Moto Brake & Foot Brake Install Guide: Surron, Talaria & E-Ride Pro

This guide covers the three moto-style brake upgrades we get asked about most for the Surron Light Bee, Talaria XXX / MX series and E-Ride Pro SS: the rear moto brake caliper kit, the E-Ride Pro SS moto foot brake kit and the YZ250-style foot brake master cylinder. It also explains how to bench bleed a moto brake and how to bed in new pads. Read the whole section for your part before you start taking the bike apart.

Jump to: Before you start | Rear moto brake kit | E-Ride Pro SS foot brake kit | YZ250 foot brake master cylinder | Bleeding | Bedding in | Torque values | Troubleshooting

Before you start: safety notes

  • Brakes are a safety-critical system. If you are unsure about any step, have a qualified e-moto or motorcycle shop do the work or check it before you ride.
  • Switch the bike off and remove the key before you begin. Where a step asks you to pull the battery, do it.
  • Put the bike on a stand so the rear wheel hangs free and the bike cannot tip.
  • These kits use DOT 5.1 brake fluid (DOT 4 compatible). It damages paint and plastics and irritates skin and eyes. Wear gloves and eye protection, lay down rags, and wipe up drips right away.
  • The stock brakes on these bikes run mineral oil. Never put DOT fluid into a mineral oil brake, or mineral oil into a DOT brake. The seals are not compatible.
  • Keep grease and brake fluid off the pads and rotor. Clean a contaminated rotor with brake cleaner. Pads that have soaked up fluid should be replaced.
  • Use blue threadlocker where this guide calls for it, and a torque wrench wherever a value is given. For every fastener without a value here, use your bike's factory service specification.
  • Before the first ride, confirm the lever or pedal is firm, the wheel spins without dragging, there are no leaks at either banjo or the bleeder, and the brake stops the bike at walking pace.

Rear moto brake kit (single caliper)

This kit replaces the stock rear brake with a moto-sized caliper, a larger and thicker rotor and a DOT master cylinder on the bar. Product page: Surron Moto Brake Single Caliper Kit. If you want to run a foot brake as well as the hand brake, use the dual caliper rear brake kit or add the moto brake dual caliper bracket.

Parts in the kit

  • Single caliper moto brake bracket (6061-T6 aluminum)
  • Moto brake assembly (caliper, brake line and master cylinder), either the OEM Surron brand version or the black Gen1 Ultra Bee style version, shipped pre-bled with DOT 5.1
  • 240 mm x 3.5 mm stainless steel rotor, solid or floating (floating rotors use a 6061-T6 aluminum carrier)

Fits: Surron Light Bee (all years), E-Ride Pro SS 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 / SR and Pro S, Talaria XXX (X3), MX3, MX4 and MX5, and the Ventus One.

Tools

  • Metric Allen keys (3, 4, 5 and 6 mm) and a Phillips screwdriver
  • 8, 10, 12 and 13 mm wrenches; 12 and 17 mm sockets; a deep socket for the caliper slider pin
  • T30 Torx (E-Ride Pro stock rotor bolts) and T25 Torx (Talaria plastics, if your bike has titanium hardware fitted)
  • Torque wrench, blue threadlocker and brake slider grease
  • Heat gun or small torch, and a vise
  • Side cutters and new zip ties, brake cleaner, rags
  • DOT 5.1 fluid for topping up if you open the system
  • E-Ride Pro SS 3.0 / SR only: a sturdy box or jack to rest the motor on

Steps (all models)

