LHS Rear Brake Kit

http://www.tacticalmindz.com/collec...s/products/dual-fitting-rear-hand-brake-kit-1

This kit had the features i needed. Keeping the right foot brake functional was a big deal for me. I ordered it without the hand brake master for $120.00 + shipping because I already had this one from ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/171806076926 The one with the kit is of high quality and maybe I should have gone with it.

I've read mixed reviews so I'll mention a few negatives.

Overheating and rapid pad wear. True, when used for stunt riding. Better option is to upgrade to a four piston caliper setup. I'll be doing normal riding and will not be stressing the rear brake system any more than I am now. No wheelies for me!

Prone to leaking. This kit has been used successfully by many in the stunt community as a beginner setup untill they can afford to upgrade to a professional system. "This" kit comes with loc-tite #609 to seal the junction valve to the rear foot master resevoir inlet in addition to the mounting screw and requires 24hrs to cure. You will need to reuse the O ring from your master. I installed mine with no problems, no leaks. It is important to connect the brake line to the junction valve first, before you use the sealer. Doing it after will put a lot of tention on the sealed connection.

You need to pump the brakes when switching between foot and hand brake. Not true. It can happen if you haven't properly bleed the brake system. Mine works fine. I can switch from hand to foot, and back to hand without any issues. Fyi, I reverse bleed pushing fluid from the rear brake caliper up through to the hand brake master resevoir.

Basically, it went like this. Install the lhs master, connect and run the brake line, connect to junction valve, seal junction valve to foot master resevoir inlet, wait 24hrs, bleed system and test.

I did drill and cut an opening in the foot brake master cover for the brake line.

For me, this worked out great. Abs works normal. I'm still trying to figure where to mount the parking brake.

Is a left hand side brake for everyone, no. But if you're one who said yes, consider this option also

Aloha!

I wish Honda would have designed this feature as standard on the CTX. I imagine they did not want the CTX too similar to a scooter. Would be interested in getting a longer term report on this mod. But good job on that mod!!

BigO1987 said:

I wish Honda would have designed this feature as standard on the CTX. I imagine they did not want the CTX too similar to a scooter. Would be interested in getting a longer term report on this mod. But good job on that mod!!

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Hi BigO, and thank you.

Motorcycles in the US are required to have a right foot rear brake and is the reason I went this route. Didn't want any safety check issues. Others have connected the lhs master directly to the abs controller and removed the foot brake assembly. That works also and requires additional hardware and cost to connect to the abs controller. Either way is easy to remove If you sell the bike, no longer need or want it.

So far its been almost two months and has worked out great for me. Abs works as always. Having two feet down in difficult situations makes me feel safer, being an older beaten up guy thats only getting older. Should any issues arise, I'll surely post an update here.

Lastly, for the lhs brake light switch, I tapped in to the foot brake light switch. If you look good, you can see the wires coming out of the foot brake light switch and zip tied along the brake line.

Aloha

nice work!
having never used a left brake, I would be afraid of grabbing the brake every time I changed gear in manual mode.
Maybe if I had a DCT I would get used to it

ofdave said:

nice work!
having never used a left brake, I would be afraid of grabbing the brake every time I changed gear in manual mode.
Maybe if I had a DCT I would get used to it

Click to expand...

That would concern me also... especially after 40 years squeezing on a clutch. I guess ABS would mitigate the results from applying the brake by accident.

ofdave said:

nice work!
having never used a left brake, I would be afraid of grabbing the brake every time I changed gear in manual mode.
Maybe if I had a DCT I would get used to it

Click to expand...

Thanks ofdave.
You're abosolutly right, not much use on a manual ctx.

I've found it useful during low speed turns where feathering the clutch used to do the trick, I now drag the rear brake. I suppose those coming up from the scooter world would find this natural until they get used to the foor brake, maybe?

Some have said I've made my bike unsafe. Like all mods, we have to look at the pros & cons on an individual basis and decide accordingly. I was concerned too about how I might react in an emergency but take comfort that as long as I react, either will work. For me, I've had no problem adjusting.

