Ducati Monster Forum

I finally got the Duc home!  (YAY!)  I have enjoyed riding her- she is way different from my previous bikes however there is one thing I don't really like-

The rear brake.

Something about it bugs me... like its not big enough to use easily or something?  When I am wearing my new addias (yeah, not a bike shoe.. whatever) they  have a more stiff sole at the moment so I see less problems but with my broken in shoes, it seems kinda hard to find sometimes.

Am I the only one who has ever noticed this?  Is there a part to make that control a tad bigger?

Thanks?!

You can adjust it its position with aftermarket rearsets (not sure about which model Duc you have, so it may be possible with the stock setup)

Other thought might be that if its hard to "feel", your rear brake may need to bled, or rear brake pad changed. If its a new bike, that's not going to be the issue, but if has some miles on it, these things could make it feel spongy or so light that you can't feel it.

however, my rear brake's primary use is holding the bike at a stop light so I can relax my right hand, and occasionally trimming off a little bit of speed. Under heavy braking, my back end gets so light that using very much (barely any) rear brake is asking for a rear wheel skid, which is no fun. have to be easy on the rear brake. (i still use it. there are those that swear it off as evil. much like cruiser riders who might tell you the front brake is what gets you into trouble. totally different set up there.)

If this is your first sport bike (not sure, so I won't assume you've been riding a lot)  you'll notice many sportbikes have significantly smaller rear brake setups, from the pedal, to the caliper, than the cruisers. It is because of weight distribution and effectiveness. The rear end of a cruiser is not going to become as "light" as a sportbike's under braking, so those guys get huge rear brake pedals.

Also, love your ankles. You can get an inexpensive pair of Icon boots that will cover your ankle and afford you a little more protection should have a 'get-off'. See if you can find a pair of superduty boots in the men's section that will fit. the boots they marketed for women for awhile were completely useless.

+1 to loving your ankles, i went down on some diesel/rain/motor oil/garbage/ feces who knows what on flatbush ext in brooklyn at slow speed and the results sucked, i couldnt walk right for 2-3 months, pics here


http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14687.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14687.0)


and as far as the rear brake goes, you can move the little nub that hits hte rear brake light button a bit, but thats as much adjustment as your going to get.

I can't find boots I like.  For now I have been at least wearing those icon shin/knee guards that go under pants.  It IS a step up from me... I used to wear nothing but a skirt and knee high doc martins and think I was "cool".

I wasn't.

quit worrying about which ones you like the look of. find a pair that fits and is in your price range, and your rides will be worry free, at least as far as keeping your feet attached to your legs is concerned. clicketh the link above your post to see why boots are important.

If its not comfortable, I'm not going to wear it.  If it feels unnatural, I'm not going to wear it.  I did see the link.  I wish I had a photo of the exhaust burn that I got on my calf when I first started to ride.  I know its dangerous. I know it hurts.  If I didn't accept that, I'd not ride at all.

And rides are NEVER worry free.  No amount of armor is going to protect me from the hoopties in the car, the driver drinking a MF-ing 40oz.  (yeah, I saw that when I took my bike home. Had to decide if I wanted to be BEHIND them or way AHEAD of them... Then the fire truck came... *sigh*  And I lived to ride another day.)

then quit worrying so much about the positioning of your rear brake [roll]

Not knowing which Monster you've got, but...

The brake 'peg' is a bit far inboard on the non S*R bikes.
It's something I got used to after a while.

The brake pedal can be *carefully* bent out a bit.

You can adjust the stop screw to raise or lower the pedal, just have to make sure that there's still adequate freeplay in the pushrod afterward.

Because shoes really are going to help me with where the break is.

Thank you for your help and the lecture.  It solved my issue perfectly!  ;D

It's an S*R.  I just know it doesn't feel quite right in comparison to other bikes I have ridden.  I guess I can get used to it but it does make me a little nervous since I am used to being able to "feel" that brake.

TTIUWOP now. (sorry, but you asked for it) ;D

maybe you should try bleeding the thing first and get new pads, you might get better feel out of it. aside from that, i have two pairs of boots, my serious riding boots, and my i dont want to burn my ankle again boots. the later is just a pair of boots i found comfortable to wear (actually they are running boots) while riding. My real boots (oxtar TCS RX) are not that comfortable so its a trade off.

sportbiketrackgear.com has a lot of gear for ladies.

TTIUWOP  <--- What is this?