  1. Prep the caliper on the bench. The caliper arrives on an Ultra Bee bracket that you will not reuse. Take out the plastic block between the pads. If it is stuck, crack the bleeder open slightly with an 8 mm wrench, slide the block out and close the bleeder again before any fluid escapes. Remove the rubber slider boot and the metal pad guide.
  2. Remove the slider pin. It is fitted with threadlocker at the factory. Clamp the bracket in a vise, warm the pin area for roughly ten seconds, then turn it out with a 12 mm wrench or deep socket.
  3. Move the hardware to the new bracket. Add a small drop of blue threadlocker to the slider pin, thread it into the new bracket by hand and snug it with a hand wrench, not an impact. Refit the boot and the pad guide. Slide the guide up as far as it goes, then back it off a hair so the rotor cannot touch it; a guide set too low squeaks straight away.
  4. Grease the slide. Apply a thin film of grease to the slider pin and to the matching bore in the caliper, then slide the caliper onto the bracket. Wipe off any excess so none reaches the pads.
  5. Remove the rear wheel. Loosen the axle nut, keep track of the small axle washer, and push the axle out. Lift the chain off the sprocket and rest it on the swingarm so you do not have to split the chain.
  6. Fit the 240 mm rotor. Remove the stock rotor. Mount the new rotor so its directional slots point in the wheel's forward direction of rotation. Put blue threadlocker on each bolt and do the final tightening by hand with a torque wrench to the value for your bike in the torque table. An impact driver can over-tighten and snap these bolts. Upgrading the hardware? See our titanium rotor bolts and titanium caliper bolts.
  7. Route the new line and swap the master cylinder. This is the part that differs by bike. Follow the model notes below.
  8. Refit the wheel. Pass the caliper over the rotor and seat the bracket against the wheel spacer (on the Talaria, fit the spacer described below first). Lift the wheel into the swingarm, slide the axle through, fit the washer and nut, then roll the chain back onto the sprocket by turning the wheel. Set chain tension and alignment and tighten the axle to factory spec.
  9. Set the lever. Sit on the bike, set the lever angle, then tighten the master cylinder clamp. Turn the bars from lock to lock and make sure the line never pulls tight or rubs the tire.
  10. Check, bleed if needed, and bed in. A firm lever means you are done with the hydraulics. If it feels soft, see Bleeding. Then complete the bed-in procedure before riding hard.

Model notes: Surron Light Bee

  • You can usually keep the pre-bled system sealed on the Light Bee, which means no bleeding.
  • Take out the battery. Remove the front plastic panel: two Phillips screws on the outside and two M5 bolts from inside the frame.
  • Remove the battery tray bolts on both sides, the two upper controller bolts and the two Phillips screws under the controller, then lift the tray out. This opens a path through the frame.
  • With the tray gone there is room to pull the old caliper out through the frame in one piece, line attached, so nothing gets cut and the old brake stays usable as a spare.
  • Loosen the upper and lower triple clamp bolts and let the fork leg that the stock line runs behind slide down a little, just enough to free the line. Leave it loose until the new line is in.
  • Remove the ignition cover (two bolts), unplug the brake switch connector and take the stock master cylinder off the bar.
  • To avoid opening the new line, take the lever off the new master cylinder instead: hold the nut underneath with a 10 mm wrench and turn the bolt with a 5 mm Allen key. The lever, its plastic insert and the small internal part come off together.
  • Work the new master cylinder up through the frame by the route the old caliper took, then tuck its line behind the lowered fork leg. Clamp the master cylinder to the bar first, then refit the lever. If you leave the plastic insert out, the lever bolt will not bottom out; tighten it until it is snug.
  • Set both fork legs to equal height and retighten the triple clamp to factory spec. Reinstall the tray, controller bolts, panel and battery.
  • Rotor bolts: 8 Nm.

Model notes: Talaria XXX (X3)

  • A Talaria-specific spacer goes between the swingarm and the caliper bracket. Do not leave it out; without it the caliper will not line up with the rotor. With the axle block on, push the axle in just far enough to hold the spacer, set the spacer in place, then fit the caliper bracket and the wheel.
  • To make room for the line, move the controller's front subframe forward. Remove the front plastics bolts on each side (3 mm Allen on stock bikes, T25 Torx if you have fitted titanium hardware) and the subframe bolts.
  • On this bike you will almost certainly need to open the pre-bled line. Disconnect it at the caliper banjo, not at the master cylinder. Any air that gets in will then be sitting right at the caliper, next to the bleeder, instead of at the far end of the line.
  • Lay the line across the center of the motor, run it rearward past the jackshaft and through the swingarm, and clip it into the jackshaft's plastic line guide, the same place the original line used. Make sure nothing rubs it.
  • Reconnect the banjo at the caliper so the line curves upward as it leaves the caliper, not downward. The line is stiff, so expect to hold it in position while you start the bolt.
  • At the front, take up the slack and tuck the line into the small retainer near the master cylinder so it stays clear of the tire.
  • Bleed the brake on the bike (see Bleeding). Ride for a day or two and bleed once more to remove any air that has settled in the caliper.
  • Rotor bolts: 9 Nm.

