New member, new bike

Nice! I think your plan to do tyres, oil, brakes and then ride it is spot on. And please, it's Raymond.

I bought my RD m/c from MCP - I think is them: mothttps://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/orcycle

There are other master cylinders which fit. If you have a hunt on the forum, there are discussions on what size of piston in the m/c gives the best ratio for feel at the brake disc. Indeed, if you hunt on the forum, there are discussions on everything you could want to know. Cheers, Raymond
 
That's one clean XS! I remember looking at one exactly like this one, and just as clean, at a dealership in Redwater, Alberta back in the mid 90's for $1200 and thinking, "1978? Damn, that's old!" I was in 4th grade when that bike was made. Anyhow, I was too broke to afford it back then, and I was still on my wanna-be moto GP racer tangent flogging a 1983 GS550E mercilessly around the prairies. So many nice bikes floating around Edmonton back then, GT750s, GT550s, 380s. An RE-5 with a crate motor for $1500 was in the classified ads for a few years! I could have had a Z1-R for $1800 and I had to pass on a GS1150E for $800. Being poor and an apartment dweller really sucked.
 
Looks like a real "survivor". The spark plug caps look original. I'd be replacing them right away with some NGKs. It also looks like it's missing one of the screws on the round alternator cover down by the shift lever. Yamaha cheaped out here, using screws that were too short. They don't reach in deep enough and engage with all the threads provided. Best switch to screws a few MM longer .....

hX8JSxN.jpg


I use stainless button head Allens .....

coE3RkJ.jpg


..... up top too on the points and advance housing covers .....

BVWCAkd.jpg
 
Raymondo said:
Nice! I think your plan to do tyres, oil, brakes and then ride it is spot on. And please, it's Raymond.

I bought my RD m/c from MCP - I think is them: mothttps://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/orcycle

There are other master cylinders which fit. If you have a hunt on the forum, there are discussions on what size of piston in the m/c gives the best ratio for feel at the brake disc. Indeed, if you hunt on the forum, there are discussions on everything you could want to know. Cheers, Raymond
Click to expand...
Thanks Raymond - I'll have a look.
 
Well spotted. I'll make a note to sort that.

5twins said:
Looks like a real "survivor". The spark plug caps look original. I'd be replacing them right away with some NGKs. It also looks like it's missing one of the screws on the round alternator cover down by the shift lever. Yamaha cheaped out here, using screws that were too short. They don't reach in deep enough and engage with all the threads provided. Best switch to screws a few MM longer .....

hX8JSxN.jpg


I use stainless button head Allens .....

coE3RkJ.jpg


..... up top too on the points and advance housing covers .....

BVWCAkd.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Raymondo said:
Nice! I think your plan to do tyres, oil, brakes and then ride it is spot on. And please, it's Raymond.

I bought my RD m/c from MCP - I think is them: mothttps://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/orcycle

There are other master cylinders which fit. If you have a hunt on the forum, there are discussions on what size of piston in the m/c gives the best ratio for feel at the brake disc. Indeed, if you hunt on the forum, there are discussions on everything you could want to know. Cheers, Raymond
Click to expand...
Raymond - that firm no longer lists that cylinder. Any idea where I might get one in the UK?

Something like this looks spot on - but it's in the States.

https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-1mh-master-cyl-assembly-13mm-bore.html
 
Hi Will, bummer they don't list that m/c anymore. Here's the link to the rebuild thread for my XS - around the time I did the brake:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/miss-november-xs2-tribute.55057/page-36#post-620124

If I remember correctly, there are plenty of cheap master cylinders available. You're looking for one with a ½" or 13 mm or similar piston diameter. But you also ideally want the mirror thread to be a reverse cut to fit a Yamaha mirror. I did a fair bit of looking around before I found what I wanted. If you accept a normal mirror thread there's plenty of cheap master cylinders around.

