Inexpensive Front master cylinder upgrade

This was such a great upgrade, I just have to share it. It's available from Northern Eagle or MikesXS; for about $69 ! It's a Nissin master cylinder that even includes the brake light switch. I combined it with a plastic coated braided stainless brake hose from Drag Speciaties. I rebuilt the front caliper, had the disc rotor turned, and installed new pads. This bike stops great !!! And, the total cost for EVERYTHING was about $120. If your on a budget, and want an upgraded disc front brake, I recommend this mod. I lost the right switches and kill switch, but put a switch cluster from a 1975 Yamaha 650 on the left for the hi/low beam, turn signals, and horn. Now wondering how to install just a kill switch on the right now. Comments ?

Very good strategy, not much in Norton land that yeilds such a good price/performance ratio; the Magura masters' are double (or there abouts) what you quoted for the Nissin.

In another note: Your pipes are very blue (too blue), do you ride a lot in traffic?

RS

No, I don't ride much in traffic at all. I've had the single Mikuni on since I finished the bike, and I made no jet or needle changes. Just used it as it came. The pipes turned blue pretty much right away. The bike runs great, and I have seen 54mpg before. ( which I really like. My first Norton only got 34mpg, and that with a single Mikuni as well. It's poor mpg is why I sold it. ) I would like to get more though, as my 1971 TR6C has gotten 58mpg ! Do you think my blue pipes are the result that it is a little too rich ???

I purchased a Magura unit from Old Britts a while back. It as a master cylinder/throttle unit in one. A little pricey, but a nice, functional system. They stopped selling them and I wondered where I would get a rebuild kit. I also did not like giving up the original throttle and although the Magura works good, it takes a special farrel. Thanks for the post. Good info. Good alternative.

About the pipe, I got a new set and had changed my timing cover at the same time. Upon firing up to time it , it was so advanced they started to glow before I could get the timing light to it.

I guess my question would be, will the blue subside or is the damage done?

I have gotten close to 60mpg with a single 34mm TM flatside.

The blue is a sign of very lean conditions. When I configure a 34mm Mikuni VM round slide carb for my customers (sea level to 5000') I install a 240 main jet (850) or a 230 (750), I use a 159 P 0-8 needle jet and a 6DH3 needle, both setups use a 35 idle jet and 2.5 slide cutaway. I envy your MPG, but gasoline is still far cheaper than valves, pistions...

You can scrub the blue off, at least once, with "BLUE-AWAY", I hear that it is expensive. The new (Hinckley) Triumphs twins I've seen all have really lengthy bluing, BMW Boxers do it as well. I'm sure that the Euro Spec-3 emmissions require this level of lean burn, but I am aslo sure that the manufacturers designed in an appropriate level of cooling; our Nortons were dsigned to run on the rich side.

RS

I was extremely pleased with the CNW Brembo MC kit. It makes the front brake (with good pads and an SS line) the equal of any current front brake - limited by the tire, not by the braking system. But it costs considerably more and if that Nissan can do that it's a heck of a deal!

A classic mini chrome kill button will just fit between the brake perch and the throttle housing.

Change the clutch lever to match and it will be perfect.

Jean

Blue pipes around the bend is normal. Too lean or too advanced or retarded all show up as extra exhaust heat. Beware of trying to remove the blue. I tried it using Blue Job and was sorry as as much as it removed the blue it also removed the polished shine leaving dulled chrome - more distasteful distracting than the normal shiny bluing of single wall tube. Show queens and double walled baggers are about only bikes w/o blue showing. There are coating by spray or metal deposits if you care to spend for less blues. Going too rich to cool exhaust is as bad as too lean coking up stuff and washing bore lube off and polluting engine oil.

I had a bad Boyer terminal install cause hi advance on starts and pipes turn cherry bright red at night all the way to the muffer connection within seconds of starting and then stalled out in seconds. It only takes a few seconds to reach permanent blue temps.

Thanks for the info Hobot (and all), I do appreciate it !!!

GrandPaul, where can I get the mini-chrome kill switch you mentioned ???

And, thanks for the input all, cheers !

Find one here"
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Triumph- ... 53e4b04657

nortriubuell, second looks at your Cdo make my groin tingle with the fit and finish!
But those pipes sure do look extra blue to me, a bit distractingly, so see your desire to lighten em up. It so blue looking I'd suspect some chrome alloy variation to stain so bright blue. Maybe sell em to me at used discount and get another set that's been ceramic coated inside, after the tune and timing settled well. My Ms Peel in best set up shot blue flames out the long megaphone about 8" inches, and EGT read 1375'F under full load with WOT.



Thanks for the ebay chrome kill button - similar to my P!!'s WOT shifter button and horn button, but be Real Clear this is not for emergency shut off, only a momentary torque cutter or noise maker. I can think of two situations me and bikes almost burnt up dead because it would not stay cut on its own. Someone needs to figure out and sell a real on and stay TF off kill safety kill switch.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to also put a pin/plug in the thing for a kill cord option too.

I have struggled of many things replacing real Norton on Ms Peel, her 2nd purpose in life besides pleasing me is rubbing her air cooled push rods up the smirks and snears I get from strangers in squid squads. So the more she looks obsolete the better I like it. If I go hydro clutch, there goes LH Norton switches and the deadly trouble making kill toggle, hm, so in turmoil now on Peel's Norton remains.
Ah - can't take the pressure, everything but kill worked fine so will keep it Norton on Peel with big chrome button gleaming with all the dial gauges clutter.

Awaiting parts or would be on Trixie recovery in 40' F tonight.

It is true that a grounding kill would not work with a E.I. but with a relay and some clever work.....

I used a relay to power Peel Boyer, so key or kill cut power to relay which cuts power to Boyer. One spark on each key off or kill button toggle. Fun with fingers in spoke untangling baling twine with bike on side stand on hill slope in gear to keep from rolled away and ya bump an unknown bad connection and it fires to lurch forward. I'd just kill buttoned off and parked rather than reaching to key off, ugh.
I and a few others have gotten back on bike after a short park and key'd on in N and it fired and started. Wish Harley had 7/8" switch gear to choose from.

Peel may end up with wireless switch-less controls in gloves.

Went this route with my master cylinder. I then welded the original lever to the base of the new one in order to match the clutch. Just need to polish a bit, and done.

Blu-Away should be named Chrome-Away. Once it is blue there is very little you can do. Hey that rhymes.

Kreem makes a goop (Blue Shield - http://www.kreem.com/blueshield.html) that you can coat the inside of new header pipes with that helped my pipes keep from turning the blue-purple that you have. (No it isn't a show queen!) I did two coats and it has held up for quite a while, like years.

Thanks, good to know...my bike has the standard sleeved down stock MC and the braking is good, but I have had it seize in really hot weather, posted that here last summer and learned that I'm not the first...may give the Nissan MC a try