brakes

[dvjoiner]

I have a 87 goldwing with a sidecar with sidecar I use the back brakes more then the fount,now can I switch the front hand brake to power the rear brakes and the rear pedal for the front I know I will have to re plumb the lines but will the front master cly. be enough for the unified brakes

 

[zman]

Anything is possible but the bores are different in the cylinders because they were designed for 2 vs 1 piston, then there is the distance of fluid travel, with the 87 you brakes are linked but it sounds like you already know that but to make it independent you will need a whole lot of custom brake lines as well.
Don't think I would do it but if your determined it could be done, don't know or have heard of it being done, perhaps it has been done for a disabled rider..may want to google brake,goldwing hand controls maybe throw in disabled and may find a post to give a lead on what size cylinder to use etc.

 

[Rednaxs60]

When you use the rear brake pedal, you get the rear brake and right front brake caliper exclusively. The front brake lever only activates the left front brake caliper. Changing the activation lever for the rear brakes will not change the use of the system. You mention that you predominantly use the rear brake and not the front; however, you are using one of the front brake calipers as well.

Another issue to consider is what would happen should you get into an emergency braking situation. Most of us drive our cars/trucks more than our bikes. When an emergency situation occurs, most of us go into auto pilot and revert to what we know most and best, that is how we drive our cars/trucks and the first are we go for is the rear. If you change the activation of the rear brakes to the handle bar brake lever, you will loose a lot of braking power further compounding an already stressful situation.

The procedure that I have been taught for emergency braking on all the advanced riding courses is rear brake, front brake and downshift, in this order. Unless you practice emergency braking on a regular basis such that you have the procedure engrained into your muscle memory, the front brake is the last item considered in an emergency situation, but one of the most important.

Changing the rear brake to activate only the front brake will only give you the left front brake caliper for stopping power instead of the rear brake and front right brake caliper.

Having stated the above, the last issue to consider is what your insurance company would do if you were to make such a significant change to an essential safety system on your bike. I truly like innovation and will try most anything to mod an older bike, but will not play with the brake system.

You must also remember that these bikes were not designed to use sidecars, or haul trailers around. These are all aftermarket innovations that we, the riders feel are great assets. I would recommend you change your brake pads yearly (pads are cheap), and overhaul the calipers every two years.

I would go further and recommend that you have your clutch rebuilt as well as it will undergo increased stress and wear more quickly than if you were not using a sidecar. I have had to pull the engine on my '85 LTD to do stator work and on recommendation, have rebuilt the clutch. The PO towed a trailer and there are 120,000 Kms on it. The steel discs were overheated and scored, and the damper plate rivets are extremely loose. The new damper plate that I will install (can't bin the damper as there is too much play in the clutch stack even with the addition of two additional steel discs) has no movement between the steel plates.

Just a few thoughts on your issue. Good luck.

 

[Ansimp]

Ernest I agree with you in not modifying the design of the vehicles original braking system as you are compromising design rules etc. My solution would be an additional master cylinder for the sidecar operated by the rear brake lever in parallel with the original. I found it interesting reading about your emergency braking procedure which is the opposite to mine for all the bikes that I have ridden and are currently riding. If/when I get the 86 1200 together I will be changing the braking system back to a conventional system where both front discs run off the front master cylinder for maximum breaking from the front. I don't like the idea of one bike that needs a different emergency braking procedure to the others, as you said in an automatic response it needs to be the right decision. :yes:

 

[Rednaxs60]

Had some additional thoughts on this issue. Upgrading the brake lines to SS braided teflon brake lines would be a good brake performance enhancer. the OEM brake lines are probably original and after 30 odd years are probably due for a change. You could also consider changing the rear to a 1500 unit. I'm not certain as to the difference in the rear brakes between 1200 and 1500, but there could be some additional braking performance by doing this change. You could also scour the internet to try and find an aftermarket caliper that would provide better braking performance.

Cheers

 

[Believer45]

Another consideration is the amount of force applied to the master cylinder piston by your leg in original configuration (probably 15-20% of your body weight plus fairly large calf muscles) versus the squeezing strength of your hand as you propose should you use it to apply the rear and one front brake.

 

[Ansimp]

While we are on the subject here is a great video :good:
[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqa6-i5N8kM[/video]
Front bias only applies to unlinked braking systems.

 

[dan filipi]

Good video.

 

[dvjoiner]

I ask is with the side car when I come to a curve sometime I have to slow down to make the turn safely and with using fount brakes only the side car try to keep going strait when using back brakes it don't just my riding style I like to ride with my legs on my highway pegs so it would be easy with hand brake to brake both rear and left front unified