The stock R1 calipers are actually quite good. They're made by Advics and IIRC have aluminum pistons. Plenty of racers and fast track riders retain them but run good pads, fluids and lines. The next thing you may try is swapping out the R1 MC for a Brembo RCS or Corsa unit. Final and most expensive option is buying aftermarket rotors.

Some have found that ditching the ABS pump and all those extra long lines for a more direct dual-line route makes a noticeable improvement.

 

This has me curious with my 04/06 r1 calipers. Being Yamaha went back to this style of caliper are there any differences in the new 15/18 calipers ??? Other than looks ?? Are the pistons the same size?? Reason I ask is I see deals on 15/18 r1 calipers and wonder if they are better than my 04/06 calipers. Does mine have aluminum pistons??

 

The FZ-10 calipers look IDENTICAL to R6 calipers. They may be one in the same.
Beyond that, the R1 calipers look identical to the R6 calipers, aside from the piston caps (the silver round bits). All of the R1 calipers are identical except for the color of the M calipers.
I'm willing to bed they're ALL functionally the same. I bet the pistons (aluminum indeed) are all the same diameter too. If the caps are the same diameter I think it's safe to assume the pistons are too.

All that said now, the calipers are plenty capable, as is the master cylinder. Are there better components? Absolutely, and I want them as much as the next guy.
I've been running the stock master cylinder straight to the stock calipers (ABS deleted) with Vesrah pads for a season now. They do just fine. They fade a smidge at full race pace, but nothing to stop me from running near (club) record pace.

 

Probably a direct swap, but functionally identical. Pistons are probably the same in both model years.

 

I’d definitely like to find out. Also would like to know if the pistons in the 04/06 r1 are aluminum as well.

 

Pull them off, pull the pads, and put a magnet to them. They won't be stainless.
I'll bet they're aluminum, and if they're functionally the same, why go to the trouble and expense of replacing them with the same thing?

 

Yea no doubt I definitely wouldn’t change them if they are the same, would be cool to find out if they are better in any way being they are fairly cheap.

 

I did some research and the calipers do have a different look on the appearance but piston size is the same. Part numbers for the 04/06 caliper pistons and the 15-18 caliper pistons are the same. After looking at both sets of calipers I would prefer the look of the newer ones but not enough to change them.

 

It looks like you have been riding a Ducati. Therefor u have gone for an downgrade bike you need to understand why is it cheaper them what you have been use too. When was the last time Yamaha had Brembo calipers on their bikes? Is there any good on the bike besides the engine?? Its like comparing a Civic to a M :hellobye

 

Isn’t a super duke a KTM? But, yes they’re Brembo. There’s a huge difference for sure.
My buddy got off of his 2018 v4 Duc and rode my 2017 R1M and said dude!! Where’s the ffin brakes ?

 

the oem r1 lines are stainless braided from factory. you can find a lot of people swapping out lines you could get for cheap or buy a new aftermarket set. all the calipers are the same just the colors change slightly. the pads are the most to blame so i initially changes those out and then the brakes were amazing until i ran into the next issue was the rotors, they are too thin and heat quickly glazes over the friction surface but i don't know how hard you are riding. you may not overheat your rotors so they may not be an issue.

 

The factory brakes on the new R1 are fantastic, any many people race on them and win. It’s the pads and master cylinder that are the weak link. Anyone who says they are junk are looking for the last .2 seconds of lap times or someone who doesn’t know what their talking about. Switching out calipers hardly makes a difference when street or moderate track riding. Change your lines, pads, and maybe master cylinder, then after that maybe rotors. Even rotor difference can be minimal.

Every single factory brake system on the market will flip the bike over frontwards with a grab of the brakes, there is no exception. If you’re looking for a certain feel, start with pads, lines, and MC. Calipers aren’t the problem.

 

Disagree. They are not fantastic. They are passable. Sure, people race on them and win, but that doesn't mean they are fantastic. You don't have to be running 0.2 sec behind the winning laptimes to tell the (substantial) difference between OEM R1 calipers and after-market Brembos. That said, def more than adequate for the street - and agree that the better bang for your buck is a Brembo 19x18 MC.

 

Okay thanks for all this info. So what about these used Busa brembos I'm seeing an abundance on ebay?

 

cast stock units? Meh. 108mm spacing.
I guess for $50 they would be ok.

Switching pads on a streetbike one should consider how much hard braking you are going to do.
The more brake force you apply to the front the more tire selection/pressure, pad operating temp comes into play in simple terms.
Most any modern stock brake system will throw you over the bars if you have the stones to squeeze the lever. Also keep in mind... the high dollar masters have limited service life on them.

 

Okay then. Whats the cheapest way to go about getting a pair of brembo calipers?

 

Having 100 mm forks

 

* golf clap *
You're going places ;]

 

I’m in the same boat as you. I wish I had 100 mm forks. Then I’d get mono blocks from a duc

 

The uh theres plenty of 108mm monoblocs... Monobloc just means a single piece casting of the caliper yes?

 

Monobloc just means a single piece casting of the caliper yes?

