Thank you all for the incentive - I'm going in.
In answer to 5twins question, the bike has just shy of 27,000 miles recorded. Of course, I don't know if that is correct as I have nix past history. But from general condition, probably right.
Adopted TooMany and Jim's suggestion and investigated the TDC mark - the good news is that the pistons are indeed at their highest on the mark. But I expected that, anything else would have been a worry. Another worry.
A start has been made removing, uhm, ancilleries?
Although setting out very reluctantly on this journey, I have to say the the bike is a pleasure to work on. Most fasteners are in perfect nick and hardly any have been too tight. So, very easy to dismantle, in huge contrast the some bikes I have pulled apart.
I could mention a certain Triumph 650 twin - if there was a fastener which hadn't been butchered, I never found it. Some like the crankshaft pinion retainer nut appeared to have been assaulted with a sharpened screwdriver to get them off
and to get them back on again. And as for the QD (!) hub - it took the best part of a day to get the back wheel out. Not fun.
But on this XS, even the exhaust system came off easily. No balance pipe or any of that nonsense. Which leaves the engine almost ready for the Big Lift:
There is an air of mystery about the bike. A lot of work has been done recently. Well, she sat in a showroom in Devon for a long time - first caught my eye some time last year. But recently in miles. For example, new chain and sprockets. When I pulled the chain off today, it was very greasy but this seems to be the grease they are supplied with. No dirty chain lube. Here's the gearbox sprocket area, usually one of the dirtiest areas on a bike:
Almost clean. Confirms the bike has hardly turned a wheel since new chain and sprockets. And as I noted earlier, there are lots of nice touches. Allen screws on the cases, brand spanking new stainless chain adjusters. When I took the l/h engine cover off, well, I know a new gasket when I see one.
But it's got problems lurking. Cam chain stretched and/or jumped the sprocket? Some trepidation what I might find.
Think I might call this bike Nessie.
That's a Scottish joke - who knows what might lurk beneath the beautiful and serene surface?