Motorcycles

About Chopper Motorcycle Brake Components:

Keeping your chopper motorcycle brake components in perfect operating condition is one of the most important jobs of the motorcycle enthusiast. If you can’t stop smoothly and safely when needed, you are in danger of harming yourself and totaling your motorcycle – something no rider wants to have happen.

There are different braking systems on different motorcycles, each type of system having different components. The most common configuration is a disc brake in the front which is controlled by a lever mounted by the right handlebar and a drum rear brake controlled by a foot pedal on the right side. Some of the newer motorcycles have Linked Braking Systems (LBS) which, when activated by either the hand lever or foot pedal, activate both the front and rear brakes to help prevent brake locking and associated fishtailing or sliding. There are some integrated systems that allow the front brake level to control part of the rear brake but not in a fully linked system as with LBS braking.

Motorcycle disc brakes consist of several components. A rotor is attahced to the wheel. It looks like a disc type of object. A caliper is mounted so that it sits over the edge of the rotor. When this type of brake is activated, one or more pistons cause hydraulic pressure to compress the caliper, causing it to come in contact with the rotor. The friction created from this contact is what causes the wheel to stop turning.

Rotors can be fixed or floating. The floating rotor can move as well as expand and contract. This cools it down, and as a result improves your bikes braking performance.

Some motorcycle include Anti-locking Braking Systems (ABS). You may be aware of this type of braking system because they have been used on cars for quite some time. When brakes are applied to an ABS system, a computer control steps in and prevents the brakes from locking by applying and releasing brake pressure rapidly.

Some older chopper motorcycles and even some later model trikes use drum brakes on the rear. Drum brake systems include a drum and brake shoes. The rotating drum is forced to slow when the brake shoes contact it once the brakes are activated. Because these braking systems are not nearly as efficient and require longer stopping distances, they are becoming a thing of the past for motorcycles.

Other parts or components of the motorcycle braking system, no matter whether the system is disc, ABS, LBS, or even an older drum system, are the master cylinder, brake lines and brake fluid. The master cylinder is a reservoir for brake fluid and, unlike cars, there is one for the front brake and one for the rear brake because these are separate systems on motorcycles. When pressure is applied to the brake lever or pedal, the associated master cylinder’s internal piston causes the brake fluid to create hydraulic pressure and cause the brake caliper or shoes to contact the rotor disc or drum, causing the chopper motorcycle to slow o stop.

Always check your braking system before heading off on a road trip. Add fluids only if the brake fluids are not at the correct level. Also, after any repairs that require disconnection of any brake lines, be sure to bleed your brakes so they will operate efficiently.