Recent content by arcticXS

Yes, and use the opportunity to get a smaller MC, like the recommended 11 mm. Stock MCs from the 70s and early 80s are way too big on most models!

And a boatload more unsprung weight.....

No, 4x 34 mm. But still bigger pistons than for example "blue spot" type caliper from R1/ R6 etc

Test ride one! Just be aware that some 900 Monsters have the "small valve head" from the Cagiva Elefant 900, while other have the "larger valve head" from the 900SS. The power difference is somewhere between 10 and 15 hp, depending on year. Other than that, the early Monsters are really fun...

Maybe a good bike, but hardly good looking.

Also, a disc made for a modern 4 piston caliper has a narrower friction "band", so will always be lighter than your oem 298 mm disc, even when thinned down to 5 mm

My disc is very close to the fork sliders, yes. Maybe 2 mm clearance between floater buttons and fork slider. One thing to be aware of, is that a 320 or 330 mm disc will give more clearance between caliper and spikes than for example a 298 mm disc, due to the spoke angle.

My setup is a 320 mm custom made ISR disc, 5 mm thick, offset 23 mm (measured from OUTSIDE of disc friction surface to mounting surface) Brembo 4 piston caliper with 65 mm C-C mounting holes. Spoked stock XS wheel. No filing required

That would be "XSJohn"....Not sure if he is with us anymore? However, I don't think he was much concerned with running at "high-ish" speeds ...

That would mostly be depending on piston and piston pin weight. Larger bore would not necessarily mean heavier pistons. Also, when piston/ pin weight changes, the balance factor also changed, unless the crankshaft is modified. (Balance factor determines the proportions of vertical "shaking" vs...

Maybe not very helpful, but still related to the "rephase or not" discussion: Balance factor. Now I do not know what balance factor the XS has, but I bet it is quite high, just like old British parallell twins. The "fore and aft" oscillations of the front fork/wheel of an XS idling while in the...

Regarding suspension: Stock shocks and many aftermarket shocks have only 3" travel, giving around 4" of wheel travel. However, there are options out there with 4" shock travel, giving 5" of wheel travel. Just make sure the tyre does not hit fender or other parts at fully compressed suspension

. Nice! I got my first RD350A in 1981, got the second one some 10-12 years ago. Great little bikes, and as Jim said, excitement arrives after 5500-6000 rpm ! The RDs are pretty well made, and my personal opinion is that their main Achilles heel is the charging and ignition system. Ignition...

Not very helpful for the OP, but for a complete change of ignition and charging system, and the ability to run without a battery, a VAPE CDI/ PMA setup would be very hard to beat.... I just have very little confidence in a random PMA/ capacitor/ Boyer mishmash...(maybe even a mismatch.....)

Is the Boyer Ignition really supposed to be ran without a battery? I think I read that they need decent voltage to work properly. Kick starting with PMA/ no battery may not give a sufficiently strong spark. The fact that you see a spark when holding the plug against ground while kicking, does...