Saving two XS 650's from the scrap heap....

Hi All,
I had been looking for a project for a fair few months, I guy local to me was selling an XS650 so I went to take a look at it.

Its a yellow 1979 XS650 chop/brat. Was running when last used and then layed up and left to the elements, it still turns over on the kick, seems to have good compression and goes into all gears fine. Fully registered with V5 (Title/papers) and cool old numberplate. So heres a pic or 2 of that one:



So I started negotiations for that one when we came to a bit of a standstill, so the guy says to me, for a little bit more than my offer he will also give me this bike too.
Its another 1979 XS650, pretty standard apart from the extended forks, and missing bodywork. This one hasnt been used for quite a few years (and it shows!!) and subsequently the engine is seized. Been doing a bit of research and am planning on attempting to try and unseize the engine with it still in the bike (diesel down the bores, and a little rock in gear seems the way forward?). Its a US import and no papers as of yet. Here she is:



So thats what I got at the moment. Im in way over my head and dont really have the time to do too much to them at the moment with work coming out of my ears, but I have already stripped the yellow chop down and boxed and labelled it all and will be making a start on the other bike soon.

Watch this space for a project thread some time (hopefully soon!!)

Beefy.

What is the antique folks always like on their stuff? Patina?
Well that yellow bike is loaded up with it.
True vintage look.
To ride you will need bell bottoms, headband, square toed boots with a spur harness,
and mirror sun glasses.

blimey ...looks like you've got your work cut out there !

Looking forward to your build thread

Throw whatever penetrating oil you can find down the plug holes on that seized engine.....I used Marvel Mystery Oil. Let sit for a few days. Then if you have access, hit the crank bolt on the left side with a pneumatic and if you don't have an air gun try a breaker bar and a mallet......might get lucky. Don't be jumping up and down on the kicker to try and free her up. Good luck and welcome aboard!

Id put a massive sissy bar, king and queen seat, and some ridiculously high fish tail pipes on the yellow one and ride the piss out of it.

I love survivor chops!

But thats just me, ill follow the thread regardless!

read somewhere that ATF & actone mixted together makes good penertating oil

Fucking Score! that yellow bike is as rad as shit! that tank is priceless! quite the haul, brother!

for the the stuck motor, i suggest Marvel Mystery Oil. Not sure if they sell it across the pond. Just let whatever you use sit for a few days and come out and rock it back and forth every once in a while. It can take a few days to free up. Patience is key!

That yellow bike is pretty sweet, would change a few things myself, but overall I like it.

I've heard all sorts of things for freeing an engine: Marvel Mystery oil, ATF, acetone, diesel, penetrating oil. The local junker around here has been in the buisiness a long time, and if I remember correctly, he uses a diesel/ATF mix to free his engines up, about a 50/50 mix I believe. One might also think that a non-corrosive rust remover might also work, something like Evaporust that eats rust but won't eat the metal. Not that i'm necessarily suggesting that mind you, just thinking out loud. Me personally, i'd be a bit leary of acetone, yes it does cut through crud extremely well, but it's also an oxidizer, which means that if applied to bare metal that's going to be left bare, it will encourage rust formation. I don't know how that works if it's mixed with ATF though since that's an oil and would protect against rust formation.

Hey guys,
Been away for a few days for my older brothers stag do! Heavy weekend and still recovering!!
Loaded the bores with some WD40 before I left and been out rocking it today. Still no movement but will be patient. Going to start stripping it down tomorrow.

My plans at the moment are; first off I want a Hardtail, so the yellow bike is in line for the chop. Gonna look at maybe getting a complete frame built, but may just go the route of buying a Hardtail and welding it on. Want spoked wheels and a springer front end.

The other bike could be anything, restore, cafe, bobber or just a pile of junk to be stripped and sold on to fund the first!! Who knows!!

So far the yellow bikes parts seem to be in good serviceable condition, put some oil down the bores to keep her lubed, and freed up the carbs ready for a strip down and check. Looking forward to getting stuck in but seriously snowed under with work so going to be a little at a time for the moment.

The good news is, I have a Suzuki GSXR 1000 K3 so once it warms up here in sunny old England, I have a bike to get my riding fix on!

Beefy.

use auto tansmission oil in with the diesel or a mix of diesel and olive oil. That's what the old farmers around here use to unstick antique tractor engines that have been stuck for many years

Thanks for the info mate,
Haven't had a chance to do anything on the bikes recently due to work commitments, I did manage to source a Hardtail frame so I'm proper ready to get stuck in. Few more weeks and I should get a break from work long enough to have a play!!

Beefy.

If you can get the valves closed, you can free the engine with a grease gun.

How to make a spark plug into a "Greaseplug"