BRAKES
Title: Playing
with brakes
Tokyo riding means that disk brakes are a must, and currently I'm running a shovel wideglide with the single banana caliper on the left hand side. The only problem is that I'm stuck with an ugly master cylinder up there on the handlebars. I've toyed with the idea used by a lot of race bikes where a small length of tube is used to contain enough brake fluid to service the caliper, but that is still not the look I'm going for.
Finally I've settled on trying to do something with the cable-to-hydraulic BMW setup that was used on early '80s R100 BMWs and the like, where there is only a cable running from the bars (a la the old drum brake bikes) operating the master cyclinder which is located under the tank.
A quick look at the space below and between the 3.5 gal tanks on my '58-64 style frame seems to indicate that such a master cylinder might fit with minimal mods (in fact I'm sure even more compact solutions could be custom-fitted - especially the master cylinder setups used for rear brakes), but I was wondering if anyone out there had attempted the same sort of thing and run into any problems?
Obviously heat shielding of some sort between the heads and the master cylinder would be beneficial. I'm aware that changing to cable vs pure hydraulics will reduce directness of feel somewhat.
Also changing the brake fluid is going to become more of a hassle, but I'm willing to try it to clean up the front end of the bike a little like the old drum-braked fronts - whilst retaining the better stopping power of the disks.
Anyone have any comments good or bad?
Cheers,
S.
Post by kell on Jul 6, 2004, 5:34am
I seem to remember reading about a guy who ran a cable to mc under the tanks. It was in the latest issue of The Horse, an award-winning bike... unless I'm getting things mixed up. Anybody else see that article?
Post by suicideshovel65 on Jul 6, 2004, 10:03am
Ah, to have access to English language custom mags...
Having said that, the Japanese mags are top quality too - the photography is superb.
If anyone recalls any hitches that bloke might have come up against please let me know - I'm about to spend about a C-note on eBay for one of the Beemer master cylinders just to see...
Post by fasted53 on Jul 6, 2004, 12:22pm
kell, I did see that artical in TheHorse. I think they ran a cable down to a mc behind the trans. A pretty cool idea that would work good. Ed
Post by Mbskeam on Jul 6, 2004, 5:20pm
hello, check out EXILE CYCLES they are doing this also. they sell this set up I think. Hurst airhart has a unit that would work , a buddy told me they use to use them in the 70's dont now if they still make these. but I have seen them on ebay.
mbskeam
Post by suicideshovel65 on Jul 13, 2004, 2:50am
Hi everyone,
I've picked up a used Beemer master cylinder off the 'bay, and will start fiddling with it when it arrives. Will keep you all posted...
