Brakes: Standard Vs. Special

[drerock]

Does anyone know if brakes (front) for the standard XS1100 are the same as the special? Or the same across all years, 78-82?

Thanks

-Eric

[SFerinTEXAS]

I'm in a rare mood tonight Anyone else want to answer this. Honestly Eric google Yamaha parts online and many of the OE dealers offer a lookup where you can compare model parts I personaly use south seatle sports plaza. PS The answer is NO

[drerock]

Honestly, I trust people who actually own these motorcycles more than comparing part numbers

Originally posted by SFerinTEXAS
I'm in a rare mood tonight Anyone else want to answer this. Honestly Eric google Yamaha parts online and many of the OE dealers offer a lookup where you can compare model parts I personaly use south seatle sports plaza. PS The answer is NO

[bikerphil]

brake pads

I own both a Special and a Standard (79's). The front pads are different but the rears are the same. Front pads on the Standard fit on the rear of the Standard and Special. I'm not sure about the later years. Hope this helps.

[TADracer]

Front calipers on the special are a radial mount in that they pivot on a center bolt and use tapered pads while the standard has a more traditional caliper mounting on the front and use straight cut pads. Fronts pads are not interchangable but the rears are.

[drerock]

thank you both

[fredintoon]

When I got my "bargain" '80 Special it was in pretty sad shape. For one thing, the brakes were seized on so I tore them down. Now I live in an XS11 vacuum and I'd never seen one up close before so my first thought on seeing those quaint tapered front pads was "what arsehole has filed these down?" So I binned them and bought two new pairs. OK, opening the packets lets me know the pads are supposed to be tapered and the arsehole was me for binning good parts. But WHY? WTF make them tapered in the first place? Anybody know?

[Crazcnuk]

The taper allows the brake pads to 'wrap' into the rotor as the caliper pivots on it's bolt. This allow a more gradual, and yet more powerful braking action to take place.

It is sort of a 'servo-acting' disc brake, if you will. The thin end of the pad applies very small pressure, and as you add more pressure to the lever, it rolls further and harder into the thicker area of the pad.

You can tell when they are wore out, they should be almost completely flat.