enchained
XS650 Member
Hello folks. I just picked up an '83 xs650 Heritage Special last week and since this has been a valuable resource as I learn my way around it I thought I'd stop in and say hi and ask a couple of probably dumb questions.
For background I've been riding a KLR650 for years until I impaled it on a left turning driver last August. I decided to take a break from riding for a bit after that and finally decided to pick up another bike this year - something old and cheap, and I I've always kinda dug the XSs...so here we are. Anyways I have a few questions.
The PO of this bike has disabled the vacuum petcock. The vac lines on the intake boots and from the petcock are all capped off, he put an on off valve in the fuel line and left the petcock on prime. PO said it worked fine but he "didn't trust it" so I may hook it back up and see if it works...but what I'm wondering is if the prime position picks up from the on or the reserve inlet - I realize I don't have reserve function this way but I'm not sure if I've lost that .8 gallons or whatever of capacity. This is already a tiny tank compared to what I'm used to.
My other questions are about add on type stuff. I've already ordered some normal handlebars and new rear shocks, the old ones feel pretty blown out. Does anyone make a flattish seat that will fit on this bike? I gathered from searching that the old standard seats won't fit. I'm 6' and fairly "leggy" (34 inseam) and I'm finding I tend to want to sit right where the step in the stock seat is, which sucks. The only thing I saw was the "cafe" seat on Mike's, and I don't really care for the look of it and will occasionally carry a passenger so it's no good.
In an ideal world I'd also like to fit some milder dual sport type tires on it (shinko 705 are my favorite from before), and there's nothing like this in a 16 rear. I know there were some 18s but the only one I see on eBay right now is a disc brake and I have a drum. Is there an 18" rear with a drum brake that I can swap straight on, or would I have to change the brakes? I got a little confused when reading about all the wheel permutations. I don't care if it's cast or spoke.
Also, this'll be further down the road if it happens, but does anyone make a high mount exhaust that's not a super loud straight pipe deal? I don't want to smash it on stuff *or* piss off the neighbors. I'm not inclined to mess with it much as it runs real nice right now but I might do this someday.
Thanks in advance!
For background I've been riding a KLR650 for years until I impaled it on a left turning driver last August. I decided to take a break from riding for a bit after that and finally decided to pick up another bike this year - something old and cheap, and I I've always kinda dug the XSs...so here we are. Anyways I have a few questions.
The PO of this bike has disabled the vacuum petcock. The vac lines on the intake boots and from the petcock are all capped off, he put an on off valve in the fuel line and left the petcock on prime. PO said it worked fine but he "didn't trust it" so I may hook it back up and see if it works...but what I'm wondering is if the prime position picks up from the on or the reserve inlet - I realize I don't have reserve function this way but I'm not sure if I've lost that .8 gallons or whatever of capacity. This is already a tiny tank compared to what I'm used to.
My other questions are about add on type stuff. I've already ordered some normal handlebars and new rear shocks, the old ones feel pretty blown out. Does anyone make a flattish seat that will fit on this bike? I gathered from searching that the old standard seats won't fit. I'm 6' and fairly "leggy" (34 inseam) and I'm finding I tend to want to sit right where the step in the stock seat is, which sucks. The only thing I saw was the "cafe" seat on Mike's, and I don't really care for the look of it and will occasionally carry a passenger so it's no good.
In an ideal world I'd also like to fit some milder dual sport type tires on it (shinko 705 are my favorite from before), and there's nothing like this in a 16 rear. I know there were some 18s but the only one I see on eBay right now is a disc brake and I have a drum. Is there an 18" rear with a drum brake that I can swap straight on, or would I have to change the brakes? I got a little confused when reading about all the wheel permutations. I don't care if it's cast or spoke.
Also, this'll be further down the road if it happens, but does anyone make a high mount exhaust that's not a super loud straight pipe deal? I don't want to smash it on stuff *or* piss off the neighbors. I'm not inclined to mess with it much as it runs real nice right now but I might do this someday.
Thanks in advance!