80 Special Colours

[DGXSER]

That paint is not what I would call the stock Yamaha New Ruby Red. That looks like a custom color, at least in that lighting. The Yamaha Black/Red is really black with red metal flake in it. It will look like standard black, the red will only show in bright light, and where it shows will change as your angle of view changes.

There are many subtle non-stock items on that bike. The front foot pegs are form a 78-79 model. It has the frame reflector of an 81 model. There is a second smaller grab rail over the rear tail light, similar to what a 79 Special would have. Rear turn signals are aftermarket. There does not appear to be rear foot pegs on it.

So it would not be very surprising that you have a non-stock paint on the bike. I myself am in the process of rebuilding an SG, the one in the pic there, and am changing the bikes color to 1996 Nissan 240SX Ruby Pearl. A brighter red, but still in the Burgundy family.

Here is an up close shot of the stock paint. The huge dent is why I got another tank for it. The very top of the tank had faded/darkened to look black.....


Here is what I am going to on mine...

[fredintoon]

Yeah I noticed the front discs arnt slotted and the Alt. cover has had a small repair hence the paint. Yes the tank ect look black but they are very dark purple/plum. I think the whole front wheel/ brakes maybe off a different model as the face of the spokes arnt polished like the back wheel .

Hi Mark,
holding a transparent plastic ruler up to the screen don't make for accurate measurements but I think you and Steve have nailed it, that front end is an orphan.
Check the fork tube and brake rotor diameters. If the fork tubes are 36mm instead of 37mm and the front rotors are indeed smaller than the rear rotor the front end is from an XS750/850 Special.
OK, Yamaha parts swap like Lego so the orphan fork will not change the bike's steering geometry.
Thing is, the thinner fork tubes and smaller rotors will be less effective on that heavy bike.
Do you suppose that the factory would have beefed up the XS11 forks & brakes unless they thought they absolutely had to?

[xs650man]

I think you're right; the rotors look too small to be XS11. If the fronts are smaller than the rear, somebody has swapped a 750/850 front end onto it. The rear fender has been shortened too...

The bike came with a box of spares, lots of Triple stuff, carbs, coils, final drive etc. The PO said the parts all came with the bike when he bought it so that might explain the possible 750/850 front wheel, can you measure your discs for me please.

[DGXSER]

The front disc should be the same size as the rear. All three are the same size on a stick XS11. They are interchangable, except the slot pattern on the models with slotted rotors.

[xs650man]

That paint is not what I would call the stock Yamaha New Ruby Red. That looks like a custom color, at least in that lighting. The Yamaha Black/Red is really black with red metal flake in it. It will look like standard black, the red will only show in bright light, and where it shows will change as your angle of view changes.

There are many subtle non-stock items on that bike. The front foot pegs are form a 78-79 model. It has the frame reflector of an 81 model. There is a second smaller grab rail over the rear tail light, similar to what a 79 Special would have. Rear turn signals are aftermarket. There does not appear to be rear foot pegs on it.

So it would not be very surprising that you have a non-stock paint on the bike. I myself am in the process of rebuilding an SG, the one in the pic there, and am changing the bikes color to 1996 Nissan 240SX Ruby Pearl. A brighter red, but still in the Burgundy family.

Here is an up close shot of the stock paint. The huge dent is why I got another tank for it. The very top of the tank had faded/darkened to look black.....


Here is what I am going to on mine...

Yes that is a totally different color eh, I did notice the rear indicators and there are some home made brass non folding rear foot pegs. Thanks for picking up those other discrepancies , this may change the plans I have for it, I was going to leave it totally stock as I think this model is rare here but since its had a lot of changes it will be hard to get all the correct parts . Here is a pic of my 650 I built and may do something similar but not as radical.

[xs650man]

The front disc should be the same size as the rear. All three are the same size on a stick XS11. They are interchangable, except the slot pattern on the models with slotted rotors.

