BRP Hand Brake?

[GA-SPYDER]

I like Lamonster's hand brake system, and want one----I wonder when you activate the foot brake, does it slack the cable and cause a problem? How do you keep the hand brake lever from going limp or slack. I bought the lever---I need a cable and the parts at the lower bracket to bolt for the cable going to the brake shaft. Where do I get the parts?

As Lamont explained in his mod thread, the parts are not available comercially. They are strictly hand made, no kits, ect. Possible liability issue. The pictures in his thread are very good and are what I used to make mine. I happened to have the M109r clutch cable that he talks about.:thumbup:

 

[Roaddog2]

Maybe they could put the shifter on the right side and the rear brake on the left side for some of us.:joke:

 

[NancysToy]

After 50 years of riding, I do find I reach for the front brake on the Spyder quite often. The fact that it isn't there doesn't cause a problem, though, since my foot is simultaneously hitting the brake pedal. Too many years of dirt riding and hard road racing to use only the front brake, and I have never used just the rear. So, it doesn't bother me any more that it isn't there when I grab air, than it does to use my left foot for the brake on my Triumph. I also don't find that I forget about the front brake on my bikes after I ride the Spyder. I don't know why, except maybe that each machine has it's own controls, so it is not any different than hopping in your car. I have yet to try to use my hand for the brake, clutch, or throttle on that. Your mind generally adapts quite readily.

Would I like a hand brake on the Spyder...yes. Convenient at times, I'm sure. Is it a necessity for me...no. I doubt I'll go to the trouble of rigging one, but had it been an affordable option, I might have gone for it. Nancy had no riding experience, so she could have cared less. It is perfectly normal to her the way it is.
-Scotty

 

[bjt]

No, I don't have a bad taste about BRP. Many of my friends work for them as did family members. My bringing up some of the compaints both owners and test pilots have with their PWC was just to show that suggestions made by their employees as well as the public, often fall on deaf ears. Hopefully this will not be the case with the Can-Am. As for what the cost would be to add a hand brake, I would imagine that the Spyders built in profit margin would easily cover it. but that would be for the bean counters to determine.

Richard

Like most companies suggestion department, I'm guessing that BRP's is driven by cost savings or increased profits. If they can change something at little or no cost to the company and make the customer happier, I'm sure thats no problem. Any suggestions that add cost without a big payback benefit are probably not approved.

EDIT: BTW, I voted that I could go either way as I don't ride anything else but the Spyder and, like Scotty's wife, this is perfectly normal for me.

 

[tnfleming]

I strongly agree with the following: "there are no stupid questions, just stupid people who ask questions.". So here's a stupid question: does the Lamonster hand break still have anti-lock ability?

 

[NancysToy]

I strongly agree with the following: "there are no stupid questions, just stupid people who ask questions.". So here's a stupid question: does the Lamonster hand break still have anti-lock ability?

Any hand brake, cable or hydraulic, that works through the existing brake system, will retain the ABS and electronically distributed braking features. All these brakes do is provide an additional place to actuate the brake, they do not split or otherwise modify the brake system function.
-Scotty

 

[hondaman]

the spyder does need a hand brake!when I bought mine I reached for it and allmost ran out in traffic leaving the dealer.I never used the rear brake riding sportbikes,The front brakes would pull the rear tire off the ground at any speed.So the rear was not needed for me.My outlander has a crazy brake setup also.What was brp thinking?

 

[DJWanek]

Hand Brake

I rode Motorcycle's for the last 28 years and because of age and agility problems I ride a Spyder. I would definately like a hand brake on my trike. Love this web site. Read it every morning. THANKS

 

[Oldfart]

I am happy using the footbrake, it took a bit of time to get used to it but I still felt the need for a hand brake, so I followed Lamonster's idea and made my own cable operated system.

It has taken a while to perfect the design but the mods now work great, the reach to the lever and the total movement of the lever is ok but it is quiet heavy to use. The design allows for different settings so it is just a case of experimentation get it just right for me.

The modification is easy to install, no welding required just one tapped hole in the footpedal for the pivot bolt. The actuation lever rotates around this pivot when the footpedal is depressed keeping the cable and lever in the correct place.

There are four diffrent positions where the cable can fit to this lever this enables diffrent ratios/movements of the hand lever to be used to obtain the best feel/lever movement, this also will enable diffrent types of hand lever to be used.

I did think of making a hydraulic system but the availability of parts and the overal cost put me off.

The basic design is shown in another thread.

If this modification is of any interest I am willing to cost it out and supply a complete kit, handle bar brake lever, cable and all fixing brackets so that all you have to do is fit it and take the responsiblity of it's safe opperation yourself.

Let me know what you think.......

