Blue spot, Brembo or Beringer Brake upgrade

[pgnz]

Good score,  mc size should be stamped,  probably 14mm,  replacement aftermarket levers are common and cheap.       When rigging a mounting plate, if it's a tight fit between caliper and wheel spokes,   instead of shimming out the discs you might be able to skim a couple mm's from the wheel spokes in the appropriate places

[BrettS]

I ended up buying these ones.
CLICK
As a complete package including MC and SS braided lines I think I did ok for just under $250 delivered to my door from the US.
It does not stipulate what MC it is so I am just hoping it will do the job at the moment.
Hopefully I just need to sought out some mounts, shim the discs and brake away.
I still think in the future I might go for a Brembo setup, a floating 320 rotar with a brembo 40mm caliper and new MC, but as this is the one most have done I think it will be a good first step at least 

Oh and an interesting thing is they were on a race bike (for just a few days aparently) and the mounting bolts are drilled out. Maybe this was to wire them on for saftey or a way to lighten the bike ?

[BrettS]

Ok the setup I am reading about in a magazine for Cafe racer, recommended by Ed Miltch is
Brembo one piece rotors about $120 on ebay, because floating are too expensive. 40mm brembo callipers just under $200 if I am lucky and a 19mm brembo master cylinder which he seems to reckon end as a new item about $300.  The Brembo MC seem like the bomb. Maybe I can get the price down with used MC and the standard rotor?
The other option is a complete set of gold spot callipers with braided lines and MC for $250.
Thinking, thinking :/

[BrettS]

Thanks guy's I have spent a good part of the day going through the threads on this at the UK site. There is alot to take in with the many options they have tried.
From what I can tell the Brembo's may give slightly more clearance than the blue spots. But only one guy has done them and that is with spoked wheels. But in any event they gave more clearance than the blue spot.
I am thinking that a larger rotor 320mm taking the caliper further out  will most likely mean there will be enough room.
I do prefer the look of the brembo over the blue spot and I think performance is on par at least. On the other hand the blue spot has been done more times and we have brackets to copy.

Back to the UK site to keep reading. Also read PGNZ's post a few more times 

[pgnz]

your common cylinder sizes(non-radial type) are 12.7mm(1/2")   14mm,   15.8mm(5/8") while the beefy XS11 cylinder is 17.8mm.  With rubber hoses the 17.8mm setup has plenty of travel to the lever but steel lines give it all a stiffer feel by shortening the lever travel.    A 5/8" would be borderline with the rubber lines on a 78' but well matched to steel lines.   Bluespots are perfect with a 14mm,  a 1/2" (12.7mm) setup gives too much travel even with steel lines and with rubber hoses you won't get pressure at the lever at all.  Pump the lever rapidly and the tiny pinhole connection from the reservoir acts as a delay valve,  lets the pressure build but shoots back to the reservoir in a high pressure fountain back to ATM pressure when the lever is released.

With hydraulic brakes the whole brake system always sits at ATM pressure when lever is out.   The sealed flexy rubber diaphragm keeps the system at ATM because the reservoir lid has a breather hole to outside air pressure.  The flexy diaphragm allows it to always stay that way whilst sealing the fluid at the same time.   The cylinder and caliper piston volume has to match so you'll get full pressure with only one short squeeze of the lever.  The MC is basically just a syringe.  Get one of these mirror mounts off any old dirtbike/trailbike bike and you can use pretty much any MC you like.  As long as it's the right size of course...

[Eveready1100]

Oh, yeah. That reminded me that I'm running a 5/8th master cylinder (RH?)  as opposed to the normal 11/16ths mc's fitted originally to all the Standard models. Highly recommend swapping to one of the smaller ones for more power to the pads.

[AussiXS11G]

I agree with Errol, Braided lines, sintered pads (Goldfren) will make a huge difference (assuming you have disassembled and cleaned the calipers and replaced pistons, seals as required)
An even bigger help in the feel dep't was found when I fitted Kwaka ZZ750 master cylinder- it was a smaller bore than the relic XS unit - gives more pressure at the caliper for the same amount of squeeze at the handlebar
Bryan

[melbxs]

Theres a heap of info on the UK site about the bluespot upgrade. It recommends using an FJR1300 master cylinder. This has the yamaha mirror mount and is the right diameter for the bluespots.

[Eveready1100]

Ok, mate.
One final word of advice, though. Make sure you measure the gap between the fork leg caliper mounting boss and the wheel spoke before you go out shopping, just in case you come across some bargain 4 spot calipers at the wreckers somewhere. May save a heap of hassle post-purchase.

[BrettS]

I apreciate your thoughts Errol. From what I understand it is not so much the strength of the brakes but the feel and maybe control. I am not sure I would be happy with my rebuild unless I upgraded the brakes and suspension.
I think new master cylinders are a must as the old ones are shot and look shyte. Then for a few hundred dollars more to have 4 piston calipers and maybe better rotors then why not?
If I get a good idea of what I am after I might do alot better at the wreckers when I get there. 
Edit: Oh and some track work sounds great 

[Eveready1100]

Mate, before spending too much $$$$ on the brakes, consider fitting a set of braided lines and a good set of pads to your bike. I went down this road and found that I could lock the front wheel at will (BIG squeeze!) but was really controllable as well. Can't really see too much extra benefit unless you have regular track days (Aussiexs11g) or are looking at getting radial type rubber on the front to benefit from the extra stopping power.
Just my opinion, mind.

[XSIIE]

Check out this thread

http://xs1100.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=1495.0

[XSIIE]

Bretts,  before you invest your hard earned $$ on a set of Brembos,  Check that they have the clearance between the forks and the wheel spokes.  I've found that the Blue Spots give you around 1 - 2mm clearance from the inner edge of the caliper and the spokes, but you must space your disc rotor out by 1 - 2mm to get this clearance.

The Harrison Billet calipers are great and set me back around $800 but I was in the UK to pick them up and saved heaps on postage.  These ones will fit only the RH fork leg.

Eddy

[BrettS]

Thanks Eddy some great info there, I will look into the Billet Calipers, they look pricey but bolt on sounds great. (Edit: Looks like a couple of calipers would set me back almost $800

I found a set of suitable Brembo calipers. About $250 deliverd from USA, that's not to bad. I guess the wreckers here would have some as well?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ducati-916-1998-Brembo-Front-Brake-Calipers-Pads-SCRATCHES-40mm-Spacing-/271122203365?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f202482e5

[XSIIE]

Hey Bretts,

You can buy Blue, Gold or Silver Spots  from pretty much any wrecker.  Metropolitan in Sydney has hundreds of sets.  They are around $150/pair.   Snake in Adelaide gave me a set of brackets to be copied which will allow the blue spots to be fitted to the standard front end.  The only thing I don't yet have is the 1mm and 2mm SS spacers to put behind the disc on the wheels. 

If you have an RH front end then a set of Harrison Billet calipers will fit straight on.

http://www.billet.co.uk/index2.html?home.html~mainFrame

The difference is unbelievable.

For ss lines I bought a set from Canada

http://xs1100.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=1728.msg10946#msg10946

They will go on before Bourke.

Cheers

Eddy
Eddy