses.

That is what the ABS is for, so you don't lock up either the front or rear wheel and retain control. The anti-lock brakes work real good, just like the linked brake system.

 

[lnewlf]

there is a proportioning valve in the line between the rear pedal and the two front pistons....the fronts are only activated when a lot of pressure is applied to the brake pedal... the rear brake can be applied in low traction situations such as downhill on gravel without the front being used..

that said- when I first got the FJR I hammered the rear brake about 50 mph to see if I could slide the rear as usual and to see how the ABS felt....forgetting entirely about the linked brakes...I damn near "went thru the windshield"...never expecting that much brake from just the rear pedal..

 

[Uncle Hud]

He is coming off a cruiser and all his friends have told him to never use the front brakes.
<snipped>

Don't use the front brake?!?!? Then take the stuff off and mount a GPS in its place.

The Gen3 linked and anti-lock brakes are better than any moto brakes I've ever touched. Thanks to a couple of left turning vehicles, my brakes have already been seriously tested. The response was smooth and controlled, and stopped the bike in an incredibly short distance.

Like everything else on a new-to-you cycle, a little practice is required to learn how the machine handles.

 

[bowtie_brain]

I rode a cruiser and used the front brake heavily, but know to do that when upright and in a straight line. That's probably why I had front tires wear out faster. Front tires are less $$ and easier to take off.

 

[bigjohnsd]

FJRGen 3 linked brakes are outstanding.

The guy teaching the MSF Experienced Rider or Advanced course, a Harley Bagger ABS rider, could simply not believe how well my bike stopped on a rainy parking lot. We had an exercise where we had to accelerate to 25mph and then stop on a line, he couldn't comprehend how deep I could stay on the gas and still stop in a controlled manner.

I've never had any issues relating to the linked brakes on dirt or gravel or at low speed.

 

[Allen_C]

FJRGen 3 linked brakes are outstanding.
The guy teaching the MSF Experienced Rider or Advanced course, a Harley Bagger ABS rider, could simply not believe how well my bike stopped on a rainy parking lot. We had an exercise where we had to accelerate to 25mph and then stop on a line, he couldn't comprehend how deep I could stay on the gas and still stop in a controlled manner.

I've never had any issues relating to the linked brakes on dirt or gravel or at low speed.

Similar as my experience last year. I was the only non-cruiser and the only one with abs. During all of the evasive maneuver drills I would hit the brakes later, stop sooner and maintain better control while on the most top heavy bike present. In fact, after one of the drills he stopped me and said in a joking manner that I was cheating. Then I reminded him one of his first statements in the classroom was to know your bike. All he could do was smile and nod...
Oh, and two bikes did fall over in one of the drills, a Suzuki C90 and a full dress Harley bagger.

 

[Denver_FJR]

Oh, and two bikes did fall over in one of the drills, a Suzuki C90 and a full dress Harley bagger.

Too much front brake?

 

[stealth1]

I have never had any stopping problems attributable to the FJR linked brakes, but I believe the short stopping distance several have commented on is because of the ABS, not the linking.

 

[Allen_C]

Oh, and two bikes did fall over in one of the drills, a Suzuki C90 and a full dress Harley bagger.

Too much front brake?

Doubtful. More like rider error. The drill was riding through a corner, straightening up, breaking hard then stopping. If you stop before being upright, you fall over