Project Canuck- 84 XS650 Project Build

[canuck1969]

All together and ready for a final assembly. Just need to track down some new fuel hose and clamps and maybe a filter. Let’s see what I can come up with.

This will be the last piece of the build.

 

[canuck1969]

My memory is not as bad as I thought. Knew I bought one for my old KLR but never installed it. Perfect size and the 90° orientation will fit better.

 

[canuck1969]

Ok. Have to vent. Ever start a job thinking it will take you 5 minutes and then it turns into 2 hours with trips to the hardware store thrown in.

Picked up some fuel hose and clamps and all I wanted to do was just put the hose on the carb tee. I’ll do the filter and tank later as I am off for the next two days. Hmmm…not easy to get to that tee with the air box and carbs on the bike. No problem. Have to go out anyways so I’ll pick up some extra long angled needle nose pliers. Nope. Cant get it in. Just no space and even if I got it in I would never be able to secure the clamp.

No problem I’ll pull one air box off.
Nope.
Two air boxes.
Nope.
Crap. Carbs have to come out. Undo all the bolts and drop the carbs on top of the crankcase.
Nope. Has to come out all the way. Manage to get the hose and clamp on with out any issue. Now to put the carbs back.
Crap. What is that wet feeling on my shoes. F…k. Forgot float bowls were full of fuel.

Managed to get it back together without too much more drama other than a few scratches. Good news they are in places you can’t see and discovered clear coat covers up powder coat scratches nicely.

How does one strip down a bike to nuts and bolts and put it all back together without a scratch or any significant struggle and then nailed to wall on a piece of hose.

Time for a beer.

 

[canuck1969]

Well she is done. Put the tank on and Did the final connection of the fuel line. It was a joy to work on and now I have a new ride come spring. Just needs to have the safety done and then I can throw some tags on her and ride. Managed to go up and down the court on my street a couple of times and everything seems to be working fine. Since it is currently -6°C right now it was a short ride. The front brake is not exactly stellar but didn’t expect much out of it. May look at some softer pads at some point. The rear is actually pretty good. Shifted nicely up and down the range and no signs of slippage.

Meet BELLA. The new addition to the family. May we always enjoy the open road.

 

[Jim]

 

[Jim]

She's a beauty. What now?

 

[canuck1969]

She's a beauty. What now?

My wife just asks me the exact same thing. “This was supposed to be your winter project, what r u going to do now”.

Will have to find something else to entertain me this winter. Guess I will have to actually do some work during the day now.

Don’t think I will sell this one. May pick up another one to finally build my cafe racer now that I fully understand the bike. We will see what will happen then.

 

[MaxPete]

She’s a beaut Joe - very nice indeed!

Pete

 

[fredintoon]

Well she is done. Put the tank on and Did the final connection of the fuel line. It was a joy to work on and now I have a new ride come spring. Just needs to have the safety done and then I can throw some tags on her and ride. Managed to go up and down the court on my street a couple of times and everything seems to be working fine. Since it is currently -6°C right now it was a short ride. The front brake is not exactly stellar but didn’t expect much out of it. May look at some softer pads at some point. The rear is actually pretty good. Shifted nicely up and down the range and no signs of slippage.
Meet BELLA. The new addition to the family. May we always enjoy the open road.
View attachment 130286 View attachment 130287 View attachment 130288 View attachment 130289

Hi Joe,
my Heritage Special looked like that when it was new.
(We used to put aluminum paint on our Britbike's cast iron heads & barrels so folks would think we
rode race bikes so Yamaha's blacking out the XS650's top end always struck me as kinda weird)

Took ~20 years for the black to fade off my bike's fins so it looked right.
But what you should do to get a better front brake is to swap out the stock M/C for one that has 1/2 the piston area.
(That's 11mm or 12mm diameter) Stainless brake lines and drilling the bejazus out of the brake disk also helps. ​

 

[Superjet]

That is a beauty Canuck. Very nice bike! I am jealous lol

 

[canuck1969]

Can someone confirm something for me. I did a search and didn’t find anything concrete on the dipstick length for the 84 style bike.

