Help with front end

[daf1668]

Hello all,
Been a member for a while now and learned much more then i ever imagined, Thanks for all the info. I Have a question about my 81 standard that i picked up a year ago. Need to replace missing left front caliper but not sure if p.o. has changed the front end. Could anyone tell me if the forks are the correct ones for the year or what they are off of.
Again thanks for all the info, any questions i have been able to find with the search feature.
Can take more pics if needed just let me know what is needed.

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[petejw]

hi daf1668,
yep, your front forks are the standard type.

welcome to the forum.

[fredintoon]

- - - I Have a question about my 81 standard that i picked up a year ago. Need to replace missing left front caliper but not sure if p.o. has changed the front end. Could anyone tell me if the forks are the correct ones for the year or what they are off of. - - -

Hi Doug and welcome,
from the photos, most likely the forks are stock.
There's a slight possibility they may be off a different XS though.
Check the fork tube diameters.
XS650 = 35mm
XS750/850 = 36mm
XS1100 = 37mm
As far as finding a leftside caliper, the same one will fit all of the above.

[natemoen]

They look stock but like Fred said could be from something similar. Why are you concerned? What makes you think its been changed?

The front wheel is from an earlier year midnight special but that does not matter.

As for the caliper, when searching for one try and find one that when mounted will have the bleeder port on top. That kind of limits you to front left calipers though. It will make your life a bit easier for bleeding later on.

[fredintoon]

They look stock but like Fred said could be from something similar. Why are you concerned? What makes you think its been changed?

The front wheel is from an earlier year midnight special but that does not matter.

As for the caliper, when searching for one try and find one that when mounted will have the bleeder port on top. That kind of limits you to front left calipers though. It will make your life a bit easier for bleeding later on.

Hi Doug,
thing is, a whole bunch of Yamaha XS series parts swap between various models like LEGO.
Some instances that may be relevant to your front end.
The wheel:-
The 7-straight spoke cast wheel is common to the XS650/750/850/11/1100. Yours has the gold paint job that says it's off an early Midnight Special which gives it a rarity value if you are swapping parts with someone.
The calipers:-
The front calipers on Standards are also common to the XS650/750/850/1100. But they are mirror-images so that only the left caliper will fit on the left fork leg.
The brake disks:-
Other than the later model XS1100 disks being slotted, XS650 & XS1100 disks are identical.
Note that while XS750/850 disks will bolt up to the wheel, those disks have a smaller diameter so that the XS650/1100 calipers won't fully grip them.
XS650/750/850 complete forks can be installed with some finagling or the fork tubes can be shimmed into the XS1100 triple trees but this is not a good idea as those smaller diameter fork tubes will be even whippier than the stock tubes.
Finally, the complete XS11 Special fork, 'trees, fender & Weird Harold swiveling calipers will swap onto an XS1100 Standard (and vice-versa) and not change the handling.
Note that XS11 Special fork legs mounted in XS1100 Standard 'trees will reduce the front wheel's trail and that while us sidecar people do this on purpose, it's dodgy to ride solo like that.

[daf1668]

Thanks for all the info. Just wasn't sure if they were stock because of the midnight rim on it. Will get out and measure the tubes for verification in the next few days still to cold up here in Michigan to be outside...Come on spring.

[Eveready1100]

Actually, speaking of tubes, has the front rim got a "tubeless" casting on it, or a "tube tyre only". Just cos it's gold doesn't mean it's a midnight's wheel.