GRiSO Brakes

Hi all,..

Im quite happy (for a given value of "happy") with the front brake on my 8V GRiSO.

HOWEVER....

The rear brake is ... er.. SHITE.  
I have a CX500 with a better rear brake,.. infact every bike I have EVER ridden has better rear brakes than this thing.....

Suggestions please...

RIK

Hmm. My rear brake works fine. Might just need bleeding?

Mine works fine too - can lock the rear any time I want..

Is the rear mushy (bleed) or wooden? If the later it could be contaminated pads and disc. Try replacing pads and cleaning the disc (ScotchBrite pad and brake cleaner).

Me to, I think it is one of best rear brakes I have used.
Keep in mind it shouldn't be your primary source of braking.

Mine work fine too, and prior to the GRiSO I was riding a Triumph with ABS for the previous 3 years.

In principle my rear brake also works fine and it's in best technical condition. I think the thread starter means that using the brake gives very little feedback what the rear wheel really does. I would subscribe that the GRiSO rear brake needs a more sensitive arse than other bikes.

The feedback is relatively poor. Mine had a heap of slack in terms of the engagement of the lever. Had most of the slack taken out via the adjustment spindle and it now feels significantly better.

Rik, i have to say mine is pretty good too, although it does go "off" if i dont use it very often, its not going to stop the bike in a hurry, but usefully around ton, and to settle the rear end under heavy braking. I would investigate yours further, pads, fluid, adjustment?

The rear on mine (2016 2000 miles) has never been the best. Works ok around town but has no real bite and would struggle to lock the wheel on a dry road.

eeyore wrote:

The rear on mine (2016 2000 miles) has never been the best. Works ok around town but has no real bite and would struggle to lock the wheel on a dry road.

Something wrong there. Mine has more than sufficient bite to lock the rear on a dry road, as I inadvertently found out one day when braking hard prior to a tight right-hander!

I can lock my rear wheel, while in gear (so braking the engine too), stalling it. Something wrong...

Agreed, mine isn't amazing. But better than my Multistrada was. There's no slack, just doesn't feel very powerful

My GRiSO has a very ordinary feeling rear brake, the Stelvio on the other hand will lock too easy. It's one of those " I'll fix it one day " things

Did MG change the master cylinder / linkage / lever ratio?
The rear brakes on these seem to be either too sharp or a little dull.

Just to confirm, my pads and discs are as new, the pedal is solid with no excessive play. I can check the pads but doubt they are contaminated with oil or anything.

My rear brake. Woeful. Passes the emergency brake check as I ride out of my street when cold, but once warm it is best described as someone did above.
"works ok around town but has no real bite and would struggle to lock the wheel on a dry road"

I bleed it regularly to some degree of improvement, cleaned disc bobbins so they turn and the disc "floats"
Brake calliper and mount look straight . Brake pads are EBC HH. Still the same.
On riding twisties I know I can press on it hard as I like when setting up for a corner or a speed adjustment mid corner without risk of locking the wheel.

The performance that Tony speaks of is a dream . I have asked a few SME on this subject, meh is the usual reply or that's how it is.
I was thinking of a MC from a different bike , the sport might be a good place to start...
(Haven't even looked at the Sport to see if it's compatible)

I'd say the rear brake on my 2009 GRiSO is mediocre. It has a fair bit of slack where you can press down the pedal without resistance and only the rear brake light comes on but no braking is done, and then only about the last about 0.5cm where it has a lot of resistance and starts braking. Very little feedback is given. I believe it is capable of locking up the wheel though if I apply enough force, as I've done so at around 50km/h. Not certain about highway speeds however.

But since 98% of my braking is done through the front brakes and the rear is really just there for support, it's fine. The front brakes are pretty amazing at that, it often surprises me how quickly I can come to a standstill.

My experience is that it, the rear brake, doesn't have any linear feel. I do note that there is safety in knowing you won't overdo it when cornering and recently had an emergency stop and found with the front brakes (tyre) at about limit the rear got light and then the rear tyre skidded (controllably until released).

So, although not over happy with the perfomance it does have a safety factor in emergencies.

