Yamaha "Blue Spot" calipers conversion

[Jonesy]

Yep gotta agree with the brake usage thing
For years I've been in the habit of checking tyre and brake disc temps by hand when I pull up after a ride......dunno why I just do.
Anyway more often than not the front disc will be cold or barely warm while the rear is the hotter of the 2...what about you blokes?

[AussiXS11G]

pgnz.....hear hear

[pgnz]

sounds like mitis calipers have been dragging or toms brackets aren't quite in spec, chuckle,   didn't have any wear problems on mine(bluespots),  the pads copper sintered type,  not hard-out race sintered,  just "normal" sintered road bike pads.  Sintered metal type quite a stronger bite than kevlar. Didn't notice any wear even on my skinny 3.5mm 320mm fzr discs after a couple of years or so. How you ride,  just using throttle and engine braking 95% of the time makes the difference,  the right entry speed coasting the throttle and smooth lines thru corners,  you can ride all day barely ever touching the brakes 

[Miti]

Nice writeup Bryan. Have thought a lot about doing this, but never quite pulled the trigger.

If you decide to go that route Brian, I can do a life-size template to fit Blue-Spot calipers to the RH (UK/EU Sport) forks.

One thing that Bryan hasn't mentioned in his (excellent, by the way) write-up, is that the 4-pot caliper ride FECKIN' close to the spokes of the wheel...  There is clearance, but not enough to give 100% confidence.  Tom (UK Forum) made up the mounting brackets for my conversion and also made up 2 x 3mm thick stainless steel spacers to move the rotors away from the wheel...

Nice job Bryan, but did the old calipers work well without the wheel being centred ?

If you check the XS1100 manual (OEM, Clymer or Haynes), you'll find a section that describes refitting the front wheel...  The front axle on the XS11 has a built-in "spacer" at the "plain" (RHS) end... When the axle nut is tightened up, this "spacer", the speedo drive, the wheel bearings, bearing spacer, LHS wheel spacer and the RHS fork leg are all "bolted" tight together...  This "pre-positions" the LHS caliper mount so that it's centralised about the LHS rotor...  Now the "hookey" bit... The manual now tells you to grip the RHS fork slider and pull/push it in/out until the RHS caliper mount is centralised about the RHS rotor... Then you tighten up the split clamp on the RHS fork slider...  Fek knows what effect this has on the fork bushes..

Oh yes... The calipers are on slide mounts too...

And... A bit of personal experience with the Blue-Spot calipers... I've had them fitted for the past 5 years/15k miles... There's NO doubt that this is a worthwhile mod... The overall improvement in braking is phenomenal... a GREAT confidence booster...

But... During that 15k miles, I've swapped out the original set of slotted rotors and replaced them with a set of OEM non-slotted items... Why..? 'Cos the slotted ones were beginning to warp... There was a very slight "pulsing" developing at the lever under heavy braking...

Also... Brake pads last about 5k miles (7k has been the best set so far).  I use EBC Kevlar compound pads (NOT HH rated).  The replacement rotors are showing some serious wear too... I don't doubt that a large amount of this is down to riding style (too much brake/not enough throttle), but it is what it is... Expensive..!!

Miti

[AussiXS11G]

nice work PG
I was corresponding with M Pitman who has done a front end conversion using a TRX850 front end...
the usual press out the pivot and replace using XS with longer thread ....

[pgnz]

[Christian Raith]

Looks very mean and lean pgnz

[pgnz]

here's a rare one

[AussiXS11G]

Chuck
Yes they did but the difference is that the stock calipers "float"
These "blue spot" units do not, nor do the stock rotors. . the set up is like a car.
By fitting semi floating rotors you may be able to not worry so much about centring the rotor within
the caliper.
Larger diameter semi floating rotors will be the next thing I fit. . . or maybe electronic ignition
I am of the Church of Unnecessary Modifications it seems. . . .
 

[Chuck]

Nice job Bryan, but did the old calipers work well without the wheel being centred ?

BTW this site uses an American spell check

[melbxs]

Nice writeup Bryan. Have thought a lot about doing this, but never quite pulled the trigger.

[AussiXS11G]

The challenge....
adapt these to the XS1100 G

First thing I did was to centre the wheel between the forks - this required a spacer on the right and a trim on the left...


I purchased some aluminium plate (top grade) around $10...and thanks to Xtianl I had a template fron his conversion....

drilled, then screwed the plates together, fixed the template and applied paint for an outline

and then milled the outline to suit





to get the spacing on the rotors right the back needed to be eased....if you can get the correct thickness material this would not be necessary

cleaned them up a bit and hey presto......

worth the effort? frell YES!!!!
I have had braided lines and have been using sintered pads for some time so I had no real problem
stopping previously.
The most impressive difference is "feel"
Went for a ride with mates last weekend, pulled out a massive passing manoeuvre into a left signed at 40km/h without a worry.......