Wondering why Honda chose to continue without disc brakes on the 04 rancher, among other models. I've always like disc brakes (aside from the usual screeching from dust), due to light weight and stopping power....what do you guys think? Corporate Honda saving some coin or is there a valid reason for not "upgrading?"

 

Was wandering that myself. They are hard to keep clean, change out, and expensive
to replace something that is broke.
The honda 300 I had the brakes were about the only reason I got rid of it.
And due to LACK of disk brakes on the honda models I liked , I went to
Yamaha for something with.
Not to say I'll never go back to honda (I really like the 450R) Hopefully
They will have learned something by the time I thrash the wolverine.

peace
scaboy

 

they prolly made them drumb so they can make more money, just like scaboy said there hard to maintane and r expensive to replace. so it was kinda smart of honda unlsess u dont buy a stock one.

 

Good Post

Dirt Wheels and the other magazines should really bashh on Honda for their stupidity on utility bike brakes. The drum brake design is pretty much the biggest problem that Honda has on their utilities. I bought a 1999 300 4x4. The inside of the brake drums already look 20 years old (thanks to riding through muddy water frequently) Granted if you take the drums off and clean the inside every couple of months they will last. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img] Who in the heck wants to do that?

I love the honda 300 4x4 but the brakes are junk[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]


Come on Honda get on board!! And quit selling $8000 bikes with junk brakes.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

Thats a very good question, i have been wondering about that for a while now... But if you didnt know, highlifter sells disc brakes at their website, highlifter.com

 

I may be mistaken on this, but don't discs wear quicker than drums?

 

Drum brakes last alot longer if you are doing mudding and water crossing. When hodna came out with the 450 foreman they tested a disc and drum version the drums last longer.

 

Hondaracer:
I knew about the disc kits. Cool but spendy.

Redgoblin and Hondarider:

It may be true that drum brakes last longer but before they wear out they will fill up with nasty, muddy, water and corrode everything inside the drum. They also require adjustment periodically. If the corrosion is left unchecked, the adjusters along with everything else in there will freeze up.

Drum brakes are more difficult to work on and more expensive to repair. Disc brakes perform much better and the pads are cheap and easy to change. Also in muddy conditions, the disc brakes can be cleaned easily with a water hose.

You won't find drum brakes on a respectable mx bike.

Discs are far superior.

Hondas are great but they are stupid or just cheap when it comes to utility brakes.

 

whats so hard about taking apart disk brakes, i know its not fun and probobly a bit of work but is it because it hard to get the parts intot he right position be4 u could "seal" it back up or because theres jsut to many parts?

 

well here is my 2 cents: I have a recon and my bro has a ac 250, mine has drums and his has disc, we ride all the time and ride in the mud rather often. He has had to replace his pads about 10 times in the past 4 years, at one point when we was doing alot of mudding it was prety much every 6 month that he had to replace both his front and back breaks, every time he goes through the mud i can hear the disks scraping, offcourse gradualy wearing them off and they are about $35 each. I have had to replace each the front and back once and had to get an extra set cause i broke off the pad, mine when i go through the mud they sound the same no matter how deep the mud is. My front breaks cost $35 each and the back is $25.