This morning, a quick look on Google turned this up:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/392299199528

but it is a bit more expensive - £90, ouch. If the link doesn't take you there, the seller is http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/n.chambers53?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.c10

I expect the one I bought will be available somewhere - I'm afraid it might be a matter of trying a few searches until you come up with something suitable with correct mirror thread and not gonna break the bank.

PS - further quick look brought this up:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Front-Ri...223641351590?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

It's for a Banshee, which seems to be a Yamaha 300 quad. Don't know about the mirror thread.
 
Not too sure. Might be a 14 mm diameter - I found that by following a link to a m/c sold for the same quad on Amazon USA. Need to do some keyboard time . . .
 
Looks good to me. 12.5 mm piston should give good 'feel'. If it's for Yamaha, should be correct mirror thread - can you ask the retailer?

I've bought things from them and had good service.
 
Personally, I buy genuine Yamaha MCs used from other models off eBay. There are several benefits, first being the genuine Yamaha quality. They also have the correct reverse mirror thread, take your original stock lever, and your original brake light switch.

The stock MC has a 14mm bore, slightly too big for best "feel", but it works just fine. A popular choice is to move down to an 11mm size. These came on many of the XT/TT225 and 250 dirt bikes. I put one on my '78 and do like the improved "feel", but I'm not crazy about the increased lever travel the smaller size gives. On my '83, I decided to try a size in between the two, so I went with a 1/2" (12.7mm) MC from a Yamaha Vision. I really like this one. The slightly smaller size gives better "feel" but there's hardly any additional lever travel.

So, a 12.5mm size should work well, better "feel" but little lever travel increase. But like I said, the original works just fine, so a replacement isn't a pressing issue. You can take your time finding one, and finding a nice used one can take some time. Many are all beat up, especially the dirt bike ones, lol.
 
I must admit that the 12 quid eBay one is giving me the fear. It may well be fine, but it's the brakes and I'd rather not take the chance.

Besides - I'm coming from a T140 and that had absolutely no feel at all on the front brake.
 
Like I said, the original works just fine. I ran it for many years and thought it was good, the brake worked very well. All this talk on this site about a smaller MC being better is what got me interested in trying a one. But, since I had a perfectly good working one already, I didn't want to spend lots of money. It took some searching and patience, but I finally managed to find them reasonably priced (less than $20 each) and not too beat up. Yes, they look a bit weathered, but the whole bike is like that so they fit right in, lol.

C7botBH.jpg


avObCjs.jpg


8drKnvC.jpg


dvchMIP.jpg
 
No, both mine are black. The '78 Standard, very similar to your '77 .....

8xen8Ef.jpg


..... and the '83 heritage Special .....

UtQy2MY.jpg


I've had the '78 since around 2000 but didn't get it fixed up and running until 2005. The '83 is a recent acquisition, I've only had it a couple years. I'm slowly implementing most of the changes and improvements I made to the '78 to it. It's coming along nicely.
 
Hello Will
On the MC issue, I used one off a Yamaha Virago XV 250, ('95 model I think). 12.5 mm outlet gives good feel and I adjusted most of the play out of the lever with a slightly longer screw at the cylinder plunger. It is angled to suit the "buckhorn" bars but I imagine it would work and look fine on your machine - nice old bike by the way. Use steel brake lines.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0088 4.JPG
    IMG_0088 4.JPG
    180.9 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_0089 3.JPG
    IMG_0089 3.JPG
    186.4 KB · Views: 74
  • IMG_0090 2.JPG
    IMG_0090 2.JPG
    142.7 KB · Views: 71

Similar threads

B
New member introduction
Replies
7
Views
643
AUTOMAN
A
B
New member, new to the XS650
Replies
17
Views
1K
Kevin Werner
Kevin Werner
T
Where to even begin...
2 3
Replies
54
Views
2K
Adamc
Adamc
N
Resurrecting My '79 XS650F
2 3
Replies
51
Views
3K
noodlenoggin
N
R
1977 XS650
3 4 5
Replies
84
Views
2K
Racerxnico
R
Back
Top