PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
I will be doing this tomorrow. Thanks for all the input everyone. I will let you know how it turns out.
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I will be doing this tomorrow. Thanks for all the input everyone. I will let you know how it turns out.
PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
Pulled the clutch cover today. Not much more debris, it was actually very clean. 
Took a look at the starter and it is shot so I'm weighing the options of rebuilding or just taking it out and going kick only. Got everything back together and synced the carbs and it is purring like a kitten. Thanks for all the input guys it helped more than you know. 
Took a look at the starter and it is shot so I'm weighing the options of rebuilding or just taking it out and going kick only. Got everything back together and synced the carbs and it is purring like a kitten. Thanks for all the input guys it helped more than you know. 
pregrid
XS650 Guru
Pulled the clutch cover today. Not much more debris, it was actually very clean.
Just so ya know..............I wired my bike for a starter 'cause I've not had to kick one over since my dirt bike days many years ago. And I'm old (65 years old). But you know what? Soon after I got the bike running my starter took a shit. Plan B, use the kicker. This fucker starts on the first kick even when it's cold, much to my surprise. Now I've gotta take the motor out 'cause it needs some help and one of the things I'm gonna do while it's out is eliminate the starter. Don't need it. And ya know what? It's pretty cool to kick start a bike again. Just sayin'. YMMV
PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
That's what I'm leaning to actually. I think its a little more "hardcore" to kick your bike rather than rely on an electric starter. When I first started riding as a kid my dad always had a rule that if I couldn't kick it I couldn't ride it.
pregrid
XS650 Guru
Yeah, and it don't take much to kick these guys over. Ain't like a '54 shovelhead (or knucklehead, or flathead, or gimmehead, whatever.............)
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
I have my bike wired for kick only, but the electric leg is still atttached in case I want to add it again. You can't really see it and I don't think the gears and weight cause a difference in performance.
As for kicking, I like it. I like simple machinery and cranks and kicks are my style. It does kind of make you smile when kick starting your bike next to some guy using his thumb. My friend has a '65 BMW with a 1600 VW engine in it. It's a kicker too. Decompression lever fitted to help. But it's wild to see him do it.
As for kicking, I like it. I like simple machinery and cranks and kicks are my style. It does kind of make you smile when kick starting your bike next to some guy using his thumb. My friend has a '65 BMW with a 1600 VW engine in it. It's a kicker too. Decompression lever fitted to help. But it's wild to see him do it.
I've retained the electric starter on my three 650s simply because while riding in heavy city traffic I sometimes slip up and let it die leaving an intersection. Touch the button and never slow down. It's happened only a couple of times but a busy intersection is not a good place to be kicking on a bike. But that's just me.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
Yes, the electric starter, if you are not good at restarting a kick only when stalled, is a must IMHO.
Stalling at low speed, or from a stop, can be a problem. If you have enough speed you can dump the clutch and refire otherwise you need to find neutral and kick it. Which normally means pulling off the roadway and stopping. Or, as I have done many a time, look like a complete ass trying to refire the bike. Not a tough guy look I must say.
PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
I live in backwoods Georgia so that wouldn't be an issue for me. Only time I see that being an issue is when I go riding in Atlanta and I don't do that very often.
Q Tip
mad bomber
Congratulations are in order for me this is the first time I've actually helped someone on the forum!
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
There are people who would slam into you in the intersection, not expecting anything to be there and not using their eyes.
There are also people in a typical city who'd nudge you from behind, going around the bike after they'd pushed it over.
KentMoney
XS650 Addict
well, based on this description, couldn't it be the crush gasket that sits around each of the oil drain plugs?
Kent
Firerunner
XS650 Addict
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Wait, I want to see pics of this 1600cc VW powered '65 BMW!
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
I'll get a couple from him. The only problem he has is the custom trans he had to have made. It's a little tricky.
Here's a crappy pic from the web. His is identical. He got the work done for the trans at boxerworks.com
Funny how all these companies think they made the first large engine bike, when people have be making BMW's 1600cc since the late 60's.
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PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
It could have been I suppose but that means the PO installed a new one because the crush gaskets are still there. I'm not too worried about it now because it is running good so ill just run it till it dies.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
I would also change the oil again in a little while. See if anything else falls out.
Yeah maybe some gold or a hot chick will fall out...you never know with these bikes.
PrinceJ57
XS650 Enthusiast
I was planning on changing it again after about 100 miles. Do you think that would be to long to wait or would you change it sooner. I have to put the bike on the back burner for a week or so because I have to rebuild the bottom end of my Dodge Dakota that decided to spin a rod bearing. To not be a mechanic I seem to be doing a lot of mechanical work lately.
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