BREMBO 19 RCS

atahan koymen

New Member
I am running Brembo 19RCS on a 2015 Kawasaki 636. I ran the whole summer with this set up at Pittrace. I switched from the stock master cylinders to this set up because i was having brakefade issues with stock master, stock fluid, and stock lines, stock pad combination. Bike would brake fine around 200 marker every turn but by lap3, with stock combination i would get brake fade and had to start my braking point 100 feet earlier. Especially coming into right hander before the combination s turns. It would not brake at 200 marker after lap 3.
Anyhow so i decided to go ahead and change everything. I know master cylinder was not an issue regarding brake fade but bigger is better right. I decided to go for it.
After the installing Brembo 19RCS, steel lines, racing pads, and motul fluid fade disappeared but other things happened that i did not like. This master cylinder is so much more powerful than the stock, the bike nose dives tremendously to a point that i cant even think about going down to 200 marker with this set up. I did few times and it nose dive and lifted the rear wheel and when it landed back on the ground it launched me forward as if i got rear ended from behind. So i decided to live with it and never broke that deep, broke around 300 marker. I am not getting any brake fade now but i am not even braking hard enough so. My zip tie shows less than 10mm from the bottom out point for the forks so i cant really go any deeper as is.

I have 4 options i can think of. And need advise.

Option 1 install back stock master, and sell this BRembo 19 RCS
Option 2 currently i have 2.5 turns out from full soft on front compression. I have total of 7 turns to play with in stock trim. So i am thinking go 4-5 turn from full soft in compression and see how that affects the nose dive. By the way my sag numbers are pretty decent. I check them all the time.
Rear static 4mm/rider sag 24mm
Front static 21mm/rider sag 27mm
Option 3 This brembo is adjustable interms of lever pivot point. Pivot distance 18mm vs 20mm. I rode the bike whole summer at 20mm which makes the feel very powerful hence the nose dive i assume. So i can switch it to 18mm and see how that feels. Problem is i cant find or locate the screw to do the adjustment. Anybody that has done this i appreciate the help.
Option 4 Combo of option 2 and 3

I know long story but i just wanted to give as much info as possible.

thank you all
 

TimR1

New Member
The screw you are looking for to adjust the ratio is on the front of the lever where it has the numbers. There will most likely be a rubber cover over it and you will need a small screwdriver to do the adjustment and need to pull the lever away form the MC body to do it. It will rotate 180 degrees and that will change your ratio. I run the newer corsa corta version by the way. The 18mm ratio will be a little softer on the power and allow you to trail brake into the turn. I would try that first and then make the suspension just to check what the ratio adjustment did for you. Hope this helps you.
 

vinny337

Vin is in...Beastmode!
Control Rider
Option 5 - Your current brake setup is a huge upgrade I wouldn't change it, there are a lot of particulars involved like choice of brake pads (initial bite), suspension setup (stock or aftermarket), brake lever inputs (grabbing), etc. You have the right idea to try different things but I recommend working with a suspension tuner, that will point you in the right direction with the nose dive issue.
 

atahan koymen

New Member
The screw you are looking for to adjust the ratio is on the front of the lever where it has the numbers. There will most likely be a rubber cover over it and you will need a small screwdriver to do the adjustment and need to pull the lever away form the MC body to do it. It will rotate 180 degrees and that will change your ratio. I run the newer corsa corta version by the way. The 18mm ratio will be a little softer on the power and allow you to trail brake into the turn. I would try that first and then make the suspension just to check what the ratio adjustment did for you. Hope this helps you.

Thanks Tim. I figured it out. And i switched to 18mm ratio. I see the red looking down on the lever now. It used to be black indicating 20 mm. I am planning to do the track day in mid may at Pittrace. I will give this a try. If it feels the same or slightly better then i will add some compression may be one turn at a time. Like i said before my compression is set right now pretty much on the soft end of the range. Pittrace is a very very smooth track, hardly any bumps and i think increasing the compression should not have major negative effect.

Option 5 - Your current brake setup is a huge upgrade I wouldn't change it, there are a lot of particulars involved like choice of brake pads (initial bite), suspension setup (stock or aftermarket), brake lever inputs (grabbing), etc. You have the right idea to try different things but I recommend working with a suspension tuner, that will point you in the right direction with the nose dive issue.

Thanks Vinny. Ultimately front forks and rear shock probably needs to be revalved or changed. I just wanted to try one last thing with adjusting the brembo and the compression. Who knows probably stock compression valving on this bike may still feel the same from where it is now (2.5 turns from full soft) and all the way to the hardest setting. If that is the case then i definitely need to talk to a suspension guru.
 

buzz-06

Member
18mm for more control, 20mm for more power.

As far as suspension goes, sag is just numbers, it's a starting point but it's not set in stone. I can't remember the last time I ever checked the sag on any of my former race bikes, just made adjustments to suit what i was feeling. Tuning the suspension is 100% about what you feel, if you don't like the way something feels then make a change or talk to someone to help you make the correct change.

If you're getting excessive dive under braking then you may just need a little more preload to hold the front end a little higher before you go to the brakes. You may need stiffer springs, you may need a turn of compression, but you also may need to evaluate yourself. A lot of problems on the motorcycle can be resolved by the rider doing or not doing something.
 
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