ExNotes Hasty Conclusions: Aftermarket Yamaha RD 350 Brake Caliper

This brake caliper represents a tectonic shift in my thinking. I’ve always rebuilt rather than buy new because rebuilding is less expensive. And that’s still true, sort of. The shift comes from my adding personal time into the value equation. Until recently I’ve never given my time a fair shake when it comes to fixing things. I mean, I’ve always had plenty of time, you know? But as I slip into the golden years, those final few moments of a fleeting existence that only the lucky few get to enjoy, I’ve begun to budget how I spend the remains of the day. “He Rebuilt Brake Calipers” is not what I want on the tiny, polka-dot ceramic frog that holds my ashes.

The new-to-me RD 350’s front brake is not working. Reports from Deet in Raleigh indicate the fluid is gone or the master cylinder piston is stuck in the bore. There is no resistance at the lever, futile or otherwise. I’m pretty well snowed under with self-induced projects at Tinfiny Ranch so after adding up a seal kit ($20), brake pads ($20), and the little Yamaha emblem, along with shiny new chrome hardware, this complete and new caliper at $117 seems like a fair deal if you deduct the hours it will take me to make the old caliper as sweet as the new caliper.

Vintage purists will freak out, “It’s not OEM!” they’ll cry. “Chinese junk,” they’ll type on their Chinese electronics. Look, I don’t like those purist bastards anyway. The non-stock master cylinder will really get them going. It’s a generic unit that is nothing like the original unit but I want to take the RD for a spin and this $20 master cylinder is the fastest way to get on the road. Since an OEM aftermarket copy is not available I plan to rebuild the original master cylinder when I get time. There’s that word again: Time.

For $137 I have a mostly new brake system. Going the rebuild route would end up costing around $70 and that wouldn’t include the new chrome hardware or the aluminum Yamaha caliper insignia. Keep clicking on ExhaustNotes.us and we shall see if the time saved was worth the extra money spent.

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Check out Joe Gresh’s other motorcycle and car projects!

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