Modern Vespa

They showed this at Eicma 2025 so you may have already seen it, apparently it is being released today. No price mentioned as yet.

Certainly a pretty neat solution to the master cylinder issue. Not as neat imo as the Crimaz V2 but far easier to install.

Just came across another new master cylinder this morning (thanks Oliver Stokes from Tiks Everything Smallframe). It's been out for long enough to be listed of SIP and looks very nice indeed.

It's made by Dexter, and it comes in at almost exactly the same price as the Crimaz V2. But it also includes a hose and fittings so works out cheaper.

It has another advantage over the Crimaz in that the lever operates directly on the m/c piston. The Crimaz has a rocker connection (see pic) that may reduce feel to some degree - Oliver said that his V1 version was a little wooden compared to others.

The Dexter is a simple brake lever with probably a 2:1 mechanical advantage (I.e., applying two pounds of force with your fingers results in four pounds of force on the MC). The Crimaz is a compound brake lever with a likely higher mechanical advantage (3:1 or 4:1 maybe, dunno - measure the lever arms and we can do the math if ya want). The higher the mechanical advantage the better the feel typically, less fatigue, better modulation, etc.

At EICMA 2024.
And they said that it will be ready for 2025 season.
But only for 2026.

Thats why I chose 8.1 for my Special.

Still no price for MC but there is full brake kits for good price on their webshop.

I have a Dexter Racing front disc with a Crimaz master cylinder on my smallie and it's super-stoppy. I highly recommend it.

They make it hard to find but here it is for 165 euro.

https://avotecnica.com/en/spare-parts/vespa/chassis/controls/4661-vmc-brake-pump-for-vespa-pp-assembly-on-vintage-vespa-handlebars What do you have that on? Does it use the RPM caliper?
And which version of the Crimaz are you using?

It's on the Boo-Badge (smallie). this master cylinder set and the Dexter disc.

It has a couple of strange/annoying things, like the hose connecting to the bottom of the RPM caliper so I had to pull the caliper off to bleed it once installed. I'd still buy it again.

It will stop faster than I can hold myself off the bars.

All these ugly MCs…
What I want is a stock PX type MC with a 13mm pressure piston…

It's almost invisible!! Very similar to mine on a P fork. I have the AF Parts carrier. Caliper was approx $20 from AE. Very very effective.
Can't recall if I had to bleed mine off the mount, but I did end up with the 90 degree banjo to connect it up.

Has any one bought one yet?
I'm thinking on ordering one for my Super.

my smallie has the Crimaz master...Really cool that it's hidden under handlebar cavity...until it's time to flush/renew the brake fluid. It's making me delay the task because it has to be taken apart and flushed delicately so nothing is spilt...
see 8:38 With the front disc brake the rear brake doesn't need to be used at all for regular braking

Can you reverse flush it without making a mess of things?
If you are not familiar - its basically using a giant syringe off Amazon and pushing the fluid up from the caliper to the reservoir.
A second syringe can be used with rubber tube to continuously empty the reservoir as you squirt new fluid in at the caliper.
* like air in the blood stream, make sure to clear any bubbles out of the syringe first, and point it down so if any exist, they stay in the syringe.

My thought too. But pretty sure he has a Crimaz 2.0 m/c. Pic below. The viewing window is also the filler. Neat but awkward.

I think the best option is to add a banjo bolt with bleeder to the connection at the m/c, should make it way easier to bleed in future.

First thought that came to my mind is a fountaining MC haha such is my luck.
I was planning on doing it like I always do, flushing top to bottom. Gravity is friendlier that way.

I'm not sure what you mean by viewing window is also the filler? I'm actually still trying to figure out the viewing window, it's unusual from what I'm used to. Neat but awkward is an excellent description for the mc!

Thank you for the banjo bolt bleeder suggestion, much appreciated!! That's great to know there's an option if it turns out to be a real pain doing it the regular way.

Please, any recommendations for Mardruck's Super?

All the best

Also think this or some derivation of it, is a good idea.

Maybe you could put a bleeder nipple on in its place and do the reverse bleed and flush with no mess? Does it screw in?

Anyway - something other than full removal every time would be nice.

I haven't seen any comment either way, but there are plenty of pictures showing it attached to smallframe headsets (ET3 and Super being the same). Don't anticipate any issues for a simple device.
I went looking on the GSF for comments on the quality and operation but couldn't find anything.

