Ducati FF on the road! (April 2022)

On 5th April 2022 Eric Vloemans posted this photo to the Facebook FF group with this note:
"My FF is on the road, driving quite well. However, the front brake is too powerful, resulting in locking the front wheel quite easily, while the rear brake is performing very poorly. It's impossible to lock the rear wheel (on dry roads). I guess this is due to the lowered CofG. Has anyone else experienced the same thing? If so, did you change the brake set-up? I'm currently fully re-using the brake system of the Ducati ST2 donor... I'm afraid I have to mount a bigger rear disc.., any other suggestions?"

The donor bike was a 2000 Ducati ST2, 944cc, 83hp. Eric added: "I had to reroute the exhaust system. The standard airbox was in the way of the second steering head and steering linkage."

Pretty good progress considering where this machine was in December 2020. (see the photo in this same folder). PNB

Photo: © Eric Vloemans 2022 (tweaked by PNB in Photoshop).

Ducati FF on the road! (April 2022)

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Longer wheelbase and lower CG....

Longer wheelbase and lower CG are why I have linked brakes on my racer. Yes, it was too easy to slide the front end on mine with the original brake set-up. Later on, I mounted a front disk and caliper on the rear wheel and changed the master cylinder to accommodate both ends (One disc at each end now).

Might have to run a smaller piston caliper at the back to maintain some front braking bias. Line pressure brake bias adjusters that are sometimes used in race cars probably won't work - they need much higher line pressures than motorcycles use before they become effective.

Might also have to run a second "Emergency" caliper at the back with the original rear wheel master cylinder if you run a linked system and the law requires a second independent system.