:agree: to that reasoning, however i also think that they could/should make an accessory that will allow a hand brake to be added even if it does exactly like this mod does and just uses the foot brake. It will help those of us with disabilities as well as those who still have a 2 wheel with a hand brake to not get used to using only the foot brake.
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Lamonster Hand Brake
- Thread starter Lamonster
- Start date
:agree: to that reasoning, however i also think that they could/should make an accessory that will allow a hand brake to be added even if it does exactly like this mod does and just uses the foot brake. It will help those of us with disabilities as well as those who still have a 2 wheel with a hand brake to not get used to using only the foot brake.
BIG APOLOGY
Inthe recent thread concerning the issue of the handbrake,I misrepresented myself on the thread,infact I stated an outright LIE!I stated that I accumulated 400'000 mi.,The fact is a total LIE!I made the statement out of total IDIOTCY AND HUBRIS!No legalese here I made a falsehood.I want to clear this up and apologize to all on the thread and ESPECIALLY TO LAMONT.I came off as a blowhard and idiot.In this medium I am a bit uncomfortable in expressing my views.I do not mean to make force of my opinion but it comes off that way.Lamont accept my apologies and I wish to say that it was not an attack on the proceedure just an opinion.My apologies to all on the site.
Inthe recent thread concerning the issue of the handbrake,I misrepresented myself on the thread,infact I stated an outright LIE!I stated that I accumulated 400'000 mi.,The fact is a total LIE!I made the statement out of total IDIOTCY AND HUBRIS!No legalese here I made a falsehood.I want to clear this up and apologize to all on the thread and ESPECIALLY TO LAMONT.I came off as a blowhard and idiot.In this medium I am a bit uncomfortable in expressing my views.I do not mean to make force of my opinion but it comes off that way.Lamont accept my apologies and I wish to say that it was not an attack on the proceedure just an opinion.My apologies to all on the site.
I haven't looked in on this forum in awhile but this time I wanted to see what new posts there might be about adding a hand brake to the Spyder.
It was interesting to see the posts about the use of front brakes on two wheel bikes. This was because I just finished converting my 1947 Matchless front brake from an almost ineffective drum to a hydraulic disk system. I love riding the '47 Matchless but it seemed like it took a city block to stop. The rear brakes on these old bikes aren't very good either so using both didn't help much.
I went to a large motorcycle dealer and picked out a hub that would fit my forks. It was from an Yamaha TTR230 and used the same disk as the TW200 which I just happened to have a disk, caliper, and master cylinder in my parts box, from my second TWTrike conversion. The beauty of this hub and disk from a small displacement bike was that it was not an oversize brake for the size and weight of the Matchless so modulation during a quick stop is easy without the brake "grabbing".
The second ride on my antique bike with the new disk brake I had to make a fast stop. What a difference! I sure was glad I made that change. :yes:
I realize this is off to the side of the main topic but I definitely want the hand brake on my Spyder because I ride many different motorcycles that have one thing in common - a brake lever on the right handlebar. It's quicker and easier to feel how much force you are applying.
BTW - If you are interested in seeing the Matchless conversion go to www.vintagebikeOC.com and page through the December photo page until you come to the photos of the Matchless. The vintage bike meet (once a month) organizer posted before and after shots.
Frank
It was interesting to see the posts about the use of front brakes on two wheel bikes. This was because I just finished converting my 1947 Matchless front brake from an almost ineffective drum to a hydraulic disk system. I love riding the '47 Matchless but it seemed like it took a city block to stop. The rear brakes on these old bikes aren't very good either so using both didn't help much.
I went to a large motorcycle dealer and picked out a hub that would fit my forks. It was from an Yamaha TTR230 and used the same disk as the TW200 which I just happened to have a disk, caliper, and master cylinder in my parts box, from my second TWTrike conversion. The beauty of this hub and disk from a small displacement bike was that it was not an oversize brake for the size and weight of the Matchless so modulation during a quick stop is easy without the brake "grabbing".
The second ride on my antique bike with the new disk brake I had to make a fast stop. What a difference! I sure was glad I made that change. :yes:
I realize this is off to the side of the main topic but I definitely want the hand brake on my Spyder because I ride many different motorcycles that have one thing in common - a brake lever on the right handlebar. It's quicker and easier to feel how much force you are applying.
BTW - If you are interested in seeing the Matchless conversion go to www.vintagebikeOC.com and page through the December photo page until you come to the photos of the Matchless. The vintage bike meet (once a month) organizer posted before and after shots.
Frank
intothenew
New member
Open your eyes!
I came here for research, Martha wants a new ride. I don't think it is too hard to figure out what that could be.
I came with the prejudice of a "hand" brake as a must. After reading this thread, and listening to Martha, that just may not be the case. Terrific thread!
Lots of ingenuity, and lots of pragmatic opinions. Garage space just moved to the top of the list. I have learned to suppress my two wheel instincts and listen to the end user. I cannot commend the Lamonster enough, if it was for me, there would have to be a small chicken bar at the throttle.
