front disc brake

I fitted Matts cNw Brembo kit to my Commando and was perhaps guilty of ‘familiarity‘ meaning I’d kinda gotten used to it and forgotten how good it is. On the track it’s on the edge to be honest, even with race pads fitted it fades after a long session, never enough to be an issue, but enough to let you know it’s happening.

On the road that doesn’t happen and the braking power is perfect. The feel of the brake and the ergonomics of a dog leg lever make a BIG difference. Having the adjustable span is nice too. Add to that a built in brake light switch and it makes for a really nice unit.

Then a little while ago I purchased a very nicely restored T140 cw with standard disc set up. I’ve ridden with these kind of brakes a lot in the past and with different pads and braided hoses fitted I’ve always been happy.

Not this time, after the cNw set up, the T140 brakes really did feel like squeezing a brick! Hyde disc, braided hose, 13mm master, replica racing caliper, a collection of different pads later and I gave up with it. The T140 now runs a Brembo master cyl from Matt and a 4 pot Brembo caliper, after some initial disappointment whilst it bedded in, its now bloody fantastic.

A worn cam (less power) and a faulty speedo (reading way to fast) can make a stock Norton brake seem good though...

I am sure everyone knows this. But when messing about with front brakes, any make (hydraulic), make sure you have at least 1mm play between piston and lever cam.

I was never happy with my stock disc setup. Always had a wooden feel. Worst feature for me is the stupid round pads. They should have made them square or rectangular as 99% of other makers brakes. When my bike was my daily rider, in winter the disc would end up with just a thin strip in the centre that wasn't rusty because the narrower edges of the pad wore away. I had to clean up the disc with emery cloth and replace the pads several times in the winter months. Only good feature of the Norton brake is that it looks neat.