O8 Vfr 800 - Linked Brakes?

You mean like gear-driven cams? :becky:

 

OK, so I spent some time staring at my bike today, and I have come to the conclusion that the '02 does not actuate just two of the six pistons in the two front calipers. Why? Because it is physically impossible for it to be otherwise.

The left caliper has two incoming connections; one near the top and one near the center. If I trace the routing of the cables it appears that the one near the top is connected to the right caliper via a rigid line that runs across the top of the front fender. The one near the center is being fed by a line that comes up from the back end of the bike; this looks like the line that's actuating the center piston via the PCV valve when the rear brake is applied. Of course, the secondary master cylinder on the left caliper also has an outgoing hose to the PCV.

If I look at the right caliper, though, it only has one incoming brake line. (WTF?) This (obviously) comes from the front brake lever. It appears that it does so via a unit just behind the steering stem on the left side and that there are some additional lines in there, so that may (may) be the lines from the rear master cylinder. I believe that there's another connector that feeds the PCV on the right side of the stearing stem.

There are two lines going into the left caliper. There are two lines going into the rear caliper. But, the fact remains - there is only one brake line coming into the right caliper! Now, I have to believe that all three calipers are actived by engaging the front brake; I mean, what would be the point, otherwise? (It is possible that only the two outside pistons are actuated when you apply the front brake, i suppose, but that would imply that the center piston on the right caliper does nothing, which strikes me as weird.) So, if the right caliper is actuated by the rear brake (and that is a big if for me now), then all three calipers must be activated then, as well. I mean, there's no way forsingle brake line to selectively actuate the pistons in the caliper, is there? (If so, that's some serious Honda magic there!)

I'm still confused, and open to somebody with more intimate knowledge explaining it (preferably with pictures). At this point my inclination is to believe that only the left caliper's center piston is actuated by the back brake, and that the right caliper is only actuated by the front brake. i further suspect that the Wikipedia entry cited in a previous reply is just plain wrong, and that the linked brakes on the 6th Gens have been the same from day one. Anybody want to comment/discuss?

 

Not last night, I didn't. I'll double-check, though. I don't have a good close-up, but if you blow this one up a bit you can still see that there's only one line and that the banjo is at the top of the caliper.

 

Gentlemen here is a picture of how the linked braking system operates on the 6th generation VFR800. When the front brake is applied,all three pistons in the right front brake caliper and two pistons in the left front brake caliper are actuated. As the left front brake pads squeeze against the rotor the left front brake caliper mount rotates toward the fork leg applying the secondary master cylinder. (The secondary master cylinder is built right into the left front brake caliper mount.) The secondary master cylinder then sends fluid to the servo proportional valve,which in turn actuates one piston in the rear brake caliper. When the rear brake is applied,two pistons in the rear brake caliper and one piston in the left front brake caliper are actuated. Once again when the left front brake pads squeeze against the rotor the left front brake caliper mount rotates toward the fork leg,applying the secondary master cylinder which sends fluid to the servo proportional valve,which actuates the remaining piston in the rear brake caliper. EESH!!! What a complicated mess,it's no wonder I S--t canned mine! Hope this helps you to understand the inner workings of the 6th gen. LBS system a little better gentlemen.

 

Yup, that makes sense to me. I think that 1) all 6th Gen VFRs have the same system as the pictured you posted shows, and 2) the Wikipedia article needs to be updated. Thanks!

 

Curious, indeed. Could it be - sacre bleu! - that in at least this one small way the 6th Gen is less complex than the 5th? :unsure: Sounds like a possible Twilight Zone episode, of you ask me!