Rear brake adaptation...

[The Anvil]

...for a guy with back problems. Here's the deal; my buddy Eddie has some back and hip trouble that makes it difficult to use the rear brake, especially in a panic. A lot of pain is relieved by using his highway pegs. My question is; has anyone had any success adapting any of the Honda linked braking systems or the thumb brake levers available from some manufacturers to the Valk? I'd really like him to have full use of the rear brake because it's such a big part of how the Valk stops.

[The Anvil]

Bump

P.S. I put this in GD by mistake. If admin could move it that would be appreciated.

[BamaDrifter64]

I just put the forward controls on my Standard.  He could install the brake side and then on the gear side, just use the foot peg mount and not hook it up to the shifter.  Basically gives him highway pegs with a brake pedal.

Dave

[The Anvil]

I just put the forward controls on my Standard.  He could install the brake side and then on the gear side, just use the foot peg mount and not hook it up to the shifter.  Basically gives him highway pegs with a brake pedal.

Dave

Not a bad idea. I've heard the shifter side is the bitchy one anyway.

[bscrive]

I don't know if this is legal, but could you not hook the rear brakes into the front brakes, by passing the rear master.  You would have to get a line made but then your buddy would not have to use his foot for the brake.  I know you guys will say that if you loose your brakes at the front master you would not have any brakes but in this situation he would not have much anyways.  Also, that is how cars work. Although, they have a double master.  I wonder why bikes don't have this, is it an emergency brake issue?

[fiddle mike]

I don't know if this is legal, but could you not hook the rear brakes into the front brakes, by passing the rear master.  You would have to get a line made but then your buddy would not have to use his foot for the brake.  I know you guys will say that if you loose your brakes at the front master you would not have any brakes but in this situation he would not have much anyways.  Also, that is how cars work. Although, they have a double master.  I wonder why bikes don't have this, is it an emergency brake issue?

Gold Wings have linked brakes. The rear brake pedal activates the rear and left-front calipers.

[YoungPUP]

how about a small clutch type slave cylinder linked into the front system and attached to the rear pedal arm. That would leave the rear pedal active in case of a front failure.

[Tx Bohemian]

I don't know if this is legal, but could you not hook the rear brakes into the front brakes, by passing the rear master.  You would have to get a line made but then your buddy would not have to use his foot for the brake.  I know you guys will say that if you loose your brakes at the front master you would not have any brakes but in this situation he would not have much anyways.  Also, that is how cars work. Although, they have a double master.  I wonder why bikes don't have this, is it an emergency brake issue?

Somewhere around the late 60s or early 70s cars came with a dual master cylinder, one half works the front and the other the rear.  

On these, and even the older cars without the dual cylinder, the fluid goes through a combination valve that, among other things, proportions which brakes (front or rear) get more/less brake pressure.  The front does 70% of the braking on cars due to the engine and/or transaxle weight.  I would guess a bike is different due to the better weight distribution.

With this in mind I would think just running a brake line from the front to the rear would be quite hazardous, especially in an emergency stop.
Could possibly cause a rear wheel lockup and little or no front brake stoppage, which wouldn't be good at all.

[The Anvil]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's all good stuff to consider.

I started working on the wiring for my handlebars today. What a pain in the ass.