Interesting, help with diagnosing horrible brake?

[nickels767]

1980 CB750C.

So, I just went to take my skills test on my bike without first actually riding it. Remarkably passed the safety (after fixing the turn signal with some speaker wire in the parking lot), then I did the test. Ride steadily at walking pace, do a slalom based on turning circle, then get it up to 30km/h and come to an emergency stop without locking up or exceeding a safe distance. Considering the weight of the bike, and with me sitting at 220lbs, everything went alright. Held a straight line in the slow speed, didn't put a foot down in the slalom, but then came the emergency braking. -Remember, this was my first time riding this bike.

On the first go I locked up the rear brake quite easily, but slowly roooooolled to a stop. On the next go I went about as hard as I could on the front brake, and still took 50 feet to stop. Needless to say I was annoyed that I didn't pass just because of the bike, but considering I wasn't sure it would pass the safety I wasn't too annoyed. Picking up new tires on Tuesday, they were so old it was like locking the brakes up on a Power Wheel Jeep.

Back home, having not removed my supervised riding restriction I took Charlie for a spin in the alley behind my house. Booted it up to about 80km/h, and went hard on the brakes. With the front brake fully pressed against the handle, I felt like I was attempting to stop the titanic.

Having sat for a while, do I likely just have hardened front pad(s)? Or am I looking at something else? The lever felt alright, so with wicked pressure applied I'm hoping it's just the pad(s). With that said, anybody recommend good pads?

[nickels767]

Also, two sided pads up front or is it just one? Haven't had the time to take a good look at the bike yet.

With that aside, while running on two year old gas, I was absolutely amazed at how WELL the bike was running. Smooth all the way up to redline. Was a little shocked when I hit the powerband at 5000 rpm though. Shocked in the best way imaginable. Feels like I won't need to tune the carbs, or do anything for that matter aside from drain the tank and get some real fuel in there!

[Hellbilly429]

Pads could be old and hard, rotor might be glazed, fluid could be bad, caliper piston could be stuck or leaking, master cylinder could be leaking. How far does the lever pull in before it stops? If it is hitting the bar then something is wrong. Check the fluid, it most likely needs replacing. If the lever stops before hitting the bar and can't be squeezed any further then I would get new pads for it, they are pretty easy to change and you can pick a cheap set up from bikebandit for like $35 if I remember correctly.

At least the bike runs good! That front brake is probably the cheapest and easiest to fix problem with these bikes, you are lucky

[nickels767]

I am unable to pull the lever much closer than an inch from the bar, and from what I've read, it means all should be good mechanically and I've just got hardened and glazed surfaces. I'll scuff up the disc and get new pads on the bike, fairly certain that is all it needs. If I'm wrong, look for an update in this topic with me screaming a lot.

[Hellbilly429]

Lol, can do! Might be a lot of work to scuff up those discs, how much would it cost to have a shop deglaze them for you?

[FastCletus]

I would also flush old fluid.  If the bikes been sitting a while its not a bad idea.  I just flushed mine and the fluid looked like aged white wine.  and very bad aged white wine.  BROWN BROWN BROWN