Hand brake.

[AdrenalineJunky]

Looking to buy a std. 900 but not until I can source and handlebar mounted brake. I can't believe BRP chose to not put a handbrake again on a new model. Any thoughts or ideas as to sourcing of one of these?

[ARtraveler]

Try ISCI. They were the handbrake source for previous models of Spyder. Don't know about Ryker compatibility though. But...I would start there.

[AdrenalineJunky]

I did contact lamonster about it I just wanted to post a thread here cuz I couldn't find anything related. Was just to see how many would be interested in this product.

[Tslepebull]

The foot brake is one of the prime reasons I selected the Ryker. After my wreck last year my wrist and hand will never be the same. I am delighted to have anything that gets the wind in my face again.

[RV61]

I would be seriously interested in a hand brake setup myself, as I have a limited range of mobility in my right ankle. When first I saw the Ryker, I thought it was perfect for me, until I saw it had a foot operated (only) brake. After my many years riding 2 wheeled motorcycles, having handlebars in my hands *without* a brake lever to reach for ... it just seems wrong. I feel if I was riding a Ryker, I would just naturally reach for the brake lever with my right hand. The foot brake, even if I could adjust it to a usable position for my right foot, would take some time to get used to.

[Chupaca]

may be an interest but in most cases the need for the hand brake was due to foot isssues. The brake system operates all brakes and is computer controled so it is simply the same as the foot brake. As AKspyderman stated ISCI is the only one making them for the spyder and they are costly but don't know if they have one for the Ryker yet. There does not seem to be a way to have a front brake and a rear so operating the hand brake for the whole system is quite heavy. We shall see...

[QuasiMotard]

I'd like to see the OPTION for an aftermarket hand brake as well. I ride lots of scooters (as well as motorcycles) and I'm accustomed to having the brake levers at finger's reach. It's an accepted motor memory because of the motorcycle standards all over the world.

The front brake lever (or at least the one on the throttle side) is particularly important in traffic because it's bio-mechanically faster for your fingers to reach that lever (~1-2 inches away) than it is to move your foot position to reach the rear brake lever (or the only/combined brake lever in the Ryker's case). Most riders can "cover" the front brake with a couple of fingers to further reduce reaction times... I do this over 90% of the time in the city, and it has saved my bacon more times than I can possibly count. Covering the rear brake is trickier because of your body position and weight distribution on the bike... covering the pedal means that you're likely RIDING the brake and not COVERING it... which is even more dangerous in traffic (e.g. brake light activated when it shouldn't be, so cagers don't get the visual clue if/when you REALLY slow down).

This is all academic for experienced riders, so I don't mean to lecture or condescend. However, the Ryker is marketed to newer riders (both young and old), that may not have that knowledge or experience. This is another of those deciding safety or usability factors to keep in mind about riding the Ryker. The simple fact of not having a brake to "cover" has already caught me somewhat unprepared a couple of times in Houston traffic.

As for the ISCI hydraulic master/slave actuator solution... it may be tricky to adapt to the Ryker because the brake reservoir, master cylinder, and related switches/sensors are attached to that sliding footpeg assembly. There isn't much clearance behind the side panel for the slave actuator to grab the brake lever. The second complication is the adjustable cam brake pedal pivot (adjustable up/down throw)... where/how to attach the slave actuator arm to the pedal regardless of the users' height selection becomes the dilemma. Spyder's don't have the adjustable brake lever throw, so there is a fixed point to attach the slave cylinder arm to activate the pedal.

The only way I can immediately see a solution, while keeping the full adjustability of the right peg/brake levers, is to put the new (handbrake) master cylinder inline with the existing master cylinder's output (with a check valve, before proportioning/distribution block, and ABS pumps, of course). Honda has used CBS (combined braking system) on their scooters for years... so it can certainly be done. However, that's not a bolt-on kit, and certainly not a good idea for warranty/safety claims because you're violating/modifying the brake system integrity outside of the manufacturer's design. So, hopefully someone else can think outside the box on that solution, or maybe Can-Am can design a factory-authorized (dealer-installed/certified) accessory to address the need/desire for a handbrake.

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QM

[Easy Rider]

There does not seem to be a way to have a front brake and a rear so operating the hand brake for the whole system is quite heavy.

What exactly do you mean by "heavy" ?
The stiff pull is mostly because the ISCI system has it's own return spring......in addition to the stock system one.......and the combination is WAY too stiff.
A spring change fixes that......mostly.

[Chupaca]

What exactly do you mean by "heavy" ?
The stiff pull is mostly because the ISCI system has it's own return spring......in addition to the stock system one.......and the combination is WAY too stiff.
A spring change fixes that......mostly.

Not so much the springs and returns as you say those can be adjusted but the ones I have tried on other spyders required a lot of pull to get the brake to operate. Never did an emergency stop and this may have changed over the years and some have changed the master to get more out of the system. Like most I did miss the front brake but quickly got used to not having it. One advantage on the RS manuals is the park brake can be used a backup in a bind...

[Easy Rider]

Not so much the springs and returns as you say those can be adjusted but the ones I have tried on other spyders required a lot of pull to get the brake to operate.

Think about that for just a minute.

The hydraulic pistons themselves take almost NO effort to move......until the brake shoes fully contact.

It is the RETURN SPRINGS that makes the lever hard to pull.
They also sap some of the power that you apply that could be going to the brakes themselves.

[Triumphcycleman]

I also would love a hand brake but I think it would be a very difficult proposition on the Ryker unless it actually integrated directly into the hydraulic line on/near the master cylinder. The ISCI setup which I have installed on the RT/St/RS/F3's actually piggybacks over the stock setup without intruding on its function. It uses a separate master cylinder and slave cylinder to capture the pure mechanical "push" lever action south of the factory system. It absolutely requires more effort than you'd normally expect from a hydraulic hand brake. It is moving the arm at an attack angle not consistent with the original system (see picture) and using, I believe a smaller master cylinder (piston diameter). I never felt as tho I could actually quickly stop a Spyder without a herculean effort.

[Chupaca]

Think about that for just a minute.

The hydraulic pistons themselves take almost NO effort to move......until the brake shoes fully contact.

It is the RETURN SPRINGS that makes the lever hard to pull.
They also sap some of the power that you apply that could be going to the brakes themselves.

True....but as Triumphcycleman post #11 states the hand operated master does not operate the pistons on the caliper but a system that operates the exsisting foot brake and using that master to operate the pistons. All in all it works but not like the one on your two wheeler...

[Easy Rider]

True....but as Triumphcycleman post #11 states the hand operated master does not operate the pistons on the caliper but a system that operates the exsisting foot brake and using that master to operate the pistons. All in all it works but not like the one on your two wheeler...

You got off track here.
The question was: Is it the extra return spring on the ISCI mechanism that makes the lever hard to pull.....and the resulting braking action seem "soft", and the answer is: Absolutely. Partly.

In addition, the hand lever doesn't have as much overall mechanical advantage as the pedal itself does.
But you can make a SIGNIFICANT difference in the perceived performance of the hand lever by reducing the back pressure from the springs.

Nothing you can do, as far as simple changes go, will ever make the hand lever as good at stopping as the foot pedal.
Part of that is pretty much nobody's hand muscles are as strong as their leg and ankle muscles.