When it comes to enhancing your Milwaukee 8-powered Harley Davidson, there’s no shortage of upgrades to consider. Whether you're seeking better stopping power, improved durability, or just a smoother ride, one of the best ways to enhance your bike’s performance is through an upgrade to the braking system.
Why Upgrade Your Milwaukee 8 Brakes?
The Milwaukee 8 (M8) engine, found in newer Harley-Davidson touring bikes, offers impressive power and torque, but often, the stock braking system isn't quite enough to match. In fact, when it comes to the M8 Softail, it seems Harley-Davidson has somehow gone backwards in braking technology. Stock brakes might feel a bit underwhelming, especially when you’re pushing your bike’s limits or riding in demanding conditions (riding two-up, down a steep grade, or hitting the canyon.) That’s where Lyndall Brakes comes in.
Pads and Rotors
The simplest and most cost effective way to improve your braking performance is upgrading your friction material. Pair any of our rotors with our Gold Plus or Xtreme brake pads and feel an immediate 20%-30% better stopping power, just with pads and rotors. (Select our Bow-Tie style rotors and get the added benefit of reducing your bike’s rotating mass by 2+ lbs per rotor. ) Whether you're cruising down a winding road or navigating through traffic, the Gold or Xtreme pads will give you the confidence of knowing your bike can stop on a dime when you need it.
Lyndall pads also offer excellent longevity, at 18,000+ miles, so you won’t need to replace them as frequently as stock pads. For riders who value performance and long-term reliability, the Gold pads are a solid investment.
Don’t forget the rear brake! Especially on those M8 Softails, which leave much to be desired when it comes to rear braking. While front brakes typically do the bulk of the stopping, having a high-quality rear brake can help balance out your braking performance, particularly when trail braking, cornering, or riding in wet conditions.
Lyndall Brake Kits
For riders who want to upgrade their entire braking system for their Milwaukee 8, Lyndall offers full brake kits. These kits typically include a set of pads, rotors, Brembo calipers, brackets, and any necessary hardware to completely replace your stock braking system with premium components. With Lyndall’s kits, you get top-tier braking efficiency, fade resistance, and durability, meaning that your bike will be ready for anything, whether it’s touring across state lines or carving through winding mountain roads.
For the Softail, there are quite a few options that are compatible, depending on budget and desired outcome. One of the most impactful kits would include our 13 inch front rotors, which can be used with OE calipers (with the purchase of caliper relocation brackets,) or with Brembo radial calipers. We prefer the larger front rotors because the calipers are able to get better leverage on the rotor, which equates to immediate improvement in initial bite.
Rear caliper kit
2018+ Softail rear brakes are notoriously bad. You can almost stand on the rear pedal and not activate the bike’s ABS or lock up the rear tire. To remedy this, our go-to is our 11.5”x6mm rear rotor, Brembo 108mm radial caliper, Lyndall 8101-XS pads, and TTI’s rear radial bracket. This setup will be a huge upgrade over stock, replacing the OE style two-piston caliper with a true Brembo 4 piston radial caliper. I also really enjoy the aesthetics of this setup, with the Brembo at 6 o’clock.
Honorable mentions: Brembo RCS 19 and TTI brake linkage
Brembo’s RCS 19 radial master cylinder (front) is a night/day difference over stock. The main difference being the direction of travel of the piston in the cylinder. Brembo’s piston travels parallel to the pull of your finger, allowing for extremely light lever effort and a big response from the brakes. The OE master features a piston that travels perpendicular to the pull of your finger, which makes for a harder squeeze to get the same results. The difference is one you can feel right away. Run the Brembo RCS 19 and you’ll never want to run a Harley master again. It’s adjustability is also unbeatable, allowing for softer or firmer feel, and lever position adjustment for all hand sizes. Mechanically, these are an easy install that you can get into for just $329 (reservoir sold separately at $60.)
TTI’s rear brake linkage is an easy, impactful upgrade because it allows you to easily adjust your pedal height, giving you a better throw on the pedal and a firmer feel.