Model notes: E-Ride Pro SS 3.0 / SR

  • The factory brake line runs under the battery tray. Following that routing means lowering the motor and removing the tray. You can run the line along the outside of the frame instead, but it is less tidy and more exposed.
  • Remove the small plastic pieces, the bash guard bolt, and the tray bolt (5 mm Allen, held by a 13 mm nut on the far side). Take out the upper motor mount bolt (6 mm) and back off the lower one. Remove the jackshaft covers on both sides with a 4 mm Allen; each has a second, hidden bolt. Drop the bash guard and cut the zip tie on the kickstand sensor wire so it does not get torn.
  • Lift the motor to slacken the belt, slip the belt off, and let the motor tilt forward onto a box. Then remove the motor mount bolts completely.
  • Remove the tip-over sensor (two Phillips screws under the tray) and the two tray bolts on the inside of the frame, one on the belt side and one on the 12 V converter side. Lift the tray out.
  • Remove the stock brake: cut the zip ties along the line, remove the 3 mm line-clamp bolt on the controller, and unbolt the master cylinder from the bar.
  • Keep your factory brake switch: remove it from the stock master cylinder, remove the switch that comes fitted to the new master cylinder, then pull the new lever in slightly so the button underneath is pressed, fit the stock switch and tighten it.
  • Loosen the two triple clamp pinch bolts and the top bolt, lower the fork leg to open a gap, and feed the new line through. Return the fork leg to the same height as the other side and torque all three bolts to 12 Nm.
  • Clamp the master cylinder to the bar finger tight for now. Route the line under the tray position and out beside the jackshaft cover, into the stock clip.
  • Look at the banjo fitting on the caliper. If it points upward, air can collect inside it. Loosen it only a fraction, without breaking the seal, turn it to point downward and retighten, so that any air travels up the line to the master cylinder.
  • Reassemble in reverse order: tray, tip-over sensor, motor back on its mounts (tighten to factory spec), belt, jackshaft covers, tray bolt and bash guard, keeping the new line where you placed it. Grease the axle before refitting the wheel.
  • Rotor bolts (T30 Torx): 10 Nm with blue threadlocker.
  • E-Ride Pro SS 1.0 / 2.0 and Pro S: the kit fits, but the routing steps above were written from a 3.0 / SR install. Check the stock line's path on your frame before you start.

E-Ride Pro SS moto foot brake kit

This kit adds a foot-operated rear caliper while your hand brake stays in place, so you can brake the way you would on a dirt bike: front with your hand, rear with your foot. Product page: Eride Pro SS Moto Foot Brake Kit.

Parts in the kit

  • 1 moto brake caliper
  • 1 E-Ride Pro SS foot brake bracket assembly (lever and peg)
  • 1 steel-braided moto foot brake line
  • 1 master cylinder, YZ250 style or HSK
  • 6 M8 washers to space the assembly away from the swingarm
  • 2 M8 x 25 mm bolts that replace the stock mounting bolts
  • Pre-bled with DOT 5.1 brake fluid

You also need: a moto brake single caliper bracket (foot brake only) or a moto brake dual caliper bracket (hand and foot brake), plus the 240 mm moto brake rotor.

Fits: E-Ride Pro SS 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 / SR and Pro S. The steps below follow a 3.0 / SR dual-caliper install.

Tools

  • 17 mm socket and 6 mm Allen key
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Grease and blue threadlocker
  • Torque wrench and a bike stand

Steps

  1. Take the rear wheel out. With the bike on the stand, loosen the axle with the 17 mm socket and 6 mm Allen key. Set the axle washer aside with the nut, drape the chain over the swingarm and roll the wheel out. If you are fitting the 240 mm rotor, do it now (torque table).
  2. Prepare the dual caliper bracket. Thread the slider pin in with a small dab of threadlocker, first by hand and then firmly with a wrench. Fit the rubber boot and then the brass spacer.
  3. Grease the slide. A small amount on the slider pin and inside the caliper bore lets the caliper float as it should. A dry slide will drag.
  4. Hang both calipers. Route the new foot brake line and mount its caliper on the bracket. Remove the pad spacer from the new caliper first, or it will not pass over the rotor. Refit your hand brake caliper to the bracket as well.
  5. Refit the wheel. This is the fiddly part: as the wheel goes into the swingarm, both calipers have to straddle the rotor together. The wheel spacer clicks into the dual bracket when it is seated. Push the axle through and fit the washer and nut.
  6. Chain and axle. Lay the chain on the top of the sprocket, turn the wheel until it pulls on, check tension, then tighten the axle.
  7. Remove the stock peg bracket. Take out its two bolts with a 6 mm Allen key. It will seem stuck because a small support bar sits behind it; twist that bar and it unscrews. Remove it completely.
  8. Mount the foot brake bracket. Start the top bolt, with two washers, into the frame. Do the same with the lower bolt and its two washers, and only tighten once both are started.
  9. Fit the peg to the lever. Mount the peg on the pedal arm with its two bolts now, while the master cylinder is still off.
  10. Hang the master cylinder. Pass the short flat-head bolt through the plastic adapter into the master cylinder mount and stop just before it is snug, so the master can still swing. The longer bolt goes through the second hole and into the upper part of the bracket.
  11. YZ master only: fit the M8 bolt. Because the bracket is tapped for M8 as well as M6, the YZ master mounts without drilling or a backing nut. Use the last M8 bolt with two washers and snug it, but do not fully tighten yet. The HSK version comes with its own hardware only.
  12. Connect lever and master. Push the clevis pin through the master cylinder clevis and the lever, fit the cotter pin, and bend its two legs apart so it cannot work loose.
  13. Align the pushrod. This matters more than any other step. With the mounting bolts still loose enough to let the master turn, rotate it until the pushrod runs perfectly straight into the master cylinder body. Then tighten the mounting bolts firmly.
  14. Peg and return spring. Fasten the foot peg to the bracket. Hook the top of the return spring first, then stretch the bottom end onto its post with needle-nose pliers. Secure the line with zip ties away from the chain, tire and swingarm.
  15. Check and bed in. Press the pedal: it should be firm with no sponginess. If not, see Bleeding. Finish with the bed-in procedure.

