Anyone run rear drum only

[Reid]

Just wondering how your bikes stop with the rear drum only? I currently run a 21" spool on the front and the stock mag on the rear with disc it looks bad but it stops ok. I recently picked up a kx650 drum rear wheel looks the same (or close enough) from what I can tell, but I dont want to put the effort in to respoking it if I cant stop the bike with it.

 

[jamesgs4]

My rear drum can lock up the rear easily, almost too easily. Disc brakes are easier to modulate, drums require a lot more finesse to keep from skidding during a panic stop.

 

[TheFish]

I agree with jamesgs4. I have and HD 21" on the front and a 16" HD laced to a Kawi hub on the rear. I have only rode mine a little bit since building it because I need to tear mine apart and it. But I am sure once you get used to it, it's not going to be that bad. I really want to find a 21" front drum. I just really like the clean look and not all the garbage hanging off the handlebars.

 

[650Skull]

looks cool not having that gear cluttering up the bars. 80% of your braking comes from the front brake so looking cool could get you killed or worse brain damaged.....sorry guys its a fact

 

[jayel]

there are tons of double front shoe brakes out there Honda 350 450 500 a little innovation goes a long ways

 

[Belle]

I am using this wheel & a front like it. Use the rear brake only quite a bit & it stops pretty good. They have a tendency to heat up & get dirty easily (brake dust) so I pull mine apart & clean it with some brake cleaner every 2-3 weeks. Works good though & looks tough as hell--to me.

TX 650--see the diagram from BikeBandit under 1976 XS650

 

[AceofSpades]

my brother found a honda enduro/dirtbike front that is 21" and drum brake.... works ok on his cb500 chop

 

[retiredgentleman]

I totally agree with 650Skull. Anyone that wants to ride with a rear brake only, has never had to do any emergency braking from high speed.

I guess you could poke along at 50 kms/hr, so you could stop quickly if you had to.

 

[ford6t5]

If you dont like the stuff on the bars then get a front drumbrake and a internal throttle to operate the brake. thats what i m going to do. another option is to use discs front and rear and connect them to your fwcontrolls hide the mastercilinder under the tank for the clean look. maybe you need a proportioning valve but not neseceraly.

see ya

twan

 

[Reid]

I have had a single brake set up on a sporty based bobber a few years ago where I used the front rotor and caliper on the rear, as well as a gsxr 1000 dragbike (single front) and it pulled 170 in the quarter. Both stopped well and I was comfortable with both.
I have thought of several options the drum wheel, a harley wheel with the harley brake suff that I have, some kind of a dirt bike wheel/brake setup, or some way of using the sportbike brake stuff that I have. I dont plan on high speed passes with my XS or even interstate speeds for that matter.

Aceofspades my brother also has a cb500 chop it now sports my XS front brake setup it took a little fab work but it came out pretty good.

 

[livingdeadmc]

I've had rear drum only and rear disc only on multiple bikes, I ride em' all like I stole em and have had to lock em both up going fast and slow with no issues....is it more dangerous yes, but you learn how to adapt. I ride a death machine now and I love it!

 

[mrriggs]

.....sorry guys its a fact

It's not a fact.

I've been riding daily, year round, for over four years with only a rear drum brake, and I am still alive. In fact, every bike wreck I've ever had has been on a bike with front brakes. The reason is simple. With no front brake you NEED to ride slower (like the posted speed limit), leave a generous gap with the car in front of you, and pay attention to what is going on all around you. Obviously, you CAN do all of that with a better performing bike but, if you are anything like me, you tend not to if given the option.

The point of this is not to say that nobody should run a front brake, because that it stupid. Like saying that everyone has to run one.

Your safety is determined by how you ride, not what you ride.

 

[Irish_prick]

i run only a rear drum on almost all my bikes and have no trouble stopping. just be careful and understand that it takes more time to slow and stop without locking up the brake. i power slide my xs2 like its a 20" bmx bike sometimes thow for the fun of it! To each there own when it comes to the speed'n part i do but no ones go'n to twist the throttle for u!

 

[pratstyle]

all i can add to this is from a safety side... i run both... but riding Mx growing up i use the rear more than i should . alot depends on local laws and how and where you ride... hitting the local scene back may be just fine.. taking a road trip... id be as safe as possible..

 

[Belle]

When using any number of brakes simultaneously--100% stopping power

Rear brake only--100% stopping power

Front brake only--100% stopping power

No brakes--down shifting to a stand still = 100% stopping power

Hitting car or some other formidable surface--100% stopping power

Sorry, I'm bored; school starts soon--100% stopping power


We all have our scars. That's why we're so interesting.

 

[yamasarus]

Gentlemen, you are seriously kidding yourself if you think you can stop as fast as with a front brake. Front brakes do 80% of the work, like Skull said. Pair off with a stock 650 in a brake test and he will watch you disappear over the horizon. And a locked up brake always tries to lead. it's never good when the rear is out running the front. But like someone said, "to each his own".
This is one long time rider who wants all his cards, both on the machine, on his body, and in his head.

 

[mrriggs]

So what if it can stop faster with a front brake? My bike, without a front brake still stops faster than my van. Does that mean that my van is a death trap?

Speed doesn't kill, it's the immediate stop that gets you. So, logically, better brakes are more dangerous than weaker brakes since they stop more immediately. Of course, I'm not serious about that but it makes as much sense as some of the "rear brake = death" comments.

Your safety relies entirely on your ability to ride within the means of your machine and the situation. I will concede that you can safely ride faster with a front brake. But that involves riding faster than the law allows. Like you say, to each his own.

 

[jd750ace]

I try to make sure the braking capacity of my bike at least matches curent production cars, lest I occupy the trunk of a Lexus that cobbs the brakes in front of me on account of a squirrel!
If you drive down the road ASSUMING that you are totally in control because you know how to ride, make sure you keep your peace with your maker! I have been in 3 on the road accidents on a motorcycle, and every one was precipitated by a cager being a DUMBASS! I can't count how many I have avoided because of powerful front brakes on my Roadstar and my SV650. I have ridden home with a broken front brake lever after 2 of them, and never felt so much like I was doing something stupid.

Do what you want, but I'll take strong reliable front disc brakes over a double shoe piece of crap any day.

$0.02 in the jar.

 

[650Skull]

I said could. All sorts of factors come into play when in a braking situation, the age and types of braking systems of the vehicle, wet or dry conditions, the awareness of the rider/driver and of cause the reason for the need to stop.

Was all this objection to the fact i mentioned it could, and i emphasize could get you killed/maimed or to the statement 80% of your braking comes from the front = less safe, or because i said "its a fact".

mrriggs i never said "rear brakes= death"

I will rephrase my statement. If in an emergency situation, relying on a rear brake only bike, will increase the risk of an accident that could result in a death or permanent maiming

 

[jd750ace]

Boy, everybody wants ya to talk like a lawyer nowadays!

Hell, on the evening news in Dallas one night, a man was FILMED shooting another person, got in a truck, drove off, led the police on a multi-mile chase, shooting at them, and the friggin anchor referred to them as a SUSPECT! If you are watching it happen, that's a damned PERP!

Jeezz! You can't even call a spade a spade. It's a slimline shovel!

Brakes are science. Stopping a motorbike from forward motion is a mechanical function, and the greatest mechanical leverage is from a FRONT brake. ANY front brake.

FACT. Science.

If you want to ride your bike around with no front brake, just don't ride behind me, unless we are running around a dirt flat track. (Springfield is this weekend)