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Why Upgrading Your Suspension Means Upgrading Your Brakes on Your VTwin | GBrakes × Big Bear Performance

Custom motorcycle built by Big Bear Performance featuring GBrakes brake lines and rotors.

At Biketoberfest 2025, we sat down with the crew from Big Bear Performance to dive into a topic every VTwin rider needs to understand: when you upgrade your suspension, your braking system needs to keep up—or you’re losing out on performance, control, and safety.

Big Bear Performance has built a reputation for transforming the way VTwin motorcycles handle. Their suspension systems change everything from geometry to ride height to the way the bike transfers weight in real time. Riders who invest in a Big Bear setup instantly feel a difference: tighter lines, stronger cornering, and more confidence at speed. But all that increased stability and traction demands something equally strong from the braking side of the equation. That’s exactly where GBrakes® steps in.

Why Suspension and Braking Are a Single System on a VTwin

Many VTwin riders think of suspension and braking as separate upgrades, but in reality, they are two parts of the same system. When you install performance suspension—especially the kind Big Bear Performance is known for—you’re changing how your bike behaves under load, under acceleration, and especially under braking.

A better suspension reduces chassis flex, sharpens response, and increases traction. This means your front tire has more grip during hard braking, and your rear stays more planted under heavy decel. The bike becomes more capable—but only if your brakes can deliver the precision required to match that new capability.

If your suspension can handle more force and transfer more grip but your braking system is still stock—or worse, fatigued—you’re not getting the full benefit of the upgrade. In fact, you might be creating imbalance. That’s why we emphasize that on a performance-minded VTwin, suspension and braking should be upgraded together.

Where GBrakes® Comes In

With improved traction, a stiffer chassis, and more aggressive geometry, your VTwin demands better heat management, stronger modulation, and more consistent braking pressure. GBrakes components—including our braided stainless-steel lines, Nucap NRS®-backed pads, and precision-engineered rotors—are designed specifically to handle these loads.

Our brake lines eliminate expansion, delivering a firm lever feel even during repeated heavy braking. Our rotors are cut for maximum cooling and stability. And our friction material, bonded through mechanical rather than chemical adhesion, resists fade and separation—even under extreme heat.

Explore our custom motorcycle rotors →

For riders running Big Bear Performance suspension, this pairing isn’t just recommended—it’s the combination that keeps the bike balanced, predictable, and fully controllable.

Why the Upgrade Matters on a VTwin

1. Better Suspension = More Traction

When your suspension improves, your ability to load the front wheel increases. More load equals more braking potential—but only if your brakes can deliver consistent, precise pressure. A VTwin with great suspension but weak brake lines or aging rotors leaves performance on the table.

2. Stock Rubber Brake Lines Aren’t Built for Performance

Stock rubber lines expand under pressure. That means mushy feel, delayed response, and inconsistent stopping power. On a performance-oriented VTwin, that’s a deal breaker.

GBrakes® stainless-steel lines eliminate this expansion, giving you lever feel that’s crisp, predictable, and repeatable—every time you ride.

3. Changing Geometry Changes Brake Bias

When you alter ride height or damping, you naturally change the front-to-rear balance of your bike during braking. Without upgraded components, your VTwin might suddenly dive too hard, lose rear stability, or create uneven braking distribution. Upgraded braking restores that balance.
Close-up of a VTwin motorcycle brake rotor with performance hardware installed, featuring GBrakes rotor design and upgraded suspension components.

A Complete Performance System: GBrakes® × Big Bear Performance

The Big Bear Performance philosophy centers on giving riders more control—more grip, better line choice, and more confidence at speed. GBrakes® aligns perfectly with that mission. Together, we help VTwin riders understand that braking and suspension aren’t separate projects. They’re a matched pair. When you upgrade your suspension, you’re making your bike more capable. Upgrading your brake system ensures it stays safe, stable, and predictable under that new capability. Our rotors, pads, and brake lines are engineered for riders pushing higher speeds, sharper corners, and harder braking zones—exactly the kind of riding Big Bear suspensions unlock.

Bringing It All Together

Your VTwin is a system—not a collection of isolated parts. When one component performs better, the others have to rise to the challenge. Suspension lets you go faster, corner harder, and stay planted. Braking brings the bike back under control.

At Biketoberfest 2025, the message was crystal clear:
If you upgrade your suspension, you need to upgrade your brakes.

And with GBrakes® and Big Bear Performance working together, riders can build a VTwin that doesn’t just ride better—it performs as a complete, unified machine built for confidence, balance, and pure enjoyment on every mile.

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