Sorry to piggy back on this thread.........saves starting a new one for a brake issue.
Anyone had the warped disc feeling with the front brakes? Gave mine a good clean last weekend. Span up the bobbins and gave them a liberal dose of brake cleaner and all good - no seized bobbins. But I still have a slight pulsing at the front, more noticeable gentle braking at low speed as I am slowing to a halt in city traffic for a red light, say the last from 10/15 mph down to a halt feels like the pads are biting, releasing, biting again. not really apparent under hard barking at speed. Thought it might have been a seized bobbin but clearly isnt. Is there any history of warped front discs? 2014 1200SE with 6500 miles!

pad material buildup form the "before" vibrations. Give it a few "emergency" applications to remove the built up material - should go away. Assume you have the petal disks?

Thanks. I have the original GRiSO discs, and I expect the original pads - I bought bike with circa 1200 mile son her and I haven't changed pads yet..
I have given her a few emergency stops, with increasing urgency as I gather confidence that I am not about to lock up and lose the front. Have managed a few hard stops with suitable tyre squeal from the front as she starts to lock, and GRiSO seems remarkably stable. Seems to have improved the 'warped disc' sensation at low gentle braking towards a red light in the city etc but I am not convinced it has completely cured it. I'll pull the calipers and remove pads and give everything a good clean up and see if that does the trick. Thanks for the advice and Ill let you know how it all goes!
I don't think it can be warped discs as I only experience the on/off sensation under very gentle slow speed braking and not during

BBB888 wrote:

Sorry to piggy back on this thread.........saves starting a new one for a brake issue.
Anyone had the warped disc feeling with the front brakes? Gave mine a good clean last weekend. Span up the bobbins and gave them a liberal dose of brake cleaner and all good - no seized bobbins. But I still have a slight pulsing at the front, more noticeable gentle braking at low speed as I am slowing to a halt in city traffic for a red light, say the last from 10/15 mph down to a halt feels like the pads are biting, releasing, biting again. not really apparent under hard barking at speed. Thought it might have been a seized bobbin but clearly isnt. Is there any history of warped front discs? 2014 1200SE with 6500 miles!

Me too! Know exactly what you’re talking about. Low speed, coming to a stop. Zero shudder at higher speeds. Mine’s a 2014 model as well.

My 2008 has a wooden rear brake as well. Has very little feel and you do need to press the foot pedal quite hard to get it to work. I'm still getting familiar with the GRiSO though, but, I would say compared to the two Aprilias I have had and the V11, the GRiSO has the worst rear brakes of all.

Brent S wrote:

BBB888 wrote:

Sorry to piggy back on this thread.........saves starting a new one for a brake issue.
Anyone had the warped disc feeling with the front brakes? Gave mine a good clean last weekend. Span up the bobbins and gave them a liberal dose of brake cleaner and all good - no seized bobbins. But I still have a slight pulsing at the front, more noticeable gentle braking at low speed as I am slowing to a halt in city traffic for a red light, say the last from 10/15 mph down to a halt feels like the pads are biting, releasing, biting again. not really apparent under hard barking at speed. Thought it might have been a seized bobbin but clearly isnt. Is there any history of warped front discs? 2014 1200SE with 6500 miles!

Me too! Know exactly what you’re talking about. Low speed, coming to a stop. Zero shudder at higher speeds. Mine’s a 2014 model as well.

The original wave rotors on my '09, ok at high speed would shudder (as described) under heavy braking commencing close to the end of stopping. Pretty much from new. They were not warped. I blamed the cheesalloy bobbins.

Tolerated it for years then fitted some nice brembo B408 70's. Very happy now.

Rear brake? don't use it.

Brent S wrote:

BBB888 wrote:

Sorry to piggy back on this thread.........saves starting a new one for a brake issue.
Anyone had the warped disc feeling with the front brakes? Gave mine a good clean last weekend. Span up the bobbins and gave them a liberal dose of brake cleaner and all good - no seized bobbins. But I still have a slight pulsing at the front, more noticeable gentle braking at low speed as I am slowing to a halt in city traffic for a red light, say the last from 10/15 mph down to a halt feels like the pads are biting, releasing, biting again. not really apparent under hard barking at speed. Thought it might have been a seized bobbin but clearly isnt. Is there any history of warped front discs? 2014 1200SE with 6500 miles!

Me too! Know exactly what you’re talking about. Low speed, coming to a stop. Zero shudder at higher speeds. Mine’s a 2014 model as well.

My '96 1100 Sport was the same, zero warpage at speed, but the brake lever would pulse at walking pace to stop.
I went to see Baldrick (a UK based Guzzi wizard) he used a "soft" hammer to tap the outer edges of the disc a few times to reseat the bobbins and the problem was gone!