And I've been riding for 14 years.  I acted like a retard when I was 19 and thought I was cute and special.  I've reformed.  We've all had our stupid days.

i tried to help. you provided no technical information about your bike to go on. made sure to point out about bleeding brakes to reduce spongy feel, and check brake pad wear.

then you made excuses for not wearing protective gear, and tried to liken an exhaust burn to crash damage, and then you furthered your argument by extrapolating "one less thing to worry about" (a statement i made about wearing boots can help you from worrying about your feet being wrenched in directions they weren't made to) to your rebuttal "there's always stuff to worry about" which really had nothing to do with appropriate riding gear - that which is required of all people enrolling in a basic rider's safety course taught by the MSF.

again, [roll]

Cranky suits you well! 

What is required in a basic safety course is :

Helmet
Gloves
BOOTS (not bike specific, but only over the ankle... )
Long pants
Long sleeved shirt


At least that is what is required in IL.

BTW... I JUST took my safety course to get a discount on my insurance even though I've been riding for a bit.

If you want to have a boner over appropriate riding gear, be my guest.  The only one who is busting a nut right now is you.

Have a great day.   ;D

i said boots. over and over. is this selective reading on your part? its almost laughable. you said you were wearing addias [sic], i said love your ankles, wear boots. i suggested looking at men's ICON superduty boots because they were cheap, comfortable, and may suit your style. you can wear combat boots or hiking boots, so long as they have a rubber sole really.

and no, the MSF will not let you wear just any boot. if you show up in leather soled cowboy boots, they will not let you participate. the footwear must be rubber soled so you don't have foot traction problems and fall over.

i'm not being cranky, i sat down to look at the board on a saturday morning before a wrenching endeavor, and thought i could offer some advice, since you requested some regarding your rear brake. I offered some advice about boot safety which can improve brake lever feel, you gave me nothing to go on up front regarding your bike, ignored the advice about checking hydraulics, and choose petty attacks and middle school language to sidestep the issue.

only later do we discover its an S*R bike, still unsure of what kind of bike you are comparing the "feel" to, and still have no response on whether you've bled the brakes or checked the pads. and thanks for the concerns about my boner and right nut, i'll pass the message along.

(http://f20.yahoofs.com/hkblog/3T8ipG__DOT__LCRwM5MdGweU-_7/blog/ap_20080418124720523.jpg?ib_____DEZ5fhDVu)

Round and round we go...   Where it stops no one knows...

Are you 2 hooked, cuz it sure sounds like it.  MSTEK-- You really owe it to yourself to at least try to find some halfway decent boot. There are many out there. You may also adjust your position of the lever. When riding with shoe's (god forbid) you may want to raise the lever. Play around with all of the adjustments you can. then decide if you need to spend money on pads or such.

Rear brakes are only for sitting at stop lights. 
Tenny pumps are fine.
Ducatis are perfect as delivered and don't need any modding at all. [coffee]

LA

Nothing is going round and round, as soon as I saw "law-student" and "cranky" that person went on ignore... posts to be skipped over.

Thank you for the suggestions on the brake. I do happen to use my rear brake and my front brake, and sometimes both, depending on the situation.  That is how I was taught both personally and reminded of in the safety course where I guess I wasn't really there because I was wearing a leather soled fashion boot just to have a "boot" on.

I'll direct my questions elsewhere for now on.  Take care.

TTIUWOP = This thread is useless without pictures.

Wheres the embarassing photo of 14 years ago when you wore pumps and skirts on a bike. Do realize, it will be legit reason to haze on you for posting hte pic. But dont bring up something and not expect the grillin.

For the record, every rider has their own personal preference of what 1st line safety gear is. And when you go down, you'll realize what youre limits are. Sad to say, but some people dont learn until after they get hurt. and then someone dont learn period.

Even though I went down and burn the snotmuscles out of my ankle, If im strolling around the block to make sure the bike is working properly, or going over someones house nearby, ill still wear my adidas, i guess it depends on your environment and comfort factor. If im riding to school, its helmet jacket jeans and regular boots, if im riding up to the twistys its 1 piece suit with boots & gloves.

Some people feel strongly about ATGATT, some people preach it but dont follow it, others just dont care. My best advice to you is use your best judgement on a motorcycle, its youre body, but remember that your life is important to others as well as yourself. Excersie caution at all times. If you are on a rough surface, or know you will be, then slow down, if its raining, be extra careful, people might not see you. etc.

And i really need to bleed that damn rear brake now, its pissing me off that i dont have one, when you use it all the time and go to not having one, youll realize how much more effective braking is withone then without.