Just want to make sure that this is the right dipstick. Right now oil shows full on the dipstick but only 1/4 on the side glass. This is not a debate on what the proper amount of oil is so please let’s avoid that. Just want to make sure I am comparing apples and apples. I know the siteglass is sensitive to lean on the bike so not my first rodeo. That may be the issue and I will only trust the dipstick but need to make sure it is the right one.

Dimensions are as follows. Does this look about right.

 

[fredintoon]

Can someone confirm something for me. I did a search and didn’t find anything concrete on the dipstick length for the 84 style bike.
Just want to make sure that this is the right dipstick. Right now oil shows full on the dipstick but only 1/4 on the side glass. This is not a debate on what the proper amount of oil is so please let’s avoid that. Just want to make sure I am comparing apples and apples. I know the siteglass is sensitive to lean on the bike so not my first rodeo. That may be the issue and I will only trust the dipstick but need to make sure it is the right one.
Dimensions are as follows. Does this look about right.
View attachment 130342 View attachment 130343 View attachment 130344

Hi Joe,
I don't say my 84's dipstick is the "right" dipstick, just that it's the one it had when it left the factory.
(The 84s were the last of the line, I reckon they were assembling what was left in the warehouse rather than what was right for the year)
If you can wait until next April when I take my bike out of winter storage I can measure it's dipstick for you.
What you can do right now is drain your bike's oil, pour in the amount of oil that's recommended on the crankcase
for an oil-change and immediately check the porthole and dipstick readings to compare and remember them.

 

[Mailman]

Your bike came out just beautiful! Well done, better than new! Time for a new project!

 

[canuck1969]

That is why I am questioning the dip stick. I had a leak in the sump gasket after reassembly of the engine and dropped all the oil. I only put back 2 litres and a bit ( like another 100ml or so). That put me right at the full mark on the dipstick cold no matter tthe lean angle and 1/4 on the siteglass. Hard to say right now which one is right but thinking the siteglass. Hopefully someone will have some dimensions to compare. Only reference I found was pre 76 and they seem to match what I have.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

This is the service bulletin on the new dipsticks.



Ensure that you're not screwing the dipstick in when taking a reading.

A forum search on "dipstick threads" will yield more info...

 

[canuck1969]

This is the service bulletin on the new dipsticks.

View attachment 130359

Ensure that you're not screwing the dipstick in when taking a reading.

A forum search on "dipstick threads" will yield more info...

I had found that.

So all dipsticks after 75 used this style including the 84. That part I was not sure on.

 

[canuck1969]

All good. Dimensions match the drawing give or take a 1/16”.

Warmed it up and put the bike on more level ground. Stick reads about 3/4 and glass 1/2. Good enough for me as I know it is still not 100% level front to back.

Turns out my lift is more out of level than I thought. My garage floor has a slope to the back and middle. Where my lift is located it slopes to the rear and left of the bike. That explains the high stick and low glass. Worse when the lift is elevated.

In the process discovered I have a leaking camshaft oil seal on the right side. Looks like it is coming from the seal and not the gasket. Probably my fault as I removed this side when I was painting the engine just to see what was behind it. Left side is ok. Ordered up both just in case.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

When my front wheel is raised about 8", the dipstick reading comes up about 1-1/2".

Post #15.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/motorcycle-tow-hitch-tms800-800lb-front-wheel-hauler.51206/#post-536243

That works out to about 0.2" of dipstick reading per 1" of front wheel off level...

 

[59Tebo]

Beauty! Way to go, canuck! Congratulations on your brand-new 35 year-old bike! That is awesome, and you have a lot to be proud of!
Now, you'll have to find a basket case for a winter project. Maybe if you start now, it'll last you until spring!

 

[Ozboy]

Mght need to SKF Spedi Sleeve that cam shaft. Mine weeped for ages after a few seal/gasket changes until i Spedi Sleved it and finally stopped. With These old bikes wouldnt be a bad idea on all sealing surfaces for a Speedi Sleeve.