Other bikes: foot brake brackets are also available for the Surron Light Bee and E-Ride Pro SS, the Talaria X3, the Talaria MX3 / MX4 / MX5 and the Surron Ultra Bee.

YZ250 foot brake master cylinder

A YZ250-spec master cylinder with a cast aluminum body, stainless steel plunger and DOT 4 / 5.1 seals, sold on its own, as a hardware kit, or as a set. Product page: Surron Foot Brake Master Cylinder YZ250.

Fitment

Hardware kit contents

  • 3D-printed adapter
  • Flat-head M8 bolt (master cylinder to bracket)
  • Long M6 bolt (adapter to bracket) and 20 mm M6 bolt (adapter to master cylinder)
  • Clevis (actuator) pin and cotter pin
  • 2 M8 x 30 mm mounting bolts and 4 M8 washers

Tools

  • Metric Allen keys (all of the kit's bolts use Allen heads)
  • Pliers for the cotter pin

Steps

  1. Sort the hardware. Lay everything out and put the two M8 x 30 mm bolts and four washers to one side. They are only used at the very end to mount the assembly to the bike.
  2. Master cylinder to bracket. Push the flat-head M8 bolt through the master cylinder, add two M8 washers behind it, and screw it into the foot brake bracket. Snug only; the master must still be able to pivot.
  3. Long M6 bolt. The printed adapter is tight at first, so run this bolt through the adapter on its own with an Allen key to form the threads. Next, with the adapter on it, screw it into the bracket's upper hole. Snug only.
  4. 20 mm M6 bolt. Pass it through the adapter and into the master cylinder's upper hole. Snug only. All three bolts should now hold the parts together while still letting the master cylinder change angle.
  5. Clevis pin. Join the lever to the master cylinder clevis with the pin, and secure it with the cotter pin.
  6. Align, then tighten. Look along the plunger. It must enter the bore dead straight; at any angle it scrapes the edge of the bore on every stroke and will wreck the master cylinder. A useful trick: grip the bracket with one hand and press the lever outward, away from your body, with the other; the master settles into line. Keep it there and tighten all three bolts, then look again. If the lever feels gritty or crunchy when you work it, loosen the bolts and repeat.
  7. Mount to the bike. Pass each M8 x 30 mm bolt through the bracket and put two washers on it between the bracket and the frame before threading it in. The washers move the assembly outward so the master cylinder does not rub the swingarm. The washers are needed on the E-Ride Pro, Talaria and Ultra Bee alike. Tighten the mounting bolts.
  8. Connect and bleed. These steps are mechanical only. Connect the brake line and bleed the system before riding (see Bleeding).

Bleeding a moto brake (bench method)

Our kits ship pre-bled, so you only need this if you have opened the system, fitted an unbled part, or have a soft lever or pedal. If you are starting with an empty line, caliper and master cylinder, bleed on the bench before fitting the parts to the bike. Chasing small bubbles through an installed system can take a very long time. The method is the same for Surron, Talaria and E-Ride Pro moto brakes.

