Brake upgrade

[Reaper]

Hm.. The original brembo radial master brake cylinder is avaiable for pcx, but it might be pricey! And there are many fakes on them in Thailand and some online shops.
The scooter frame geometry ,poor fork rigidness will never give you that sportbike brake feel anyway, imho.

[Oyabun]

Reaper
I've been thinking about retrofitting stuff. e.g. using a brake master cylinder from a larger bike, what mover slightly larger amounts of oil to increase the lever action.

[Oyabun]

I've decided to go gradual.
As a first step ordered EBC sintered pads, an original size EBC wave rotor and new DOT4 fluid - as the bike is a 2012 and to my understanding the brake fluid has never been changed so far.
I'll try to make a few pictures and provide feedback about the results.

[Oyabun]

First round done.

I have changed the OEM brake disk to an EBC wawy rotor, swapped in some sintered brake pads, changed the brake oil and thoroughly cleaned and maintained the whole brake caliper, guides etc.

Apparently the previous owner has used the bike during winter - without cleaning it at all - so despite it's low mileage it has accumulated a lot of grime and salty deposits. Cleaning and properly greasing the bosses what the floating disk is moving on - apparently helped also.
I cannot comment on the brake power so far as the new pads and disk have to bed in, but the modulation of the brake lever has improved a lot.

Also don't know if it will change anything, but the new disk is approx 130 grams lighter than the factory one - and if it matters to anyone it is made in USA.

I'll keep you guys posted how it behaves after "braking-in"

[Oyabun]

Almost 1000 km since installed the EBC brake set - and I'm lovin' it.
It is not as flash as the beautiful big brake upgrade of Chainsaw - and apparently I have no test comparison with that either.
However I can say that feel, modulation, and braking power is really excellent. If anyone would think about upgrading brakes I can only recommend to go this way.

[81tiger]

I have read through this thread and have done a search and have not found a brake upgrade that uses a 4 pot fixed caliper. It looks like the 260mm disc option is offered by a number of places. They all seem to use a offset bracket to reuse the oem sliding 2 pot caliper.

I have searched outside this forum and found a fixed Bremo 2 pot caliper option but it looks like it matches up to the 220mm oem disc: https://japan.webike.net/products/21344592.html

Does anyone know if there is an option for an offset bracket that uses a 4 pot fixed caliper on a 260mm disc?

I know about the brake line and pads upgrades, but these do not increase the pressure at the caliper like a properly matched fixed caliper to master cylinder vs a properly matched sliding caliper to master cylinder.

TIA
Jerry

[k2apache6.0]

I did the upgraded front disc a while back with parts from Webike japan, it was on sale for $79.00 at the time, some may have seen this pic before. The Banzai emblem makes the scoot stop and go much faster

[fish]

Perhaps it is the fact that the economical Kymco LIKE200i has both front and rear disc brakes - but many of us owners feel that the braided brake lines which Kymco uses is the reason for the amazingly powerful brakes on the LIKE.
I'm no veteran owner of dozens of scooters - but of the 4 scooters I've ridden for thousands of miles each - that goofy LIKE200i feels like it has "power brakes" like my Grandmother's wide track Bonneville Pontiac!

With just 2 fingers on each lever, and better tires than the stock Kenda bricks, you can haul that scoot right down in a bigdam hurry!
The braided lines must be somewhat responsible for that?

Fish

[Mel46]

Well, it is official...Atlanta, Georgia has the 4th most aggressive drivers in the United States. That tells me that it has not been my imagination that drivers try to run over us scooter riders!

We definitely need the best brakes we can get on our bikes. As I heard someone say the other day, "Them folks is crazy!".
There are multiple areas around here that have caution and no driving plastic pillars at entrances to subdivisions. As of yesterday most of them have been run over, broken, and scattered by impatient drivers. Keep in mind that these entrances are also exits from the subdivisions. Cars have been hit trying to get out of their own homes. Imagine what it is like for us who are on bikes!