1.  I NEVER wore pumps.  20 hole doc martins...  They look NOTHING like a pump.
2.  I think the best advice is to tell someone what safety gear is and either they wear it or they don't.  They just don't get to cry if they get hurt.  I don't see me crying about shit. I see me asking a question (which I WILL NOT DO on this board anymore.)
3.  I think rear brakes are important. I've see two accidents at speed where someone jammed on that front brake and went over.  Proper breaking is understanding when and how to use both brakes.  But see, that's just me... if you don't wanna , you don't have to.
4.  Gear is also how you feel.  If you're wearing shoes where you cannot feel where N is, or don't feel right, that is just as dangerous (considering that some of your most important controls are done with your feet!). 
5.   Grilled for something I did 14 years ago?  I also ate poorly and partied too much.  If I had to choose? I'd say the 20 hole doc martins were a better choice than the Adidas that I wear now.  But you know what?  My other option WOULD be  thigh high leather boots with a leather sole and a five inch heel that I wear for fun when I go out on occasion- which would be ridiculous on the bike and would mean I deserve to get hit. 

All I'm saying is that I would hope we're all adults here, free to make our own choices for whatever reasons and would be respected for that instead of lectured or spoken to condescendingly.  As of now, I am totally turned off asking questions.  I'll read, I'll comment, but as I said, I can take questions somewhere else.

lighten up.  :)

Some people just really dont get why others wear anything but everything. Its a big issue in the community and there are just people who preach ATGATT (All the gear all the time) and swear by it, just so happens that you met one of them.

Dont get mad at one persons attitude!

+1 on the lighten up.  ;D
Many on this board don't get the time and attention that you have as a new member. You have been well treated and shown respect. no one is talking down to you. 5 pages about your exhaust and 3 about your belt covers. All good stuff, no reason for complaints or to get cranky yourself. We have all been grilled about many things on this board but also get much love from each other.  You are simply being treated like one of the guys now. That's good, it means people like you here. It also takes two to dance. (seems a lot of guys here would like to dance with you too.)

 So don't stop asking questions. The knowledge here is from a LOT of experience and also given with a LOT of concern. You will rarely find a bunch of people who are as willing to take the time to respond to your questions and, usually, give it with as much class. If they sound like they are talking to you like a little sister, that's all good. nothing like having a bunch of cool guys looking after you.  [thumbsup] If you doubt that join one of the squid forums and see what kind of advice you get. some good, most crap and a lot would be sexist and demeaning to you.

ATGATT is important to most here especially because usually it is the squid revolution that goes without and gives all bikers a bad rep. We are not that type of community here and won't compromise that for anything. You can do and say what you like in regard to gear. Most are so adamant about it because we have seen the first hand results without it and don't want that for you.

I ride with boots only now. Why? Because I saw a HD rider with his girl on the back T bone a car turning across the road in front of him as he passed 3 cars in a double yellow. He was moving fast. They had no gear on. Tee shirts and sunglasses. Tennis shoes. The result....she ended up face down DEAD in a pile of lava rock, missing body parts and he was a pile of meat in a pool of blood, also missing body parts. which ones? HIS FEET...... at the ankles. 2 shoes with bloody stumps sticking out of them.

That's why we talk ATGATT.

The overall vibe I get from the advice given is to make the effort to find gear you like, can afford, performs well and looks good. That will go a long way toward getting used to the rear brake.  I personally like to see a girl in a pair of SIDIs or other nice gear.

The rear brake on you Duc is going to be different than any other bike you have ridden. Same goes for every bike you ride. I have an S2R 800 as well. brake is normal but tucked a little and feels like it has a long throw on it (you have to push it farther to get good feel). It's not a super high performance brake setup on the 800. Try some of the mechanical stuff mentioned here then get the gear you want then wear it and you will get used to it in short order. then you will perform well with it.
We are glad you are here and don't want you to stop participating on the forum in any way. [beer]
BTW ATO.....lighten up also.  ;)

tried to help about the brake, then communication got broken down. best of luck in adjusting the lever so it helps you out.

if you've never bled brakes before, its really not so bad. a few dollars on a speedbleeder and it goes pretty fast. don't let the reservoir run to low or you'll accidentally put air in the line. brakes should be bled at least once a year. fresh hydraulics in the line will give you a really nice, firm feeling lever. for even more firm feeling, replace lines with some nice Spiegler lines. You get to pick the color of the line and the fittings too, so if you are into sprucing up the look any, its a fun way to do so and reap the benefits of a good firmer line. The rear one is only 60 bucks, and you can order directly from Spiegler, it arrives within the week.

