I have a disc on the car but the rear Harley master cylinder isn't of enough capacity to handle two disc brakes. Your cable setup is better in my opinion. Ill have to provide an additional master cylinider.

Having a brake on the sidecar really improves directional stability, under panic stops especially

Doug

Tom Reid wrote:

Fred: I have a 74 Velorex that I attach to a 2005 Triumph Bonneville and have been advised by all to not use the sidecar brake.  

better they should advise you to install the sidecar brake and be careful how you use it.

Mine is operated by a separate pedal mounted adjacent to the rear brake pedal

Toe in, operate rear brake, toe straight, operate both, toe out, operate sidecar brake only.

And if you also get a ratcheting handbrake lever from a scrapyard you can rig it to lock the sidecar brake on to use as a parking brake.

I used hydraulic brakes on front wheel and chair wheel both hooked to the front lever with a double banjo at the master. you do need a reducer in the line to the chair wheel and speed shop sells the adjustable valve I believe max reduction about 40% of normal? once set you can forget it. some cars have a non adjustable valve in the line to rear brakes, but I could not get an answer from the Ford dealer as to what reduction they provided.

My preference for the front brake is simply that its application alone brings the chair around the bike, hooking the two keeps it straight.

This system worked fine, you need some flex line to avoid vibration fractures with a XS650 can't speak for other possibly smoother bikes.