Choosing radial masters for Laverda Tripple.

[redfox]

Hi all,

Firstly, on my Laverda SFC1000, 1986, I run a setup of standard hydraulic clutch (actually I have both piston sized in the engine cover, but never mind), together with Brembo Goldline 12mm axial master off a duc916 or similar. Braided hose. Works well, with no slip, good feeling and quite light as well. Braided hose.
I want to switch over to a CNC'd billed Radial Brembo clutch master, so looking at 16 x 18 master, which was sugested by the Brembo dealer. 16mm piston for a normal wet clutch like the Laverda has, and the later mentioned 18mm for good feel while being responsive as well. The 18 is too angry an dsudden for a street bike. So I want to ask if anyone tried that setup, and what's the exeriences with that setup?

Secondly, my front brake setup is 300mm fully floating Brembo Goldline setup, but with the later lighter series brake discs, coupled together with Brembo goldline P4-30/34C series four piston calipers and Brembo carbon/kevlar brake pads (Black street version), coupled with a Brembo Gold line 16mm axial master also off a duc 916-1994. All braided hoses. Works well, but I'd like some more attack with the brakes, while keeping feel and preogessiveness as best as can be.
I am looking at the Brembo PR19x18 radial cnc billet master - 19 for twin discs and 8 pot calipers and the later 18mm for some kind of keeping feel and progressiveness, not being too  "street" in a 20mm or too "track" in a 16mm.

So my second question is this: does anyone have experiences with this setup?

Later I want to install cnc'd 4 piston calipers, also 30/34mm pistons, but they are stiffer. Or pref. still two piece 32/36 cnc'd version, more grip, stiffer as well. I don't have Money for the monobloc version.

Does anyone have experiences with these two caliper types on a Laverda tripple?

I should mention, that I will hopefully soon (if someone can make them) install some more serious front fork tripple Crowns, bith upper and lower, which are more rigid and clamping the forks lower to aid stiffness.
I also bought the Laverda frame brace kit, which I will weld in, consisting of the two side plates as well as the perpendicular tube.

I am very much interested in knowing experiences from anyone who tried these brake and clutch parts out, being a laverda tripple or another bike.

Kind regards,
Jacques

 

[wdietz186]

Your brake setup sounds like it is more than capable for road use and even racing. I would look into different compounds of brake pads if you are seeking more initial bite or a different feel. I have had very good results using EBC HH sintered pads. Strong initial bite and very progressive feel. There are even more seriously focused pads available for track day and and all out racing use. The billet calipers look really cool as do the radial master cylinders but for street use they are kind of a solution for a non problem. 

 

[redfox]

Thanks, but I'll make the swap anyway. I'd like more bite and and precision (and not for race use), so pads for racing are no go for street use because of lack of bite when Cold, and I cannot get them warm enough all the time, when driving on public roads. Or rather it's agitated back road use with lots of stopping right before a corner. Or maybe I am just a chicken who brake way too much. Willy-nilly, I want to try it out to see, if something can be done to further improve the collective braking, which now is a MASSIVE improvement over the standard items the bike came with, despite having been renovated with pistons and seals etc, and I recently swapped the standard Brembo pads for the Brembo carbon/kevlar ones and they are non-sintered to save the discs a Little. These pads have more bite and stopping power. The pads also come for the rear brake, where I installed a Corsa fully floating brake disc to work in the standard setup with a down hanging P08 Goldline original caliper. For the first time I can say that the rear brake work just fine. No need to do more there right now, though it could be even better and with more feel and precision. That caliper and holding plate/braket is also to be modified later on. When I brake, I usually apply the front first and then apply the rear, so suspension have settled and I don't overbrake the rear. It also seems to calm the rear end a Little bit. Not that it's wobling or anything, but it kind of makes the bike brake like it's on rails. Nice feeling.
Anyway, These pads are surely with more bite than the standard road pads the calipers comes with from factory. Also, they work fine with cast iron brake discs it seems. A side effect is, that thay don't make very much brake dust, which I like too.
The Corsa rear disc is a mix of original Corsa disc 280mm cast iron disc and a special made replica in much better aluminim for the center, which we then had gold anodised, together with replicas of the Black floating bobbins also specially made, to be muc  stronger to be able to cope with the rear chain and the rear hub on and off. This Works perfectly and is also lighter than the standard SFC1000 setup.
Speaking of which, I lightened the SFC1000 for 21,544 kilo and much more is on the way, as well as many small refinements for the engine. But I want it to be subtle, and not too visible. That though, is another story.
I change the clutch and brake fluid every year in the spring, before taking the Laverda out on the roads. I am using normal DOT4 fluid, not a special high temp DOT racing fluid, as they are prone to sucking even more water, I was told by the dealerships I asked. But we'll see. I am very particular about bleeding to get all air out, every time. Brake and clutc systems are very clean and crud and dust free and seals are changed every 3-4 years. I also changed the hoses from rubber to braided ones when I bought the bike, and last year I changed them all again, after having used them for 12 years, so should be fresh. The rear master works fine and push the fluid just fine.

