Rear drum to disk swap

I have a 77 kz650 b and after a a long ride from Regina, Sask to Tofino, BC (about 3500kms roundtrip)mostly through the mountains I have decided I will prob. live longer if I upgrade the brakes on this bike. Current stock brake system is in great condition pads disk drums shoes etc are all in like new condition, however they just didnt cut it on high speed through the twisties. Front brake was useless once it started raining and the rear brake heats up too much and isn't that great anyways. I would like to switch to a dual disk front caliper with a more modern disk and switch the rear drum to a disk but I want to keep the stock size spoke wheels. I was looking at a friends 2007 suzuki vstrom and the front caliper will fit without hitting the wheel although the mounting holes are a bit off. Any thoughts....has anyone done this?

I would do the front dual disk swap, there are many examples of such things. I'm sure the Fish or someone who has done it will chime in. But why switch the rear? IMO, it looks better with the drum, and once you upgrade the front the need for a powerful rear brake will be gone.

KZ1000 double disks and calipers are a direct bolt on. A rear setup off a 76-79 KZ750B ( complete wheel ) would likely be an easy retrofit as well, you'd need a brake stay mount welded onto the swingarm for the caliper and a mount for the master on the frame. Not a direct fit but not too hard to do.

Check out www.fishheadbigbrakes.com/
Lots of info and pic's there to give you an idea of what it takes to mount modern brakes to your spoke wheel.

You might want to consider getting the parts from a KZ650 C model. They would be easier to adapt then something from a different species. Ed

I agree that the rear looks better with the drum however after many hours of riding through the curviest roads I've ever seen the rear brake started to heat up...a lot. It was raining and there was steam pouring off of it. I prob should have let the engine do a little more of the braking but I still feel that the brake system is inferior and I would feel much more at ease if the brakes could handle some abuse. Front duals from a kz1000 would be perfect I'm assuming I will need to change the master cylinder to a dual as well.

A rear wheel and swingarm from a 77/78 KZ1000 would be a direct bolt on. Same with the front brakes. The harder part will be mounting the rear master cylinder. You will have to weld on some brackets for thtat.

warmmushroom wrote:

...long ride...3500kms...through the mountains...high speed through the twisties... Front brake was useless once it started raining and the rear brake heats up too much and isn't that great...after many hours of riding through the curviest roads I've ever seen the rear brake started to heat up...a lot. It was raining and there was steam pouring off of it...

High speed in rain though twisties on a strange road :ohmy:

Brilliant, and probably won't be the brake's fault when the inevitable happens.

Good Fortune!

otakar wrote:

A rear wheel and swingarm from a 77/78 KZ1000 would be a direct bolt on. Same with the front brakes. The harder part will be mounting the rear master cylinder. You will have to weld on some brackets for thtat.

kz1000 swingarm needs to be narrowed maybe 1/4" total on pivot tube

If I wanted to live long I wouldn't be riding an antique bike now, would I?