[Horton]

This is my first gl500i it is a 1982 I am not sure how good the rear brake should be. I removed the real wheel and checked the hub and shoes. Hub was clean, little dust, shoes had lots of shoe left. I scuffed them up some with a wire wheel. Help some. Just seam to be weak on stopping. I may have to tighten them down more. Should I be able to lock up the rear wheel?

 

[SamsGL650]

This is my first gl500i it is a 1982 I am not sure how good the rear brake should be. I removed the real wheel and checked the hub and shoes. Hub was clean, little dust, shoes had lots of shoe left. I scuffed them up some with a wire wheel. Help some. Just seam to be weak on stopping. I may have to tighten them down more. Should I be able to lock up the rear wheel?

The rear should be able to "lock up" the rear wheel. If those are your original (30) year old rear brake shoes- I would suggest replacing them (even though they measure out fine/ The material (like tires) hardens with age,- adversely affecting the brake action. New rear pads are relatively inexpensive.

Be sure to install new springs,-usually included with the brake pads. Also lube the rear brkae cam, and set your pedal free play to @25mm.

 

[Abes_CW]

Have you tightened up the adjuster nut? Clutch in the rear wheel should lock very easily.



No actual tool required, the wrench was there to demonstrate the size of the nut:

 

[kingston73]

Might not be such a bad thing not being able to lock up your rear wheel.  Lock the rear, go into a skid, and lift up on the brake and you're in for a LOT of hurt, most likely get flipped up forward off the bike.  My first MSF course we actually did this at low speed to experience what it felt like, and one of the students (not me) let up on the brake when he started to skid and fell off the bike.  Wasn't hurt but scared s***less.

 

[Horton]

Have you tightened up the adjuster nut? Clutch in the rear wheel should lock very easily.



No actual tool required, the wrench was there to demonstrate the size of the nut:

Yes, I have tightened the adjuster nut until I get a good drag on the wheel. I think new brakes are in order.

They look good, clean the roughet up the drum today, help some.

 

[Horton]

Might not be such a bad thing not being able to lock up your rear wheel.  Lock the rear, go into a skid, and lift up on the brake and you're in for a LOT of hurt, most likely get flipped up forward off the bike.  My first MSF course we actually did this at low speed to experience what it felt like, and one of the students (not me) let up on the brake when he started to skid and fell off the bike.  Wasn't hurt but scared s***less.

I have to agree, you never want to lock up any brake, I was just useing that as a example of how bad the brakes were.

 

[Dash]

I've had four of these bikes, two CX's and two GL's and all of them required firm but not King Kong pressure on the brake pedal to skid the rear wheel.

 

[bear351c]

You may also need your drum machined. If its shiny, it wont pull you up. Probably never been done, 30 years is quite a while.

 

[ScrapMetal]

What's a rear brake? (I'm kidding of course, but seriously, the front is your stopping power, the back is a little help) I'll be in the same boat as you soon. Let us know how the new pads, etc. go.

 

[Abes_CW]

What's a rear brake? (I'm kidding of course, but seriously, the front is your stopping power, the back is a little help) I'll be in the same boat as you soon. Let us know how the new pads, etc. go.

I use my rear brake often to slow before going into a turn. It sets the bike a bit better than the front, doesn't compress the forks, keeps the weight balanced. One of those things experience adds (and a well working brake), as I used to run pretty much all front.



Being practiced on the rear brake helps a ton in panic stops.



Finally, If you are in gear and you lock the rear, your engine would stall.....

 

[marshallf3]

Being a dirt bike rider most of my riding years I'm used to using either or both as the situation warrants. I have noticed that when riding the CX I tend to favor the front a lot more than I did on the dirt bikes though.

 

[Shep]

I use my rear brake often to slow before going into a turn. It sets the bike a bit better than the front, doesn't compress the forks, keeps the weight balanced. One of those things experience adds (and a well working brake), as I used to run pretty much all front.



Being practiced on the rear brake helps a ton in panic stops.



Finally, If you are in gear and you lock the rear, your engine would stall.....

Ditto.Both brakes in different measure are useful depending on the road conditions and of course these bike have a seldom mentioned superb engine braking.I love letting the engine set me up for good sweeping bends with no brake use.



Note:An over use of brakes is a sign of lack on anticipating the road conditions and changes and there's an old adage over here,"An ounce of Brake takes a pound of traction".

 

[bear351c]

.......just LOVE that engine braking. Truly beautiful sounds.

 

[Shep]

.......just LOVE that engine braking. Truly beautiful sounds.

It really is.



Last Sunday I was riding with basically modern crotch rockets riders.Nearly all of them have lost the art of setting up for bends.Because of modern efficient brakes and tyres/frames they tend to zoom to a bend and then over use the brakes coming into them.

With the old Cxs being underpowered compared with them it's more of a riding experience IMHO as you have to think and feel and anticipate but to me that's half the fun of riding e.g man/woman and machine working together but the sound of a well serviced CX on throttle down is a joy.You really get that V-twin throb

 

[marshallf3]

Agreed, use your engine braking to your advantage but don't overdo it, if you've got to downshift try to ease into it. On my 2-stroke dirt bikes it was a natural as there is very little engine braking, on these it takes some practice and overuse can actually cause some extra wear on the components.

 

[Shep]

Agreed, use your engine braking to your advantage but don't overdo it, if you've got to downshift try to ease into it. On my 2-stroke dirt bikes it was a natural as there is very little engine braking, on these it takes some practice and overuse can actually cause some extra wear on the components.

One of my 1st bikes was a BSA Bantam 175cc two-stroke.No engine braking on them.One of the funniest things I've ever seen was one day many many moons ago I was at some lights.An old red Ex GPO(Our old National mail service) Bantam D10 pulled up next to me and stalled.As the lights changed he kicked it off and went straight over the handlebars as he set off in 1st

They were known for having been made really slack and when the engines were worn the timing could be so bad that the engines could start backwards when kicked off unbeknownst to the rider