I'm so tired of trying to fabricate a pivot system for a disc brake setup and then it hit me, would it be possible to just get a longer brake line and instead of running it to the front caliper just running it to the rear? I didn't plan on running a front brake anyway, I just don't know if it's possible. Would it blow the front master cylinder out? It might be a dumb question, it just seems too easy to actually work haha.
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Front brake - rear brake conversion
- Thread starter MurphDog
- Start date
danxs650mass
XS650 Enthusiast
i have seen that done on more than one bike on here but i cant think about riding with no front brake around here
No reason why this would not work, you may need to change your master cylinder to something that more suits the rear brake caliper, have a look at vintage brake chart HERE to work out what size bore your master cylinder needs to be.
May pay you to check out your local regs to make sure it is legal but I agree with danxs650mass, running with no front brake leaves you with 60% less braking power & the standard XS dont have that much to start with
May pay you to check out your local regs to make sure it is legal but I agree with danxs650mass, running with no front brake leaves you with 60% less braking power & the standard XS dont have that much to start with
Last edited:
Sundie
Jabroni
Is the rear disc caliper different from the front? I thought they were identical...?
Could be Sundie, I got a drum brake on mine, just additional information if required, may want to change the feel going from foot operated to hand operated
gordonscott
XS650exhaust.com
Hi Murph, You can do it I would just recommend a modern master from a bike that runs duel front discs. I have done this but ran both front and rear from the handlebars and used a proportioning valve to adjust the ratio. After adjusting I found that just a "T" would work the same. If you do try this make sure to use stainless braided lines, I'm not recommending anyone do this just telling how I did it. Do so at your own risk!!! yada yada and so on 
Hi Murph, You can do it I would just recommend a modern master from a bike that runs duel front discs. I have done this but ran both front and rear from the handlebars and used a proportioning valve to adjust the ratio. After adjusting I found that just a "T" would work the same. If you do try this make sure to use stainless braided lines, I'm not recommending anyone do this just telling how I did it. Do so at your own risk!!! yada yada and so on
So you have both front and rear both operating off of one handle and just lowered the ratio to the front so you didn't go over the bars everytime you hit the brakes? Or did you rig up a second lever somewhere? Because if you can run both off of one level, I'd rather keep the front brake too.
Sundie
Jabroni
You actually want more bias to the front. Since weight transfer when braking puts more pressure on the front/less on the back, typically you'd run something close to 80/20 front bias to get both tires to lock up at the same time. In fact, i'd want to make sure the front locked up before the back did - if you don't set it up that way, you're leaving braking capability on the table. Or road, as it may be.
gentlemanjim
More Wrenchin than Ridin
My Moto Guzzi has linked brakes as do some Honda's and BMW's. Using one master cylinder to operate two wheel cylinders. The master cylinder should be of the bore size to accomodate a dual front disc set up and just buy two brake lines of the approproiate length and use a double banjo bolt (available every where) it's best to use the manifold block ( located on the lower triple tree) as the point is splitting the brake lines.
Sounds like a good plan one brake lever and aat least you will have reasonable brakeing effciency
Sounds like a good plan one brake lever and aat least you will have reasonable brakeing effciency
Are you using forward controls? If so could you mount the m/c up close to the brake pedal. Then just use a straight linkage.
I am using forward controls, but I don't quite understand what you mean? Could you elaborate?
Tech7
XS650 Junkie
smadams1065
XS650 Member
I like your setup for the rear brake. I am in the same boat.
So, my questions are how, what, where?
Is it all custom or did you buy a kit?
-Scott
I've owned bikes without front brakes but I'll never own another bike without a front brake. When wheels lock you have exceeded the ability of your brakes to stop and have lost most all directional control. Once you've had the rear of the bike pass you you will do two things: 1. Learn to use the hell out of the front brake and 2. Put the front brake back on the bike.
Frankly, after having ridden since the 1970s and having survived all sorts of stupid things I did to the bikes I've owned, if I were told I was only allowed to have one brake on my bike then that one brake would be on the front.
As a matter of fact: it was the burning up and complete ruining of the rear brake on a brand new '78 Superglide coming off a mountain pass carrying a passenger, luggage and camping gear (without a doubt, overloaded) that taught me the value and proper way to use the brakes on a motorcycle.
Looking back on it, I taught my son how to drive using a jeep with no brakes while driving around in the junkyard, if I were setting up a motorcycle training program at least part of the training would be on bikes with no rear brake.
Here's an experiment for you, a safe sort of braking demonstration: Get a sheet of glass and a model car with wheels that roll freely and a roll of tape.
Set the glass on say a 45 degree angle.
Tape the two front wheels so that they can't roll and let the car roll down the glass. The car will most likely slide straight down the glass.
Now free the front wheels and tape the rear wheels. Then repeat. The car will attempt to do a 180 degree spin then slide backwards depending on how long the sheet of glass happens to be.
I used to do this demonstration in the classroom when I trained truck drivers and DMV examiners.
Frankly, after having ridden since the 1970s and having survived all sorts of stupid things I did to the bikes I've owned, if I were told I was only allowed to have one brake on my bike then that one brake would be on the front.
As a matter of fact: it was the burning up and complete ruining of the rear brake on a brand new '78 Superglide coming off a mountain pass carrying a passenger, luggage and camping gear (without a doubt, overloaded) that taught me the value and proper way to use the brakes on a motorcycle.
Looking back on it, I taught my son how to drive using a jeep with no brakes while driving around in the junkyard, if I were setting up a motorcycle training program at least part of the training would be on bikes with no rear brake.
Here's an experiment for you, a safe sort of braking demonstration: Get a sheet of glass and a model car with wheels that roll freely and a roll of tape.
Set the glass on say a 45 degree angle.
Tape the two front wheels so that they can't roll and let the car roll down the glass. The car will most likely slide straight down the glass.
Now free the front wheels and tape the rear wheels. Then repeat. The car will attempt to do a 180 degree spin then slide backwards depending on how long the sheet of glass happens to be.
I used to do this demonstration in the classroom when I trained truck drivers and DMV examiners.
Purplezinger
XS650 Addict
It's very simple. If you lockup a rear wheel, without a front wheel brake, it WILL THROW YOU TO THE GROUND.
"Beer leads to heroin; there's no question about it. In fact, mother's milk...leads to everything- acid, DMT.. Mother's milk leads to cannabinol..."
So that's why I kept falling off flat trackers for all those years . It didn't have anything to do with my inept or nonexistent riding style it was the lack of front brake ! That or mother's milk and all that led to.
My point is beware of ill informed blanket statements . I rode a goose necked , raked , stretch , spool for several years and never once did I get thrown to the ground . Quite the contrary . I was always able to steer (after a fashion ) because the front was NEVER locked up . I eventually came to my senses and returned to the original vice , mother's milk .
~kop
Purplezinger
XS650 Addict
Kop, All I can say to you is you were lucky. Fact is I did not make a ill informed blank statement. I also know there have been thousands of choppers without front brakes. A emergency, panic stop without a front brake will in most cases throw the bike down (often without warning). Take a MSF riding course. As I said if it didn't happen to you you were lucky.
