[aprilia4life]

Just wondering how much better wave rotors are compared to the standard rotors... are they really worth it?

Any reviews or writeups on them?

Tell me what you think of them, what experience you have had with them.

Also, whats the deal with radial brakes, compared to the standard brakes? How do they work and why are they better?

 

[Clay]

Wave rotors IMO are not worth it. All they do is keep "fading" down. I personally am gonna go with the EBC Pro-Lite rotors. They're lighter, give improved braking and are "rebuildable".

Radial brakes... if I understand how the work, it's because they allow more torque with their positioning. But that's my own thinking on the subject. All I know is, they be da shiznit! Someday I will have them, oh yes...someday! hehe

 

[edzo]

fresh brake fluid and steel lines will be all anyone needs. wave rotors aren't any big deal.


if you want to really step up and discover some braking majic, get carbon fiber rotors like on GP bikes. then you just whisper to your brakes -slow me down- and you'll slow down hard. of course you need special calipers to go with CF/kevlar rotors. talking a lot of loot.

waves look cool, stay cooler, and work great, so if you like the look, no reason not to get some

 

[Rocket_Cowboy]

Wave rotors IMO are not worth it. All they do is keep "fading" down. I personally am gonna go with the EBC Pro-Lite rotors. They're lighter, give improved braking and are "rebuildable".

Clay ... I know you ride (the kind of riding that would actually notice the little differences in rotors and pads), but everything I've heard was that the wave rotors do a better job at dissipating heat thus reducing fade (which you mentioned), but that they also help reduce weight off the wheel. Granted, you'll save more weight with decent wheels, but you don't see a benefit with the waves?

(I ask cause I've been thinking about buying a set, but haven't completely justified it in my mind)

 

[greco gixxer]

Wave rotors... all show no go... From what I hear.. You NEVER see them being raced either..

 

[karl_996]

Wave rotors... all show no go... From what I hear.. You NEVER see them being raced either..

exactly. If they were that much better, they wuld be on all racebikes.

I hear they eat brakepads faster than normal also.

plus Caster is getting them(just to enhance the poser value:doublefin)

 

[SprintST]

Wave rotors... all show no go... From what I hear.. You NEVER see them being raced either..

Check the Corona Extra superport/superstock bikes. A number of endurance teams have been know to use them, as well as some World Supersport teams. They do eat pads faster, and you need to be very careful to match the pad material to the disk. The few ounces saved can be noticable on the track, but for street us, eh, not really. They are cheaper than getting lighter rims.

 

[karl_996]

moved to performance(although could be appearance also)

 

[greco gixxer]

Good seeing you Steve. Would that be the same Corona team on the WSB? I remember seeing pictures of Chili's GSXR last year with wave rotors, but seeing him in still shot from the races he NEVER ran them. If they eat pads and fade quicker, it doesn't make sense to use them in endurances races..

Check the Corona Extra superport/superstock bikes. A number of endurance teams have been know to use them, as well as some World Supersport teams. They do eat pads faster, and you need to be very careful to match the pad material to the disk. The few ounces saved can be noticable on the track, but for street us, eh, not really. They are cheaper than getting lighter rims.

 

[SprintST]

Good seeing you Steve. Would that be the same Corona team on the WSB? I remember seeing pictures of Chili's GSXR last year with wave rotors, but seeing him in still shot from the races he NEVER ran them. If they eat pads and fade quicker, it doesn't make sense to use them in endurances races..

Thanks, nice to see you made the trip over here.

Whoops, sorry, I ment the AMA team Corona. I'm pretty sure some CCS endurance teams were using them. They don't fade quicker, just consumes pads a bit faster. These guys are used to changing pads in 6+ hour events. If it means quicker steering, and more consistant braking some teams are willing to take that trade-off.

 

[greco gixxer]

thanks for the clarification.. Oh and get mark off the calender for CF.com 3rd annual gathering!! Oh yeah..

Thanks, nice to see you made the trip over here.

Whoops, sorry, I ment the AMA team Corona. I'm pretty sure some CCS endurance teams were using them. They don't fade quicker, just consumes pads a bit faster. These guys are used to changing pads in 6+ hour events. If it means quicker steering, and more consistant braking some teams are willing to take that trade-off.

 

[Gah]

CF is bad I've heard for street use, too much heat up time, but anchor like when heated up. Wave rotors dissipate heat, but also are allegedly designed to precent warping... If fade is your main concern SS or Kevlar (allegedly) brake lines are the way to go. If you keep warping rotors then try wave rotors.


Radial brakes: Notice how on your bike, the bolts holding the actual caliper to the mounting bracket are on the top of the Caliper.

O
O
O

Think of the Os as pistons, and the three of them as a caliper. Normal brakes attach to the top O,
| /
O
O
O

radial brakes attach to the top and bottom Os

O\
O
O/

This allows greater braking power, a bit more control, and more adjustability in disc diameter by changing to longer length slashes.

Also, I'd suspect that, in bikes with USD forks they would save weight because they attack directly to the bottom of the fork, no extra metal needed for attachment points, but my bike has normal forks, so I can't go check how USD equipped bikes mount the calipers.

 

[jonnysmoltz]

If you own a heavy bike they are nice for turn in's while racing because they lower rotating mass significanly.
But if not, I say buy a nice set of ductile or cast iron rotors. They are brutal I just put a set of Ferodo full floaters on my bike and its so much better than stainless.
Cheers!

 

[CasterTroy]

plus Caster is getting them

Correction...Caster HAS them...he's just waiting on his WHEELS so he can MOUNT them

(just to enhance the poser value:doublefin)

Never claimed to be anything BUT :laughing

 

[Bishop]

several of my friends who race enduro professionally run them on their husabergs, they like them, but dirt is alot different than street. If I remember correctly, they did a shootout in sport rider where they moddified a rc51, r1, & gsxr1K. I think they put the wave rotors on the honda, the ones they used were only 6 ounces lighter than stock & they had a pulsing in the brake lever under braking. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[JGard18]

wave rotors = rice

less friction area = less stopping power.

 

[LeanAngle]

Wave rotors... all show no go... From what I hear.. You NEVER see them being raced either..

I believe the reason that they are not really used in racing is because there are other higher performance options like CF.

 

[Ninedown]

I installed the Wave Rotors on my R1 as soon as they came out. They look trick & I am happy with them. They were much lighter then stock. I can't tell you how much of a difference I they made cause I changed out my rubber hoses for 2mm SS lines at the same time. Thought the upgrading of my brakes are 100 times better than stock.

 

[Snowman]

Save the bucks and get some SS brake lines or kevlar like the ones on TT and you'll be better off. the wave rotors from what I have heard eat pads like candy and as stated don't realy provide all that bang for the buck.

Damn Caster is there anything on that TL that you have not changed?:redflip

 

[senseiR6]

If it is the one thing that will help you outbrake the guy in first place. then I say go for it.. untill you reach that level, save your bucks. and invest in more track days. For what those damn things cost It would pay my racing entries for a year!!