Foot Operated Front Brakes
- Thread starter Bama Tim
- Start date
Hi Bama--
I'm not trying to be a "horse's patute" hopefully when I ask this but ---Are you SURE you want to do this?? Why would you want this set-up,other than what you have already stated about cleaning up the bars. Please I'm only asking --- not besmirching your idea!!!! The thought of having to HARD BREAK the rear brake pedal cause someone pulled out in front of me and the front tire slidding out from under the scoot just makes me cringe a bit. I will admit I have no experience or do I know anybody that does with this scenario.
Lakerat
Member
I met a guy a couple of years ago at a ralley with an artificial right leg. He went the opposite way, making the front brake lever operate both. Some way the front and rear were plumbed together with an adjustable proportioning valve. He said it was a real adventure experementing with the valve until he got it reasonably right. He was also very aware of the limitations of how quickly he could stop. Wish I could offer more details, but it can be done. In my opinion, the loss of conrol during certain conditions would be unacceptable.
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for your concern. I was thinking of building a bobber and I have seen bikes in magazines that have front/rear brakes and do not have hand controls. It really looks good on a bobber to have clean apes... I just have no clue as how to do it or how the bike would react with them.... would it be like a truck???? there is only one pedal for 4 brakes on them??? I guess I am ignorant when it comes to this subject!!!
Thanks for your concern. I was thinking of building a bobber and I have seen bikes in magazines that have front/rear brakes and do not have hand controls. It really looks good on a bobber to have clean apes... I just have no clue as how to do it or how the bike would react with them.... would it be like a truck???? there is only one pedal for 4 brakes on them??? I guess I am ignorant when it comes to this subject!!!
I also am not sure where you're going with this. You're riding a Street Glide with a fairing so how much of a difference do "clean bars" make. Have you seen one set up like this that you're trying to duplicate? What about the brake reservoir, cruise and radio controls, clutch lever? I just don't see how you can ever have totally clean bars, unless we all misunderstood what you meant by this. Also, to directly answer your question, I would definitely not want one control operating both brakes, even with the afore mentioned proportion valve. At very low speeds and turning, using any amount of front brake can drop you so you'd have no way to eliminate this.
Hi Lakerat,
Seems like the feeling is that with both wheels on the same pedal there would be trouble stopping the bike or that the brakes wouldnt operate properly? I dont know.... I'm just asking??
2 wheels vs. 4 wheels is totally different. Hard to put into words but it's the fact that the bike can lean and basically operate in 2 dimensions as opposed to the truck pretty much being planted to the ground in one dimension - like I said hard to explain - someone else will do better than me!
Let me try Doc...
As far as one pedal for the four brakes, the master cylinder in that set up is a dual cylinder inside with two front brakes on one circuit and two rears on the other circuit for safety sake totally independent of each other so if you blow a line, you only loose two brakes vice all four.
On a bike as in most cars they require what is called a proportioning valve to operate the fronts and rears off one pedal which would vary the amount of force/pressure applied to front and rear respectively.
On a bike it wouldn't work out ideally under all situations probably because of the weight transfer being more active than in a car or truck. It could be done but wouldn't be the best IMO under all situations and I wouldn't care to find out the ones where it would be less than ideal.:s
As far as one pedal for the four brakes, the master cylinder in that set up is a dual cylinder inside with two front brakes on one circuit and two rears on the other circuit for safety sake totally independent of each other so if you blow a line, you only loose two brakes vice all four.
On a bike as in most cars they require what is called a proportioning valve to operate the fronts and rears off one pedal which would vary the amount of force/pressure applied to front and rear respectively.
On a bike it wouldn't work out ideally under all situations probably because of the weight transfer being more active than in a car or truck. It could be done but wouldn't be the best IMO under all situations and I wouldn't care to find out the ones where it would be less than ideal.:s
