Brake lever safety spring for rearsets

[solbero]

I had to replace the rear brake cable and thought I would add a brake lever safety spring. I know the spring is made for the original brake lever, but I thought I might be able to modify it.

Does anyone have any suggestion on how I could modify the spring? Or pictures of a finished modification?

 

[baz]

I had to replace the rear brake cable and thought I would add a brake lever safety spring. I know the spring is made for the original brake lever, but I thought I might be able to modify it.

Does anyone have any suggestion on how I could modify the spring? Or pictures of a finished modification?

View attachment 123637

Do you need one for rear sets?
Is the lever long enough to dig in if the cable snaps?

 

[solbero]

Do you need one for rear sets?
Is the lever long enough to dig in if the cable snaps?

That might be true. It is a bit hard to tell if the lever would reach the ground when the motorcycle is on the stand. But it probably doesn't have the pole-vaulting-potential of the original.

 

[baz]

That might be true. It is a bit hard to tell if the lever would reach the ground when the motorcycle is on the stand. But it probably doesn't have the pole-vaulting-potential of the original.

View attachment 123653

Having asked if you need one or not it is nice to have a return spring
I have used modified oxy acetylene strikers like this type shown
Just bend it to shape without heating https://share.google/qrCImNvzC5iEGeD40

 

[SteveBorland]

I had to replace the rear brake cable and thought I would add a brake lever safety spring. I know the spring is made for the original brake lever, but I thought I might be able to modify it.

Does anyone have any suggestion on how I could modify the spring? Or pictures of a finished modification?

View attachment 123637

At least on my bike, if the rear brake lever digs in, I have rather bigger problems - by that time, I will be sliding on my arse and the bike will hopefully be departing in a different direction to me!

 

[concours]

At least on my bike, if the rear brake lever digs in, I have rather bigger problems - by that time, I will be sliding on my arse and the bike will hopefully be departing in a different direction to me!

To clarify, a broken cable scenario can conceivably cause the lever to drop & dig in during level flight, due to the pivot geometry, versus hard cornering.

 

[baz]

Not brake pedal related but I was riding my commando some years ago when someone on a bike came up behind me flashing his lights at me waving me down
I pulled over and realised he was flashing me because my side stand was down
The problem was the spring had broken
He gave me a bungee cord to strap it up
I don't know if a side stand could have you off but I've no wish to find out!
Maybe someone should bring out a double spring like they have on Japanese bikes

 

[MexicoMike]

Has this ever really happened to anybody - the cable broke, the pedal dropped and caused the bike to crash?

 

[Andy Higham]

With rearsets the chances of the pedal hitting the ground is quite remote due to the much shorter pedal length.
A return spring is still useful to ensure the brake releases even if the cable or pedal pivot gets a bit sticky, as can happen when it rains

 

[concours]

Has this ever really happened to anybody - the cable broke, the pedal dropped and caused the bike to crash?

Never heard a single account.

 

[baz]

Has this ever really happened to anybody - the cable broke, the pedal dropped and caused the bike to crash?

I've never heard of it
But it can't hurt fitting a return spring for the sake of a few quid
Most bikes of that era had one as standard

 

[MexicoMike]

My mom used to say, "If we have nothing to worry about, we'll INVENT something to worry about!

 

[SteveBorland]

To clarify, a broken cable scenario can conceivably cause the lever to drop & dig in during level flight, due to the pivot geometry, versus hard cornering.

With rearsets, at least on my bike, this cannot happen unless the lean angle is 80-odd degrees - the lever is short and mounted high up....

 

[ando]

The side stand down is an issue. A friend of mine was killed when he rode off with the side stand down. The first left hand corner that he attempted resulted in him being thrown from the bike and being killed.
David

 

[concours]

The side stand down is an issue. A friend of mine was killed when he rode off with the side stand down. The first left hand corner that he attempted resulted in him being thrown from the bike and being killed.
David

Not likely it was a Commando or a Harley, the geometry is conducive to dragging back.
The stumpy designs (many Jap bikes) are more likely to pole vault.