Mikes XS Drilled Brake discs - Anyone using them?

[acof911]

Hello All,
I'm shopping for some replacement front brake discs for my 81 special. Of course there is ebay but I have had lousy luck there lately. I have searched the forums for some opinions on the drilled front brake discs that are available at Mikes XS and could use some more info.

Has anyone on the forum used the Mikes discs?

Any brake disc related comments or opinions would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Andy

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Andy,

Another XSive recently acquired the EBC rotors from BikeBandit or Dennis Kirk or so....they appear exactly like the ones on MikesXS, and Mikes are much cheaper, and free shipping!! Oh yeah, AkMac IIRC is the one, do a search for chrome!
Okay found it, put your sunglasses on:
Chromed Beauty

Here's the parts fiche info from the 79 650 and 1100, they are the exact same #, so they are totally interchangeable, and should work very well!

79 650 1J3-25831-00-00 DISC, FRONT BRAKE

79 XS11 1J3-25831-00-00 DISC, FRONT BRAKE

T.C.

[acof911]

Thanks T.C.
I have been following the chrome goodness thread and that bike is a thing of beauty. The EBC rotors look really nice as well but are too expensive for my budget. I'll give ebay another shot but I may become impatient and give Mikes XS a call.
thanks again,
Andy

[Geezer]

The 78 and 79 non-slotted rotors go pretty cheap on flea bay.

I've heard that drilling rotors isn't all that hard with the right tools and I have a pretty nice drill press. However I haven't attempted drilling any rotors yet as I'm not sure I could get the hole spacing right.

One of these days I'm going to scrounge up a scored up old rotor to practice on.

Geezer

[Pat Kelly]

I drilled my rotors on my E with a benchtop drillpress. I folowed the template on Ken Talbots webpage.
To make mine different I made each hole smaller from outside in. Outter holes are 1/4", next hole to the center was the next smaller size drillbit. I started at the inner holes and drilled all of the holes at the smallest diameter (as a pilot hole for the larger holes. Then each 'ring' got redrilled bigger. Then chamfered each hole, both sides.
Took about 45 minutes and 1/2 a small bottle of cutting oil.
I've read that you don't want the holes too evenly spaced or a 'harmonic' can develop. Done by hand (drillpress) creates enough varience that I've had no problems.

[Geezer]

The harmonic you're refering to is a slight whiring sound that some people claim to hear from air flow through evenly spaced holes drilled in rotors.

Kawasaki came up with a aysemetric patern that was supposed to still be in ballance but I've always thought it was ugly.

None of my bikes have ever been quiet enough for the whiring sound to be heard.

Geezer

[pggg]

I drilled both front discs on an XS11 with a hand-drill(electric) and had the disc sitting on a board. What a mission as SS is bad news to drill, and it dealt to my fancy 'titanium coated' drill bits quick smart especially after the holes were getting burnt blue even with heaps of cutting oil. The steel was getting harder and harder. What a work out it took about 2 weeks at 2 or 3 holes per day.

[DiverRay]

I used Kens pattern, and drilled all three of my rotors. I did use a cobalt bit, with cutting oil. Took about one hour per rotor, but they will stop in the rain.
Ray

[TADracer]

How about a pic

Pat,

Your multi-size hole pattern sounds interesting. Per chance, do you have a picture you could post?

[xschop]

cobalt is the key

I used cobalt drill bits as well, they had no problem cutting into the disc, then "champhered" (sp) the holes afterward... I may be selling mine when i get my other ones back from the machinist....chop

[Geezer]

Chop, what patern did you use?

Geezer

[xschop]

pattern

I used one of those old style drill presses with the preset degreed increments, I think 24 per 360deg, then i did 3 rows of these with the middle row staggard, Does any of this make sense?

[Pat Kelly]

[pggg]