For us without ABS brakes, I ordered the TCB Braking system (http://www.tcbbrakesystems.com/). I was riding and during a light rain some *** hole pulled out in front of me and when braking by back wheel locked up and I was able to maneuver around the vehicle without wrecking my bike! With soiled underwear I decided to do something about this. I did allot of research and found that the TCB Braking System is the ticket for safer panic braking. Check it out!

Has anyone else tried these?

 

I have never heard of these but they might work well but I would be checking out the braking capibilities of my bike real close before I took it out in traffic.

 

I hear ya, but there has been so many test performed on this. Just Google it and see.

 

I have them on my 2006 Ultra and like them very well. They do work. I have 93 fatboy that has them too. You have to try them and if you feel that you don't like them return them. I have been riding with them for 4 years now. I have had a couple of close calls and the brakes never locked up. Now you can lock them up if you try hard enough but under a normal quick brake type situation that would cause a lock up, they handled very well.

 

I've got 'em on my Springer front and back for 3 years and never been happier! I know the guy who designed them and he did a great job, try them and see for yourself.

 

There is absolutely no way I would fit such a device in a brake system!!!

This device is the equivelant of an accumulator in hydraulic systems.

In principle, how this would work is as follows:

The device is split in to 2 parts, with some kind of diaphragm or sealed interface.

On the one side it has a gas charge, the other side it T'd in to the brake line.

One charges the gas to the pressure that your brake lines would typically be at for braking (although EXACTLY what that should be is subject to debate and....critical to the success of the application)

In theory (and broadly in practice) as you apply the brake you would notice no difference until the pressure climbed to te same pressure of the gas.

At that point (let's call it heavy braking) any further brake lever movement would cause the diaphragm to start moving and hence you start compressing the gas.

The result is a much slower increase in pressure that a system without such a device.

Great, that is exactly what I want one may well argue but....at that point the system becomes "spongy" and is not different to braking hard with air in the lines (except this air is contained)

Thing is....

1. Different brake systems will have different brake pressures and the critical braking pressure (let's call it lock up) varies depending on the set up so how do you know what the correct pressure to use is?

This above explanation assumes that this critical pressure is a constant. Well - it certainly isn't! Firstly as your brake system beds in an wears it changes, but it also changes significantly depending on temperature.

Temp affects brake systems in a whole variety of very complex ways which would detract from this thread but I am sure each of us have some appreciation of these issues.

Temperature, however, also severely affects this particular device because of the gas. The ideal gas law shows that pressure of a gas in a sealed vessel is proportional to temperature. In simple terms, starting out in a cold morning vs in the hot midday sun (putting aside heat from the brake and bike itself) means a completely different brake response.

Whilst I hate to have the bike lock up on me, I would far rather have this occur at a same brake application force as perceived by the rider. That way I get to learn where the point is.

Not for me...

 

Hey SG, good explanation however, temperature and wear and road condition also effects braking you can practice panic braking all day long and a week later the point of lock-up could be very different. No matter how much you practice, in a life or death PANIC brake maneuver it has been shown that most riders will grab a handful of brakes and if the conditions are right, (wet or oily roads) then a lock-up most likely will occur which usually has a bad ending. At least, with the TCB system you may have a chance not to lock-up. Check out the interdependent test and reviews.http://www.hdopenroad.com/reviews/tc...em-cost-value/

 

How long these things been out and is/have there been any down sides to them.
We have 2 actual users who say that they work great and one anaylist who says he wouldn't use them.. HMMMM...
Interesting..
To those who have them, could you take some pics and post them?

 

Interesting...will be interested in your install/test feedback. Keep us posted.

 

There's a lot to be said for 'practicing' heavy braking, and learning your bike's characteristics in such regards. A big, deserted parking-lot would provide a good venue for this. Start easy, and work up to heavier braking...

Stock Harley rotors are, in my opinion, not going to survive too many 'panic' stops without warping. I base this on my experience. (I warped a set of HD stock rotors after a couple of semi-heavy stops, followed by a full 'panic' stop).

The first thing I'd do (and did) for my brake performance (2004 Road King) is to upgrade to the Brembo front calipers as used on 2008+ bikes. Make sure you have a matching master cylinder. Get some sintered (HH) pads, and stainless steel brake lines.

The other thing, done in tandem, is to install 11.8" diameter floating rotors. The combination of Brembo calipers and floating rotors will provide you strong braking, while not compromising the rotors with heat.

After the brake upgrade, go practice panic stops. Let the brakes cool between stopping events. At least 15 minutes.

This is a known regimen for improving braking in the absence of ABS (it should help braking technique in the presence of ABS, too).

Total cost to upgrade brakes: I did mine for right around 700 bucks, calipers, rotors, pads, and m/c with matching levers/perch.

It will cost 240 bucks (plus shipping) to outfit all three of your calipers with the devices which are the focus of this thread.

I don't dispute that these things work well for those who state such. But SGDiesel has made some telling points, for those who care to listen.

To each their own. But my belief is there's a better approach than these devices, i.e., ensure your braking hardware is optimal, AND practice 'hard' braking. Thus, not for me, either...

Alan