Got lousy drum brakes? Fix 'em!

I've never ridden a large displacement Norton. My 750 is fun, but not what I would consider fast. Unless fast enough to kill ya counts.

In the using both front and rear 7" brakes example I gave, that's on the street in traffic and not riding fast leaning through turns. I have a pretty good handle on how to ride a motorcycle. Here is an example of my racing form:

Got lousy drum brakes? Fix 'em!
 
Al disc brakes are not fit and forget, if you do that then one day they will let you down and they will bite you on the arse, as all things they do need to be maintain for them to work 100%, change fluids every 2 years, pads need replacing when they are worn, seal perish and need replacing, rubber hoses if used need replacing, so they aren't fit and forget and as its been brought up not many are into racing 99% of Norton's are road ridden by their owners as well using your rear brakes with your front brakes will give you better stopping power although the front brake does all the hard work.
I am glad you don't ride on the road as everyone would be safer, as for spending $500 for a Japanese brake set up for a Norton I replaced my complete from brakes with a new full Grimeca set up for just over $500 that fits straight on the Commando front end 8 years ago and the set up works pretty good as good as my modern Triumphs.
Maybe you be better to just look at your bike in the shed as it has been a while since you have taken it out, I don't mean to say anything bad about anyone but your tales of road racing gets a bit long in the tooth and only a small lot road race their Norton's, not everyone are scard to ride on the roads.

Ashley
 
Schwany said:
...The little brakes I have don't hold stopping power long when pushed. Front shoes are soft, and rears are hard. I do have to remember use both front and rear brakes. The front brake doesn't get it done alone unless I'm pushing the bike around in the garage.
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You need a proper brake rebuild. A well-maintained Commando with decent quality parts should brake just fine (if not riding like someone who thinks they are on a modern bike)
 
Racetech Suspension is now doing drum brake setup and radiusing etc or all those who would rather send their drums out than try doing them in the garage. They are at every AHRMA roadrace event. Some classes REQUIRE drum brakes. A properly set-up 4ls drum can stop as well as a disc. The reason drum brakes were phased out of roadracing years ago is heat-caused spoke loosening, not lack of braking power.
 
grandpaul said:
You need a proper brake rebuild. A well-maintained Commando with decent quality parts should brake just fine (if not riding like someone who thinks they are on a modern bike)
Click to expand...
Do I now? Quite an assumption about what I need, my level of mechanical expertise, and how well my bike is maintained. It's not Commando for one thing. It's a P11 with little SLS brakes. It brakes fine for what brakes it has on it. I never said it didn't. I mentioned that it has limitations, and I never said I was looking for help from anyone on this site.
 
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Schwany said:
Do I now? Quite an assumption about what I need, my level of mechanical expertise, and how well my bike is maintained. It's not Commando for one thing. It's a P11 with little SLS brakes. It brakes fine for what brakes it has on it. I never said it didn't. I mentioned that it has limitations, and I never said I was looking for help from anyone on this site.
Click to expand...
Sorry, being the Commando forum (where I posted the original post), I assumed Commando. Can you see my point in that regard?

Well-sorted Commando brakes are quite good; I never rode a P11 enough to know how good the brakes were...
 
Well, the post got moved, and I got fooled into thinking it was fair game for any set of motorcycle drum brakes. If it were in the Commando forum, I would have reigned in my comment. I think I would have. Easy to say in hindsight.

I respect your post, and it was full of common sense and excellent advice.

I keep telling myself I should stick to likes only, but I guess I have a will power issue and on occasion break out with a goofy story.
 

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