 

[retread]

Hey, Oldfart, how about working drawings? I'm looking at a hydraulic setup, but the expense is way beyond reasonable.

john

 

[dogtired]

How expensive is expensive? As an avid KLR650 owner, any mod that's not free, costs more than $10, or is made to function outside of its intended design is considered "expensive" ie. the ole' used milk-crate carrying box/rack

But seriously....what kind of cash outlay are we talking about when doing a proper hydraulic hand-brake mod? If pressure to either or both control levers resulted in the same amount of braking performance, that would be totally cool! Longtime motorcycle riders on SM5s would feel at home...muscle memory and all.

I'll go out on a limb and opine that most of us have ridden bicycles with some sort of hand brake control....and almost any wheeled contraption where one straddles a saddle automatically causes a symbiotic muscle memory control relationship between one's hands and one's bottom

Thanks!

 

[RTGENE]

Make me stop

Dear Lamonster


I really want a hand break but lack the skills and ability to make or install one.
Can I go to a dealer and ask if they will fabricate one for me and install it ???? sure I can----- I will have the laughter ringing in my ears for weeks after they turn me down.
So here is the challenge-----you know people who have the skill and ability to do this job.
I will help install so there is no liability for them----- so if it comes to $400.00 I am all smiles. If it comes to 500.00 I'm still smiling but not as big.
Let me know where and when I am to show up with my silverspyder
Gene
Plus can you recommend a good motel near by.

 

[Peoriafirefighter]

I've let a lot of people ride my Spyder and the first thing they do is reach for the hand brake. My buddy Ron was backing his out of the shop the other day and it's a little down hill and the first thing he did was reach for the hand brake that wasn't there to keep him from rolling backwards. He was able to stop it before he ran into my truck but you can see where I'm coming from here.

I let Dale from Wheels Through Time ride my Spyder yesterday and when he got back I was telling him that the Spyder didn't come with a hand brake and that I added that myself, he couldn't believe that and said he used it several times on his ride and thought it was factory.

This is not about if the Spyder stops fine without a hand brake or if you can get use to it, it's more about why we should have to get use to it seeing most of us came off of motorcycles and still ride motorcycles that have hand brakes.

So please vote and let's see what you guys think.

I vote they should have the hand brake.

 

[Sara]

Hand Brakes Parts

What cable and what length should it be?

 

[BRPjunkie]

From the reply posted in another thread here today regarding BRP rep at MC show, BRP will not offer a hand brake (or highway pegs), so those who want one will have to go with designs offered by others.

 

[Sara]

Hand Brake Through Copper Tube

I went to the local Bicycle Shoppe----got an excellent hand lever and a 60" cable----stopped and got 60" of small, copper tube-----I'm going to direct the cable and tube through the right side of the Spyder with clamps holding down the copper tube----coming up directly below the brake pedal, and this will be a very basic hand brake system---the least complicated is generally the best for me. I will also make no alterations to the Spyder----I think it's going to work.

 

[dogtired]

From the reply posted in another thread here today regarding BRP rep at MC show, BRP will not offer a hand brake (or highway pegs), so those who want one will have to go with designs offered by others.

Sounds like they are sticking to their guns inasmuch as Eric Buell sticks with his inside-out front brake...just to be "different".

 

[trikester]

I'm in the process now of implementing the design posted on this forum by "Nexus". I have just received both the master cylinder and the "push" slave cylinder. I like the solid feel of a hydraulic system so I'm going with that, even though it is more expensive. :cheers:

 

[jarhd3]

hand brake

I was on this thread before and had to apologize because my remarks came off too strong as to regard to the addition of the front handbrake mod.I just finished a bike for a fellow Marine who lost his rt.lower leg in Iraq and made ALL the controls work from the handlebars.The front and rear brake work with the rt. handbrake position on the bars and the bike stops excellantly.This is an instant where the disability called for the mod. to be done and I would like to see this mod offered to ALL persons w/disabilities on EVERY MOTORCYCLE!Manufatureres could do this for every motorcycle enthusiast.As for the Spyder,I say NO!The brake system works fine and with a little tweeking(pedal adjustment,bleedind,ETC,)the stopping power coupled with the abs makes the Spyder safe and fun to drive.I have no problem switching from time to time riding my other bikes and then getting on the spyder and no having to remember about the front brake control.The spyder gives me a different feel and abit more relaxation in traffic with only having to handle just one brake activation.For those w/disabilities,the front brake mod is a god send.:chat:

 

[Lamonster]

As for the Spyder,I say NO!The brake system works fine and with a little tweeking(pedal adjustment,bleedind,ETC,)the stopping power coupled with the abs makes the Spyder safe and fun to drive.I have no problem switching from time to time riding my other bikes and then getting on the spyder and no having to remember about the front brake control.The spyder gives me a different feel and abit more relaxation in traffic with only having to handle just one brake activation.For those w/disabilities,the front brake mod is a god send.:chat:

Looks like you're in the 12% group.
81% would like to have a hand brake.