I don't think that is the case, because there are still plenty of bikes even now that only have single disc brakes.....The CB750K series, for instance, didn't get twin discs until the F2 in 1978........ they would have to pass type approval, but it seems to be the case back then that 'Europeanising' a bike involved lower bars and an extra disc.
 
Yamaha TX750 1973 to 74 had the single disc only in North America,
in Germany ( Europe??) with the the double discs,
the lower fork tubes were fitted from the factory with the brackets on both sides,
was it because we had not the speed limit in Europe like they had the maximum speed limit in States after President G. Ford signed into Law Jan 1975?
higher legal speed need better brakes ( double discs) ?
 
Yamaha TX750 1973 to 74 had the single disc only in North America,
in Germany ( Europe??) with the the double discs,
the lower fork tubes were fitted from the factory with the brackets on both sides,
was it because we had not the speed limit in Europe like they had the maximum speed limit in States after President G. Ford signed into Law Jan 1975?
higher legal speed need better brakes ( double discs) ?
Now that's a fair question.
 
Here are the XSs I've been lucky enough to own over the last few years......starting with the big ones......(which I no longer own)

This is a pic from the 1980s....and it's reversed....that fairing is a John Mockett design...the top section turns with the handlebars...bizarre and utterly brilliant.
View attachment 156670

This one came to me this way.....(not to my taste at all, but it was very cheap and fast at the time).. it burned oil at an alarming rate, but was totally reliable.
View attachment 156671

This one I restored, it was an absolute peach, viton stem seals cured it's smoking habit and that is one of the most comfortable bike seats ever made.
View attachment 156672
This was a ruinously expensive restoration.....a good mate of mine still owns it.
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This is the one I should have kept, 4,000m from new and as nice as they get.
View attachment 156674


And this is the current one......which is nice, but not as nice as it looks (see the master cylinder in 'what have you done to your XS today') This bike will give me some angst before it's finished. If you look very carefully you will see a hole drilled in the frame web, a couple of inches above and to the rear of the upper footrest dome nut...... it's the same both sides and they go right through...I cannot work out why this would be done.....any suggestions gratefully received. Those holes mean a total strip to get them welded. I suspect there was a fairing as the front indicators are missing. In the world of radio controlled flying model aircraft, apparently there is a class of model called a 'stand off'....they are made to look absolutely correct but only from a certain minimum distance, (20 foot stand off for instance) get any closer and it suddenly doesn't look right any more....I would describe this bike as a 20 foot stand off.


View attachment 156675

And lastly, this one, which to be honest, was a mistake..... I just couldn't find an XS2 at the time, I'd been looking for ages, so I bought this as a substitute.....just 5,000m on the clock and it looks true, but it's been poorly stored......naturally, in the best traditions of sods law, the XS2 above came up a few weeks later :banghead:....now I have to finish the XS650C to an acceptable standard to allow me to sell it so I can get the XS2 on the bench....it's quite a decent bike, the engine covers are now polished and it looks a lot better than this photo, but it feels like time wasting
View attachment 156676

Mick.

Boy what a nice collection of bikes! I also had that blue ‘76 back when it was newish, that was such a great bike. And that black and gold XS1100 , man I remember lusting after that bike when it first came out. I had the XS750 instead.
 
I’m with Bob. A VERY nice collection. I’m digging your XS2. It looks perfect. I like your OEM master cylinder. I went through 2 OEM master cylinder rebuild kits before using silicone based DOT4 to keep DOT3 from eating up the rubber. Go figure. Beautiful bikes!
 
4-year art project
20191220_131646.jpg
 
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