MK3 Front Brake 320mm with Brembo radial mount caliper

HI
Its been a while since the Mk3 had any real attention other than servicing. As the weather in the UK warms through spring and into early summer the breakfast ride-out has become a little more spirited! The number of MAMIL ( Middle Aged Men In Lycra) wobbling around in the middle of every tight turn on mind numbingly expensive bicycles continues to grow. My reaction time deteriorates with age the front Brake now seems to require the grip of a silver back gorilla to be effective and prevent things from getting a little to up close and personal.
I'm going to ride the Club Moto-piston rally in Spain tis year. Most of the fun takes place on the mountain roads of Picos de Europa and the surrounding national park (not forgetting the local bars and restaurants). I decided to treat myself and my MK3 to a new front stopper that offers greater stopping power, with a lot less effort . below a few photos of the process and the end result.
The front disc is a cheap and cheerful R1 320mm Stainless pattern part from Ebay. I made the adaptor setting the offset 3mm under the original to allow clearance for the bobbins and disc mounting bolts off the fork leg.

With the Disc bolted in place we centered the caliper, measured drew and cut as required to support and locate the Caliper.

After a quick trip to the finishers (I love anodised aluminium)

It may not be your cup of tea ! But it's the best front brake set-up I have made for the bike so far. Still using the 13mm Suzuki Burgman 125 front master cylinder, the Brembo, Burgman combination makes for a great brake. Two finger operation makes it a joy to ride with. I am going back to std fork springs the RGM progressive springs dive like a nuclear sub when the brake is applied with sprit.

Wow.

I have to say, you’re pretty good with a hacksaw and file Kate … !

Fast Eddie said:

Wow.

I have to say, you’re pretty good with a hacksaw and file Kate … !

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Hi Nigel

It's all in the wrist action

Hi,
please excuse this comment but I cant help but feel that the Brembo looks a little anachronistic on an old Commando.
I do understand that safe powerful braking has to trump appearance but I’m just wondering whether more period brakes might have looked more in keeping with the age of your beautiful bike.

Great bike , same as mine .
I would not have anodized it and kept it all the silver . Just my opinion also .
Have you been to the Philippines or even Thailand ? They anodize everything relating to their scoots , wheels , spokes , brake bits . . No industrial pollution controls .
Madass ( Don ) lives in Cebu , which has so many of those plating plants/shops , 24 hr. traffic jams .
So many of us older guys hit the Philippines for instant unconditional love .
Enjoy .

Alan L said:

Hi,
please excuse this comment but I cant help but feel that the Brembo looks a little anachronistic on an old Commando.
I do understand that safe powerful braking has to trump appearance but I’m just wondering whether more period brakes might have looked more in keeping with the age of your beautiful bike.

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Well, she did acknowledge that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m guessing she doesn’t really care what people who wouldn’t have done it think, after all, they’re perfectly free to not do it to their own bike.

Read why Kate actually did it, she’s not interested in ‘in keeping’, she’s interested in serious road performance for serious road use. And noting the fact that this modification was designed and executed 100% by her own hands, and delivers EXACTLY what she was looking for.

Me, in the absence of having Kates skill and ability I just wish she was my neighbour, and I could twist her arm to make such stuff for my bikes !

Fast Eddie said:

Well, she did acknowledge that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m guessing she doesn’t really care what people who wouldn’t have done it think, after all, they’re perfectly free to not do it to their own bike.

Read why Kate actually did it, she’s not interested in ‘in keeping’, she’s interested in serious road performance for serious road use. And noting the fact that this modification was designed and executed 100% by her own hands, and delivers EXACTLY what she was looking for.

Me, I just wish she was my neighbour, and I could twist her arm to make such stuff for my bikes !

Click to expand...

hi,
I admire the bike and I’m sure I admire the woman who rides it. The workmanship (work-womanship) is a credit to her.
My comments weren’t intended as criticism of her bike however when you post a picture of your bike on the forum it is probably reasonable that people give honest comment. I would certainly trade my rather mediocre standard front disc (reduced master cylinder) for that bikes stopping power. I’m just suggesting that if it was mine I might have chosen something a little less obviously non standard and perhaps wouldn’t have anodised it.
regards and no offence intended
Alan
ps, I can see by the blueing on the pipes the bike is not babied. I also can totally relate to strength in grip problems having been operated on for Dupetrens contracture.

I'm mightily impressed by that lovely handmade bracket. And the rest of the mod too.
For me, Nostalgia for the bad old days goes out the window when we get to the braking department, especially when looking at the front brake.

Glen

Well put Glen

When our bikes were made the traffic and dangers on the roads weren't as bad, these days you need good brakes, no not good brake, great brakes that actually work and stop without effort, my stock Commando front disc brake worked great when new and as time went by they got worst and after a few rebuilds thought they were still good but one day they let me down in a big way without warning when I needed to stop real quick and after 58 years of my life at the time I went down and got my first bone breaks (elbow and thumb) so while recovering a new full front brake upgrade (full Grimcia upgrade from RGM) but there are so many great upgrades around, now my Norton stops and one finger operation if I need too, so what it don't look original and in my book looks better, but it works great, my life is more important than trying to keep things looking original, (well that went out the door way back in the early 80s lol), anything that will save your life will always be a good improvement as one day 50 year old design brakes will let you down when needed.
Is your life more important than keeping 50 year old out dated brakes and no matter how you ride, I was lucky my accident was only slow speed at the time could have been a lot worst if higher speed was involved, upgrading my whole front brake system to modern set up was the one of best things I done to my old Norton.

Ashley