Correct.

 

And uh just because, an 09 vstar 650, 2014 fz1, 1984 v65 sabre, 2017 hayabusa, 2006 fz1, 1985 v65 sabre, 2002 sl1000, 2017 fz10, 2017 super duke gt, another 2017 fz10. Thats all the bikes I've had in the over 8 years of all season riding I've done. 2 wheels only.

No ducatis in there mind you. So uh, there ya go. Hope I met your requirements.

 

M50 monoblocs.

 

The gp4-rs is basically the improved 108mm version of the m50 it has additional bracing and cooling fins and they are awesome for the price. Way better then M4 or other cheaper options.

 

Oem fz10... No no front bar flipping action. Not gonna happen. It's truly horrible. Decent pads make a noticable diff as with all bikes but far from trackworthy.
From what I can tell it looks like I'll start with the R1 MC, stainless lines (abs retained for insurance purposes... I didn't tell them it would be a track bike, but once on the track the abs pump motor fuse will be pulled ) and the oem fz10 calipers seeing as they're the same as the R1. And some good pads.

And I'm fairly sure brembo / other high caliber brake component manufacturers offer rebuild kits for their top tier performance products. So who cares about service life. Does it last a track day? Cool then.

 

Best brakes I ever had were on a 2010 street fighter S Ducati. It had 330 mm rotors with the M50’s. I also put the RCS master on it. Brakes were amazing! I put lots of miles on my bikes and never had a problem. I’m going to put Brembo master and pads on my Yammie.
I wouldn’t waste money on a R1 master. 300 bucks will get you something way better imo

 

I already got the R1 master, $125 on fleabay. It was a takeoff, basicly new. Just gotta figure out a perch solution for a reservoir, which I've also yet to get.

The fz10 forums speak very highly of the R1 master swap so I figured it was worth pulling the trigger. The 2 stage momentary switch the fz10 front master has supposedly bolts on directly to the r1 master as well. Just another perk of being the R1's little sister, you get all the hand me downs

 

Especially after 2-3 laps it sounds like your pads, likely fluid too. Might consider a more track oriented boiling point.

 

FWIW the stock set-up on my 2017 R1M suffered from some fade after 2-3 race pace laps. So I sapped the stock pads for Galfer ceramic backed HH pads (mostly because that's what I used on my 99 track bike) and this eliminated the fade. Later, I got a set of dedicated track wheels and fitted a pair of Superbike wave rotors, which gave me a bit better feel at race pace.

I really don't feel the need to change anything else at this point.

However, the biggest advantage of Brembo calipers are that they make it possible to put a quick-change kit on the front (so you don't need to remove the calipers to change the front wheel - and you don't have to mess with the safety wired caliper bolts). This is important for race teams but largely irrelevant for track day junkies or street riders.

 

The pads would help.

On the rear? :lol

 

I raced a whole season and won championships on stock R1 brakes with just changing pads. They arent amazing but pretty good. The R1/R6 calipers are the same. Brake pads have been interchangeable for years.

I would focus on better pads, braided lines, (remove ABS). What I have also found that EBC HH are not as good as they used to be. I raced on them for years, I just bought a new set and they feel like stock pads. I dealt with it for a race weekend then ordered a set of Vesrahs. A little more expensive but they are better.

A good front tire also helps with front end feedback, on the brakes..

 

The R1 Master has always been very good. Has great feel.

 

Agreed - ever since they went radial. I had a Brembo master on my 99R1 which was better than stock but really no different from the master on my 17 R1.

Much of the upgrade mania is just "bling", driven in part by the aftermarket parts industry. There is 5-10sec/lap for me to discover that has absolutely zero to do with the parts on my bike and everything to do with how I ride it. I have seen my track day buddy put down solid 1:49's at Thunderhill on a bone stock R1M (ABS, Cat, license plate etc) just on slicks. :surprise: :grin2:

That's just 3-4 sec slower than the fastest Moto America guys did in February this year :surprise: if that doesn't show how good the stock set-up is, nothing will. :grin2:

 

I never believed in upgraded master. To me they were always a nice to have bling thing, and I did feel R1 master (2016) is great enough even for fast track pace.
Until a few weeks ago a secondhand rcs19 came up for a great price, so I bought it. First time on the track and, despite my skepticism, wow... Yep its different and worth doing if you have the spare money.
Spec sheet can't describe that feeling.

 

Precisely why it's a planned upgrade for me this off-season.

 

A heck lot more power, but without losing the feeling or ability to trailbrake just like the stock one gave.
A hell load of power, with a lot less effort required.
Partly because the stock 2916 r1 master is 16.5mm diameter I think, while rcs19 is, well, 19mm...
Paper calculations say that this may result in "wooden" feeling but, if this is wooden then I guess I really like wood. If this is wrong then I don't want to be right.

Comparing rcs19 against stock brembo on my panigale, there is a bit of increase, but not as massive as from r1's master. Mind you the abs on the panigale was set to front only and I was braking till the rear lifted without issue, and the bikes different feel may also influence it. Panigale master was also 17mm.