79 Special II RestoCustom "Doomy"

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Race the wind
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1979 was a very good year for the XS650's.
The Special II was unique to 79 as it was rolling on aluminum wheels and breathed through my favorite BS38's. Still equipped with points ignition too.
This low mileage, (under 7thou mile) unfinished project I recently picked up is proving through routine maintenance and inspection to be quite a hopeful candidate for a fun "rescue". That's my excuse to go for it.
:cool:
Started a thread to share the progress of this XS Cafe as it gets all the mechanical attention it needs to end up a Fun, Great looking, And reliable custom rider.
I tried hard today to get it on both wheels. Lack of a correct tube at the local bike salvage yard delayed the rear end just a bit.
Moto Cycle in Vancouver has previously helped me a great deal with used Yamaha parts at great prices !
This Pic represents pretty well what I have to work with and where this project is going. I just missed out on a set of fenders to cut cafe short today as well. Dang. I'll piece this roadster together somehow and I'm sure in a funny local but cost effective way.
Enjoy it, No hurries at all.
-RT
 

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This'll be fun to follow. Is it a runner, Randy?
This is the 3rd non running XS650 project I've brought home over the years. I am somewhat careful and seek out low mileage engines. This strategy has been very lucky so far. My optimism is high again as I have been stripping and servicing the engine.
Finding no real trouble yet other than just a very dry, old project that quit running. Yes, it was "parked when quit running"
:)
What I've found in the engine covers is very promising.
 
Well Randy, you’ve been offering little glimpses of this bike for a while. This is the first time I’ve seen what you’re working with as a whole. It looks like it has great potential. A chance to stretch your creative muscles! I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with this. :)
 
I'm along for the ride...
Question. So the Special II was different than an ordinary Special in '79?
slightly..The Special had mag wheels..and a few other minor differences..others will chime in with more specifics..but i believe the special 2s were a tad cheaper due to the differences in components used...
 
I like the way you have the bars now, different without being too different. Also like the stock position of the foot controls and pegs.

I like the option of being able to stand on the pegs and use the suspension of my knees and legs for that unseen dead or live racoon etc. in the road.
 
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I'm along for the ride...
Question. So the Special II was different than an ordinary Special in '79?
1979 Special II:
black headlight bucket
black instrument cans
black footpeg mounts
black chain guard
alloy wheels with spokes
drum rear brake

1979 Special:
chrome headlight assembly
chrome instrument mounts
chrome footpeg mounts
chrome chain guard
cast wheels
disc rear brake

Changes happened each of the three years they made them.

This is mine I found in a junkyard. It's one of my favorites.
dad2227b-f301-4940-b67c-a327ef1772ed-jpeg.154213
 
I like the way you have the bars now, different without being too different. Also like the stock position of the foot controls and pegs.

I like the option of being able to stand on the pegs and use the suspension of my knees and legs for that unseen dead or live racoon etc. in the road.

while I stay in control of the bike
 
I like the one year only alloy wheels the '79 Special II got. If I was going to run a 16" rear, that's the one I'd want. And I might just do that some day. I was pleasantly surprised how nice my '83 rode with it's stock 16" rear wheel. It was quite stable even with the original shocks and original (loose) swingarm. I gave it my normal upgrades (18" rear wheel and TX750 swingarm) but it didn't make nearly as much difference as it did on my Standard. This leads me to believe the Special frame configuration, with it's more laid down rear shock mounting angle, is better than the Standard's more upright shock mount. It gives a better, stiffer triangulation between the swingarm, shock, and frame.
 
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Spent much more time today mockup fitting more handlebars items. The Gauge buckets had to be paint stripped as they were painted army green along with the headlight mount ears.
There is much stripped though such as the top triple clamp and gauge cluster mount.
This is exactly where the creative practice takes so long
:lmao:
Great results were achieved on the handlebar wiring, clutch cable, and yes, the brake line measuring..
Lots of little details looked over
I can build this up real pretty
:cool:
-RT
 

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New 16" tube and tool found today.
laid down rear shock mounting angle, is better than the Standard's more upright shock mount. It gives a better, stiffer triangulation between the swingarm, shock, and frame.
Very anxious to put the rear swingarm back on ! Keep getting busy everywhere else.. and the rear tire selection is down to BOTH rear 16" wheel/tire combos I currently have ;) The bike came with this very tall Shinko 5.00-16 and that tire sitting next to my D404 130/90-16 tire is fun to compare.
Shinko clearly stands tall as shown. Both tires are very low mileage and tho not new, since out west here on the Columbia basin the Sun doesn't cook our hinies or freeze out bones much. Bikes stay very preserved around here
I need hardware ! Off to the burbs..
:whistle:
 

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Winter busyness and short weekends hit hard last weekend.
I had to progress on indoor at desk work so I brought out the BS38's, both sets came with the 79 and both are stock, dirty, but very good.;)
I've stripped out jetting, needles, etc.. and sorted out components for the set to assemble and run first. The second set will stay a part source awhile.
Here are pics -
 

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This 79 will not be using the Yamaha airbox halves. This will be using the Uni Pod filters set up with a stock 79 Special exhaust system. I imagine jetting will need opened up just barely unless a more free flowing exhaust ever comes.
So one set of 135 main jets and 27.5 pilot jets were cleaned thoroughly in alcohol and studied.
A stock 135 main jet pins at .055 thousandths. A 27.5 pilot jet pins at .019 thousandths through the mildly dirty bore.
Turns out the mains can very easily be both cleaned and enlarged to. 058 thou. With this sharp tiny reamer sourced right here at work.
o_O by finger the jet bore was increased .003 very easily to .058 thou.
The 27.5 pilots are also very easily cleaned and enlarged from .019 with this tiny hole file set, a .020 was used.
o_Oby finger the pilot jet bore was increased one thou to .020
I think this will be a great starting point on this 79 Cafe
:D
 

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The front end mock up of the handlebars and controls went well last week. Progress there too is more tumbling of aluminum parts, levers, triple clamp. The gauges have now been check for light bulb condition and more hardware hi grades there too.
Using these "Special" style dished bushing washers will help squeeze the rubber bushings. A stock flat washer underneath is inferior to the custom fit here.
I'm quite sure the handlebars will feel firm using this mount style.
And, a light fresh sticky coat of Yamabond all over the bushings will help em stay firm.
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Hey, Randy.

...A stock 135 main jet pins at .055 thousandths. A 27.5 pilot jet pins at .019 thousandths through the mildly dirty bore...

...by finger the jet bore was increased .003 very easily to .058 thou.

...by finger the pilot jet bore was increased one thou to .020...

Our oldschool method of determining jet size and orifice diameters was to take the orifice diameter, in millimeters, and multiply by 100. (Tens of microns = jet number).

A #135 jet would be 1.35mm = 0.053".
A 0.058" orifice would be 1.47mm, a #147 jet.

Something odd about your pilot jets that may need checking.

A #27.5 pilot jet should have an orifice of 0.275mm = 0.011".
A 0.019" orifice would be 0.48mm, a #48 jet.
A 0.020" orifice would be 0.51mm, a #51 jet.

My old pilot jets had erroded over the years and opened up.
Compare their old/new orifice sizes.
71XS1B-Carbs-PilotJets01.jpg


Hopefully, someone can confirm this...
 
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