Good afternoon fellow Guzzists,
my Cali is running braided lines, and the single opposed Brembo calipers on the front discs, I find the stopping power a little, umm, uninspiring. I have yet to dig deeper, however I was wondering if there were any decent pads that I should use?
Also wondering if anyone has knowledge of an old bike M548 SWL 1100 Red Sport carb. I had this back approx. 20-5 years ago (Should never have traded it in against a ZZR1100).
Meats and cheeses always pleases.
Sam
Linked brakes?
Ian
Would say not, 1995 Cali and can see no “extra” pipework??
They do stop you, but …
Back brake is sharp and good, front lack feeling and bite though good pressure at the bars.
This the 1100? I’m no expert but a quick poke about on the web for a “1995 Moto Guzzi California” suggests that this model would have had “integrated brakes” (commonly referred to as “linked brakes”).
If that were the case (you’d have to do your own model research, I guess), and if a previous owner had “delinked” the brakes but retained the existing front and rear master cylinders, then you might indeed end up with “uninspiring” brakes.
I’d suggest you might look further into what your particular model of Cali had when original, in terms of brakes, and check what it has now (in particular the master cylinders). Your answer might be there - or at least a clue to work from.
Follow the brake hose from the master cylinder down and see if it just connects to the one right hand caliper or if there is a splitter so it feeds both left and right ones. As standard it would have linked discs with the handlebar lever connected to the right disc and the pedal connected to the left front and rear disc. That might explain why your rear brake is so good.
Your old bike is still about, the MOT expired last year and it had a new log book issued July this year. I’m not sure why it is coming up as a 350cc??? Are you sure that registration is correct?
Thank you, will go take a closer look and see if I can spot anything. Cheers for your time
Thank you @Don-Spada pretty sure that was the registration, but time and beer have passed.
Cheers for the info on the brakes subject will go take a “proper” look when it stops raining.
As above, a bit of online searching leads me to believe it would have had linked brakes originally.
I’m not familiar with this model but on several others, Guzzi seem to have chosen a bigger than ideal master cylinder which makes the front single disc feel very wooden. On my Spada I followed the advice in Guzziology and fitted a 10mm master cylinder.
But if it’s got linked brakes you need to train yourself to mainly use the pedal which operates the other front calliper plus the rear one. The hand lever is then an additional brake for rare occasions when you need it.
Yes, massive advantage of linked system is I have never managed to force the bike into skid, whatever the situation. And then, the front one… you use it to hold the bike on traffic lights, and that’s it:)
It is linked as standard.
This almost caught me out when riding a conventional-braked Aprilia and then jumping onto my Cali. (‘97 1100i).
We were two up on the Cali when a nitwit leaving Darley Moor with race-spec brakes brake-tested the following traffic including me. I found the braking alarming and “just” touched the front tyre on the rubber-bumper of the Peugeot in front. No harm done, but I realised that I was braking conventionally i.e. mostly on the front brake lever. What I needed was more pressure on the foot pedal as it operates the left-hand front disc, and topping up with the handlebar lever on the right front disc. Soon after I did a test braking “properly” and it stopped just fine. Unlike conventional braking you need to start braking on the foot pedal and adjust harder with the handlebar lever if necessary.
After that we (me and my son) regularly practice emergency braking so that it is not unfamiliar. Emergency stops need practice.