I strongly recommend anyone doing this mod to really think this through before deciding on doing it. It would break my heart if I hear someone got hurt!

Aloha

Novac18 said:

...I strongly recommend anyone doing this mod ...

Click to expand...

I did it twice already. Previously with NC700XD in 2012 and with CTX ND, last fall.
I can't imagine now to ride without it.
For parking brake relocation I used 4" dogbone riser with 22mm bar.
Did you look at GIVI Smart Bar for accessories?

RoMan16 said:

I did it twice already. Previously with NC700XD in 2012 and with CTX ND, last fall.
I can't imagine now to ride without it.
For parking brake relocation I used 4" dogbone riser with 22mm bar.
Did you look at GIVI Smart Bar for accessories?

Click to expand...

RoMan16, thank you so much for your post! Hearing from a pro with experience like yours is very comforting. I feel the same way too.

Mahalo much for your suggestions, no I haven't seen the givi smart bar but I assure you its the first thing I do when I finish this post. May I impose on you a couple pictures of your setup with the dogbone riser? Which parking brake setup do you perfer most?

Thank you again for your help with the parking brake

Aloha

Great to have someone who did this mod with good results since 2012!

RoMan16, the givi smart bar is a cool setup! I can see my cell phone mounted on it also! Almost looks like something I could make. I need to find out if it will fit the ctx. I did see they have your nc700 covered. So glad you told me about this!

Aloha

RoMan16, just noticed you just joined! A big Welcome!! Did you do it just to help me? What a guy! Class act for sure.

Setting with NC700 was easier because handlebar has the same diameter of 22mm (7/8") and I could use 7/8"dia 4" riser.
For CTX Honda chose strange design for handlebar with diameter changing from 22mm to about 28mm, more oval then round in a middle.
I found 1" riser on ebay (not any more) which I had to modify - enlarge hole on one side to fit CTX handlebar and use reducers to attach 7/8" bar for parking brake.
GIVI Smart Bar may fit better, however they don't list CTX700 on they model compatibility list.
(I planned to join this forum for some time )

RoMan16, you have given me a good direction and saved me from a lot of trial and error. Maybe I can modify one of the givi smart bars to fit the ctx! I'll start looking at the specs to see which comes the closest. From your picture, I already can see how I'll need to route the cable!

Glad you did join and I hope My post pushed you over the edge!

Aloha

This is how it looked on NC XD with very little modification.

RoMan16, you have to be able to think out side of the box to do mods like this, good job! Your pictures are a great help, thanks again!

Aloha

real good stuff
welcome, RoMan16, good to see/hear a new member with fresh ideas
even if you have a manual and don't need to move the parking brake, the extra bar would give you room to mount all sorts of stuff
you got me thinking

ofdave said:

real good stuff
welcome, RoMan16, good to see/hear a new member with fresh ideas
even if you have a manual and don't need to move the parking brake, the extra bar would give you room to mount all sorts of stuff
you got me thinking

Click to expand...

Its got me thinking also! Dangerous,.. Thinking equates to more money!

Aloha

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SpeedPark-C...7ab05e&pid=100229&rk=1&rkt=14&sd=121595544464

Ordered this to mount my parking brake. Price was right and this seller will include 22.2mm shims free if you ask. They were too loose and wouldn't clamp tight to the handelbar. The shims that normally comes with it worked out better with a 1/16" rubber strip.

To mount the parking brake, I didn't use the part with the mirror mount but made a bracket, painted it black and got a couple shorter cap screws 1/2" long.

I cut a 7/8" steel tube I had to length, drilled a hole to mount the parking brake and used the end caps from the carbon tube for a clean look. I meant this as a test before cutting and drilling the carbon tube but it turned out to be a keeper.

Aloha

This is good find.
Here is another lightweight mount which seems to fit middle part of CTX handlebar.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fiber-Computer-Light-Mount-31-8-25-4-26-0-Bar-Handlebar-Extra-Space/301631983262?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D8dcaeb38ff5e4be0a189a08441fc14d9%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D322024984671

This is on my TODO list. It makes so much sense with an automatic.