I thought the brakes were ok until

[mitch]

Really

If you have a really good back brake and dont know how to use it properly then just maybe you need more pratice before riding out in the general public !!! Ya dont high side if you use your brakes properly. I seldom use my rear brake unless im going slow or in loose gravel or to hold it on a hill most of my braking is front or front and rear together. In a panic stop my first reaction is front brake not the rear .DAMHIK
Doug

[Winterhawk]

I thought my brakes were great after installing the steel braided lines. I then installed a front master cylinder from a Suzuki Katana and holy cow batman. This setup about sends you over the bars if you use more than 2 fingers.

[xsilerating]

If you have a really good back brake and dont know how to use it properly then just maybe you need more pratice before riding out in the general public !!! Ya dont high side if you use your brakes properly. I seldom use my rear brake unless im going slow or in loose gravel or to hold it on a hill most of my braking is front or front and rear together. In a panic stop my first reaction is front brake not the rear .DAMHIK
Doug

You're absolutely "right on" Doug.

I think that part of the problem may be that, when a lot of people are new to riding 'bikes', they incorporate the instincts and techniques that they learned and used, when riding bicycles. One of the first things you learn, either by someone drilling it into your head or, through experience (can you say wipeout) is to never use the front brake without using the rear brake as well. Otherwise, at speed, you'll quickly learn that the word "Airborne" does not only refer to a military unit .

Rear brakes on a 'bike' should be primarily used to assist in a stop (or slowdown) from speed. It should never be used as the primary brake force, unless there is no alternative.
MHO

[kjohnson]

Personally, I use the rear brake for slow speed manouvers and for speeds under 30kph. Above that is a combination of the two.

On the the subject, I switched the unilink brakes on my XJ1100 over to the XS1100 style using a XS front master and keeping my XJ rear. Big improvement there by its self,

[Axel]

Final Report on Rennsport

Sorry to keep on about this BUT I need closure .
Raymond at Rennsport is not a person I would buy from again or Rennsport in general or Elite Auto Parts of which they are affiliated .
As you know When I first ordered my SS lines I could not get a straight answer about fittings that swivel so they had to go back.
The second batch of lines leaked so they had to go back .
I could not in good conscience give them another shot so I asked for a refund . I explained that I had paid shipping 3 times now and they had cost me labour charges with my local mech .
Finally I got a refund but minus the shipping and they even got the math wrong . I guess I'm lucky I got anything from them .

Again... BEWARE ...of this place :

http://www.rennsportautoparts.com/

http://www.eliteparts.com/new/about.asp

[Axel]

Here we go again with ... SS lines

OK . Got my SS lines in from Paragon in CA . They cost $130 US inc envelope USPS shipping which cost me $160 with the low Canuck buck . They arrived In about a week surprisingly as customs didnt seem to pay much attention to them . No duty ,tax,tax,or handling charge .
Paragon is a different page than the affore mentioned company with the leaky lines . They prompted me for every possible spec necessary to get it right the first time . My mech friend didnt have time to do it for me so I got to put them on myself in his shop . Sweet . Lots of tools and advice and kidding ! Installation was quick and I was able to bleed them in a couple of sessions ,taking a break in between to tie off the lever and pedal to work out some air while I was sleeping ,eventually getting a nice feeling lever on the front . Reminder - I have both front calipers working off the mikesxs.com 16mm master now . Successful bleeding is a great boost to morality ! About 2 this aft I took off into the sun for a test run .
The lever and pedal were both a bit spongy and brakes were a bit soft but I was able to take a ride .
Upon returning home I tied off the lever and the pedal again to work out some more air .
A mere 4 hours later I decided to go out again . The front lever was nice and hard . The rear still was a bit soft but away I went . I decided to test the front brakes . WELL
I have never locked up the front wheel before !!! The recent snow storm had produced quite a bit of sand and salt on the road and YIKES . Scared the SH1T outa me . So now I have scarey good front brakes .

[mitch]

Thems the brakes

Right on !!!!!

[olebiker]

Glad that you finally got them working.