Countershaft Rear Brake setup - ATK

[TT]

Can anyone tell me when this rear brake setup first appeared?
I've just bought a bike with it and I'm trying to determine if it's period correct.
Thanks.

[Evil Rudy]

I worked at a shop that sold them and rode and raced a 250 with it on. I think it appeared about 87 or 88 and went through to 92-93.

Do yourself a favor if you intend on riding it a lot. Buy a good grade piece of clutch material and some super high temp epoxy and make you own pads re-using the backing plates. You'll go through pads something fierce with the increased rotaions of the c-shaft over the rear wheel.

And they are grabby suckers, so a 1/32 inch dob of grease on the outside of the disc took just enough bite out of it not to stall the bike or skid the tyre every time you touched it.

Rudy

[TT]

Thanks Rudy! Maybe you're not so evil after all............ 

Armed with your info, I don't intend riding with it at all. It's not even close to being period correct, so it will be coming off and going into the parts bin. Christ knows why it would have been fitted in the first place. 

[TT]

mmmmmm.............. 

Just doing some more research and worked out who the bloke was that built this bike............

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?racerid=194

Might leave it alone until I know more. 

[Evil Rudy]

Do you have a picture of it and the bike?

[firko]

I remember my mates going through pads as just Rudy said...apparently it's especially noticeable if you're one of those riders who rest your foot on the brake pedal. Also...a thrill a minute when you you lose a chain and instantly have no back brake .
Very cool bike though...I've had one (albeit, a later one with conventional rear brake) and I'm looking for another 406 a button start 605.

[Marc.com]

I'm looking for another 406 a button start 605.

I had 406 back in the day, it had really flat dullsville power and the general weirdness of ATrac, where you had 4 sprockets to go wrong instead of two. Also rear brake would go South is a heart beat.

I liked it for its general weirdness and the fact that they had a shot at some different ideas, but if you wanted to win races as I was trying to at the time then it was poxy..... still no worse than the WR500, my final fling with air cooled 2 strokes.

[mx250]

You don't need a c/shaft disc to have rapid wear - ride a modern on a damp track with a sandy soil - 100 klms no pads

Even in good conditions try 1000klms between pads!!!!

[Evil Rudy]

I raced a 406 one year and after a mild port job and a Dyno Port pipe (which you can still get today!) it was as close to what I imagine an electric bike would / will be. No hill too small no straight away too long. It was even better on a natural MX track. Strat in 3rd, leave it in 3rd (which was good because the clutch was shite for pull and feel). It helped that I worked in a shop that sold alot of them every year.

I think there's a tear welling up in the corner of my eye... what a perfect pre-90 bike for an overweight, ageing (read getting slower) man with no time for maintenance. They were the perfect horse, ride 'em hard and put them away wet. With the air filter above waist level it almost never got dusted. You'd clean it out of guilt more than anything.

On to ebay and craigslist.

[Marc.com]

Strat in 3rd, leave it in 3rd (which was good because the clutch was shite for pull and feel). It helped that I worked in a shop that sold alot of them every year.

On to ebay and craigslist.

You might like to grab a Cannondale while you are at it for the whole American weirdness gift set.  Actually Cannondale was way ahead with reversed cylinder configuration;D

I concur the 406 engine had the most linear power on the planet next to electric motor, maybe something to do with Rotax induction system. Not sure about the perfect horse, but it could definitely be improved, I remember Rob Twyerold making cheapo 250 that nobody wanted go pretty rapidly.

[firko]

I was told by an old Can Am racer to use the rotary disc that had similar timing to the ultra light aircraft twin cylinder version. It makes sense to me, I'd presume an aeroplane would want to have the flattest torque curve you could get.

[vmx42]

Actually Cannondale was way ahead with reversed cylinder configuration.

Assuming it actually is an advantage…? 

[Canam370]

You don't need a c/shaft disc to have rapid wear - ride a modern on a damp track with a sandy soil - 100 klms no pads

Even in good conditions try 1000klms between pads!!!!

What are you blokes doing to your brakes? I get over a year out of mine.........hmmm,maybe I should get out riding more.