Newer front brake

[florence]

My friend's Norton Commando has a newer and different front disk and calliper, I think from a modern Honda.  I have seen that this is quite a common practice and having ridden the bike I can confirm that it is a massive improvement to braking performance.

Has anyone seen or know of a suitable conversion that can be applied to 500/550 that does not require changing the front forks, i.e. a disk that can be fitted to the standard wheel and a calliper that can go on the standard forks using a bracket as an adapter?

[Bryanj]

Nope

[Laverda Dave]

I have you tried contacting EBC, they can probably offer some advice considering they make replacement brake discs.
I think the most important measurements will be be the depth of the dish of the disc carrier and the mounting hole centers.
Quite a few people update the discs, carriers and calipers on Laverda's so it can likely be done but probably not a straight fit.

[SteveW]

What about adding a second disk?

[florence]

I was thinking about adding a second disk, I have a spare set of forks but that would mean having one calliper going the other way which might be quite good fun.
 

[Bryanj]

I did the one in front and one behind back in the 70,s and it worked fine but you have to modify the front mudguard bracket.
OR
Rebuild the forks using 550 sliders.

There is a how to in ash's dropbox i think on haw to and what you need, i used a GL 1000 master to get a good feel and it worked well, some say the standard one is ok but i did not like the extra free play a second caliper gave.

EDIT

It was in Alladins cave but they dont work, i have tried attaching my adobe instructions but remember these were written a loooong time ago!

[florence]

fantastic, thank you.

[Grewth]

Possible  (I think) to use CB750F2 fork sliders and calipers,  with an early GoldWing hub and discs.
A good way to blow a few hundred quid if money is burning a hole in your pocket.
Alternatively,  fit CB550 fork legs, add an extra disc to your front wheel (longer bolts required) then buy two of those pattern caliper kits off eBay @ £120 each.

[Nashfly]

My friend's Norton Commando has a newer and different front disk and calliper, I think from a modern Honda.  I have seen that this is quite a common practice and having ridden the bike I can confirm that it is a massive improvement to braking performance.

Has anyone seen or know of a suitable conversion that can be applied to 500/550
 that does not require changing the front forks, i.e. a disk that can be fitted to the standard wheel and a calliper that can go on the standard forks using a bracket as an adapter?

On my CB350 K4 race bike I have an AP Racing Caliper (similar to the Comando one ) the bike has been fitted with the later cb360 forks

The front fork has been slightly modified and a mounting plate fitted. It's a tight fit but from my experience it's way better than the original honda

In the UK there are a number of companies offering the mounting plates and fork mod - I believe there are Grimeca calipers that are the same but cheaper...

I also gave the AP Racing adjustable master cylinder but many of the Classic racers use the pattern one from David Silver

[florence]

Thank you, that is the kind of thing I was thinking. 

[Murf]

Not what you have asked about, but just putting the pattern part replacement master cyl form DS  on your existing braking system with braided hoses might improve things.  Maybe also an EBC disk if they do one for the 500/550.  On a lot of old Hondas it is often the master cylinder that is a  weak part  of the system they seemed to get the ratio of master cylinder piston diameter to brake caliper  piston diameter wrong.  Hydraulic Disk brakes were new to motor bikes in the 70s , I think Honda first used them around 1969.

[florence]

That is a really good point Murf.  I have got braided hose already, but when my master cylinder failed last year, I replaced with DS pattern master cylinder and was pleasantly surprised by the difference.  It really is a game changer.  Thank you.