Brake Overhaul/Upgrade Questions

XSLeo said:
On the XS1100 rotors. They made two versions of the bikes. The Standard and a Special.
The standard used the same style of forks our XS650's use. The Axle was right on the bottom. The Special's used a different fork. The axle was on the front of the fork lower and up a few inches from the bottom. These are leading axle forks. They used a different caliper and rotor size.
The Same applies to the XS850 and XS750. I bought two sets of the slotted rotors. One set was from an XS1100. These were 7 mm thick. The other set was from some other bike. They were 5 mm thick. The 5 mm are on the 75. The 7 mm are on the 82.
There is about a 28% weight savings on going to the 5 mm rotors.
I learned these differences in the brakes the hard way. Bought the wrong parts because I didn't know better. I might recommend asking the seller to give you the rotor diameter before you buy.
Leo
Click to expand...

Hi Leo,
BTDT.
FWIW the XS650/750/850/1100 WHEELS are identical and will swap between ANY XS 650/750/850/1100 bike.
Note that very early model XS1100 front wheels are more massive than the others but they'll still swap.
And any brake disk will bolt up to any wheel. Even the wire wheels.
What's different is the pre '77 XS650 disks are dished different and the XS750/850 disks are the same smaller diameter as an XS650 REAR disk.
So XS11 (Standard or Special, slotted or plain) brake disks will fit any XS650 but will only be compatible with a '77 or newer brake caliper.
So yeah, best to check the disk diameter before purchase. My son E-bought a brake disk & left side caliper to dual brake his XS650.
Caliper was perfect, Disk was too small. The parts musta been from an XS750/850 Standard.
Giving the seller the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he didn't know there was a difference either.
 
XS750/850 and EU dual disc XS650 have smaller discs.

I have an XS1100 Special with slotted rotors. The brakes weigh 20 lbs! The rotors are about 7 lbs each. The aftermarket EBC rotors cut down on excess weight far better than drilling.

IMHO, the stock XS650 brake is adequate. My own recommendation for improvement is a stainless line and lighter rotor. I saved the Brembo caliper and master cylinder off my wrecked Moto Guzzi. My intent is for that to end up on my XS650.
 
Yes, drilling the disc doesn't save much weight. I only saw about a 1/4 lb. reduction on mine. I was surprised, I thought there would be more. The 5mm disc saves about 1.5 lbs over the 7mm one. I've run both but honestly, I can't feel any difference in the handling. The only thing I noticed is the 5mm disc gets hot faster. Now I suppose under intense use, that could induce some brake fading, but I've never had that issue. I guess I haven't pushed it that hard.
 
jetmechmarty said:
XS750/850 and EU dual disc XS650 have smaller discs.

I have an XS1100 Special with slotted rotors. The brakes weigh 20 lbs! The rotors are about 7 lbs each. The aftermarket EBC rotors cut down on excess weight far better than drilling.

IMHO, the stock XS650 brake is adequate. My own recommendation for improvement is a stainless line and lighter rotor. I saved the Brembo caliper and master cylinder off my wrecked Moto Guzzi. My intent is for that to end up on my XS650.
Click to expand...
Prolly wind up looking something like this - (Brembo from Ducati Monster)
 

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5twins said:
Yes, drilling the disc doesn't save much weight. I only saw about a 1/4 lb. reduction on mine. I was surprised, I thought there would be more. The 5mm disc saves about 1.5 lbs over the 7mm one. I've run both but honestly, I can't feel any difference in the handling.
Click to expand...

Yes. As I said, the stock brake is adequate. Hard charging that thing on crooked roads or bumpy roads, the lighter rotor will shine. Still, most of the XS650 wheels are overweight too. Honestly, I’m riding a stock Special, buckhorn bars and all. Try to keep up. :)
 
jetmechmarty said:
Yes. As I said, the stock brake is adequate. Hard charging that thing on crooked roads or bumpy roads, the lighter rotor will shine. Still, most of the XS650 wheels are overweight too. Honestly, I’m riding a stock Special, buckhorn bars and all. Try to keep up. :)
Click to expand...
Hi marty,
the '77 & later XS650 stock front brake is adequate compared to what?
Compared to a Britbike's 7" SLS drum it's effin' brilliant.
Compared to the exact same disk and caliper driven by a smaller area M/C via a stainless brake line it's kinda pathetic.
And we've discussed your rototiller bars preference before.
Gotta say you are in an extreme minority there, even if I daren't try keeping up to you.
 
fredintoon said:
Hi marty,
the '77 & later XS650 stock front brake is adequate compared to what?
Compared to a Britbike's 7" SLS drum it's effin' brilliant.
Compared to the exact same disk and caliper driven by a smaller area M/C via a stainless brake line it's kinda pathetic.
And we've discussed your rototiller bars preference before.
Gotta say you are in an extreme minority there, even if I daren't try keeping up to you.
Click to expand...

I'll give you that it takes a good squeeze. The stainless line is a given as well.
I believe my preferences are protected, both in the US and Canada. :)
 
Buck-horns are a personal preference.........The get rid of the bars as a first reply in the threads is worn............If the buck-horns are so universally condemned then why are there so many on pre 80 bikes in the pics of the 650 society line up at the Ozark rally???
 
650Skull said:
Buck-horns are a personal preference.........The get rid of the bars as a first reply in the threads is worn............If the buck-horns are so universally condemned then why are there so many on pre 80 bikes in the pics of the 650 society line up at the Ozark rally???
Click to expand...

Hi Skull,
I bought my XS650 long before I joined this club to get the benefit of good advice and indeed, before I had a computer
but my first thought on the test ride was "I love this bike but these bars plain don't feel right and they just gotta go!"
So the first chance I got, they went. They plain ol' don't match with most folks' comfortable riding position.
And why so many in old photos? Most likely because, just like riding a hardtail, looking cool trumps riding in comfort.
 

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