Topic: Who has used AP Racing's (CP2696-38E0) brake calipers??

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Has anyone used the "solo & classic machines" calipers from AP Racing on a CB750K?
http://www.apracing.com/info/products.asp?product=Solo+%26+Classic+Machines+plus+Sidecar+2+Piston+Caliper-CP2696-38E0_2536_1085

If so, what did you pay (if you don't mind me asking), how did you fabricate the mounts and how do you like them?

I was going to put these on my K7, but ended up using some vintage AP Grand Prix 4-pots.  Depending on feedback, I might put these on my K2.

[Tim2005]

I have them on my Seeley, paid roughly £100 each new 15yrs+ ago (they were on special offer from Dennis Trollope Racing in Bristol UK), and it has CB900F2B forks with aluminium adaptor plates for the calipers. They are excellent calipers, loads of feel and plenty of stopping power, with quite a good choice of pad materials available. They are also very trouble free, they barely seem to corrode at all. I think there is a choice of piston materials available too. A couple of checks you do need to make before buying- firstly disc thickness, mine are spondon discs which are much thinner than stock Honda ones & there isn't that much clearance still. Secondly check the distance at the rear of them- they are quite a deep caliper and could easily catch on the spokes of some wheel types.

[MRieck]

I have them on my Seeley, paid roughly £100 each new 15yrs+ ago (they were on special offer from Dennis Trollope Racing in Bristol UK), and it has CB900F2B forks with aluminium adaptor plates for the calipers. They are excellent calipers, loads of feel and plenty of stopping power, with quite a good choice of pad materials available. They are also very trouble free, they barely seem to corrode at all. I think there is a choice of piston materials available too. A couple of checks you do need to make before buying- firstly disc thickness, mine are spondon discs which are much thinner than stock Honda ones & there isn't that much clearance still. Secondly check the distance at the rear of them- they are quite a deep caliper and could easily catch on the spokes of some wheel types.

As you said...and it's very true....clearance is a big problem.

[moham]

I believe the LordMoonPie has posted several times on his use of the AP Classic calipers. I'm not able to post a link, but perhaps a search? 

[lordmoonpie]

By George! I have indeed 

I haven't put them on my 750 yet as I need the authentic look for the first show after I complete it (twin K0 calipers now) but will probably upgrade when I move to racing it.

I do have them on my Black Bomber (them! I only need one to stand it on its nose) and it's running on 35mm magnesium fork leg lowers from a Manx Norton - they just bolt straight on! Had the same setup on my old 350 K4 too.

However, before that I ran a CB500 lower fork leg (35mm stanchions) with a welded bracket. I had to go to the custom mag lowers only to be able to use my custom cast iron 290mm rotors.

Clearance is always tight and you have to shave a bit off the back of the caliper with a file or grinder but the stopping power is immense. I have about 10mm of travel in my brake lever now and have never, in all my racing, had that distance increase through heat and braking abuse on track! One finger braking on a classic with superb feel - go on you know it makes sense.

As it happens, the CB500 polished fork leg lowers I did use on my Bomber are now up for sale, complete with welded plate to fit an AP caliper and mate to a 550 disc - listing on ebay tonight unless anyone wants to give me the £90 plus postage first? 

AP Calipers are about £88 from Andover Norton in the UK...it's the master cylinder that costs the earth. (~£235 I think my last one was...)

[turboguzzi]

many people use them AP's here in italy,

Grimeca has a lower cost AP look alike you might want to look into. it's just not a one piece unit, it's bolted halves

michael form vintage brakes sent me once these pics

TG

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Thanks for all the replies and the advice on clearance.  There's a pretty big price disparity between here and the UK.  I might end up trying to shop a UK supplier and pay the shipping.

[lordmoonpie]

If they won't ship overseas (Andover Norton in particular are cheapest for calipers) you can always ship to me in the UK and pay me for shipping to you at cost. Always happy to help...

[lordmoonpie]

and here's the fork leg lowers to go with them...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200332046063

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Thanks LMP!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

LMP,

You weren't kidding about pricing.  Even with shipping, Andover Norton was approx 1/2 the prices here in the States.

Thanks for the referral.

[moham]

LMP,

You weren't kidding about pricing.  Even with shipping, Andover Norton was approx 1/2 the prices here in the States.

Thanks for the referral.

Racer fan:
What's the shipped cost for that caliper?

[754]

Got your PM.
 Here is what I think.

The caliper mount looks like what Rickman supplied in the 70,s, on their big Rickman fork.

In the pic, they look like they may be magnesium? usually easy to tell, blackish color.

Also , looking at 70,s mags recently I found info I was goiing to post & forgot. Ifound 1 or 2 companies in early 70s that built fork kits for 500,s for dual disc, i think maybe there was no mounts for the second? at one time?

I think one was both forks in magnesium, with thinner legs (sorta like the pic), and 4 bolt caps for axle. The other might have been just the 2nd leg and bolt, hose & disc kit.

I think one was called Checkered Flag prod, and retailed for 99.00 or so.

 ring any bells?

[fishhead]

Thanks, 754.
  How would I be able to tell if the lowers are magnesium? They polished up VERY easily. They do have 4 bolts on the lowers for the axle caps.
 The calipers are heavy metal, not aluminum or other lightweight material. They are heavy as hell too, even when compared to the stock caliper.

 No, Checkered Flag doesnt ring any bells,
 Thanks,

[754]

Mag looks better polished, but loses it easier.. look in the corners or in the hole for the damper rod (axle area).. mag will be blackish or even a whiteish crust.

The caliper to me look like Lockheed or whatever Brits used(?Girling?)

Now as far as I know this may help,
 When PM started building their first calipers they were cast & double acting...looked like what you have in size & mounting, think they interchanged..

 Anyway, here the idea, the early PMs are probably reasonable now, and maybe cheap on ebay.. save a bunch of weight. If I remember correct, they may have used GL1000 pads, a choice made for greater availability. (I was a PM dealer when they started and remember buying a Dual disc setup for a wideglide fork)

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The calipers are GBP£101.03 each, so US$148 each.  Shipping is approx. $35.

[lordmoonpie]

These fork legs? (Manx Norton?)

 I bought this stuff a while ago and the guy said they were off a CB 750. I doubted him , but the front master cylinder, brake junction and lines are definetly CB 750. The set up was bought as seen and even came with a complete rear AP Racing brake set up and extra calipers.

No - these fork legs are Manx Norton magnesium jobs - the ones on ebay I'm selling are modified stock honda and so no fitting issues...