Both my sons learned/are learning on a "vintage" bike (OK, it's just OLDer then both of them) with drum brakes. It'll do them good when they get to a "modern" bike with brakes that actually stop.

Teaches them to think ahead.

 

You may read somewhere else on this forum about "laying it down" When you had a heavy bike with drum brakes, sliding down the street with the motorcycle on its side WAS the fastest way to stop!\

 

Drums were ok 73 Sporty..

Disc alot easier to change


You probably dont even know what a rotary phone either

 

Harley's just didn't have good drums; most of the Japanese bikes had adequate ones for normal riding. As if many of us rode normal... Drums didn't work at all when they got wet, and faded fast when they got hot. Example: Before I learned to do my speeding downhill, I topped a hill in 3 digits, saw a cop coming in the other lane, nailed the brakes, and coasted by him a little over the speed limit because somewhere between 100 and 50, the brakes just quit. That bike could do a panic stop from around 65, but around 70 it might start coasting before stopping; the more speed you were going, the less speed drop before the brakes failed. A lot of cars were just as bad; I did the same maneuver in a Dodge RT (440ci) at around 120, and ran out of brake by 70; for fast drivers/riders, drum brakes were a little like Russian roulette. And the damned things needed to be adjusted, not so bad on a bike, but needed talent to do it right on a car. Well, maybe a little talent on a bike, I've heard some people can't change their own oil...

 

I had a '64 Triumph Bonneville with a 12" over Springer front end with no brake at all and the rear brake, as I recall, was about a 6" drum, connected to the brake pedal with a fairly flimsy rod and that was it. Don't have the clearest memories (age and probably some other factors) but I do recall on a couple of occasions ending up in the breakdown lane or somebody's front yard when I had to "stop" quick. Ah, those were the days.

 

Most of my biking experience has been on bikes with drum brakes and if the drum brake is in good condition and adjusted properly, I never noticed a lot of diff between usual function of drum and single disc. The real difference shows up in fade under hard/continuous usage. Dms don't cool as well and they fade much sooner than discs, and if pushed will simply go away completely.

 

As said a couple of times he should have them checked out, but drums dont hold a candle to a disc setup.