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My rear brake has two modes it seems. I either don't touch it, or if I do it locks up the back tire. No modulation at all. On my KLR 650, it's easy to use varying amounts of rear brake.

Someone told me to change the spring on the pedal out for a stiffer one. Anyone do this? Or is something else wrong with my rear brake?

I think the rear brake pedal should just be renamed the rear brake switch! It is very hard to regulate it and has been a common complaint by many. Never heard of a fix for it though.

Man I'm so there with ya, either it's on or off. Just a light tap and it's locked up. It's like complete oppisit of the front

try cutting out the brake pads in the center



as in this picture grind out the center ridge to make the pads less grabby and have more modulation. try something to that effect.

TheJackRabbit wrote:try cutting out the brake pads in the center



as in this picture grind out the center ridge to make the pads less grabby and have more modulation. try something to that effect.

So, just to make sure I am understanding you, cut another line in that middle section?

If I'm reading him right I think he is stating to remove all the pad on the center section. You would then just have the actual pad on the two outside edges with a large no pad "gap" in the middle. Never heard of that one but I guess it's worth a shot if someone else wants to try.

How os the front for you guys? Mine seems really soft. I'm usually a front brake guy, but even when I press hard, it doesn't seem to do much stopping...

Bitteeinit wrote:How os the front for you guys? Mine seems really soft. I'm usually a front brake guy, but even when I press hard, it doesn't seem to do much stopping...

I agree with you. Even the smallest tap locks up the rear wheel. I wish the front was a little more like it

Properly setup the front should be quite firm. Being that all these bikes are getting older theres a whole slew of possibilities.
Air in the line (bleed)
Contaminated (bleed)
Deteriorating brake line (replace)
Worn master cylinder (rebuild kit or replace)
Worn caliper pistons (rebuild or replace)
Crappy pad material (replace)
Contaminated pad material (replace)
Out-of-true rotor (pushed pads and piston in, makes for a lot of fluid displacement/travel before actually braking)


Done right the KDX has pretty decent brakes.


For the rear I've heard all matter of solutions.
Grooved or slotted pads
Different pad compound
Stiff return spring on master cylinder
Purposely letting air into the system to make it spongy
Purposely contaminating pads

Don't know. I've done well with all manners of rear brake, so I never bothered to try the "solutions". To me its technique that needs changed, not parts. I feel the same about brake boilers, unless they are pro-level riders, the operate under a different set of physics laws.

+1 with Adam. My front can loop the bike if I grab a full handful. But I am running steel braided lines with KX master. I have heard of a few guys who have fabricated KLR650 rear masters onto their KDX with good results.

Your rear brake is probably fine , you have to remember when you put your big old foot that is backed up with 100 plus pounds of weight its gonna grab alot more then your front brake that is being applied by one or two fingers on your hand, Your foot in a big old boot does not have the same finess as your gloved hand, practice ,practice, practice.

cutting the pads out will increase the PSI on the brake lining to rotor. on paper that should increase the initial grab, meaning lockup would come easier.

Weird. Seems I have the opposite problem. I'll have to take a second look at my front. I find the rear fine to be honest. Don't lock too easy, and I like stiff brakes anyways. But the front is really weak. I like having a lot of initial responsiveness, especially in city traffic when people are back to back. Also DAMN useful on trails ;-)

I found a solution. A stiffer spring from Lowes. They are in the nut and bolt isle. All I had to do was trim the loops on the ends so the spring will hook onto the frame. The pedal is stiffer and it works great for modulating the rear brake.