I am a 58 year old who's been riding since I was 10 years old and used to race Motocross. I've had my 2008 NT700VA for a couple of years and absolutely love it for the long distance commuting I am using it for - from West Sussex to central London. However, in the last year I have had two low speed get off's in slippery tight spots where my Motocross instincts tell me its safe to turn while hammering the brake pedal as I am used to rear wheel slides , but with the linked braked system its caused my front wheel to wash out. Obviously I know the solution/advice is "don't do that" and/or "calm it down old geezer" but I am sure I am not the first to have a "whoopsy" due to the linked brake system and wondered if anyone out there had ever gone so far as to modify the bike to "unlink" the rear brake pedal ? Don't get me wrong I actually really like the system when I am in central London in the traffic but its definitely the reason my offside pannier lid and exhaust heat shield are scratched ! I also have to give Honda 10/10 for the design of their crash bars as the bike has survived both my little spills completely unscathed except for scratches mentioned above. Amazing bike it is.
Has Anyone Ever Modified an NT700VA (ABS) to Unlink the Rear Brake Pedal from Front Caliper ?
- Thread starter MikeP
- Start date
Warren
2
I have been on this US forum since 2010 and do not remember this subject ever coming up. You might want to also check the UK forum to see if it has been addressed there.
It should be fairly easy to disable the front caliper.
The front caliper (left caliper from memory) has two brake lines, one of these (the one closest to the centre of the caliper from memory) is connected to the rear brake pedal.
You should be able to just replace the banjo bolt with a normal bolt and this will disable the front braking.
Seagrass
The front caliper (left caliper from memory) has two brake lines, one of these (the one closest to the centre of the caliper from memory) is connected to the rear brake pedal.
You should be able to just replace the banjo bolt with a normal bolt and this will disable the front braking.
Seagrass
karl
Site Supporter
As one old guy to another what you may want to change is your riding style. My bike has scrapes from falling down too.
Just a thought here. Would changing the brakes like unlinking them mess up the ABS? That assumes you have ABS, my NT did not. I would guess the ABS would be fine but that is just a guess on my part.
You could disable the front piston as Seagrass mentioned or I think you could disconnect it from the rear master cyl and add a jumper hose from the front brakes to that piston.
Personally would not change it from stock.
Brad
You could disable the front piston as Seagrass mentioned or I think you could disconnect it from the rear master cyl and add a jumper hose from the front brakes to that piston.
Personally would not change it from stock.
Brad
Me neither.
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
By the way, I was an active desert racer in the 70s but I never feel the need to "stomp on the rear brake" to make my NT go around a corner.
Riding/racing in the dirt is quite different than on public roads which has way too many hard barriers (cars, curbs, buildings, walls, etc) to hit.
And I love the linked brakes on both of my bikes!
Riding/racing in the dirt is quite different than on public roads which has way too many hard barriers (cars, curbs, buildings, walls, etc) to hit.
And I love the linked brakes on both of my bikes!
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