wavy discs

[Newride88]

This may sound like a really stupid question, but hey I'm a novice, so I'll ask anyway...
What's the difference between standard brake discs and the wavey discs available? I'm guessing they would grab harder, though thought I'd ask people that actually know.

 

[naughtyG]

Re: wavey discs

The idea of the wavy disk is that by being drilled and shaped as it is, it can be made to be lighter. That's the main advantage. It also offers a rougher surface to the pads, as well as better ventilation. And the main thing: they look great!

Interestingly, they appeared on all sportsbikes a few years ago, but a year later most manufacturers went back to the 'solid' look.
The off-road bikes, however, seem to have retained the design since, so I assume the wavy disk is more efficient in the dirt - prolly a combination of cooling and dirt dispersion.

 

[spursmech]

Re: wavey discs

unk: That's right, they run cooler, stay cleaner, and less weight. They do look good too! Later

 

[98Redlne]

Re: wavey discs

On an 88 bike like yours, the wavy disks are also going to be a larger than what you currently have. The larger disk will give you a little better braking, however you will need a bracket to relocate your calipers to the larger disk size.

Sean Morley can hook you up with those.

Another good idea as long as we are talking brakes is to upgrade to the R1 4 pot calipers from the single pot ones that are currently on your ride.
Install a set of EBC-HH pads and go to braided stainless brake lines.

This will add major beef to your V Max brakes.

 

[naughtyG]

Re: wavey discs

I think Sean only does the adapters for the R1 and 'busa 6-pot calipers.

Jedi does the adapters to fit larger (wavy) disks using the original 85-92 Vmax calipers.

 

[spursmech]

Re: wavey discs

unk: You can buy the wave discs for your bike, mines an 85. You do not need to upgrade to bigger rotors and newer calipers. Mine are the stock size and the bike stops perfect. Later

 

[robsplatf4]

Re: wavey discs

unk: You can buy the wave discs for your bike, mines an 85. You do not need to upgrade to bigger rotors and newer calipers. Mine are the stock size and the bike stops perfect. Later

I bet you'd be surprised at what Sean's adapters with busa calipers and larger discs can do.....

 

[one2dmax]

Re: wavey discs

He has no clue what stopping perfect really is. I thought this bike was awesome when I got my first one but that was compared to my 83 Seca Turbo which had very crappy brakes and suspension (which was thought to be the best in it's day too).

Sean

 

[spursmech]

Re: wavey discs

:confused2: Hey, that's a little harsh there Sean. I've been riding bikes for 50 years, I do have a good idea of how brakes work. But to each ther own. Later

 

[PATMAX]

Re: wavey discs

Go ahead Spur, post that picture of you doing an Endo on your Max. Squids have nothing on you! At 60 plus, your just getting started brother!:clapping:

 

[4gasem]

FADE!!!!
Remember guys that while it seems like brakes are working fine, it isn't until you're on them hard for multiple corners that you see an issue.

Fade will literally kill you. The bigger the rotors and the bigger the pads hitting the rotors the less fade you'll have. Materials also play a huge roll in this.

Brakes on super cars aren't huge because they look cool.

Chris

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Best braking by rotor material:

1) Carbon fibre
2) Ceramic/carbon fibre matrix (though it is fairly equal to CF without the downside of needing high heat to work well etc.)
3) Cast iron
4) mild steel/stainless steel

The top 2 are what you would find on MotoGp bikes and high end sports cars etc. Track bikes and high end street bikes usually run the cast iron rotors. Your average bike, which includes the Vmax, use the mild steel brake rotors. Wave rotors will fade less because they combat heat buildup, the main cause of fade due to glazing of the pads/rotors, because they have more surface area at the perimeter to dissipate the heat. Cross drilling, slotting, etc. improve air flow across and through the rotor as well as helping remove brake dust so they help resist fade as well. To be honest most folks will never need to go with a higher end rotor/pad combination because they just don't use their brakes to the extent where fade is a problem. Once you start to push the bike and the brakes to their limits you need to consider upgrades to them. As we all know the early Gen 1 brake calipers were lacking, hence gents like Sean sell adaptors to upgrade them to a better caliper. Before you spend a whack of cash on wave rotors upgrade the calipers, pads, and lines. I think you will find that you have all the braking power you will need unless you really ride aggressive, then the money spent makes sense.

