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Rear Braking Problem

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TOM6608

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My rear brakes on my 2010 trike don't stop anything like my front brakes. The longer i ride the more the rear brakes fade. There is no way i can only use my rear brakes to stop. Is anyone else having the same problem? It seems like the stock rear system isn't big enough. My front brakes work great. I brought it back in to see if bleeding them will help. I always had stopping and noise problems since new. My dealer put new brakes on but didn't help so i replaced with Lyndale brakes. It stopped the sqweeling noise but still stops the same. Thanks
 
Just curious if the dealer will let you ride another trike and see if it brakes the same. Front brakes do the lion's share of the stopping on a 2 wheel vehicle so it's really no surprise that your rears aren't very effective on a heavier vehicle like a trike. Other trike owners should be giving you better inputs than me very soon, i hope.
 
The rear brakes on the trike provide the most stopping power. Since its under warranty I'd take it to another dealer for a second opinion. The master cylinder doesn't seem to have the power to push the fluid to the calipers from the way it is being described, almost like the bore is the wrong size.
 
See...pay no attention to what I said. I knew trike lady would come along and set things right!
 
I have the same problem with my 2010 Street Glide as well but truthfully did not pay it much attention. Learning in school that the front brakes do 70+% of the stopping power of a bike I just assumed it was normal. Now knowing & meeting Trike lady last Sat. I believe her. She is one sharp lady when it comes to turning wrenches. Her idea makes sense.
 
I would think on a trike that the rear wheels would provide more of the stopping power than a 2 wheeler due to the additional weight at the rear of the trike in order to keep the rear end from swapping ends with the front under severe braking conditions? yes/no??
 
On a trike the braking power is in the rear, because most trike kits use either automobile disc or drum brakes, that is why the rider has to shift their weight to the rear for best braking efficiency. There may be a hickup in some of the trikes, a different bore master cylinder; there's a chance that if they have one style for the bikes and one for the trikes, there could be a mix up during assembly. I'm going to be investing on the 2009 Tri-glide manuals as well as the 2010's and read them from cover to cover. My timing may be perfect by getting training to be a Harley Tech.
 
Last Wed. I had the 1K service done. While coming home I had to stop short for a car pulling out of a driveway. The brakes locked up and the tires squealed. I wasn't going very fast and the street was straight. Could have been from all the adjustments done but it stopped on a dime.
 
I got my hands on the Tri-glide service manual and the Dresser one also. I have gotten the parts book for Touring but it doesn't include the trike and so I'll have to order the trike parts book.

SirDimsdale,
You may have the correct rear brake master cylinder on your's that's what I am begining to think. If they are using a larger bore on the master cylinder for the trike, his trike may have gotten the version for two wheels. Now I'm going to be reading and thinking about this tonight.
 
The rear brakes are under-engineered on the Tri-Glide. Read the many complaints on other trike forums. On the '09 & '10 models, the rotors are of poor quality and the pads are too small. On the '11s, the pad footprint has been increased but stopping power, for the weight of the trike, just isn't there! They still fade and squeal! Why use 9" rotors on the rear as opposed to 11.5" in the front for a 1200 lb. motorcycle?
 
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