Triumphrat

NorthernThrux · 11-17-2009, 11:23 PM

Hi guys,
Have not posted much in quite a while. But with winter coming I'm looking to do more work on my Thrux. There are pics in the Cafe photo shoot and elsewhere on the site for those interested. Inspired in large part by the April Bike of the Month, I've taken off my side covers and am cleaning up the wiring loom and fusebox/starter solenoid/relays etc. I will be keeping the British Customs battery box and just tucking everything in around it and covering with some formed aluminium. So it won't be quite as radical as JG's bike.

One thing I would like to do is loose the rear brake fluid reservoir. I'd rather run a nice tygon hose from a new front reservoir with 2 ports I'm planning on milling out of stainless steel, tucked under the tank and down the inside of the frame to the rear master cylinder. Nice and clean.

Any reason not to do this ? Other than if I drop the bike and snap the single reservoir off and lose my brake fluid, is there any other downside ? In 29 years, I have yet to drop a bike, so let's assume that won't happen.

CommandoRdster · 11-18-2009, 12:04 AM

Well,I can tell you why cars have federally mandated(since 1965,I think)dual reservoir m/cyls.This is not too likely to happen on a motorcycle,but on cars,things like brake hoses,and wheel cylinders are out of sight,out of mind.I can't tell you how many cars I've seen in my years in the auto repair game with blown wheel cylinders,calipers,or hoses,and completely dry m/cyl reservoirs.Customers blithely driving around on just their front or rear brakes,vaguely wondering why their car didn't stop quite as good as it used to.

Scary,huh?

I blew a rear brake hose on my '64 Dodge truck,with it's single res m/cyl.Brakes worked fine,then all of a sudden,they didn't work at all.Just happened to be going down a hill,toward a busy intersection,with a red light.There was no place to go but through it.I laid on the horn and prayed.The gods must have been with me,because there was a break in traffic just as I ploughed through.Past the intersection,I was able to rub up against the curb to scrub off speed,and finally got stopped.Damn near pissed myself.

Like I said,not too likely to let your motorcycle brake system deteriorate to that point,but I'd still rather have separate reservoirs,myself.