 

[Redbone]

+1 to fade problem being reduced with the wavy rotors. Heat is the major enemy to braking systems as it can boil the fluid from overheated rotors/ calipers/ pads. Also the floating rotor is a racing adaptation to keep heat away from the wheel bearing amongst other purposes. Almost any rotor/ caliper/ pad combination should work to stop the bike properly one time, it's when you use it repeatedly corner after corner (such as in racing) is when the heat can reduce braking performance to almost nothing.

 

[jfeagins]

Re: wavey discs

He has no clue what stopping perfect really is. I thought this bike was awesome when I got my first one but that was compared to my 83 Seca Turbo which had very crappy brakes and suspension (which was thought to be the best in it's day too).

Sean

Hey Sean, I think I resemble that comment. :ummm:

With a small OEM caliper part or two (thanks Sean) and a complete fluid and pad changeout, I can once again make the front end of my 85 dive pretty good. In fact, I bet if I were in panic mode, I could even skid the front tire - it just takes a bit more lever pressure to make it happen than it would if I had upgraded. :whistlin:

And PATMAX, I HAVE done a stoppie on my OEM 85 one time. Twas an accident, or should I say, a near accident that I avoided by stopping on a dime. A young tickturd in a VW bug pulled a stop in the middle of the street while I was glancing sideways speaking to my wife on the back seat. She screamed. I jammed all brakes. She came up over me and ended up with a hand planted squarely in the middle of the faux tank cover. The front skidded. The rear felt like it sat back down at least a foot as we came to a stop. (Probably only a couple inches for real) I didn't think to take a camera with me that day, so no pics to post. :biglaugh:

 

[satariel666]

+1

Also it seems that japanesse manufacters still cant learn to install braided hoses
in the bikes "stock".
Almost evryone else doing that those days....

I saw coouple of times, personaly, fried fluid becouse the fried rubber-**** hoses.

 

[Nicki66]

I have had the wave rotors and EBC HH pads on my bike for about a year and they seemed to have a better feeling when braking. Maybe just a placebo effect, don't know. But yesterday I installed the R1 calipers and some custom Galfer braided lines. I rode it for the first time today and after bedding the in the new EBC pads, it stops much better than stock. Well worth the money.

 

[jedi-]

The wavy discs are also semi floating which helps with alignment issues to an extent and hence performance.

 

[naughtyG]

i went to wave rotors (bigger diameter than OEM on my '86) but kept the original calipers, and honestly, it's a night and day difference how much better it stops. I can most definitely lock my front wheel at will now, not that I'd wanna do that too often as it's a pretty sure way to crash by dropping the front end.
All I'm saying is, I'm sure stronger (R1, Busa) calipers would add better feel, but I don't think the '85-92' calipers are lacking in clamping power. And going to the larger wave rotor is most definitely a great bang for buck way to keep the mod monkey happy! :biglaugh:

 

[hexec]

i went to wave rotors (bigger diameter than OEM on my '86) but kept the original calipers, and honestly, it's a night and day difference how much better it stops. I can most definitely lock my front wheel at will now, not that I'd wanna do that too often as it's a pretty sure way to crash by dropping the front end.
All I'm saying is, I'm sure stronger (R1, Busa) calipers would add better feel, but I don't think the '85-92' calipers are lacking in clamping power. And going to the larger wave rotor is most definitely a great bang for buck way to keep the mod monkey happy! :biglaugh:

I don't want to sound stupid, but how do you adjust the caliper position i the rotors are larger than original? Which ones did you use and how much larger are they? Thanks.

 

[KJShover]

I don't want to sound stupid, but how do you adjust the caliper position if the rotors are larger than original? Which ones did you use and how much larger are they? Thanks.

You can get adaptors for the early Gen 1 (1985-1992) Vmaxes to use the rotor. The later model Gen 1's (1993-2007) don't need the adaptor, the calipers fit fine.
in 1993 The Vmax's rotor size increased from 282 to 298mm in diameter. The wavys that are on eBay are the 298 flavor.