82 XJ650J front brake upgrade

Even when the bike were released, the reviews stated the engine was good but the brakes needed improvement. If you look around you will see alot of people upgrade thier brakes.
Most get aftermarket steel braided lines and that makes a bit of difference. Other upgrades are, dual discs off other XJs (turbo has them stock), larger master cylinder and it is posible to fit R6 calipers with some modification.

 

Re: Riding tips

I've been able to lock up the front tire on my Seca 750 (dual front slotted disk), Seca 550 (single front solid disk) and my wife's Seca 400 (same). So the power is there, but it really takes a strong squeeze and so it's hard to modulate at the limit.

I upgraded my wife's brakes to stainless braided lines and better pads and it made a big difference.

 

Re: Riding tips

Dean's right - if you want better brakes you've got two options - lines or replacement front end from a compatible doner.

It's a bit unfair to call them bad brakes without a bit of context. This is a very heavy bike by today's standards, with rubber brake lines and a single disc. Comparing it to my 600r which was several pounds lighter, had dual discs with MUCH larger pistons it is impossible to say that the maxim's brakes are in the same league.

However, compare the maxim brakes to any older bike, a few choppers or even some of the harley's... they're in the ball park. The maxim's brakes aren't dangerous per se... you just have to be aware that they aren't going to stop like a current SS.

On the flip side - I find the maxim's brakes very easy to use in a controlled manor, something young riders have difficulty doing on a current SS. With two fingers on the front brake it was easy to lock up or stoppie. You had to be very much more aware of how much preasure you applied to them - sudden preasure increase was not advisable. Sudden preasure increase is what a new rider does when they get into their first near miss - often resulting in the new rider sliding along the ground. Probably the root of all the garbage about 'having to lay the bike down'... the person that finds metallic body parts cheaper and more effective to use in an emergancy stop than rubber and the stock braking system is telling you stories from their nether regions.

[ Before I get shot down for that one - I do have one almost humerous story about how a young rider escaped harm by making a mistake. The story goes that a pair of riders were riding on the Cabot Trail. On their travels, a moose crossed the road between the experienced rider and the trailing young rider. The young rider paniced. Grabbed the brakes hard and proceeded to low side the bike under the moose. Moose if you're not familiar with them are extremely heavy and don't really have fear of cars. Their stomaches are strategically placed so that they clear the head lamps of a motorcycle but don't let a rider's upperbody pass... hitting a moose upright is almost certain death. Anyhow - said young rider lowsides and passes clear of the moose - suffering only mild bumps instead of being decapitated. The story is entirely possible - however, I've forgot my source and so it could just be an urban legand. For the record, avoiding a moose is better still than performing a spectacular low side under it ]

Cheers,
woot.

 

Re: Riding tips

Whats involved in the upgrade? For sure I'll need a master cylinder, calipers, rotors, is the wheel different? What machines parts will fit. Do I find these parts at a salvage yard? I know it's a lot of ??'s But how else will I find out.
Might be posting this in the wrong place, maybe should start new topic.
It's probably already in the archives somewhere I'll take a look there.

 

What all is involved in upgrading front brakes to a 2 disk set up? I have the original 1 caliper set up? I'll probably not do it this winter, but maybe next. So in the mean time I"ll get SS lines and good pads. Can someone recommend a good set of pads. I have my forks off now installing new seals, caliper kit, master cyl. kit, and pads. Where can I get the ss lines?

 

Re: Riding tips

The forks would be different - dual disks mean both forks would need caliper mount points.

The cheapest solution is to get a complete front end from a wrecker... you might even be able to get the complete bike for little enough money to make it worth parting the rest yourself... pay off your front end that way.

So you need the forks, calipers, roters, brake lines, master cylander and left hand control ( if it didn't have a handle mounted master cylander), fender possibly, front tire possible ( check the rim size and the mount points of the rotors)...

 

so what front ends are compatible with a 1980 xj650? I've only got a single disc and would love to have dual discs and more stopping power.

 

I upgraded my 81 XJ650 with the front end off an 82 XJ750. I bought the pneumatic front forks and dual disc setup seperately. The last thing I want to do is buy the master off an 1100 and change out the lines to braided SS. The dual disc/master setup I have now works just fine. Much improved over the stock.

 

You can bring-back good braking on the bikes with the Single Piston and Floating Caliper's by Overhauling the Caliper.

Undo the Fork Mount from the Caliper Body.
Take off the Dust Covers and Clean-up the "Rods" or "Pistons" that the Caliper floats on.
Remove the O-rings and get the Rods cleaned-up by shining-them-up with strips of 600, 800 & 1000.

The BIG move is cleaning-up and really putting a finish on the "Cylinder" that on the Caliper.
After cleaning it out of the dried-out grease, that makes you need to muscle the brake lever to get some brakes, put a new finish on the Inside Diameter.
Tightly rolled-up finishing papers, that fit-in tight, will do the trick.
600, 800, 1000 & 1500.

On this part ... wet the 1000 and 1500 with WD-40 and twist it in there for 10 or 12 revolutions.
Change-up after doing 10 or 12 because the paper clogs-up.

Once that's refinished ... clean-up both sections.
Lube with ~~> Synthetic WATERPROOF Grease.
Join the parts.
It won't be easy ... you have to push-in and pull-out until the air "Burps" out and the two parts reseat.

Don't forget the Dust Boot!
Now, that Caliper is definitely going to "Float" the way is should!

You got a front brake; now!