CoconutPete
1979 XS650 Special
Looks good. Hope you get your frame back soon.
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New member starting a project 650
- Thread starter johnnyc14
- Start date
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
I finally got my frame back from my buddy the painter and spent some time this weekend, during our April snowstorm, getting things assembled. I saw a post here where someone suggested to lay the engine on it's side and lower the frame over it to install the engine. Brilliant!! That made the installation of the engine so much easier and I got it done with almost no paint chips. At the end of the day yesterday I had the rear of the bike pretty much assembled with the front half of the exhaust system loosely installed. Here are some pics.
It's coming together nicely.
John
It's coming together nicely.
John
Wow - that is all I've got Johnny.
Just ....wow.
Just ....wow.
Its progressing nicely
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
Thanks guys.
Hyde
XS650 Addict
Looks fantastic man, soooooooooo clean! Well done.
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
I put the finishing touches on the hydraulic clutch conversion today. The slave cylinder piston has a hardened ball captured in it's center and I didn't want to leave the contact area between the pushrod and that ball exposed the dirt and chain mung. I machined a thin cap from 6061 aluminum to cover that area. The OD of the cap is .010" smaller than the OD of the piston so it can retract right into the cylinder is need be. The pushrod is .315" diameter and I machined a step on it down to .265" and bored a hole through the cap to .270". The step on the rod captures the cap so it cannot move away from the slave piston and will also hold in some high temp grease. The step on the rod is .005" from touching the cap when the center of the rod touches the ball.
Before I put it back together I heat treated the ends of the rod to harden them for wear resistance.
I also decided to change the rear sprocket size to 36 teeth from 32. I bought another weld-on sprocket blank and machined it to fit my custom hub.
Center bored to size and ready for bolt holes.
I added some decorative holes also.
Fits perfectly, stainless fasteners used.
Assembly is coming along but there are so many little details to handle that it is going pretty slow. It sits like this today.
Before I put it back together I heat treated the ends of the rod to harden them for wear resistance.
I also decided to change the rear sprocket size to 36 teeth from 32. I bought another weld-on sprocket blank and machined it to fit my custom hub.
Center bored to size and ready for bolt holes.
I added some decorative holes also.
Fits perfectly, stainless fasteners used.
Assembly is coming along but there are so many little details to handle that it is going pretty slow. It sits like this today.
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
What a amazing forest road build ! And by forest road I mean .. I Want It , for where I was today even ! Very original and durable looking ! Looking forward to seeing this one ! Thx -RT
Johnny, that looks Sooo nice. I totally forgot you machined your own muffler in an earlier post. You defiantly will have the only one like it! Great work!
.....also definitely.....
CoconutPete
1979 XS650 Special
This bike is amazing! I love everything about it. Well ... everything except the front fender, and the only reason is that it seems every single thing on this bike is meticulously milled out of a solid piece of aluminum or steel and handcraftet to perfection. That very large plastic fender just sticks out, but that's just me.
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
Well I picked up a 74 or 75 TX650 tank to use instead of the 78 Special tank just because of the extra capacity. I hate doing body work but it's in pretty good shape so I decided to give the bondo/sanding/priming/painting thing a go. I made up a rotisserie tool from an old snow shovel handle so I could rotate the tank while painting it for better coverage. I bought new manual fuel taps and installed new fuel lines with filters even though the inside of this tank is spotless.
I also made up an aluminum skid plate and brackets to keep the bottom of the engine from getting gravel rash.
I had to make the rear bracket go over top of the frame rail to provide clearance for the kick stand.
So today was "First Start" day. I poured some fuel in the tank and checked for leaks with the fuel taps turned off. So far so good. I turned the fuel taps on and watched the fuel race into the carbs, still no leaks! A little choke and I hit the button and it fired right up and settled into a nice idle. The exhaust system sounds great, not too loud but it has some character. I pulled out my phone and started taking a video while walking around the bike, then I noticed the oil leak!
I fumbled the phone in panic (I edited the fumble out) and had a close look for the source of the leak. I know some of you guys are going to say "I told you so". It's the damn oil feed pipe to the head that's leaking around one of the solder joints. That's right, the one I paid $100 for from XS650 Direct. So, as you can imagine I'm a little bummed but I sent off an email to XS650 Direct and we'll see how they handle this. I may attempt the repair my old pipe, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. Here's the leak.
I also made up an aluminum skid plate and brackets to keep the bottom of the engine from getting gravel rash.
I had to make the rear bracket go over top of the frame rail to provide clearance for the kick stand.
So today was "First Start" day. I poured some fuel in the tank and checked for leaks with the fuel taps turned off. So far so good. I turned the fuel taps on and watched the fuel race into the carbs, still no leaks! A little choke and I hit the button and it fired right up and settled into a nice idle. The exhaust system sounds great, not too loud but it has some character. I pulled out my phone and started taking a video while walking around the bike, then I noticed the oil leak!
I fumbled the phone in panic (I edited the fumble out) and had a close look for the source of the leak. I know some of you guys are going to say "I told you so". It's the damn oil feed pipe to the head that's leaking around one of the solder joints. That's right, the one I paid $100 for from XS650 Direct. So, as you can imagine I'm a little bummed but I sent off an email to XS650 Direct and we'll see how they handle this. I may attempt the repair my old pipe, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. Here's the leak.
Good job, Johnnyc14.
Sounds like folks should come up with a way to pressure test new oil pipes before installing.
At least you know the top-end is getting oil...
Sounds like folks should come up with a way to pressure test new oil pipes before installing.
At least you know the top-end is getting oil...
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
I'm waiting until after the weekend to hear back from XS650 Direct about the oil feed pipe so I got a few more details ironed out today. I rolled it out into the sun and took some pics.
After I get the oil leak fixed I have to have an "Out of Province Inspection" done before I can register it so I'm still a couple of weeks away from riding it.
John
After I get the oil leak fixed I have to have an "Out of Province Inspection" done before I can register it so I'm still a couple of weeks away from riding it.
John
Dang that bike sounds awesome! And I am really liking that look. I love the scrambler look, you defiantly have a unique bike there. Well done!
BigJimmyW13
XS650 Guru
It's a supermoto fender, it's supposed to. Mainly for offroad riding.
As for the oil leak.....................all the parts from XS650 Direct (Mikesxs) are made in Taiwan or China, so the poor quality is very common. They will likely reply and say they have "never had that part fail before". Yes, do a repair on the old stock part, and it will be good for another 40 years.
Johnny - you've done a beautiful job on that bike - wow!!
Pete
Pete
CoconutPete
1979 XS650 Special
Wow! Looks amazing!
Yep, I know what it is from - I was merely saying I think it sticks out.
Yep, I know what it is from - I was merely saying I think it sticks out.
johnnyc14
XS650 Addict
I agree with you about the fender Pete. I was going to buy a vintage Preston Petty fender but couldn't find a black one. What I would really like there is a 2 part metal fender like the ones that came on 70's Kawasaki F9 Bighorns but they are impossible to find because they all fractured and fell apart from vibration. I have two F9's and they both have plastic front fender, I'd love to find an original. I'm trying to dream up a way to make a copy. Meanwhile the Honda plastic fender will do a fender's job.
Thanks for all your comments guys, I'm getting excited about the finish so I can ride it.
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