It features one of the wildest looking levers yet the real bling part is the rotor.
Hope have welded three layers of metal together and then laser cut them to create internal vents, similar to a performance car brake. Hope claim the new rotor runs 15 per cent cooler than a standard model and takes longer to heat up, which means better, longer lasting and more consistent performance. The layered design adds extra weight but you'll hardly notice it when you're rolling. A standard, floating rotor version is also available.
The calliper is an oversized single-pot unit that's about 25 per cent bigger than the Mono Mini calliper. Like the rotor, it has been designed to dissipate heat build up effectively, and the pad area has been made larger than on a standard Hope pad to provide increased power and bite.
The awesome power of the Moto doesn't really shine through until you hit long, seemingly endless descents. We tested both the standard, floating rotor brake and the vented rotor brake and we could certainly feel the difference instantly: the vented rotors didn't allow fade and they never ran out of bite.
The lever features the usual reach adjuster in the blade and a new, bigger reservoir compared to a Mono Mini brake. It also sits significantly further inboard than a regular Hope lever, which means some riders might feel the need to mount their shifters inside the lever. This isn't a problem on a wide freeride or downhill handlebar but it might be an issue for jumpy types or race heads who like a slightly narrower bar.
A progression adjuster is neatly housed in the lever body but ours was a bit of a pig to move. Naturally for a hardcore riding brake, the hoses are braided - they're much stronger than standard poly hoses.
The calliper is a Post Mount model and it can be fitted with brackets to suit your bike - IS (International Standard) and five fork (Fox 40, RockShox Boxxer, etc) specific adaptors are available.
The vented option, although pricey, elicits incredible stopping power, and on long, hard descents the low operating temperature of the brake results in constant and supremely positive performance. It may be overkill for much of the UK, but for its intended use on really long downhills it's a revelation.