Thumb Brake

Linking the rear caliper into the same braking system as the front calipers is quite feasable. The only difficulty would be in finding the correct size of master cylinder to use and fitting a pressure limiting valve into the rear brake line.

[Richie]

Originally Posted by madness

Linking the rear caliper into the same braking system as the front calipers is quite feasable. The only difficulty would be in finding the correct size of master cylinder to use and fitting a pressure limiting valve into the rear brake line.

you are not allowed by law only to have one braking system on a motorcycle. There must be a two.

Motor bicycles registered on or after
1 January 1927, must have an efficient braking system with two means of
operation or two braking systems with
separate means of operation. Various locations may be used for
braking controls. Some motor bicycles have both braking systems operated
from the handlebars and some are linked
where both the brakes to the wheels can
be operated from either control.

My Guzzi was linked braking although IIRC you could apply the back brake on it's own.

[Richie]

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

My Guzzi was linked braking although IIRC you could apply the back brake on it's own.

Yes but did it also have a rear brake pedal ?
yes, so it had two braking systems.


MOT standards

Originally Posted by Richie

Yes but did it also have a rear brake pedal ?
yes, so it had two braking systems.


MOT standards

Yes it did - but I believe the front brake applied both and the back brake pedal just applied the back

[Richie]

So it still had two braking systems, I've never said any thing about twin braking systems, The VFR800 in the garage has the same sort of system (see post no#9).

I simply stated a bike with only one braking system for both front and rear is not lawfull.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Richie

So it still had two braking systems, I've never said any thing about twin braking systems, The VFR800 in the garage has the same sort of system (see post no#9).

I simply stated a bike with only one braking system for both front and rear is not lawfull.

Technically could you get round this by attaching a parachute to the back of the bike for the mot...or would it need to be e-marked

[CheGuevara]

I think some stunt guys use a second lever on the left bar to operate the rear brake - I'm not sure if it's hydraulic or cable-actuated.

I used to have a TZ250-based supermono project. The TZ has a thumb-operated fast-idle control: Looks like the thumb-brake control but it's attached to a cable. I had planned on using it as a poor man's thumb brake by connecting a cable to the rear-brake lever. Not sure if it'd provide the desired power, but might be worth a shot for cheap.

Originally Posted by Richie

So it still had two braking systems, I've never said any thing about twin braking systems, The VFR800 in the garage has the same sort of system (see post no#9).

I simply stated a bike with only one braking system for both front and rear is not lawfull.

Now I'm just confused it was just idle chit chat to point out that I knew about my guzzi having a linked braking system - I wasn't trying to say it only had one braking system -

I'll go away now

Thanks everyone for the posts.

Don't think I want to be messing around with switching brake lines to just the front lever, as Ophic said, don't think I'd feel comfortable not having control over distribution of braking power. I'd rather just buy a thumb brake assembly.

Not bothered about DLVA/Insurance, as said in original post, the SV is my only mode of transport so I'll pay whatever admin fees/premium I need to to get back on the road (Now into 5th month of not being on the bike )

Richie - Many thanks for all the useful info.

Thanks again.