The GSF is (or would be) a wealth of information, but they have this policy of bundling everything together into giant, sprawling epics that are full of slagging off and advising each other to get back on topic - in equal measures!
It's very frustrating trying to find specific stuff thanks to that and really only being able to effectively search in German.

j Yes the m/c requires an M10 banjo bolt connection to the hose - I have an unfitted one at home. The banjo bolt shown above is the same thing, but with a bleed nipple.

Sorry, I keep forgetting to look up in GSF.

I don't have any doubts about mounting it. I just want to know about it's quality. Since it's pretty expensive to bring it here, I was hoping in some first hand experience from another vespista.

Since I have the shall-not-be-named master cylinder that works fine, except for the awkward operation position, I'm not in a hurry.

But searching the MV forum, I've found this post -Crimaz Master Cylinder (Post 2212358) - and I'm thinking about fabricating myself. It seems that a modern bike rear brake MC can do the trick. Has anyone gone for this route?

Thanks

I did one with a rear brake MC at one point on my smallie because the Crimaz wasn't large enough for the first disc I ran.

It was really simple, but I went back to the Crimaz after the cheap AliExpress casting broke and I swapped to the Dexter Racing brake.

Those radial type racing setups are super nice! :drool: That would work great, I've read it is a better method for clearing bubbles. Thanks again Ginch, you're the best!!!

I'm doing one for a mate at the moment. Everything from Aliexpress - not sure if that's still expensive in Rio? It certainly looks like a Crimaz mk1 and I'm very happy with it so far - not actually connected though. But it's pretty neat. Can put up some photos and links if you'd like?

Please, put the pictures up!

AliExpress is cheaper here and comes quickly. We don't have import taxes up to US$ 50 if the seller enters a government program for. Everything else has 110% import taxes (and they tax even the shipping value)!

So a €179,00 master cylinder arrives costing almost R$ 2200 (without shipping). For comparison, our minimum wage is R$ 1621/month.

Because I really need something more ergonomic and pretty than my current setup.

Agreed!!

I'll see if I can get to it tomorrow, bear with me. But this is the master cylinder -
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005479797897.html

I had to make they little plate in the 4th pic to attach the m/c to the headset. Haven't decided yet about the long screw between the two parts of the casting on the rear side, but it's actually quite solid like that.

The linkage that came with the m/c was a a little too loose for my liking so I went for the rose joint (heim joint?) at the lever end. Ideally would have liked one at the other end but wanted the link to be parallel to the headset. Not perfect but not far off. That part is an M5 wire balustrade end. There's literally no play in the connection.

Crimaz has the specimen jar out the front but I don't like the look, so went for this one. Also the whole thing is tucked up a bit higher than the Crimaz version, I used the flat-headed cap screw you see in the first pic to leave clearance.

Also that's not the correct hose connection on there. Thinking about using a banjo bolt with a bleeder nipple in it.

Oh and I drilled a blind hole in the lever so I could tap a thread for the connection, but went a bit far. So had to bolt through the lever instead.

Obviously could be a lot neater but I think when it's all back together and painted properly it'll have pretty low visibility.

Master cylinder - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005479797897.html
Hose (AN3) - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001065418800.html
Hose fittings - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004411265653.html
Reservoir - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006108989792.html
Rose joint - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007189720880.html
Other end of link - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008615920332.html
Banjo with bleeder - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006402514806.html
Wanted to use one of these but it doesn't say what the thread is - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010230085312.html

Nice work Ginch!

For those that don't know, this is a Piaggio Typhoon rear master cylinder

Sweet.
What do u think ur all in parts cost is?

I built one about 8 years ago and it worked great. All in for around $60 with a used typhoon master cylinder. I can imagine with Aliexpress it's going to be around that price.

Thanks! I suspect it was something more generic before that. There's a number of m/c that are similar as well. I didn't add it up tbh. Could have saved a bit in shipping because I made a number of orders... took a chance on a few things working together that didn't quite. And the first hose I bought didn't did not work with the standard AN3 fittings - in the end I re-bought hose and fittings from the same seller so I'd have some comeback if they didn't fit. I have a fair few things left over as well.
Just added it up from the links. It's about $90AU plus shipping.

Thanks a lot, Ginch!
I'll order the parts here and try it.