Dual disk upgrade for USA spec 1975 650B

Grewth, you’re spot on. I bought the bike because the black 1975 B model was one I wanted. Coming from the US it has no rot issues and this one is really low mileage. But because I like tinkering I just thought it might be easy to bolt on another disk and calliper…. I’m now inclined to leave well alone and just enjoy it for what it is.
I've got a '75 B project which I'm slowly collecting parts for, and like yours it's a US model with the single large disc.
In the US, the '75 B model was the sixth model in the XS series, proceeded by the two XS1's, the XS2, the TX650, and finally the heavily reworked TX650A.
Now here in the UK, we got nothing for '70 and '71, the XS2 was the first four stroke Yamaha to make it here.
Then for '73 we got...errrr.... the XS2 some more, but with bigger indicators I think.
Then for '74 we got ......more of the XS2 again, I don't think even the colour scheme changed from '72 although it was different from the US colour scheme.
In '75 everything changed with the appearance of the XS650B.
Not only did we get a completely reworked 650, virtually everything was new on the rolling chassis, and Yamaha even treated us to twin front discs.
Only Suzukis GT750 and Hondas Goldwing had twin discs up front then, even the mighty Z1 still only had a single disc.
I'm planning to root out an original twin disc set up for mine, the hard bit will be finding the UK type fork sliders for a '75.
The parts must be out there somewhere, they sold enough bikes back in the day.
Once you get the forks sorted, everything else is just standard mid '70's RD/XS parts.
And then I want to find the UK spec tail lamp and mount, like the one on a FS1E
 
For your tail light, check out early air cooled RD250/350 parts on EBay etc.. they are the same as the FS1E. Good luck.
 
Or this taillight? Heiden Tuning sells it for XS1, but it also came as OEM on the RD 350.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221027-105016.png
    Screenshot_20221027-105016.png
    335.7 KB · Views: 45
Can't tell you an awful lot about the bracket - the bike was first registered in Canada, brought to the UK some time this century. So far as I know that will be the original bracket and probably what you would get if you bought a 1978 Special item unless there's markets differences? Photo of Miss November's:

PICT0559.JPG


Clearly the bracket is shaped to match the boxy rear lamp not the round one. But I don't fink it looks too out of place? And I'm not one to lose much sleep fretting about originality.
 
Back
Top