ps, cheap shot with the lawyer dig. take on my status as a mechanical engineer next, won't you?

i just did my rear brake, i highly suggest taking the caliper off to do it, air bubbles get caught easily when the bleeder is below the line. took about 20 mins with a speed bleeder ( i also threw in new pads ferodo platniums). WIthout a speed bleeder it is probably not much slower since hte lever is right there and you can sit down stick a fooot on it and pump while  one hand is grabbing the caliper and shaking it, and the other hand is controlling the spanner. If you cant multi task like that then ask someone to help because trying to bleed the air out with the thing inverted is futile.

....never ending or beginning, like a wheel within a wheel, like the circles that you find within the windmills of your mind....  um...   [popcorn]

technique-wise, here's a fun clip of the guys who are really good showing a lack of traction at the rear wheel under very hard braking:

MotoGP action at the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiIAtu-ggDY#noexternalembed-lq-lq2-hq-vhq)

Example @ 14 seconds, and again at 0:45 - on a Ducati, too!

Not that any of us should ride like MotoGP on the street, it is a good opportunity to see the weight shift and the rear wheel hop around. I am a fan of both brakes, but think its important to realize that the harder you get on the front brake, which is where most braking work is done, the easier you need to be on the back.

also the youngster trying to watch the bikes go by at 0:37 makes me smile

i didnt know bridgestones made babies.

Rear brake? After 14 yrs of riding you should know how little it is needed.

they come stamped from the factory.

better than how hte michellien babies come

(http://vimeylovely.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/192-michelin-baby.jpg)

personally i use my rear brake a lot. use it for setting up my speed for corners. use it for in town speed adjustments, use it for stop lights. and rarely if ever use only front brake. but i do use it lightly and under hard braking, use more front brake as i know the rear is getting light.

that being said, i've tried using different shoes, and each give a different "feel" to the brake and shifting. nothing i have feel as good as my bike boots.

(http://images.leatherup.com/imagesproc/56200_H_SH315_MW355.jpg)

not the most expensive, but the feel and the sole thickness is great for feeling what the brake is doing.

I too use my rear brake A LOT. I use it every time i come to a stop. It's simple physics. 3 calipers clamping 3 rotors is going to slow you down faster than 2 calipers clamping on 2 rotors. It's especially helpful in situations where you're riding slowly on gravel. Lock up that front wheel, and you'll be kissing the rocks faster than you can blink. It's also great for lowspeed maneuvering... Pin your throttle at about 2000 rpm in 1st, and just control your speed entirely with your rear brake. I had a police instructor show me that one, and it works like a champ...

As far as "feel" goes with the rear brake, after recently switching to a new pair of boots, i can definitely say that it's just something you need to get used to.
I used to ride mostly in a soft-soled, casual boot without much stiffness or protection. I could really easily feel what the brake was doing.

I switched to the Sidi Strad Evo-Air boots, which i can't say enough good things about. http://www.newenough.com/boots/sport_street_touring_boots/sidi/strada_evo_air_motorcycle_sport_boots.html (http://www.newenough.com/boots/sport_street_touring_boots/sidi/strada_evo_air_motorcycle_sport_boots.html)

They have a nice thin profile, which makes shifting easy... but i have noticed that the soles are very stiff, almost like boards.
At first it was very hard to feel out the rear brake properly... But after a few sessions, i had started to get used to it. It's just like my old boots now.

I'd say, get yourself some nice boots that you can afford, and then just work on getting used to the change and how it makes your rear brake feel.
You'll make it work just fine.

Your rear brake master cylinder could be like mine was on my 07 S2R1000, dying. 

I had rear brakes for a little while, a mechanical adjustment and a bleed helped, but at the end of the day the best thing for it was a new cylinder.  The pedal feel was dramatically better after the master cylinder replacement and there was no "wondering" if I had found the brakes.  I was told that the cylinders on our bikes don't last as long as you would expect, possibly due to the heat and the more horizontal mounting position.

If you don't do it yourself, make sure the shop reattaches the rear brake caliper...bad things happen when it comes loose at speed.  Don't ask me how I know.

your rear caliper or rear master was dying?

Rear master.  Sorry for the confusion. 

yeah, saw the caliper issue, and wasn't sure. Should be rebuildable, depending on the line of brembo master, but a replacement is relatively cheap anyhow.