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[jmhenrie]

i am approaching 1000 miles on my 2012 ultra and the rear brake has gone from non existant to almost being able to stop the bike on its own. my friends new street glide is acting the same way. the dealer claims you need to break in the brake. have others with new bikes experienced this?
the front brake can flip the bike if i let it.   my last 3 bikes have all had great rear brakes from the start.
thanks Mike

[GregKhougaz]

Let me stop laughing and see if I understand this.  The dealer thinks you need 1000 miles to break in your brakes??  If that were true, how do new bikes ever stop?  How do riders with new bikes ever live?  New brake pads may take about 50 miles to achieve full stopping power.  But they are just fine in the mean time.  Your Ultra also has ABS brakes.  I submit it is impossible for you to flip your 900 pound bike with the front brakes.  So, I certainly have never experienced what you described and do not think it to be normal. 

[B. Spangler]

jmhenrie, My Ultra I bought in November had great brakes. The rear brake on my CVO I bought last week was the same as yours. But it only took about 100 miles to feel normal. I did do some hard braking and it seemed to help.

Bill

[Alan Perlin]

I had the same experience as B.Spagler. When I picked up the bike the rear brakes were so bad I brought it back to the dealer to check them out, after around 100 miles they were fine...

[Aussie]

At first I had no brakes on the rear at all  after a few rides they come alive
After 100 miles or so you should have brakes. I simply followed what the manual said 
ABS on mine works fine and the front are perfect 

[jmhenrie]

Okay i think i was a lil tired and wordy on my original post. I should have asked why do the rear breaks need 100 miles or so to break in, while the front Feel like you can stop on a dime out of the showroom?  At 1000 miles my rear wheel is black from brake dust and the break still does not feel as solid as my previous bikes.  Will be sure to  mention this to dealer when in for service next week.
thanks
Mike

[110tHunDer]

 
Do a search on "brake bedding."  Some might be better than others out of the box, but until that happens, either unknowingly over the course of a few rides, or by following the process you'll read about from the search, you're not going to have maximum braking performance.

[mrmagloo]

All you have to do is do a few firm stops from around 35-40 mph. That should be all you need. By firm, that means not locking them up, or engaging the ABS, but just short of that - an aggressive stop.  Do it along an abandoned road or large parking lot about 3 to 4 times, and you should be set. If that doesn't work, something ain't right.

[JR]

Okay i think i was a lil tired and wordy on my original post. I should have asked why do the rear breaks need 100 miles or so to break in, while the front Feel like you can stop on a dime out of the showroom?  At 1000 miles my rear wheel is black from brake dust and the break still does not feel as solid as my previous bikes.  Will be sure to  mention this to dealer when in for service next week.
thanks
Mike

Hmmm, wonder if they performed the brake switch change and didn't get all the air out like some here have experienced. When my bike was new I noticed the rear was not like the front but I was not fearful of stopping the bike. I don't think it even lasted 100 miles. I was practicing my emergency stops from the get go to get a feel for the bike and the antilock brakes.

 

[JR]

Do a search on "brake bedding."  Some might be better than others out of the box, but until that happens, either unknowingly over the course of a few rides, or by following the process you'll read about from the search, you're not going to have maximum braking performance.

Good stuff Brian! I just did a search and learned something. Thanks man!

[jmhenrie]

thanks all
I will try the brake bedding procedures mentioned, before i go in for service, couple good straight aways on my way to Conconully tomorrow
cheers

[jmhenrie]

had a chance to try the bedding procedure (65 to 30 mph hard braking 10 times) this seems to have woken up my brake even able to get the anti locks to kick in a weird sound and feel.
thanks for the help
mike