This is going to be fun.
I came here for research, Martha wants a new ride. I don't think it is too hard to figure out what that could be.
I came with the prejudice of a "hand" brake as a must. After reading this thread, and listening to Martha, that just may not be the case. Terrific thread!
Lots of ingenuity, and lots of pragmatic opinions. Garage space just moved to the top of the list. I have learned to suppress my two wheel instincts and listen to the end user. I cannot commend the Lamonster enough, if it was for me, there would have to be a small chicken bar at the throttle.
This is going to be fun.
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
Welcome! When my wife was looking for a ride, she considered bikes and scooters. Never found anything that suited her. Then she saw the Spyder. The lack of a hand brake, and the presence of a clutch lever worried her at first, the brake even more so after her MSF course. In a few short parking lot sessions on the Spyder, a few rides around the neighborhood, and then ventures onto the highway, that was all quickly forgotten. It is as natural to her as riding a bicycle. I don't worry with her riding with me, either, like I am sure I would have on two wheels. She sticks right wityh me on my BMW, with a grin ion her face. I might add that I find the Spyder just as nice to ride, and adapt to the differences immediately when I switch back and forth. I'm sure you won't regret buying a Spyder!
-Scotty
I'm very happy with my adaptation of the NEXUS hydraulic hand brake system now.
One thing I hadn't mentioned before was that I got so used to the "foot brake only" on my Spyder that I found myself beginning to not use the hand brake on my two TWTrike Yamaha dual-sport conversions. That bothered me, because like most motorcycles, my trikes foot brake only brakes the rear wheel. I felt I was beginning to form a bad habit there, especially in an emergency stop. :yikes: Now that I can stop the Spyder with a hand brake, that newly aquired bad habit should fade away.
This is an unusual situation that applies to me, because all three of my trikes have the two wheels in front, so I had a tendency to feel like I was riding the Spyder even when I was on the TWTrikes. I could ride any of my other two wheel motorcycles and not fall into that foot brake only habit, it only began to happen when riding one of my other dual front wheel trikes. :shocked:
One thing I hadn't mentioned before was that I got so used to the "foot brake only" on my Spyder that I found myself beginning to not use the hand brake on my two TWTrike Yamaha dual-sport conversions. That bothered me, because like most motorcycles, my trikes foot brake only brakes the rear wheel. I felt I was beginning to form a bad habit there, especially in an emergency stop. :yikes: Now that I can stop the Spyder with a hand brake, that newly aquired bad habit should fade away.
This is an unusual situation that applies to me, because all three of my trikes have the two wheels in front, so I had a tendency to feel like I was riding the Spyder even when I was on the TWTrikes. I could ride any of my other two wheel motorcycles and not fall into that foot brake only habit, it only began to happen when riding one of my other dual front wheel trikes. :shocked:
I have spend many hours designing a kit, based on the original idea of Lamonster, that could be made without the need to weld brackets onto the footbrake pedal.
My design uses a braket that pivots from a stud and wraps round the underside of the brake pedal and into a position where cable can be attached. As there is only a 10mm gap around the foot pedal boss I had to make the bracket go around both sides of support casting which holds the micro switches for the brake light and over-travel detection.
When the brake pedal is depressed the lever justs hangs there and the cable is kept under tension.
Its easier to look at the photos to get an idea how it works. It took me a day to make and about 2 hours to fit and it works a treat......
Handbrake assy 1
What do you think of it.....
G'day Old Fart,
John from Australia here,
Congradulations on an impressive modification.
I am very interested in your modification for a front brake lever.
The bracket looks relatively easy to fabricate, just fiddly..
Just a couple of questions, if you don't mind.
What lever and cable etc did you use?
And what material did you use for your bracket?
I am looking at doing this because I intend to fit a set of highway pegs and like the security of being able to get to the brake quickly in an emergency if my feet are on the h'way pegs.
I have installed a number of extras to my Spyder including Corbin seats, Givi Panniers and additional rear lighting in the panniers as well as MM rear light.
Also modified the tail to give it a cleaner look as per attached photo. We here in Oz have to have a reversing light, so needed to make it look good.
I would be grateful for your assistance.
regards,
John
:2thumbs:
Hi John,
The cable I used was a Honda cable #43460-HNO-A-00 rear brake cable from a TRX 450, it is 80" long.
The lever is a universal one for a 7/8" bar, which I found on ebay.
The plate is 3/8" aluminium, it took a while to get the profile right to go round the brackets, there are also 2 spacers required at the pivot point so that the bracket sits in the centre of the foot brake lever.
I have changed the design slightly so that the cable can be placed in one of 4 positions on the 3/8" plate this enables the pull on the handle bar lever to be adjusted giving a hard or soft pull (short or long lever travel).
I understand that NM is working on a kit so maybe an off the shelf version is not far away.
Mike
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