The brakes on 1970s inline four Hondas are nothing to write home about. That's obvious. And many people upgrade them to more modern equipment, whether for racing or street use. But if you want to keep the bike original mechanically and in appearance, it is still possible to improve the brakes you have.

1. First, make sure the disc is not torn up. Even heavy scoring is not all that bad, most vintage Honda brake discs get that way eventually. Stainless steel galls easily. What you don't want however is a disc whose wear results in deep grooves or so much wear that the disc has two different thicknesses: thinner where the pads run and thicker outside of that. Replace such a disc.
   
   
2. Next, replace your brake pads with full metallic type. These can be hard to find, but 4into1.com has sold them in the past. These add a lot of grip. And they're not expensive.
   
   
3. Then, inspect your brake hoses and replace them if in doubt. If parked outside for a long time, or left with the same brake fluid in them for many years, they can be deteriorated. But don't automatically replace them with braided metal hoses. There is a lot of that on the Internet, but the reality is, stock rubber hoses in good condition work just as well. My 1973 CB500 has the original hoses and has as firm and strong a brake as you can expect from brakes of this era. In fact, they're one-finger brakes. There is no advantage in steel lines.
   
   
4. Carefully bleed your brakes. For best results, use a vacuum bleeder, it is the easiest way to get a firm brake lever. A tool called a Mityvac, a hand-operated vacuum pump, is the way to go. Get it in a kit that includes brake bleeding attachments.
   
   
5. I recommend silicone fluid. Fifty-plus year old Honda are ridden so seldom that they are more than usually vulnerable to corrosion. Silicone brake fluid will eliminate the need to frequently rebuild your brakes. And don't listen to silicone fluid naysayers. The front brake on my CB500 four is not only the firmest and best-acting of any SOHC four I have ever been around, it is even better than the brake on any bike I have serviced in the last dozen years, and that includes CBXs and DOHC fours.
   
   
6. Eliminate that annoying disc brake squeal by doing the one simple thing career mechanics have been doing for more than a half-century. Fit anti-squeal gaskets.