I am stil all for knowing about experiences regarding the radial Brembo masters I mentioned in the above, so I will have a better background for choosing the right size masters.
Much appreciated

Kind regards,
Jacques

 

[redfox]

I've now installed some radial Brembo masters on my SFC1000. If interested, take a look over at Sport Freni Competizione Mille.

Kind regards,
jacques

 

[RCGBOB44]

For what its worth I fitted AP Lockheed adjustable ratio master cylinders to my Jota when I fitted 4 pot Brembo calipers and 320mm discs. This set up works very well and looks better, in my humble opinion,  than the more modern radial master cylinders. 

 

[redfox]

They are surely nice and well working I believe, but I wanted to stick to Brembo as originally and I wanted to keep the black levers the bike also came with from factory. Not shiny ones. I also choose not to buy the adjustable radio RCS nor RCS Corsa Corta, as I don't need that and it's just heavy. I also wanted cnc billet ones as well, which do not come in the adjustabele version(-s). Therefore the Brembo PR series.
The Picture below are the ones I installed, and they look some sort of light grey, but in real light, they are a darker shade. Very discreete and simple
Kind regards,
jacques

 

[Laverdalothar]

They are surely nice and well working I believe, but I wanted to stick to Brembo as originally and I wanted to keep the black levers the bike also came with from factory.

...come in the adjustabele version(-s)....

thats why I chose these ones:

 

[redfox]

They are exactly the same as those O bought and used for the last 10 years. Now swapped for the radial masters.  Apart from the harder pull for the clutch (slightly) they are in all ways better than those I took off, as I tried to explain on the other thread. But I will say that the PS types above, are very good indeed, and a really good upgrade over the stock ones.

Kind regards,
jacques

 

[Vince]

The one I have on my 3C is slightly different, the best bit is the span adjuster. The earlier type non-radial had a small grub screw that you could adjust the free play, my radial one allow span adjustment that doesn't effect lever free play. That I like a lot.

 

[redfox]

Right,
so what came out of sapping the PS to PR masters?
Well, I have now bed in the Brembo blue series carbon ceramic brake pads and together with new braided hosed instead of the 15 y.o. braided ones, and the radial masters, the front brake is amazing. Two finger operation on freeway speed (110) with just a light pull. Very easy to control and very easy to modulate. I am sure I can crack the Crown head tube, so I better install the Laverda strenghening kit asap.
The rear brake needs a rebuild master to be sure, but iut surely brakes better than before.

The clutch is a bit harder than with the 12mm PS master (a la 916), but it definately seperates the plates better and is easy enough to pull. Point of action is like the front brake, very much in the beginning. It is now possible at all times at standstill with warm engine running, to operate the gearbox up and Down many times at standstill, with no difficulty in finding gears, movement, engageing or neutral.

All in all highly recommendable if anyone feel the need for an update with more power and more control.
Just my two p.
Jacques

 

[Dellortoman]

It wasn't so much the race track conditions that prompted me to put filters on my bike, but the ride between our campsite at Broadford and the actual track. it was several hundred metres of unsealed dusty road, with a lot of bike traffic on it kicking up a lot of dust. The track staff did their best to keep the dust down by watering the road, but that just turned it into mud.

There's also the possibility of the bike going arse-up in the kitty litter and sucking in a mouthful of gravel. Fitting a dead-man switch is a good idea to protect the engine in the event of a crash.