1982 XZ and 1983 Dual Disk Wheel

[KENFOLLETT]

Hi,
i am Italian and i have a XZ 550 RJ  1982, which i'm going to rebuild. So i was wondering if it was possible to mount a dual disk wheel instead of the single disk wheel. Did anyone of you tried? Any advice would be grateful.

Ken.


P.S. Sorry for my english, but it's a while i don't practice anymore since i left Boston!

[Walt_M.]

Welcome to the group, your English is fine. And yes dual disks on the '82 are possible. Your wheel is ok, it is already drilled but you will need the calipers, both disks, a right side fork leg and the master cylinder.
Where are you located?

[KENFOLLETT]

Thank you very much for the fast reply  :o. I live in Sardinia a beautiful Italy's island.

From now on i'll be searching everything i need to make my bike run again, starting from the things listed above or should i just search for a new complete 83 fork?

After finding this forum i'm sure that i'll be riding my XZ 550 RJ again.

Ken.

[Tiger]

 :) Hi and welcome to our family... 8)

The XZ550, (new), was available in Europe from 1981 for approximately five years but in North America for only two, ('82/'83), under the Vision name. You will be able to find the parts you require much easier in Europe. Check out the Italian/German/French, etc eBay sites...

The Gemans and Dutch have good xz550 web sites. I don't know about Italy.

We are all here to help you get your old girl up-and-running, to allow you to have some fun in the sun 8)
Please feel free to ask all and any questions...your English is way better than my Italian!!!

Ciao for now... ;)

           8).......TIGER....... 8)

[vadasz1]

AS Tiger said look at the European guys on e-bay.  Also the forks on the European XZ550 already had dual disc setup, so it would be real easy to find one over there than over here.  Also look in your local salvage yard if they have any as well.

[KENFOLLETT]

Thank you so much for all the adivices you are giving me. I'll be looking to find the '83 fork for my bike over the european sites. I look foward to have my bike over Sardinian routes as soon as possible.  ;D

As soon as i get the duplicate of the booklet circulation, i lost it over the years  :-\, i will be more precise about the age of the bike. But i am pretty sure it is a north america 1982 bike, because it was bought from an F-15 pilot allocated in Italy and has only one braking disk.

I'll be asking you more question asa get along the work.

Bye,

Ken.

[Serch]

I'm spanish and I can tell you that there are several differences between 82 and 83.

83 is regulated by air and spacers are different between the two models....

In spain, the xz550 don't import  :-[

[YellowJacket!]

Hello Ken,

I'm Italian too.  My name, Arpino, comes from a small city near Florence.  My mother is Sicilian (Corleone).

I have done the dual disk upgrade on my bike and posted a long thread with lots of pictures.  I'll find and post the link for you.  At the very least, you will need a set of 83 rotors and calipers as well as the lower fork tubes.  I reused my upper tubes as they were in better shape than the 83's that I got off ebay.  I was able to use the air caps with the 82 tubes.

Best Regards,

David

[YellowJacket!]

Heres the link to my "upgrade" post.

http://ridersofvision.net/forum/zindex.php?topic=7075.msg63480#msg63480

David

[Rick G]

David , I'm going to have to treat you with the utmost respect, I wouldn't want to anger a Corleone!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

[YellowJacket!]

David , I'm going to have to treat you with the utmost respect, I wouldn't want to anger a Corleone!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

Dont worry...not her maiden name.  Just where her mother is from.  ;D

no "connections" either....sorry.  :o

David

[KENFOLLETT]

@ YellowJacket: Arpino, thank you so much. Do you you think i can bother, when i'll be ready, to help me set up the mod if i need advice?

@ Other: Again thank you all.

[YellowJacket!]

@ YellowJacket: Arpino, thank you so much. Do you you think i can bother, when i'll be ready, to help me set up the mod if i need advice?

@ Other: Again thank you all.

No problem at all.  It was an easy upgrade, just finding all the necessary parts was the difficult part of the project.  The rided is better and there is a much needed improvement in braking/stopping.

Take Care,

David

[KENFOLLETT]

Yuppidu!!!!!

It seems i found the dual disk fork in Germany. Now i just need another caliper, but i don't know if i shell search for specific right caliper or generic (can i mount left on right and vice versa)?

Thanks,

Ken.

P.S. I am loking to find all pieces before starting disassembling the bike. I will even repaint the body and most of all i will do it myself!

[Tiger]

 :) Well done... 8) You are right to find ALL the parts before strip down and rebuild...

'83 fork's, 2 x brake disc's/rotor's, '83 master cylinder, twin brake line's, 2 x brake pad's, 2 x caliper's.

You will need to have a left caliper and a right caliper to fit the fork lowers. The left caliper from an '82 will fit and will work fine, therefore you need to find a right side.

              8).......TIGER....... 8)

[KENFOLLETT]

Since technical translation to Italian from English is not properly 1:1, does anyone of you have a pic of:

- brake disc's/rotor's
- master cylinder
- brake pad's
- caliper's

to make sure i am searching for the right thing.
Thanks.

[Brian Moffet]

The only ones I have of the calipers are really close and don't show a lot of detail, but you can also click on the images for a larger version.
Brian

Left side disk/roter:
Right side disk/roter
Master Cylinder

Right Caliper
Left Caliper

[h2olawyer]

I'm Italian too.  My name, Arpino, comes from a small city near Florence.  My mother is Sicilian (Corleone).
David

"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"  --  Vizzini

;D ;D ;D

The right side caliper is perhaps the most difficult piece to find.  They will be more common in Europe, so you are fortunate in that respect.  While you are gathering parts, look for braided stainless brake lines and a pair of Speedbleeders.

I've done the conversion, too and will be happy to help in any way I can.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

Bummer,

Lucky and I found a set of Yamaha Calipers that fit the Vision...probably from an RD350, but the guy at the salvage shop wanted too much for them so we left them.  Pitty, as they were in great shape.  Not sure of the exact mosel but they were fitted on a Vision...the same one Lucky got the fork brace from.  Also the one that had the neat balancer tube too.

David (who had a really bad day at work today and may have drank too many margaritas tonight)


David

[h2olawyer]

Bummer,

Lucky and I found a set of Yamaha Calipers that fit the Vision...probably from an RD350, but the guy at the salvage shop wanted too much for them so we left them.  Pitty, as they were in great shape.  Not sure of the exact mosel but they were fitted on a Vision...the same one Lucky got the fork brace from.  Also the one that had the neat balancer tube too.

David (who had a really bad day at work today and may have drank too many margaritas tonight)

David

I had one of those yesterday (bad days - not margaritas as those things give me a terrible hangover the next day.  ::) )  Tried to cure my bad day with too much beer last night.  Felt like crap all day today.  Not as bad as if I'd done sweetened fru-fru drinks, but lousy, nonetheless.

Hope the weekend is better!   ;D

H₂O