Getting a better front brake feel?

Some years ago I purchased a Magura master cylinder brake lever with the 13mm sleeve, wonderful

but now I can't remember who I bought it from, anyone know who sells this nowadays?

alternatively, I have heard that the stock MC can be re sleeved as well, any information on this?

thanks!

I sleeved my OE MKIII master cylinder with a kit I got from Vintage Brake in Sonora Caifornia. I turned the chrome off the disc and use Forodo brake pads.

No it doesn't stop like a modern bike but it's much better than it was.

i had a re-sleeved mastercylinder from RGM absolute nightmare to bleed worked ok then i bought a mastercylinder kit from Andover Norton which utilises the original switches very pleased and with a bigger disc from RGM braking is much improved more feel and a lot better stopping

I recently fitted the AN kit. The improvement is remarkable. I hesitated because it is quite expensive but it was worth it.

Your life is more important than just a cheap fix, I went for a complete Grimeca set up, 12" floating disc and master cylinder and S/S line from RGM and brought my front brake to modern standards after having a major scare with the old orginal brakes and 2 falls from bad brakes, that was 4 years ago now and would never go back to orginal front brakes, my Norton brakes work as well as my new Truimph Thruxton and haven't had any problems with them.

Remember there are more cars and trucks on the road these days compaired to 1974 and some drivers don't give a shit about motorcylcest, they cruise in their sound proof cars, talking on their mobil phones and don't look whats behind them or beside them when they change lanes.

Ashley

ashman said:

Your life is more important than just a cheap fix, I went for a complete Grimeca set up, 12" floating disc and master cylinder and S/S line from RGM and brought my front brake to modern standards after having a major scare with the old orginal brakes and 2 falls from bad brakes, that was 4 years ago now and would never go back to orginal front brakes, my Norton brakes work as well as my new Truimph Thruxton and haven't had any problems with them.

Remember there are more cars and trucks on the road these days compaired to 1974 and some drivers don't give a shit about motorcylcest, they cruise in their sound proof cars, talking on their mobil phones and don't look whats behind them or beside them when they change lanes.

Ashley

Click to expand...

My rebuilt Mk III came with S/S sleeved master cylinders and front S/S brake line.
I can't compare it to the original as I never had one.
But it is far more progressive than my Combat front disc brake ever was. That thing
had about a 1/4" lever movement then a solid brick wall. And the bike didn't stop, it slowed.
The Mk III won't throw me over the handle bars and is not up to modern standards, but
acceptable for me. I just allow a good deal of space from cars, and am not in a city environment.

Many years ago a local racing identity in Sydney was trying to tell me the Norton disc set up
was an early attempt at anti lock brakes. Well they certainly achieved that! No way was the sucker
ever ever going to lock up the front wheel!!

1up3down said:

Some years ago I purchased a Magura master cylinder brake lever with the 13mm sleeve, wonderful

but now I can't remember who I bought it from, anyone know who sells this nowadays?

alternatively, I have heard that the stock MC can be re sleeved as well, any information on this?

thanks!

Click to expand...

http://www.nocnsw.org.au/technical/comm ... linder-mod

ashman said:

Your life is more important than just a cheap fix, I went for a complete Grimeca set up, 12" floating disc and master cylinder and S/S line from RGM and brought my front brake to modern standards after having a major scare with the old orginal brakes and 2 falls from bad brakes, that was 4 years ago now and would never go back to orginal front brakes, my Norton brakes work as well as my new Truimph Thruxton and haven't had any problems with them.

Remember there are more cars and trucks on the road these days compaired to 1974 and some drivers don't give a shit about motorcylcest, they cruise in their sound proof cars, talking on their mobil phones and don't look whats behind them or beside them when they change lanes.

Ashley

Click to expand...

Unfortunately that Grimeca Master Cylinder is no longer available....would like to get one if I could....having to make do with Honda copy from David Silver....that is 14mm, but I have a Lockheed race caliper, 12mm would be better feel. Lockheed master cylinders are pricey and actually designed for twin discs at 16mm or more....

This might give you all a clues as to why there is a problem with the standard setup.....


http://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm

SteveA said:

This might give you all a clues as to why there is a problem with the standard setup.....


http://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm

Click to expand...

Steve,

I'm afraid that sizing chart is pretty much a lost cause with some. Time after time I see postings here that are convinced it's the brand of master cylinder that makes the difference. "I've got a Brembo!", not knowing what size it is or what size caliper they are trying to pump. Some don't seem to realize you could have a master cylinder off a Moto GP bike, but if the caliper(s) are not sized right the brake would be crap. It's all about physics.

