Project Canuck- 84 XS650 Project Build

Hey. I can see something now other than my shoulders.
I can now see when the lady driving the BMW behind me texting on her phone is about to run into me.
I know…unconscious bias

Around here it's the Volvo's we worry about! Always thought it had to be due to all their advertising back in the day how safe they were made. Seems it got the drivers thinking they could not get hurt but failed to understand the people they hit could be killed!
 
Around here it's the Volvo's we worry about! Always thought it had to be due to all their advertising back in the day how safe they were made. Seems it got the drivers thinking they could not get hurt but failed to understand the people they hit could be killed!

Every time someone talks about a Volvo and safety it reminds me of the movie Crazy People. Classic truth in advertising.

Be safe instead of sexy…

 
Around here it's the Volvo's we worry about! Always thought it had to be due to all their advertising back in the day how safe they were made. Seems it got the drivers thinking they could not get hurt but failed to understand the people they hit could be killed!

Hi Ken,
one of my Brit nephews visited a while back. He asked me:- "Is it the same over here, that the pillocks all drive Volvos?"
Had to tell him "No. Over here they all drive 1/2Tons."
&BTW:-
Why do all 1/2Ton drivers wear ball caps?
To hide their circumcision scars.
 
Still a little cold to ride so broke out the DA Polisher and went to town on the tank and side panels. Rubbing compound, polish and then a couple coats of wax. Also cleaned up the seat. Looks like new. May try to get out today if is warms up. Sun is shining.

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Ran into my first problem today. Decided to take her for another ride this morning. Turned on the petcock and heard a whoosh of air bubbles in the tank. It is a non vacuum petcock. At least I know it seals.

It took a few cranks to get it started and seems to run fine and then all of a sudden the rpms dropped and it died. Took a couple of tries to get it going and then idled normal so went on my ride.

Did not get to far. It ran fine up through the gears but at the first light the rpm dropped and it died again. Managed to get it back home under its own power.

Suspect I have a plugged vent but I thought I cleaned it out enough on the rebuild. Perhaps not. Will take a look. Definitely get a whoosh when it sits a bit with the petcock close and cap closed.

Guessing the pressure from the last ride I did didn’t get out. Weird that this is the first time seeing this but i guess from all the work I was doing on it the chances of me venting the tank somehow where high.

Let’s see what I find.
 
Well, venting problem aside, it sure looks beautiful Canuck.
Thanks Pete. Really was a labor of love.

Like I used to tell my maintenance guys, if it doesn’t work well at least make it look good. Sometimes that is all it needs.

I am sure there are some other things that have not showed up yet but if this is all that has showed up so far I count myself lucky.
 
Well, I had a 20 km x 2 way ride this morning to the CVMG breakfast and it was “fresh” but Lucille ran like a champ and even my knee cooperated, so I’m happy.

Actually there were about 10-15 bikes out at the breakfast this AM plus I saw a lot of more coming and going. I guess everyone has some cabin fever these days.

Pete
 
Well, I had a 20 km x 2 way ride this morning to the CVMG breakfast and it was “fresh” but Lucille ran like a champ and even my knee cooperated, so I’m happy.
Actually there were about 10-15 bikes out at the breakfast this AM plus I saw a lot of more coming and going. I guess everyone has some cabin fever these days.
Pete

Hi Pete,
good that the new knee worked OK. Did it feel the shock of kicking or the load of supporting self & bike as you kicked?
& Hi canuck,
be careful of sliding about on that shiny seat cover and most likely your tank vent is plugged with wax &/or polishing compound.
 
Sorry about the hijack Canuck.

Yup, the knee was fine and Lucille started on the button like a modern bike with EFI so no kicking for me. As for just riding and stopping at corners, no problems at all.
 
We have a winner. Guess I didn’t disassemble it this far down. Will clean up and see what it looks like.

Silly question. Is there a filter in the middle of the vent disk or is that just built up crap.

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Hi Pete,
good that the new knee worked OK. Did it feel the shock of kicking or the load of supporting self & bike as you kicked?
& Hi canuck,
be careful of sliding about on that shiny seat cover and most likely your tank vent is plugged with wax &/or polishing compound.

Seat is good. Not going anywhere. Polish and wax in the vent? Not likely. Even I am not that anal.
 
Cleaned up the vent and put it back together after searching for a flying screw on the shop floor for 15 minutes.
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Went for a ride and all I can say is wow. What a difference. The performance I had before is what I expected from a 35 year old bike. I was wrong. Now that the fuel is venting properly it is like night and day. Can’t wait for some nicer weather and some good rain to wash away all the sand on the roads.
 
Still a little cold to ride so broke out the DA Polisher and went to town on the tank and side panels. Rubbing compound, polish and then a couple coats of wax. Also cleaned up the seat. Looks like new. May try to get out today if is warms up. Sun is shining.

Holy Crap! is that what the 1982 out in the barn should look like?
 
Holy Crap! is that what the 1982 out in the barn should look like?

To be fair it is an 84;)

And to answer your question, probably not. But that is what you get when a 50 year old engineer with a mild case of OCD who works from home and has too much spare time on some days decides to take on a rebuild.

Can’t wait for the next one.
 
Seat is good. Not going anywhere. Polish and wax in the vent? Not likely. Even I am not that anal.

Hi canuck,
your seat looks eff nigh perfect but after Mr Stupid did a vinyl polish job on my Heritage's seat my blue jeans slid about on it.
True anality would have removed and serviced the tank filler cap beforehand, eh?
 
Thought I would close out this thread with some final shots of Bella. I also posted these in another thread called "Bella of the Ball" .

Here she is in all her glory taken by a professional photographer at a recent bike meet in town. She had won the Best Yamaha in Show two week earlier at the same meet so I thought I would treat her to some professional pics.

On to my next project. Picked up a 1980 CB750 Custom in rather poor shape and probably for too much money but I could see her crying from the neglect. Hope to bring another 80's classic back to life.

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