H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres (Front) Brake improvements
- Thread starter DucATIRadeon
- Start date
So long as the bike can be returned to standard and mods make it work better whats the problem ? there are plenty of standard bikes around and strangely a high % of them are not used. Anyway I have fitted Bramptons so there is a retro mod/improvment ! fit that into the "keep it standard" mantra
Trouble is I have had these bikes so long I forget people value them more than when I bought a Comet engine for £15 and a complete twin for £65
What's the point of riding an old bike with modern upgrades? Wouldn't it be simpler to ride a modern bike?
Well in case you hadn't noticed, traffic has changed a bit since Vincents were built, not only in volume but also in performance, especially braking ability. Also with the removal of asbestos, brake linings have in general gone through a period of reduced performance, not really a problem with disc brake or servo brakes but for our old mechanical brakes it is.
As a Vincent rider you have some of the best brakes of the period but even these are sadly lacking compared to ANY modern vehicle so eventually you will run into trouble.
Having decent brakes in no way alters any of the rest of your chosen mounts attributes.
Among my stable is an 11-50 Brough Superior, a vehicle I would be reluctant to ride anywhere much with the standard front brake, however it isn't and so I can actually use it with confidence and in no way could it be equated to a modern machine.
as Chris says above.
I started with a Ducati single with drum brake (hardly working, used rear more than front), then got my license on disc brake bike. never had a new bike, always old Ducati's with drum brakes. the best one I had was a Condor A350 with 200mm lump drum front and rear (interchangeable, neat!). in due course came a pantah and parallel twins, KTM's and larger Ducati's, all with disc brakes, and those are needed with the increased power and weight.
I've sold ALL my modern bikes and kept the old bangers for their charm and ride them almost daily.
the vin has much more power than the brakes can decelerate in the ever shortening stopping distances created by most pathetic egocentric blind wankers wearing baseball caps sideways and their windows bulging with every beat from their stereo's in their BMW/VAG cars; if not being cut-off from <censored> in their VAG/BMW/Volvo/French cars with optional indicators...
so improving brakes on an ol' banger is not the reason to get a modern bike, but to save yourself from others creating the undesired circumstances. that's why most got a license: its your GCSE in "how to avoid randomly generated obstacles on the road" course.
sorry if I get a bit carried away on this, it really really annoys me; have been hit-n-run 2x already by these types, and 4x by Volvo/bmw office <censored>. yes I have a thing against European and xxxvo cars.
besides, braking ability is a higher priority than speed in my mind...
I started with a Ducati single with drum brake (hardly working, used rear more than front), then got my license on disc brake bike. never had a new bike, always old Ducati's with drum brakes. the best one I had was a Condor A350 with 200mm lump drum front and rear (interchangeable, neat!). in due course came a pantah and parallel twins, KTM's and larger Ducati's, all with disc brakes, and those are needed with the increased power and weight.
I've sold ALL my modern bikes and kept the old bangers for their charm and ride them almost daily.
the vin has much more power than the brakes can decelerate in the ever shortening stopping distances created by most pathetic egocentric blind wankers wearing baseball caps sideways and their windows bulging with every beat from their stereo's in their BMW/VAG cars; if not being cut-off from <censored> in their VAG/BMW/Volvo/French cars with optional indicators...
so improving brakes on an ol' banger is not the reason to get a modern bike, but to save yourself from others creating the undesired circumstances. that's why most got a license: its your GCSE in "how to avoid randomly generated obstacles on the road" course.
sorry if I get a bit carried away on this, it really really annoys me; have been hit-n-run 2x already by these types, and 4x by Volvo/bmw office <censored>. yes I have a thing against European and xxxvo cars.
besides, braking ability is a higher priority than speed in my mind...
If you don't know why I cant tell you
Has anybody tried to limit the extension range of the girdraulic ? I´d think when limiting the extension of the shocker no downward facing lower link would happen in any situation and so no tank slapper may develop ? Certainly somebody would have to dig inside the shock for adding a few o-rings or washers as limits in there.
Vic
Vic
No, I really don't know Tim, probably because I don't own a car or a modern bike, I live in a city of 800 000 and ride old British bikes to work in the surroundings all year long, rain or shine. All with drum brakes and Amal carbs. Annual mileage is about 8000 miles.
I just try to ride sensibly within the limits of the machines.
I just try to ride sensibly within the limits of the machines.
hi ericg, I can't speak for French townships and cities, however Dutch roads are getting more crowded and filled with busy lunatics than ever before. even in the northern province where I live, our "empty quarter" it can still be busy with similar lunatics and ever increasing road population. Netherlands is already small compared to UK and DE and FR, even with Portugal and Belgium!
I changed the 2LS drum on the Enfield Bullet to a later disc version (as found on the efi Enfields), glad I did as its the daily of the bike stable. that drukwrake didn't work as the Indian quality casting of the braking plate was chickenfeed to start with (it flexed already under load before actually braking!). missus on the back lost 8 out of 9 lives whilst breaking for a junction, and we wasn't going fast at all (a bit like jogging pace).
so yes I still prefer improving the stock brakes to keep its original appearance rather than fitting a disc brake.
I will admit: if the Vin was going to be used a lot more (i.e. the Enfield and Ducati bevel were out of service for a considerable while) I'd seriously consider looking into disc conversion!
I changed the 2LS drum on the Enfield Bullet to a later disc version (as found on the efi Enfields), glad I did as its the daily of the bike stable. that drukwrake didn't work as the Indian quality casting of the braking plate was chickenfeed to start with (it flexed already under load before actually braking!). missus on the back lost 8 out of 9 lives whilst breaking for a junction, and we wasn't going fast at all (a bit like jogging pace).
so yes I still prefer improving the stock brakes to keep its original appearance rather than fitting a disc brake.
I will admit: if the Vin was going to be used a lot more (i.e. the Enfield and Ducati bevel were out of service for a considerable while) I'd seriously consider looking into disc conversion!