• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

Front Brake Caliper Upgrade - Part Numbers?

I like the idea of upgrading the front brake caliper....i did some looking around, and the caliper from the Honda CBR1100 blackbird looks very similar to what you guys were using.....just wondering if anyone has ever tried going that route with their NC, the 3 piston NC calipers are hard to find, but the blackbird ones seem to be plentiful.
 
Yepper........a stock NC700X ABS front caliper is rarer than hen's teeth. There was one on ebay a few month's ago....Aussieland........would have costs over $200 total after shipping to the USA. Member 670 has this brake system on his non-ABS, I believe. The BBird caliper does look the same as the NC700ABS, but the bracket not so much (comparing microfich pics on Cheap Cycle Supply). The BB's calipers on ebay are relatively cheap.......can be had for $20 - $40 shipped. Who wants to be the guinea pig???
NOTE: I believe you will need to have someone fabricate a short (4" or so??) "cross-over" brake line tieing both the brake line inlets together on the BB caliper.......it has two inlets for the 3 pistons. (670 said the PO did this on his bike before he purchased it).

Same part number for all of these bikes............
1997 CBR1100XX A - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1997 CBR1100XX AC - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1998 CBR1100XX A - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1998 CBR1100XX AC - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1998 VFR800FI A - FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
1998 VFR800FI AC - FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
1999 CBR1100XX A - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1999 CBR1100XX AC - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
1999 VFR800FI A - FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
1999 VFR800FI AC - FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
2000 CBR1100XX A - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)
2000 CBR1100XX AC - FR. BRAKE CALIPER (R.)

I hope you are correct Jut8.........if so, I'll send ya a "prize" in the mail!!!!!!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The other option that may be a homerun is one from a newer VFR800.......its a 3 piston caliper, and there is only one banjo port. I might buy a couple here if i can score deals on them and test them out.
 
UPDATE: 1/20/18..........VFR Caliper will not fit. I still have 2-3 other model calipers I am looking at, have not given up.


I ordered a VFR Front Caliper off ebay for $18.75 shipped......taking a chance that it might fit. Kudo's to Jut8 for suggesting the VFR (single Banjo) option. Received the caliper yesterday........good news, and bad. I do think the VFR caliper bracket holes will line up with the NC700X fork leg holes for mounting this caliper. Bad news is the VFR caliper is longer than the NC700's and the lower "puck pin" (the pin holding the pucks in the caliper) hits the Brake Disc before bracket hole #2 can be lined up with the fork hole. I did not spend much time afterwards studying the possible "cures" (custom brackets and such), but will look at how much material must be machined ("turned") off the outside diameter of the brake disc in order for the caliper to swing down and the mounting holes align up. I'm thinking maybe just 5mm or so......will look in detail tonight/tomorrow. The VFR caliper is VERY "meaty" (big, strong looking) compared to the tiny NC's. Will keep everyone abreast of this possible swap. And again, thanks Jut8........!!!!

Oh yeah.....Brembo's are so over-rated.........
 

Attachments

  • brembo.jpg
    brembo.jpg
    88.3 KB · Views: 240
Last edited by a moderator:
The two pot NC caliper mounts to the fork leg with a bracket, but the 3 pot NC caliper has a different mounting bracket, if I recall correctly. Maybe you need the different intermediate bracket, which I think places the caliper farther out and lower. I'm not near my bikes now to verify, but a search in illustrated parts listings for 2012 DCT vs manual would confirm or deny.

I can look at my 2 pot bike vs my 3 pot bike next week and tell you if the bracket is different. It may be that the bracket difference is just the mount for the abs sensor.
 
Last edited:
I've got a 3 pot front brake caliper. I bought it intending to do a conversion myself but never got around to it. I'm willing to let it go for a reasonable amount and shipping. Message me if you are interested.
 
The two pot NC caliper mounts to the fork leg with a bracket, but the 3 pot NC caliper has a different mounting bracket, if I recall correctly. Maybe you need the different intermediate bracket, which I think places the caliper farther out and lower. I'm not near my bikes now to verify, but a search in illustrated parts listings for 2012 DCT vs manual would confirm or deny.

I can look at my 2 pot bike vs my 3 pot bike next week and tell you if the bracket is different. It may be that the bracket difference is just the mount for the abs sensor.

Replying to my own post here, but I confirmed that the three piston 2012-2013 NC700X caliper does have a different mounting bracket. While I never tried to mount a three pot caliper on a two pot bracket, I'm going to suggest that it doesn't fit, because the caliper bolt spacing is 0.25 inch different between the two types. So for those contemplating the switch, be aware that a new bracket might be needed, which new from Honda might cost just as much as the used caliper you might have come across.

Three pot:
IMG_3319.jpg

Two pot:
IMG_3322.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks 670 for taking time to snap the pics.......good historical info for future consideration. I'm looking at a different Caliper now.........one that will "hopefully" fit the existing OEM NC700X non-ABS bracket. It should be here Tuesday and I will "gleefully" confirm.......or, tuck my tail (again) in failure, and let everyone know. :(
 
Installed the CBF500 Front Caliper........

Thanks to Krampus. Jut, and 670cc's...........I mounted the UK version CBF500 3-pot Caliper........in Gold, for Bling!!!! One must use the CBF bracket, which is made for an ABS bike, but the added "bracketry" on the bottom is not used (here on my non-ABS 2012) and can be trimmed off. Replacement Pads can still be sourced easily on Ebay. I looked at adding the CBF500 Rear Caliper (in Gold) also, but it does not add any performance enhancements (similar to the OEM NC700X version) and was cost prohibitive ($200 for a NOS version). I have not seated-in the pads yet, but initial results from a 5 minute, 40F temp ride, tells me it's better than OEM......could be all in my head, but I'm sticking to my story. I have been "Enhanced"!!!! :p
See photos below.......

P1290001.jpgP1290002.jpgP1290004.jpgP1290005.jpgP1290008.jpgP2040019.jpgP2040018.jpg
 
Beemerphile
As a newcomer here I am very interested in your modification and impressed by your explanations. My 2014 SD could certainly benefit from a stronger front brake and I will seek a used 3 piston caliper.


How about using a bigger master cylinder? Has anyone here done that successfully?
 
Beemerphile
As a newcomer here I am very interested in your modification and impressed by your explanations. My 2014 SD could certainly benefit from a stronger front brake and I will seek a used 3 piston caliper.


How about using a bigger master cylinder? Has anyone here done that successfully?

I think you get a better mechanical advantage with a smaller master cylinder. That’s essentially what is happening when you install a three pot caliper instead of a two pot and use all three pots. The ratio of master cylinder to caliper cylinder is effectively like having a smaller master cylinder.

Beemerphile sold his NC a couple years ago and I don’t see home much on this forum anymore.
 
Last edited:
On a non-race bike with oem single front disc setup, why wouldn't you just opt for HH friction pads instead of overhauling more expensive brake components if you wanted more performance?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
On a non-race bike with oem single front disc setup, why wouldn't you just opt for HH friction pads instead of overhauling more expensive brake components if you wanted more performance?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

If not HH, what is the rating of the stock NC pads?

I only ask because the genuine Honda pads I recently installed on my Goldwing were HH. I’ve never taken my NC pads out so I don’t know what rating they have.
 
If not HH, what is the rating of the stock NC pads?

I only ask because the genuine Honda pads I recently installed on my Goldwing were HH. I’ve never taken my NC pads out so I don’t know what rating they have.

There's another recent brake thread on here, I'd have to dig to find it, but I don't think oem NC pads are HH, could be wrong though. Or maybe the debate was between sintered and organic in that thread, can't remember.. People usually throw off on grippy pads with the excuse that they wear out rotors like it happens overnight or something. I've always upgraded my bikes' brakes, even my current Vulcan Nomad, to EBC HH pads and it makes a world of difference.
 
I have fresh HH pads on my NC. Front brake is recently bled. Braking is still solidly meh vs what I'm used to, especially when loaded down... then again, the brakes on my other bikes aren't stock either. The 6pot Beringer setup on my KTM costs more than half what I spent on the NC, the 4pot MotoMaster caliper and matching master on my WR450 wasn't cheap either, my SV has R6 calipers and a 19RCS master which is the cheapest of the 3.

Obviously I don't expect to recreate any of those on this bike, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like an upgrade.
 
I have fresh HH pads on my NC. Front brake is recently bled. Braking is still solidly meh vs what I'm used to, especially when loaded down... then again, the brakes on my other bikes aren't stock either. The 6pot Beringer setup on my KTM costs more than half what I spent on the NC, the 4pot MotoMaster caliper and matching master on my WR450 wasn't cheap either, my SV has R6 calipers and a 19RCS master which is the cheapest of the 3.

Obviously I don't expect to recreate any of those on this bike, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like an upgrade.

For sure, and I can get down with anything regarding more performance. I haven't found, even with what I assume to still be the stock pads, any braking issues for the most part, even when riding hard. I hit the downshift buttons and let the engine do half the braking for me.
 
Back
Top