Installing a Front Disc Brake on a Series ‘C’

[BigEd]

If you want disc brakes, oversized engines, 5 speed gearboxes etc, etc, why not buy a modern bike and get all the superior reliability, braking etc that comes as standard? I ride classic, veteran and vintage bikes to enjoy the experience that riders had back in the day. Personally I ride according to my brakes and road conditions. When you're riding a veteran with a stirrup front and dummy rim rear, a standard Vincent's brakes seem awfully good. Just my view of course!!

I have several modern bikes that have excellent handling, good brakes and more than enough performance. I enjoy riding them. I have a Vincent Rapide that I also enjoy riding. All my bikes provide a different riding experience. I also enjoy making improvements to all my machines. I agree that we all should try to ride according to our brakes and road conditions. The problem is that other drivers on the road may not always be doing the same. In cases like this I like to think that I will have enough stopping power to have a chance of avoiding an accident. I doubt that riders of older motorcycles will ever have the stopping ability of a modern 4 wheel vehicle with ABS braking etc. I think that increased stopping power on our old vehicles will usually be advantageous and improve our chances of survival. Just my view too.

 

[druridge]

My Rapide runs the disc set up shown on ClassicBiker's photo (2012-09-14 103220). I think Dave Lambert engineered this conversion. I understand the discs are off an 80's 250 Honda, the master cylinder is similar to the one in another of CB's photos, mine's off a Yamaha, I think a 600 (Fazer?). The calipers are Grimeca; these are copies of the AP Lockheed Racing calipers from the 70's. They are faithful replicas (ish), such that they are allowed in some classes of Classic Racing. They take pads & pins off Norton and Triumphs, which gives some choice of pad grade. Mine have the hoses hanging like the washing lines in the photos. This set up could look a bit better with hoses of the right length accessing the top caliper banjo; hoses can also be ordered with a black sheathing outer. Standard Lockheed master cylinders for Tri/Nor are large bore which tended to give a 'wooden' feel. Sleeved master cylinders are available to eg 13mm, maybe from Norvil (?). I'm hoping to make a Brembo MS off a Guzzi V50 work for me.

 

[erik]

you can buy superior drum Brakes from Vincent Speet.excellent made with the classic Outlook.this is the way i went and i can highly recoommend this Brakes.Erik

 

[b'knighted]

you can buy superior drum Brakes from Vincent Speet.excellent made with the classic Outlook.this is the way i went and i can highly recoommend this Brakes.Erik

I looked up https://www.vincentownersclub.co.uk/index.php?threads/some-are-ready-now-new-2x2ls-brakes.8395/ and found all details except price and availability.
Last year I worked out the price for a complete renewal of standard Shadow front brakes and found the price for the Club 8" but didn't have the 2LS price to compare. A disc setup would potentially appear to offer significantly lighter brake operation albeit with the disadvantage of requiring MoT.

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

I looked up https://www.vincentownersclub.co.uk/index.php?threads/some-are-ready-now-new-2x2ls-brakes.8395/ and found all details except price and availability.
Last year I worked out the price for a complete renewal of standard Shadow front brakes and found the price for the Club 8" but didn't have the 2LS price to compare. A disc setup would potentially appear to offer significantly lighter brake operation albeit with the disadvantage of requiring MoT.

Ian
Go to pg 59 of last months MPH 829 (Feb 2018) and there is VSM advert for the 2LS brake with a price of 1250 Euros.
The new MOT regulation coming in in May this year are still not fully clear as the motorcycle guidance has not been fully published. If nothing changes then disc brakes could be OK for no MOT but as usual with Government legislation its as clear as mud.

 

[davidd]

For those who might consider discs: I suggested the TL 1000 rotors because they came very close to fitting an original Vincent hub. This means when you make an adapter to mount the rotor to the hub it is a small piece of aluminum and easy to make.

It is fine to use any rotor you wish, but if the bolt circle of the rotor is large it means making a large adapter.

Also, if you are trying to do it on the cheap, I think Sam paid $250 on Ebay for the rotors, calipers with lines and master. It is probably a little more now, but I took a look on Ebay because another Vincent owner asked me and the prices are still pretty good. One caution, stick with the older calipers, which are Tokico. I found out that the new 6 pot Nissins do not work well because they are impossible to bleed. Many have switched to the old calipers.

Finally, dismounting the brakes is no more difficult than taking the wheel off and unbolting the caliper mount from the brake anchor on the fork. Slip off the master and you can be back to stock in much less time and trouble than changing a tire if you have a stock wheel to swap. If you do not have another front wheel, it is probably as much trouble as changing a tire.

David

 

[BigEd]

For those who might consider discs: I suggested the TL 1000 rotors because they came very close to fitting an original Vincent hub. This means when you make an adapter to mount the rotor to the hub it is a small piece of aluminum and easy to make.
View attachment 20765
It is fine to use any rotor you wish, but if the bolt circle of the rotor is large it means making a large adapter.

Also, if you are trying to do it on the cheap, I think Sam paid $250 on Ebay for the rotors, calipers with lines and master. It is probably a little more now, but I took a look on Ebay because another Vincent owner asked me and the prices are still pretty good. One caution, stick with the older calipers, which are Tokico. I found out that the new 6 pot Nissins do not work well because they are impossible to bleed. Many have switched to the old calipers. .........

David

If you are sourcing parts for a disc conversion where possible buy the master cylinder that was originally fitted with the calipers . This way the master cylinder piston diameter is matched to the calipers so that your leverage and feel at the handlebar lever are correct. If you are using an unmatched master and calipers find out what the original master cylinder diameter was and find one the same. On the Kawasaki items I used the master has what I assume is the diameter cast in, 7/8".
I found parts from a Kawasaki Zephyr on eBay at a reasonable price. The job lot came with master cylinder, two hoses, calipers and discs still bolted to the wheel with tyre. (Anyone short of a Kawasaki front wheel with tyre? )
When looking at the options to improve my braking one of the reasons for going the disc conversion route was cost. Ignoring my own time spent the whole thing cost me less than 1/5th of the cost of 8" brakes or twin leading shoe brake plates. All of these three options require no significant changes to the original parts and so are all easy to put back to standard.

 

[erik]

here in Germany you would not pass TÜV (mot) with your classic Vincent and disc Brakes.and you would loose insurance on the road if youwould fit it later.with the Brakes from Vincent Speet it is not Problem.@ bknighted: look in the mph Journal there is an advetisement VSM or vspeet@vsmmetaal.nl ;best regards Erik

 

[BigEd]

Here in Germany you would not pass TÜV. (mot) With your classic Vincent and disc brakes you would lose insurance on the road if you would fit it later. With the brakes from Vincent Speet it is not a problem. @ bknighted: Look in the MPH Journal, there is an advertisement ,VSM or vspeet@vsmmetaal.nl ;best regards Erik

A good point from Erik. If you are considering any modification to your bike you should check that your modification is not contravening laws or requirements in the country where you live.

 

[bmetcalf]

Here is a reference: http://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm