I need some real opinions...

[TomRodgers]

maybe he is getting his boots retro fitted with some high friction composition soles to stop the Fred Flinstone way....with the lowered rear end he would have better contact patch with his boots.....

[fredintoon]

I am in the process of working on my 1980 XS1100 special. I elbow deep in the wires right now and getting rid of things that i don't need and cleaning up or rewiring the things that I do. I don't do much without some opinions and advise to draw from... I am a fan of weighing the pro's and cons of everything and then going with what i think is best.

1. I am thinkin about puttin' 10" struts on my bike. I know that they might be kidney busters and that lower than 11" inches could wear out the final drive... but I need sme opinions on this... I'd like to hear from people that have dne this and what their experiences were with it.

2. I am thinking about removing the front brakes all together. I know it' a fast bike and that they play a major part in the stopping process... but it would look pretty sweet if they were gone. ( Vanity... could kill ya. I know my old man tells me that every so often.)

3. Does Somebody have a photographic guide to what some of these electronics are? There's celiniods and relays that I have no Idea what they are. I know what I want to get rid of but i want to be sure that what I get rid of is Not what I actually need.

Anyway... Any opinions or experiences on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Again. Z

Hi 'songs,
if you need opinions, the current US President should have gone into show business instead of politics and true music died with Delius.
If you want facts, if you do all that to your bike and then ride it, you are going to die!
OK, it will maybe look good but only as an art work and I doubt you have the structural skills to successfully hang it on a wall.

[songs4sale07]

Something's to think about...

Boy TC your a tough teacher. If he tries what you suggest he will lock up the rear wheel and highside, throwing himself over the the bike and then the bike will roll over the top of him, but I guess he'll get the point

I'm not a total amature, wa407mpp. Maybe misguided and reckless in what I would like my bike to look like but not an amature. my front brake wouldn't hold any DOT 3 last season and so I rode about 2/3 of the season on rear brakes only. and the first third on both. I experienced alot of situations and even a massive rain storm with standing water on the freeway (so much so I had to rig up a cover from cardboard on my pods)and all I had there was my rear brakes.I experienced close calls and a wrech or two in both regards, front brakes and none. and I am fine. Now I'm not saying that I'm superman and I'm not saying that it was right but... it worked. and I EXPERIENCED both.

I asked for opinions and experiences and I got more of the first then the second, but thats okay. thats what I asked for. I didn't ask for a mockery of something that you (wa407mpp) know nothing about (my experience of handling a motorcycle).

Thank you Phil that was very Very helpful, DgXSER, T.C. and the rest of ya thank you very much Iwill update my personal info and even post pics of what i get done here... there is still technically two months of winter here so I got time to make the necessary plans and changes. Thanks again to everyone who volunteered helpful and useful advise and information. Z

[cywelchjr]

I'm not a total amature, wa407mpp. Maybe misguided and reckless in what I would like my bike to look like but not an amature. my front brake wouldn't hold any DOT 3 last season and so I rode about 2/3 of the season on rear brakes only. and the first third on both. I experienced alot of situations and even a massive rain storm with standing water on the freeway (so much so I had to rig up a cover from cardboard on my pods)and all I had there was my rear brakes.I experienced close calls and a wrech or two in both regards, front brakes and none. and I am fine. Now I'm not saying that I'm superman and I'm not saying that it was right but... it worked. and I EXPERIENCED both.

I asked for opinions and experiences and I got more of the first then the second, but thats okay. thats what I asked for. I didn't ask for a mockery of something that you (wa407mpp) know nothing about (my experience of handling a motorcycle).

Well, your sure coming across sounding like an amateur. It's not an opinion that running a MC without front brakes in dangerous, it's a fact. It's also a fact that most if not all states REQUIRE working front brakes, not just on MC's but on all vehicles. It's not as bad on cars, but even there the front brakes provide the majority of your stopping power, and without them on ANY vehicle your stopping distance is at least tripled. You can't give up 75% or your stopping power and still stop in a reasonable distance, it's just not going to happen. You really need to listen to what everybody is saying. If everybody but you thinks its a really bad idea, you should really be seriously reconsidering it. I would not ride ANY bike or vehicle without front brakes in any situation other than an emergency, and then only to a shop to get them fixed. I have been there done that, and got in an accident that I would NOT have gotten into if my front brakes were working properly (not on my 1100, but my 400 years ago), and I would not do it again, or let anybody I care anything about do it either. The looks are NOT worth the danger, either to yourself or others (and don't kid yourself, if you can't stop you are a danger to others as well as yourself).

I'll get off my soapbox now, but this is something that I feel strongly about. Just like the idiots who endanger others with their stunting on public roads and such, I don't believe you have the right to endanger others by acting unsafely on public roads.

[Schming]

My opinion from experience...

1. "I know that they might be kidney busters..."
2. "I know it' a fast bike and that they play a major part in the stopping process..."
3. "I know what I want to get rid of but i want to be sure that what I get rid of is Not what I actually need."

Please listen to Yourself and most of all One who REALLY CARES about You;
"( Vanity... could kill ya. I know my old man tells me that every so often.)"