Yip they all measure the same dia. 300mm approx give or take a few mm which is the same as my old 650 Special

[xs650man]

Hi Mark,
holding a transparent plastic ruler up to the screen don't make for accurate measurements but I think you and Steve have nailed it, that front end is an orphan.
Check the fork tube and brake rotor diameters. If the fork tubes are 36mm instead of 37mm and the front rotors are indeed smaller than the rear rotor the front end is from an XS750/850 Special.
OK, Yamaha parts swap like Lego so the orphan fork will not change the bike's steering geometry.
Thing is, the thinner fork tubes and smaller rotors will be less effective on that heavy bike.
Do you suppose that the factory would have beefed up the XS11 forks & brakes unless they thought they absolutely had to?

Just measured forks and they are 37mm so thats a relief and discs are 300mm +/- 2mm so they are correct just not slotted.

[DGXSER]

Heck, make it your own anyway. Reality is that these bikes just have never really garnered the fanatical following of some other models. so they remain less collectable, and devalued if youw ill.

I have a collection of parts to make a rat bike when and if I come across a frame with engine and front forks at some time. Heck even minus the forks would work. Problem is that all the ones that show up would cost more to ship than to buy an entire bike sometimes.

[fredintoon]

Just measured forks and they are 37mm so thats a relief and discs are 300mm +/- 2mm so they are correct just not slotted.

Hi Mark,
well, that's a relief. Although slots are a good thing and you should have them.
Or holes, holes work too. The disc material is tougher than old boots so you gotta get medieval on them.
Good drill press, cobalt steel drill bit, high drill pressure, slow drill speed, lotsa cutting fluid and she'll be right.

[xs650man]

Hi Mark,
well, that's a relief. Although slots are a good thing and you should have them.
Or holes, holes work too. The disc material is tougher than old boots so you gotta get medieval on them.
Good drill press, cobalt steel drill bit, high drill pressure, slow drill speed, lotsa cutting fluid and she'll be right.

Sounds like the same drama for drilling stainless, maybe that's what they're made of. I just measured the thickness and they're 6mm, from memory factory limit is 6.5mm minimum but the aftermarket one I put on my old 650 in above pic was probably only 4mm .

[b.walker5]

Ok, Be nice to Mark, hes gonna need all the help he can get, lol. Thats my old bike.

Remember this.



Fred, Steve, Don etc, The front end is indeed 1100, but off a '79. It was on it when i bought it, but you all remember the drama i had getting brake parts, and new forks from Andreas after i came off and broke it, along with my leg.

Don, the 'extra' grab rail is actualy two stainless steel pins that my home made pack rack slipped over.





The colour is aftermarket, but i dont know what it is, it was that colour when i bought it.



The front guard/fender is actually off a Virago, something i didnt find out till i bought a brace off Tkat. It now has an original chrome one that i found on ebay and had sent out here.



Fred, it definately a Special that was imported to NZ from Canada. Specials were never released here, but its not the only one here. PGGG (banned) has one as does Subike from Greta Valley. And Mark, there's another guy from an Auto Wrecker in Chch somewhere that has a largely intact, and unmaintained one that he rides to the Brass Monkey every year.

Mark has been emailling me for the last couple of days, so now has plenty of info to carry on with in the meantime, but he's got a 750 fd he may need some help with.

and brakes!!!, talk to him about brakes, or more importantly stainless braided lines. He commented in an email that he could feel pulsing through the lever. Master and slave cylinders are probably overdue for cleaning as well.

[xs650man]

Thanks Brian for posting all that, I just logged on to start searching for adapting 750 final drive info, if I cant find it I will give you a yell......Mark

[DGXSER]

Brian, If he has your ex-XS11 then I know he has a good machine. Those are interesting adapters for adding a bag.

As for the XS750/850 FD upgrade, look HERE. You will find alot of great information on this modification.

I had one on the bike I wrecked and it worked really nicely for me. I will forewarn you that there are a few members on here that have differing opinions on this mod. And you will no doubt hear varying thoughts on it. Member 3-Phase did alot of research and very detailed measurements on different units after he had one fail. Although he readily admitted his had seen some pretty tough duty.