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Option 1 the most obvious, and expensive, route is to fit a front end from a European XS650 Roadster, as these all appear to have two discs. However, unless you have access to such a vehicle or an unlimited amount of cash to spend at the local Yamaha dealer we’ll move on to more realistic choices shall we?
Option 2 I believe that the front end or complete fork assembly from an XS750 or 850 fits onto the XS650 head stock and this supplies everything you need. Unfortunately there is a small problem here. Every breaker in the world knows this dodge and charges accordingly. You only have to ask “Do you have a straight front end for an XS750 please?” and receive the answer “You’re putting that on an XS650 mate, aren’t you?” to know that (a) this is not he first time he has been asked and (b) it’s going to cost more than this months pay packet!
Option 3 Looking at the naked left hand fork leg you could be forgiven for thinking that “something from Yamaha’s spare’s catalogue must fit?” Well something does, it’s the left caliper assembly of a ‘78-80 XS1100 (not from the later XS1100S). Unfortunately when making an enquiry to your local breaker you will enter into conversation eerily similar to that in Option 2.
Option 4 this strategy is not for the faint hearted. You will need the rear caliper from an XS750, 850 etc but not the carrier/mounting bracket. Now “simply” find a compatible left handed carrier/mounting bracket from an XS1100 and you have a caliper with the bleed screw at the bottom instead of the top of the caliper. Now all you have to do is blank off the bottom hole, fit the brake hose with a combined banjo/bleed nipple assembly and your half way there! This option is not particularly straight forward and, to my mind at least, is frankly a bit of a lash up. Considering the chasing around you will need to do for the carrier and the hassles involved in trying to expel the last bubble of air from a redundant bleed nipple may I suggest the following?
Option 5 (Cooper’s Cunning
Caliper Caper)
A long trawl through various magazines,
M&P and MPS catalogues, parts books etc. convinced me that it was possible
to beat Mr. Yamaha at his own game. If a large proportion of 70’s 650s had just
the one, right hand, 11? “, disc and caliper then something had to have the
left hand one. The XS1100 has got an equal number i.e. one pair so just where
were all those left-hand caliper and carrier/mounting bracket assemblies? To
use a well-worn phrase “imagine my surprise” when I found that the SR500’s had
what looked like the right bits. Two fellow VJMC members answered my pleas for
help in the Newsletter (thanks to Richard Dent and Pete? sorry mate, forgot
your surname) and convinced me that the SR500 parts were indeed the business.
So a used caliper was sourced from Jap Classic and the fun really began.
Two other key components that are needed for this project are a second disc (obvious but so far unmentioned) and an appropriate master cylinder.
The disc is simple (ish) as you only need to find someone breaking any US import or European “Custom” 650 (again an XS1100 one will do). This bolts to the left side of your front wheel after you have prized off the black plastic hub cover. New bolts and tab washers are a good idea if fancy being around long enough to enjoy more than the one brief ride!
