Dual Rotor or Single Rotor

[PaulBenson]

Has anyone tried just a single rotor on a touring bike? The reason I ask is that the front end would look cleaner with one of them removed, plus I was thinking of going to a floating rotor and would only need to buy one. My concern is that the bike is to heavy for just one.

[Klang]

Your concern is accurate.

On a hard stop on my Dyna (one rotor in front, one in back) I can feel the bike want to pull to one side.

On the Ultra, I wouldn't even consider doing away with one of the rotors.
The touring bikes are very heavy, and in an emergency you certainly do not want to have a compromised braking system. You will notice the change, and you could be seriously injured without the second front rotor.

The floating rotors look nice, but unless you are racing or doing a lot of heavy braking, you probably won't notice a difference.
In my opinion the cost isn't worth the functionality. But again, they do look cool, and I have two on the Dyna, but went with the polished stock rotors from the dealer on the Ultra(s).

Remember, the majority of the braking is done by the front.

Ride safe.

[DR_DEUCE]

If one rotor looks cleaner than 2, wouldn't NO rotors look even cleaner??

STICK WITH 2.

[cwilks]

You bet, try the new 360 Brake. Bryan TTM has one on his SG, he loves it.

[route66paul]

Originally Posted by DR_DEUCE

If one rotor looks cleaner than 2, wouldn't NO rotors look even cleaner??

STICK WITH 2.

Go old school, use a hub with a drum and shoes, on the back, nothing on the front.

[hogg831]

.....sometimes you have to be the first on your block to try something. There were times as mentioned that baggers didn't come with dual disc. They stopped then, and will stop now.

If you go for the looks, then you adjust your riding style to compensate. Not out of fear........but out of common sense. If everyone listen to the naysayers, there wouldn't be lowered baggers with extended bags. There'd be a lot of things not available, including the 360 setup.

Check with these guys about your concerns.......................(scroll down)
Native Custom Baggers

[claydbal]

Originally Posted by route66paul

Go old school, use a hub with a drum and shoes, on the back, nothing on the front.

no thanks, been there!!!!

[blackcherry]

Originally Posted by Klang

The floating rotors look nice, but unless you are racing or doing a lot of heavy braking, you probably won't notice a difference.
In my opinion the cost isn't worth the functionality. But again, they do look cool, and I have two on the Dyna, but went with the polished stock rotors from the dealer on the Ultra(s).

Klang, I have to respectfully suggest that - at least on these fat touring bikes - it might make a big difference.

I replaced the rotors on my RK Custom with floaters...and was left wondering why the &^%$! I didn't do it sooner. Huge difference (zero noise, stops RIGHT NOW when needed, and super smooth) Pads are Lyndall Z's.

Will be one of my first "upgrades" on any future rides.

And though I've seen it done, I just can't imagine reducing the braking area back to one rotor. In fact, I'm pondering if I can/should upgrade my wife's 06 Dyna to two rotors (can be done using V-Rod lowers, maybe?).

In addition to the stopping performance, I kinda like the "all business" look and symmetry of the two-rotor setup.

[Ozzie In Arabia]

Since 80% of braking is done with the front brake, going to none is not an option for me.

Going from 2 discs to 1 disc will work just as good with a six pot caliper and a 9/16 master cylinder.

I can not recommend PM Brakes as my 6 pot simply does not work any better than the stock HD unit and I changed pads and re bleed the brakes umpteen times and achieved no significant difference at all.

By the way I am totally biased against PM for their lack of support earlier this year with their wheels and what happened but the above is an honest appraisal.

Notice the supposedly Chrome Right 13" Disc supplied by Wally`s Wankers and no come back to PM because they dont warranty anything outside the US.....................THE DISC TURNED WHITE AND LOOK AT THE RUST ON THE ROTOR!

Merry Xmas and all the best, Ozzie

[BIG MAN]

Well I run only one rotor on the front of my bagger. 6 piston pm caliper 9/16 master cyl and have no complaints. It stops very well with no pulling at all, i to think it looks much cleaner and shows more of the wheel. So I would go for it. Good luck.

[HDSG]

Originally Posted by DR_DEUCE

If one rotor looks cleaner than 2, wouldn't NO rotors look even cleaner??

STICK WITH 2.

Point well taken.............makes sence to me. When you start putting appearance in front of functionality...........your are not thinking clearly.

Maybe removing the rear cylinder would clean up the motor on the bike too.............just thinking...........

[Ozzie In Arabia]

Originally Posted by BIG MAN

Well I run only one rotor on the front of my bagger. 6 piston pm caliper 9/16 master cyl and have no complaints. It stops very well with no pulling at all, i to think it looks much cleaner and shows more of the wheel. So I would go for it. Good luck.

Hello Bigman, PM probably fixed their sh!t up after all the bad vibes they got on here...........................I definiteley got a dud with their 13" disc and 6 pot caliper...................the Disc was ordered through Wally Wankers as A Chrome number and was packaged and marked as a cxhrome unit but what I got was a polished Stainless number which turned white after a couple of months and the disc was supposed to be s/s too but rusted like sh!t so either Wallys Wankers were copying PM or PM had some dud units that they pass of to international buyers hoping nothing more will come of it. If you compare my front disc to my rear disc they are worlds apart.

As far as stopping power is concerned they are no better than the stock unit when put side by side against other FXSTI`s and when my friends have ridden my bike they have come back bitchin about the lack of stopping power with my setup.

Anyway have a merry xmas to you and yor family, Ozzie

[dennish]

When does the tire's ability to stick to the pavement come into play?

[2Phat]

"On a hard stop on my Dyna (one rotor in front, one in back) I can feel the bike want to pull to one side."

If that happened - it was not the fact that you only have one disc up front! That disc is connected to the entire wheel and the twist in the wheel itself will be purely theoretical-

I recently swopped out for floaters and last week for Brembo's (with Lyndall racing Z+) up front on my Road King. I can tell you that the floaters on their own already made a HUGE difference with high speed hard stops & also when going down long passes and downhills. They also felt more responsive and the bite was quicker and more controllable. I have been riding for 32 years and swopped superbikes for HD four years ago, and this setup gave me a lot of braking confidence back that I lost beacause of the factory brake setup - in the beginning I felt like the HD brakes either did nothing, or would go from nothing to lock with the gentlest of sqweeze!

just my 2 cents

[fj1200]

One of the reasons that I bought my FXDX was the dual front rotors. With the exception of the Yamaha Seca II I owned in 1992, every bike I have owned since 1988 has had dual front rotors. I am used to the stopping power up front. I just think that dual rotors look better on bigger bikes.