I had a 27.79:1 ratio with a Grimeca caliper and Grimeca master with a 12" floater on my Norton. Damn near as good as my factory dual Brembo setup on my Beemer.

It's not so much keeping your distant from other cars, its the ones that pull out in front of you from side streets and cars that change lanes without looking, I was riding in the left lane the other day beside a car in the next lane I was right beside the passenger front door when all of a sudden the car came into my lane pushing me to the edge of the road, the driver didn't even look to the side till I blew my horn, but she still kept coming, the car that was following her was amazed what he had seen and was shaking his head when he went past me, some poeple just don't care when they are on the road.

So good brakes are needed in today enviroment, life is to short and if it cost money to have good brakes, I want to live to ride my bikes for as long as I can as I don't want to leave this world till I am 105 :wink:

Ashley

For those that have kitted the stock round master, have there been any failures with any of the kits? Love the look of the round stock unit but it needs to be problem free.

So good brakes are needed in today enviroment, life is to short and if it cost money to have good brakes, I want to live to ride my bikes for as long as I can as I don't want to leave this world till I am 105 :wink:

Ashley[/quote]

You are right of course Ashley. Nothing is worth your life!
But why drop off the perch at 105? Whimp!
I'm shooting for 200!!

I like the look of the Norton brake disc and calliper.
My Mk III has S/S sleeved master cylinder and S/S lines.
Not up to modern standards but not too bad and good progressive feel.

I don't ride in the city at all. Out here in a country town the risks are minimised.
Used to be a city hacker but not any more. Never will be again.

I also don't wear a full faced helmet, I don't like them.
In summer I ride in shorts, T shirt and sand shoes. Used to
ride in thongs until I ripped one apart on a sharp right hander.
Cost me a whole new pair of thongs!

It is no excuse or reason for, but I have never hit, nor been hit
by a car in nearly 50 years of riding. So whilst everyone tells me
what a reckless idiot I am. I just keep doing it.

Dangerous? well everything is dangerous and it is a matter of balancing
the risks. I was thinking of a new front brake but decided against it
as I am happy with what I have got.

Also, don't want to bend my forks with crash stops.

You are right of course Ashley. Nothing is worth your life!
But why drop off the perch at 105? Whimp!
I'm shooting for 200!!

I like your way of thinking, but a 105 will do me as all my mates be long gone and I only want to hang around to drink all the free piss at their wakes.


I also don't wear a full faced helmet, I don't like them.
In summer I ride in shorts, T shirt and sand shoes. Used to
ride in thongs until I ripped one apart on a sharp right hander.
Cost me a whole new pair of thongs!

I have been wearing a open face helmet for over 40 years now, I only wear a full face when out on my dirt bike (Honda CRF450X), to many threes step out in front of me.

As for thongs I stopped riding with them when I dropped my bike on wet and greasy road when I was 18 years old and put a foot peg through my left foot, took month for it to heel, after that it don't take to long to put boots on.

It is no excuse or reason for, but I have never hit, nor been hit
by a car in nearly 50 years of riding. So whilst everyone tells me
what a reckless idiot I am. I just keep doing it.

I have never hit a car but I have had a car run straight over the top of me while I was stopped to give way for a car while turning into a mates place when I was 17 years old, my bike didn't even get a mark on it but it stuffed my left knee up for 4 months, 37 years later I still have a stuffed knee from that crash.

Dangerous? well everything is dangerous and it is a matter of balancing
the risks.

I still ride as hard as I did when I was young, life be to straight if we didn't take risks.

Ashley

Hi guys!

I am absolutely with Jim……the brand oft the master-cylinder doesn`t matter.
The diameter of the mc-piston makes the difference. [and also a Stahlflexleitung…..sorry don`t know the english word for this steel hose right now….makes it better….just a little….]

I also got the RGM 12“ floating disc with the Grimeca caliper [2 pistons with 41mm diameter each]

….according to the vintagebrake chart:

you`ll get with a 11mm mc-piston the recommended ratio from about 27.

And it realy works and feels good with this ratio!

My mc is a Brembo PS11….with an adjustable lever......

And just a tip from my personal experience:
don`t buy a used/secondhand mc……i bought 3 for realy cheap money…..and all 3 were defect.
It isn`t the money, but the time and the annoyance when you recognize that this f**king-thing won`t get bleeded……

Have a nice day! chris