RoadLok Arachnid M1 Brake Calipers Review

By David Mittleman
[This RoadLok Arachnid M1 Brake Calipers Review was originally published in the May 2009 issue of Rider magazine]

Everyone knows that they should lock up their bike when it’s parked anywhere outside the living room. Even something as simple as a disc lock will discourage the casual thief. Trick is to: 1) remember to bring the lock and key, 2) put it on, 3) remember to take it off before trying to ride away. Nothing like that sickening “clunk” a disc lock makes as it slams into your bike’s fork leg or caliper because you left it on and tried to pull away. Hopefully, without dropping the bike when it stops cold with your feet already on the footpegs.

Now imagine the convenience of a disc lock built-in to one of the front calipers. RoadLok Security of New York offers just such calipers for many motorcycle makes and models in both conventional and radially mounted styles. It recently partnered with French caliper manufacturer Beringer, makers of brake calipers for sportbikes coveted by fans of pricey unobtanium the world over. The result is the RoadLok Arachnid M1 Brake Calipers, which offer braking improvement for most sportbikes and the potential to both prevent one from being stolen and you from dropping it.

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The Arachnids include a spring-loaded pin lock that you insert in a hole in the caliper when you want to secure it. Rolling the bike ever so slightly then causes the spring-loaded pin to pop into one of the holes in the brake rotor, preventing any further movement until the pin is unlocked and removed. Since the bike can’t move at all, should you forget to remove the pin and try to ride away, most likely the engine will simply stall. No clunk, drop or damage, just a little embarrassment.

RoadLok Arachnid M1 Brake Calipers
RoadLok Arachnid M1 Brake Calipers

We tried the Arachnids on a 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 with radial-mounted brakes. Installation was straightforward thanks to above-par directions and can be performed by the home mechanic with the right tools. Fit and finish are excellent and the calipers are things of billet beauty. The spring-loaded pin has a yellow flag attached for conspicuity and is relatively easy to carry in a pocket, and without scrutinizing the bike you’d never know there was a top-rate security system on it.

Security aside, the Beringer brakes are a significant improvement over the stock Tokicos on the GSX-R, though a few ounces heavier. Even racers and regular track-day riders will be impressed with their nearly telepathic one-finger braking, great feel and modulation without fade. The majority of the investment here is in the brakes after all, and Beringer is a well-established name in the racing community.

RoadLok Arachnid M1 Calipers by Beringer come in numerous great anodized colors, start at $1,999 and are available for most sportbikes with both radial-mounted and conventional calipers. RoadLok offers several locking caliper styles for other types of bikes, too—Harley applications come in chrome, of course. Check out the website for additional colors and a complete list of make/model applications.

For more information: Call (888) ROADLOK (762-3565), (845) 343-5191 or visit www.roadlok.com

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