brake setup

I have a stock rear brake set up for a 1980 KZ 750H. My question is this. Is it possible to have a hand brake (normally the front brake) T-ed into the rear brake standard set up. so both the foot pedal, and the hand brake both operated the rear brake caliper? If so could I just T it into the line behind the rear master cylinder? Or would I need a check valve? Or am I missing something else?
Mark

Why would you want to t them together? depending on road conditions you need to regulate the pressure seperately.

I thought about this a lot. I'm curious about the check valve. I was under the impression that check valves were mostly used for bleeding the system, and not used in the actual braking process. The problem I see you running into with a simple check valve is it will keep the fluid pressurized in the rear brake even when you let go of the front brake. Kind of like a complicated parking brake.

Heres a good diagram of a linked braking system:



I'm assuming those valves are a lot more complicated than anything you can pick up in a hardware store.

As you've probably already figured out, you don't want to just tie the two systems in together and have at it. There are times when you don't want to use the front brake at all, and you don't want the front brake lever to apply the exact same pressure to both brakes, same with the rear. I bet a delicate balance would need to be worked out.

Otherwise, it would be very trick. Let us know what you decide.

If you link the brakes, then you are going to need a proportioning valve to reduce the pressure to the rear brake, and a larger master cylinder. I have no idea why you would want to do this though, personally, I hate linked brakes. The only time I use the rear brake is for an all out braking effort. like when I slow down to turn into my driveway

I have to turn off a fairly busy State Highway into my driveway, I turn on my signals long before I turn, flash my brakelights, and then do max effort braking from 70 mph at the last minute to make the turn into a gravel drive. My wife hears both my tires squalling and uses the remote garage door opener so I can ride right into my garage

Mark
I think the brakes on the Moto Guzzi are linked using a proportioning valve. Maybe you should check out what they have.
Linked brakes have their advantages like dumping a lot of speed quickly but personally I prefer the feeling of the brakes at my finger tips and foot.

Steel, maybe you need to move..........:woohoo::laugh:

You could do it but you'd need an adjustable proportioning valve (expensive but readily available from aftermarket performance automotive brake companies) in order to get the balance between front and rear correct and you'd need some kind of check valve setup if you were to keep the foot pedal to prevent fluid back flow into the rear master cylender when the hand barke is applied.

Personally I wouldn't prefer linked brakes on a bike but if you can get it proportioned correctly (and a big enough master to handle the extra brake setup) the stopping ability would be noticably better.