Rapide front brakes

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
On the dive/no dive topic, it's interesting that the latest greatest front forks, the Showa big piston used on Thruxton R, late model GSXR and other bikes with names that end in R, has an anti dive feature built in. It seems to make cornering at speed a lot easier than with the previous generation sportbike front end, that is anything built before 2014. Maybe I should say anything built between 1955 and 2014 :)
Glen
I rode the Yamaha GTS 1000 hub center steerer in the 1990,s "Aint no front end dip" on that magic machine
a bike well ahead of its time and like rear end springing in HRD /Vincents time the motorcycle public was (and is) far too conservative. I wish I could have afforded one.
I am sure its time will come.
 

Robert Watson

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I had the use of a GTS 1000 Yamaha and here is my take on it. (Yes Bruce, it was Tony's demo one)

The non adjustable windscreen directed the air flow directly at the bottom of my helmet and made the noise intolerable.

My 1953 John Deere tractor with straight cut gears shifted smoother than that thing. After all those years why could they not make a gearbox that even shifted and nicely as a stock Vincent twin?

I never did get far on it as the two above mentioned issues distracted me so much the handling became a moot point.
 

vibrac

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Mine was a standard bike demonstrator from flitwick motors in Bedfordshire and they went on to race one at the TT Steve Linsdell said he had never ridden a TT and finished so fresh he and Ollie also had it at Silverstone one track day and it was fast!
 

Cyborg

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Anti dive on the Comet. Hopefully one day before too long I can test it out.

945A4F3B-3C10-4E2A-AB12-0EF2D186EEE2.jpeg
 

Tony Cording

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Ah yes, the Yamaha GTS. Let me first of all tell you the things i liked best about the GTS. First it was a free demo bike for a year. Second, the insurance was paid for, third the gas came free and service was included. Oh yes, if i met with a dealer and we had lunch - it was covered by expenses. What's not to like. However, beyond the personal benefits what did i think of the machine. For those of us who remember there was much magazine chat about how engines were the only focus and suspension was being left behind. The GTS was Yamaha's gambit into new directions, as they had done many times in the past. I am an average rider so could never put the GTS through its paces the way a Robert W. would do, but I could certainly give an evaluation of how I found the bike. My biggest negative was engine heat which was trapped by the fairing sides and baked your legs. Notchy gearbox, yes, windshield did not blow in my face, but my riding posture is different to Robert's. As for the front new wave front suspension the great thing about it was you didn't notice what it was doing so well, there was no discernible feeling of "soaking' up the highway bumps and lumps it was so smooth. I rode from the north of Vancouver Island on the old island highway, notorious for its poor surface and on stopping for breakfast in Nanaimo it was only then it occurred to me that the ride was so plush. So there you have it, the suspension worked, but it was before its time, and given the average rider's [propensity from steering away from out of the ordinary (PCV knew all about this) it is no wonder the GTS was phased out, a significant but minor blip of the motorcycle highway. Take care and stay safe.
 

Matty

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VOC Member
For those who want to know about and setting up Vincent brakes, in addition to the above there is more and useful information in an excellent article on page 23 of the July 2020 issue of MPH.
Though whatever method is used it becomes obvious once the mechanics are understood
 

danno

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
For those who want to know about and setting up Vincent brakes, in addition to the above there is more and useful information in an excellent article on page 23 of the July 2020 issue of MPH.

Thanks. Didn’t know bout that.
 
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