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Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 14 Sep 2010
Synt's Avatar
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Rear brake question - drum or disc brake for south america

Hi folks,
I´m preparing a trip to SA with my Horst Ullrich sidecar. I´m the 6th owner of it and all of the previous ones did a lot of modifications.

Especially the rear brake is somehow different: it´s a custom made - though highly efficient - disc brake.
But I´m worried that I won´t find any spares for this type in south america (or somewhere else in the world :confused1 Also it´s a little tricky to change tires with this highly personalized setup.

So I´m thinking in switching back to a conventional original BMW-like drum brake for which I can find spares easily all over the world. Additionally drum brakes seem to be better suited for dusty gravel roads and are said to require less maintenance.

What would you do? What type of rear brake do you recommend for off-road use / south america?
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Old 14 Sep 2010
*Touring Ted*'s Avatar
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I have no experience of your set up, but simple is ALWAYS best... Isnt it ??
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  #3  
Old 15 Sep 2010
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Leave it as it is Synt, if you lose the rear brake it's not a show stopper - you can continue riding for weeks without it.

If you do have brake issue you are highly unlikely to be anywhere near a BMW dealer anyway, and even if you were it is highly unlikely the parts you require would be sitting on their shelves.

In all likelihood it will be quicker and cheaper to get replacements parts sent from your home - whether for your one-off disc or standard BMW drum.

As for drum brakes being better on gravel, I guess that must be why the manufacturers are fitting discs all round on dirt bikes nowadays?
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  #4  
Old 21 Sep 2010
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Discs are certainly a lot better after you've been splashing through deep water. Drums can take a while to dry out.
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