Freebird
07-22-2007, 09:52 PM
I posted this in another thread but decided it would be best served in a thread of its own.
As some here have stated before, and I agree 100%, the rear brakes on these bikes are WAY to sensitive. Some have argued that if you truly get to know your bike that it's not a problem but many have reported locking the rear brake in a panic situation. I know that I have done so a couple of times. The rear brakes just lock up way to easily and that is NOT a good thing.
I've known Rick for a long time and though I don't profess to be a Venture expert, much of what I've learned about both the first and second gen Venture, I learned from Rick. He has been riding these bikes since they came out in '83 and I do consider him to be an expert on them. Rick has built SS Ventures and come up with a lot of good ideas where the Ventures are concerned.
Rick realized early on that the rear brakes left a lot to be desired. I'll let him tell how he came to that conclusion in his own mind but after doing so, he set out to improve the system. He started out trying to link the front and rear as the first gen Ventures were. That turned out to not be the best solution though. He then came up with a system that incorporates a proportioning valve inline to the rear caliper and said that the rear braking is drastically improved. He send me one to test and evaluate on my own bike and it came while I was in Fort Collins. It will be an easy install and I'll get it done next weekend and try it out. I will then report my feelings about it here.
If I'm as impressed with it as Rick is, then he plans to put it together as a kit and sell it to anybody who wants it. It is Rick's opinion that the system is good enough that it could actually save somebodies life. I know Rick well enough that if he is that confident with it, then I certainly want it on my bike.
As some here have stated before, and I agree 100%, the rear brakes on these bikes are WAY to sensitive. Some have argued that if you truly get to know your bike that it's not a problem but many have reported locking the rear brake in a panic situation. I know that I have done so a couple of times. The rear brakes just lock up way to easily and that is NOT a good thing.
I've known Rick for a long time and though I don't profess to be a Venture expert, much of what I've learned about both the first and second gen Venture, I learned from Rick. He has been riding these bikes since they came out in '83 and I do consider him to be an expert on them. Rick has built SS Ventures and come up with a lot of good ideas where the Ventures are concerned.
Rick realized early on that the rear brakes left a lot to be desired. I'll let him tell how he came to that conclusion in his own mind but after doing so, he set out to improve the system. He started out trying to link the front and rear as the first gen Ventures were. That turned out to not be the best solution though. He then came up with a system that incorporates a proportioning valve inline to the rear caliper and said that the rear braking is drastically improved. He send me one to test and evaluate on my own bike and it came while I was in Fort Collins. It will be an easy install and I'll get it done next weekend and try it out. I will then report my feelings about it here.
If I'm as impressed with it as Rick is, then he plans to put it together as a kit and sell it to anybody who wants it. It is Rick's opinion that the system is good enough that it could actually save somebodies life. I know Rick well enough that if he is that confident with it, then I certainly want it on my bike.