[motoman]

Just read all these threads.......and songs4sale is making some reckless choices. Others here are just trying to help you be safe in your endeavers. Not fixing front brakes when they were an issue and riding anyway tells me you are an amature at best. Hit the pavement at any speed and survive will change your attitude and hopefully appitude immediately. This is coming from someone who is likely three times your age and still has a bit of a no fear factor. I'm sure others here that have been riding 40+yrs as I can tell you some scary choices and crazy things that we have lived to tell about riding on road and off road. Some of which make me cringe today thinking about. Just trying to keep you and your scoot safe so your able to enjoy many years of riding. Pretty much any riding scenario you experience, you'd be "preaching to the chior" here. Use us old schoolers experience to your advantage instead of re-inventing the wheel so to speak. Be smart, be safe.......Brant.

[gk45241]

Struts and brakes

Songs.

Here is my personal opinion. My bike is a frankenstein 79 xs11. It has been laid down prior to my getting the bike. I have "slowly" been getting it back together and have put quite a few neighborhood miles on the bike.
That being said. I have 11" struts on the back. Drops the rear end plenty low. The previous owner had cut the shocks down (about 9=10" eye to eye) and it made dragging the pegs and or mufflers fairly easy. With the 11 struts I have about 41/2- 5 inch of clearence. I would not recomend going any lower than the 11", but it is your choice.
It rides a little rough but I am ok with that for now. I think I may prefedr the Bratstyle look and ride with some sportster or rebel shocks set on a high setting to give a little more forgivness. If your "experience" matches your desires for the bike, then you already know a strutted bike rides much different than a regular hartail.
As far as front brakes go...I have one. The PO who had laid it down totally fubar'd one of the calipers so they removed it. I removed the second bent rotor when I had the front wheel off this winter. I too have stopped using only the rear brakes and have ridden this way. But with such a heavy bike a front brake is necessary(if only for bad weather or panic stops). I have had many tell me I need both (they are probably right, but im broke). I would keep at least one of the front... this is just my opinion.
AS others have said, There are some great resources on here. I am also a member of some other sites such as the TCU and bobbertalk. These sites may be a better source for the chopping questions, where this site is a great networking tool for mechanicals of your bike.
There are some great people on this site, Most would prefer to see a resto than a chop, bob, brat job. If my bike had been in "much" better shape i would have went the resto route as well. But i love my rat bob in progress! I think you will continue to enjoy this bike. Just remember that some of the reason you enjoy it "may" be due to the design and culture that it has from the factory. Take baby steps and keep your shocks, you can always swithc back or adjust your tastes.



Gary King

[fredintoon]

- - - - As far as front brakes go...I have one. The PO who had laid it down totally fubar'd one of the calipers so they removed it. - - -

Hi Gary,
so you are riding with just one front caliper hooked up to the original front master cylinder and you can't afford to get a second caliper and disk right now?
Your front brake feels as hard as wood, right?
That's because the stock 11/16" diameter master cylinder has twice the area it needs to operate a single caliper.
Perhaps you can afford to get a used master cylinder from a different bike? You need one that's got either a 12mm diameter piston (slightly less than half the area) or a 1/2" diameter piston (slightly more than half the area) to get back the normal brake feel.

[crazy steve]

...As far as front brakes go...I have one. The PO who had laid it down totally fubar'd one of the calipers so they removed it....

One is much, much better than none. And to be a bit contrary, two isn't neccessarily twice as good as one.

There are more than a few bikes running around with single-disc front brakes, and even a few 'performance' models (some Buells for example) and by and large, they stop fine. In the AMA V-Twin series (basically for lightly modified 883 Sportsters), they have a choice of single or dual discs, and many use singles. Reason why? While slightly better braking performance with two discs was noted, the increase in unsprung weight decreased handling by a like amount so laps times didn't improve.

But dual-discs have become 'expected' on any bike with the slightest bit of 'performance', so that's what you'll find.

'78E original owner

[Ivan]

I have always been under the impression that if you can lock up the wheel when the forks are compressed under hard decelleration, that was enough. If the XS would do it with one disk, that's all it should need, correct me if I am wrong.

I am not the lightest guy, and I learned that clamping down on the front brake in a panic will slide the front wheel much easier than a firm progressive pull, which lets the weight fully shift to the front wheel and drastically improves braking. BUT, it will still slide easily, if you pull hard enough on the handle. So, While I am not sure a single disc on the 11s would cut it in that situation, I can see where it would be just fine on a lighter bike with a narrow front tire.

[gk45241]

brakes

Hi Gary,
so you are riding with just one front caliper hooked up to the original front master cylinder and you can't afford to get a second caliper and disk right now?
Your front brake feels as hard as wood, right?
That's because the stock 11/16" diameter master cylinder has twice the area it needs to operate a single caliper.
Perhaps you can afford to get a used master cylinder from a different bike? You need one that's got either a 12mm diameter piston (slightly less than half the area) or a 1/2" diameter piston (slightly more than half the area) to get back the normal brake feel.

I hadn't looked into that. brake doesn't feel rock hard but has a good feel. I will check out and see what i can find that might mate up.

Thanks for the idea!
Gary

[fredintoon]

m/c to caliper ratio

I hadn't looked into that. brake doesn't feel rock hard but has a good feel. I will check out and see what i can find that might mate up.
Thanks for the idea!
Gary

Hi Gary,
go here:-
http://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm
for charts and a write-up from the master.
Tells you everything you need to know.

[wa407mpp]

Songs4sale07, My post wasn't directed to you, it was my response to TC's post. I don't waste my time, trying to talk people out of trying to kill themselves, I just figure it's natural selection.