What you need

  • Brake line with banjo bolts and new copper crush washers
  • Hand ratchet and an 8 mm wrench
  • A length of 3 or 4 mm clear hose for the bleeder, and a catch bottle or rag
  • Phillips screwdriver for the reservoir cap
  • DOT 5.1 brake fluid
  • Rags or towels, and the caliper's pad spacer

Steps

  1. Master cylinder banjo. The 90-degree banjo goes on the master cylinder, pointing up, whichever master you use. Stack a crush washer, the banjo and a second crush washer on the bolt and start it by hand.
  2. Clock it correctly. On the YZ master there is a small nub on the body: sit the banjo right beside it on the near side. The HSK master has no nub, so point the banjo straight in line with the master. Never angle it inward, where it will hit the swingarm, or far outward, where your heel will catch it.
  3. Tighten it properly. Finish it with a hand ratchet. A banjo that is not fully tight lets air in past the crush washers, and you will keep finding bubbles no matter how long you bleed.
  4. Caliper banjo. Remove the caliper banjo bolt and its washers. Fit the banjo the correct way round (turned over, it traps air), with crush washers either side, and always start the threads by hand, never with a power tool.
  5. Line position at the caliper. Point the line straight, in line with the caliper pin, and keep it slightly away from the caliper body so heat cannot soak into it. Tighten firmly by hand.
  6. Set up the bench. Put towels down. Keep the pad spacer fitted throughout the bleed so the pistons cannot push out. Remove the reservoir cap and fill the reservoir.
  7. Hose on the bleeder. Push the clear hose onto the bleeder nipple and run the other end into the bottle or a rag, so fluid is caught even if the hose slips off.
  8. Bleed slowly. Open the bleeder about three quarters of a turn with the 8 mm wrench. Press the lever or pedal, close the bleeder, then let the lever or pedal return. Repeat this slowly, one cycle at a time. Pumping quickly does not work.
  9. Watch the reservoir. Top it up every few cycles. If the level falls below the sight window, the master draws air and you have to start again.
  10. Chase the last bubbles. Hold the caliper so the bleeder is its highest point, tilt it, and tap it gently with the wrench so trapped air moves to the bleeder. Keep cycling.
  11. Do a few more. Carry on for several cycles after the lever feels firm; a few very small bubbles often still appear. Stop when no more air comes out.
  12. Close up. Tighten the bleeder, wipe away all fluid around it, and refit its rubber cap.
  13. Cap the reservoir without trapping air. Fill to the line or very slightly above, then seat the rubber diaphragm so it pushes a little fluid out rather than trapping an air pocket. Tighten the small cap screws lightly and evenly.
  14. Recheck. After a minute, check both banjo bolts again; if one turns a little further, that is the crush washer seating. Check the bleeder too. A bleeder that works loose can spray fluid onto the rotor and pads and ruin both.

Bleeding on the bike (for example after routing a line on the Talaria XXX): position the bike so the bleeder is the highest point of the system and use the same open, press, close, release cycle, topping up as you go. Expect larger bubbles first, then smaller ones. Once the lever is solid, ride for a day or two and bleed again.

Bedding in new pads and rotors

A new rotor and new pads need to be bedded in together. Skip it and you can end up with squeal, glazed pads and fade. Set aside one to two hours.

  1. Ride at about 10 mph and slow smoothly to roughly 3 mph, never locking the wheel and never coming to a stop.
  2. Ride for around 30 seconds with no braking to let the brake cool.
  3. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
  4. Do the same series from 20 mph, then 30 mph, then 40 mph.

Throughout the bed-in, avoid locking the rear wheel and avoid full stops. The aim is to build heat gradually.

Torque values

Fastener Bike Value
Rear rotor bolts (blue threadlocker) Surron Light Bee 8 Nm
Rear rotor bolts (blue threadlocker) Talaria XXX (X3) 9 Nm
Rear rotor bolts (T30, blue threadlocker) E-Ride Pro SS 3.0 / SR 10 Nm
Triple clamp pinch bolts and top bolt E-Ride Pro SS 3.0 / SR 12 Nm
All other fasteners (axle, motor mounts, banjo bolts, master cylinder clamp and mounts) All Factory service specification

Troubleshooting

  • Squeak as soon as you ride: the pad guide on the bracket is set too low and the rotor is touching it. Push it to the top of its slot and lower it very slightly.
  • Soft or spongy lever or pedal: recheck both banjo bolts for tightness, bleed again (on the bench if possible), and repeat the bleed after a day or two of riding.
  • Gritty or crunchy foot brake: the master cylinder plunger is not in line with the bore. Loosen the mounting bolts, realign and retighten.
  • Master cylinder rubbing the swingarm: the spacer washers behind the M8 mounting bolts are missing.
  • Caliper will not go over the rotor: the pad spacer is still between the pads.
  • Brake drags or will not release fully: the slider pin is dry or dirty. Clean it and apply a thin film of grease.
  • Talaria caliper does not line up with the rotor: the Talaria spacer between the swingarm and the bracket has been left out.

Parts and related collections