Standard Front Brake Upgrade

[crazy steve]

I like the Harley calipers because they're relatively cheap (you can now find a set of these for about $50 since HD went to Brembos on most of the '08-up bikes), they're all the same so you don't have to look hard for a specific model/part, and parts are cheap; you can get a complete rebuild kit with all seals and 4 new pistons for $40. Can't do that with the metric calipers...

Even the HD Brembos are starting to show up for reasonable prices; I've seen a few sets go for about $100, and these have about 1/3 more pad areas over the ones I'm using (so about 250% of what the stock XS has). I believe they're a direct swap for the earlier versions too...

And both can still use the stock XS master cylinder.

[natemoen]

I do like the way this is sounding, other than it being hardly part....

[cywelchjr]

I do like the way this is sounding, other than it being hardly part....

That's hardly worth worrying about is it?

It actually is sounding like not too bad of an idea. Those calipers along with a set of SS lines should really make for some awesome brakes.

[natemoen]

That's hardly worth worrying about is it?

It actually is sounding like not too bad of an idea. Those calipers along with a set of SS lines should really make for some awesome brakes.

Just razzin Steve! . I live is the Harley-Davidson capitol of the world and get a bit sick of it at times. It's near impossible at times to find things that don't have the hd branding on it somewhere and the price tag to match.

I agree it does sound like a reasonable upgrade!

[crazy steve]

It actually is sounding like not too bad of an idea. Those calipers along with a set of SS lines should really make for some awesome brakes.

I see this as doable for under $200 not including new brake lines.

Figure $50 for complete calipers, maybe less if you shop hard. And one thing nice about most used Harley parts is they're nearly always low-miles as they've usually been removed for chrome replacements, not because anything was wrong. And I'm pretty sure the OEM pistons are already stainless steel, not plated. A straight seal kit (no pistons) can be found for $10. There's new pad sets (both sides) on eBay for under $40 no problem. Just make sure that the pad pin bolts are there, as those are a bit pricey if missing.

Add about $100 to have both rotors ground (I should have noted that when I talked to them, they raised their price to $45 each, not the $35 shown on their site) and that leaves $50 to pay for the bracket material and hardware (8 bolts, 4 nuts, two banjo bolts). One side benefit to reducing the rotor thickness is it will reduce rotor weight by about 20%.

These won't be equivilent to some exotic 6-piston sport-bike calipers, but should offer a pretty decent improvement...

[XS1100 Newbie]

Makes it allmost worth putting the standard forks i have on my MNS. If i felt i needed it i might do it.

[natemoen]

How are you working the brackets? I have seen the pic you have for it but are you cutting something yourself or are you having it machine?

[crazy steve]

How are you working the brackets? I have seen the pic you have for it but are you cutting something yourself or are you having it machine?

Well, lucky guy that I am I have machine tools (cheap chinese stuff that makes it hard to do 'repeats' given my skills...) so I've been machining my stuff. But this wouldn't need machining; get a piece of 3/8" x 3" aluminum flat bar and you could cut this with a decent jig saw or even 'connect the dots' by drilling holes then taking a grinder/files to it. Phil cut his XS-caliper-to-FJ Fork adaptor brackets out with a jig saw, then filed/sanded to final shape. If you have a drill press (or access to one), that would be a big help, but I don't see that as critcal to do this. I would recommend picking up an 'aluminum' file (yes, they are different) as they won't clog like a standard file does on non-ferrous metals. Nicholson makes 'em, others may too.

[natemoen]

Yeah, I was thinking it didn't seem like anything terribly complex that necessarily seemed like it absolutely had to be machine. Do you happen to to have any concrete measurements?

[cywelchjr]

I actually was hoping for a drawing of the bracket at 100% scale. But then that's how I am, I want someone else to do as much of the work as I can get them to do. If I have a pattern, I'll go out and get the stock and cut it out and drill it and all, and if not I will make my own, but it would be nice if someone had already done it (if I do it, I'll use cardboard to mock up the bracket first, then use that as a pattern, it should be identical for both sides.

Actually maybe I would use thin plywood, but you get my meaning, first prototype in wood or something similar, then either cut out the part myself or take it down and have someone do it for me.

[natemoen]

Well if he is saying 3/8 aluminum, then you could make a template out of 3/8 plywood. Then when your done you could mail me the plywood template

[cywelchjr]

Well if he is saying 3/8 aluminum, then you could make a template out of 3/8 plywood. Then when your done you could mail me the plywood template

Tell ya what Nate, if I do this (and I'm thinking I will), I'll send you either a copy or the original template when I get it done and working. I'll likely try to make a good scale drawing of it when done that others can use to make their own. I've already been looking around the bay, and have found some nice 4 pot HD ones for around $45 in good condition. So I may start getting parts together in the next couple of months, so I can have it done before June for my HS Alumni ride, I want to razz my HD riding buddies about how I'm slumming by putting HD calipers on my Yamaha (of course they WILL razz me back.)

But then it's all good natured, several of them owned XS11's back in the day, one even had a full Vetter tour pack like I have, so he gave me some pointers (and not one of them is stock, but they all still shake like crazy). And yes, most of these guys have scrape marks on the pegs/floorboards, they do lean them pretty good, these are NOT weekend riders. We had everything last year from crotch rockets to HD's, and everybody got along just fine (I'll admit the group was around 50% HD, but not an elitist in the bunch).

[cowboybob998]

ebay

I can see it now, the price of harley calipers are going to go up, and by the time i get ready to do this they will be sky high, lol, i was thinking about going with the R1/R6 calipers on the XS like i am doing to my 86 yamaha venture but these harley calipers are the deal, parts for the R1/R6 are higher, you bet i am going to put these on the XS when i get to it, great work yall

[cywelchjr]

Yep, just like the auto adjusting cam chain tensioners that I can't afford now when I can find them. But I hope to find one before summer.

[cowboybob998]

Cam chain

Yep, just like the auto adjusting cam chain tensioners that I can't afford now when I can find them. But I hope to find one before summer.

I have one if ya want it, i listed it on here, 25.00 + shiping