Learned... just because it worked for the last owner [chazzo level related] | GTAMotorcycle.com

Learned... just because it worked for the last owner [chazzo level related]

J

j_e_f_f_williams

Well-known member
Hello,

At my first track day (GB June 14) with my 'new to me' bike I thought the brakes sucked, they got better with some heat in them but they were worse than when I bought the bike Nov 2015 and tried them up/down my road. All I had done between the 2 dates was a caliper rebuild (all new seals and cleaning) and fresh fluid. I thought I screwed something up (though have done them all before). I knew they were after market levers on the bike but the previous owner swore no issues and supposedly it was raced in SOAR like that. They looked like Pazzo's without any identifying marker so I assume they are some Chinese knock-off version.

Track day #2 (Mosport RDT) I re-bled my brakes since they really just felt spongy at GB. Still didn't do anything about the levers (they worked for the past owner and worked in Nov when I tried the bike on street). At Mosport DRT I didn't really use the brakes much but when I did they were not inspiring. After the day I did the usual inspection of the bike and the discs were like mirrors. The brakes had been rubbing I guess.

Track day #3 (GB July 19) I used the brake hone from Blue Streak to get my discs looking OK again. The pads we shiny so I swapped them for new (same brand/type since I had them). Then I swapped out the lever for a stock Kawi item. Re-bled the lines and and instantly had solid feel at the lever. Up to the point where I caused a red flag the brakes were awesome. Sure I changed a bunch of things (clean discs, changed pads, changed lever) but I am sure the lever was the issue.

I'm not posting another 'don't use Chinese levers' thread per se (it's up to you for your bike), I am posting this for those newbie track bike owners who think 'well it worked for the last owner'. Just because the bike was tracked or raced by someone else in the past, unless you know the person really well, don't trust anything you find on the bike until you have confirmed its proper for you. I could have looked at the lever when the brakes felt off June 14th. I had the spare Kawi lever with me that day and could have swapped it. But I doubted the work I had done (though done brakes man times before) before the parts that 'worked for the last owner'
I know there are reports of the Chinese levers causing locking up which I didn't see but I still don't think the lever was allowing the plunger to move fully in the MC. Once I get my shoulder moving properly again and to fixing the bike I am going to see if I can compare the plunger movement between the 2 levers and maybe confirm my thinking with real evidence.

Anyone want my spare set of Chinese levers? I think it has a shorty brake lever :lmao:

Jeff
 
I thought that was you I saw walking around with the ice pack on your shoulder. How is it today?

I've had mixed experience with Chazzo levers. On my track bike I definitely don't mess around with cheap levers (the brake is a Brembo RCS 19 now anyway).
 
Even though real Pazzo, ASV, etc levers are insanely overpriced, considering they are a 1 time (per bike) buy, I'll still spend the extra to know they were built right.

Actually had some issues with my Pazzo levers on the CBR650F (clutch-side) as my bike had just come out (and the pre-production model and production model were slightly different). Pazzo was very easy to deal/work with and they sent a replacement part within 1-2 weeks free of charge.
 
doozerdave said:
I thought that was you I saw walking around with the ice pack on your shoulder. How is it today?
Click to expand...

Wandered into ER in Markham closer to home just to get checked. Right thumb muscle has some tear or such in it so my right hand is 1.5 size of normal with swelling but not much to do there other than wait. The left shoulder was rather ****** off by the end of my drive home. X-rays show no breaks/cracks. Waiting 48 hours or so to let it calm down a bit then off to physio & Dr to get some opinions as it doesn't move in abduction properly (lifting arm direction to do jumping jacks). Then we will see if I tore something or just ****** things off. Though it has not bruised up like a tear usually does so hope its not too much damage.

So I have a good hand on a bad arm and a bad hand on a good arm at the moment.

Jeff
 
j_e_f_f_williams said:
Wandered into ER in Markham closer to home just to get checked. Right thumb muscle has some tear or such in it so my right hand is 1.5 size of normal with swelling but not much to do there other than wait. The left shoulder was rather ****** off by the end of my drive home. X-rays show no breaks/cracks. Waiting 48 hours or so to let it calm down a bit then off to physio & Dr to get some opinions as it doesn't move in abduction properly (lifting arm direction to do jumping jacks). Then we will see if I tore something or just ****** things off. Though it has not bruised up like a tear usually does so hope its not too much damage.
So I have a good hand on a bad arm and a bad hand on a good arm at the moment.
Jeff
Click to expand...

I know exactly how that feels for the same reasons. Worst part is playing video games becomes a little painful fast.

Glad to see you're typing though!
 
For anyone buying a used track bike, strip it down when you get it home! Every nut/bolt/fastener/hose clamp/bearing/brake pad should be checked. It doesn't matter if you bought it from a factory team or from a novice track day rider. Everyone is human and makes mistakes.
 
conundrum said:
Even though real Pazzo, ASV, etc levers are insanely overpriced, considering they are a 1 time (per bike) buy, I'll still spend the extra to know they were built right.

Actually had some issues with my Pazzo levers on the CBR650F (clutch-side) as my bike had just come out (and the pre-production model and production model were slightly different). Pazzo was very easy to deal/work with and they sent a replacement part within 1-2 weeks free of charge.
Click to expand...

For my track bikes there is no such thing as a "one time buy" for levers, clip-ons and rearsets. Best to have spares of everything
 
Sorry for your misfortune... but I do have China made levers on my bike (for many years now) and never had your issue.

I have a Brembo 19RCS and both of them have China levers and my clutch also has the same.
Both sides are shorties and no issues.

#1 on what dricked wrote. Just bought a ZX10R '13 and SO MANY issues with it. Still working out the kinks !!! :(
 
OP, you tried the brakes before changing the seals and putting in fresh fluid. Then you put in new seals and fresh fluid. Then you had a problem and you bled the brakes again. After you still got brake performance that you didn't like, you then bled the brakes again you honed the disc, put in new pads, and swapped out the lever and re-bled the lines. So beause you changed four things at the same time, you cannot positively conclude that one of those four things was the source of the problem. You first changed the seals and fluid. Since you did not mention putting in another set of new seals, that points to the likelihood that you just didn't get the brake bleeding right twice in a row. Not that I think that the chinese levers are as good as Pazzos, but your conclusion is not supported by the facts that you stated. I don't think the lever was the source of the problem.

Look, I've done a ton of brake bleeding jobs too and I still have to occasionally go back and do it again.

The number one rule of troubleshooting is to change one thing at a time in order to find the root cause of the problem.
 
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