[k2apache6.0]

"Well, it is official...Atlanta, Georgia has the 4th most aggressive drivers in the United States. That tells me that it has not been my imagination that drivers try to run over us scooter riders!"

Could be, you may be right, I dunno. All I can tell you is since installing HID projector headlights, 7w Cree's in the headlight's turn signal lenses, and LED pipe halos I have never had a car pull out on me. That wss not the case with the stock headlights, and I'm talking about 10k miles and 2 years now. Its mostly about being seen!

[Mel46]

I have so many lights on my bike that drivers can't help but see me. The problem is THEY DON'T CARE. Imagine an area that is an entrance and an exit to a housing subdivision. It has a triangular area that keeps exiting cars on the right and entering cars on the left.
/_\

Every 6 inches, starting at the top, there are round, mounted plates so that emergency vehicles can roll slowly over them without harming the vehicle. Down the middle they install bendable yellow plastic "posts" to warn emergency vehicles that these plates are there. It also means that no standard vehicles are allowed to cross through them.

None of the yellow posts are still standing at that entrance now because SUV drivers drive right through them at high speeds and cut in front of the rest of the traffic, using that lane to get to the front of the line and then cutting off traffic beside them that is going straight, thus jumping to the head of the line. Cars have been hit coming out of our subdivision because these SUVs run at 50 - 60 mph in a 45 mph zone and don't care that some car may be coming out of the subdivision. What do you think will happen if I took my scooter out that exit?

So, I use the second exit that has a traffic light. The problem with that is the bike weight is not enough to trigger the light. I have to go right when it is clear, and do a u-turn up the street if I want to go straight or left. Do you think more lights would help in this situation??

[Eiron]

I have so many lights on my bike that drivers can't help but see me. The problem is THEY DON'T CARE.

Truth

[J.Cervera]

Amazing, I want this for my pcx.

[alx123]

I want to revive this thread because I'm trying to find ways to improve the rear drum brake. The brake doesn't feel progressive, it'll feel weak but if you squeeze a little bit then suddenly it'll seem to lock the brake immediately. I want to be able to modulate the braking feel but the rear brake seem to only go from weak to a sudden lock, no in between. My PCX isn't like this when new, it's just something Iv'e noticed recently. So is there anything I should try doing first? change Brake lines? try Aftermarket shoes? also, Iv'e done changing to new shoes and cleaning the brakes but it doesn't seem to improve anything. Front brake works perfectly though.

PS:I'm not sure if you guys get the same feeling or even know what I mean. LOL

[Mel46]

I do. I think someone mentioned using sintered brakes all the way around, plus upgrading the brake fluid. Do that and see if it helps. Then let us know so we can follow your lead.

[alx123]

I do. I think someone mentioned using sintered brakes all the way around, plus upgrading the brake fluid. Do that and see if it helps. Then let us know so we can follow your lead.

Mel46, I'm referring to the rear drum brake so I'm not sure if those upgrades are available for me.

I did open and cleaned the drum brake again yesterday, put grease on the brake arm and stretched the spring on the arm again; and it seem to have alleviate the problem somehow. I'll let everyone know if anything is conclusive after some time.

[power-full]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XoorhLbQSgCXJCZg9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EXHvAs1PLqzyTeij8

I have these and in fact the braking difference is much better ... the only thing left is a more progressive brake on the back

[power-full]

I have these and in fact the braking difference is much better ... the only thing left is a more progressive brake on the back

[Limey]

It says 'Made in the UK' at the top and 'Made in the USA' at the bottom. LOL

[alx123]

It says 'Made in the UK' at the top and 'Made in the USA' at the bottom. LOL

LOL, assembled in China at the back. Jk

seriously though, cleaning the drum, lubing the brake arm and using some good quality shoes seem to have improved the rear brake's feel.

86297312_3061670327199213_3202155327579488256_o.jpg (135.25 KiB) Viewed 6128 times

although, it still left a lot to be desired. probably just gonna accept the fact that drum brakes are like these.

an adv 150 looks interesting with its disc brakes and abs, and so is the nmax..

converting to rear disc is out of the question, it's just not worth it..imo