What have you done to your XS today?

Yes, Mailman. Oh, I did order a bag for the rear rack so I have the setup if I think I need it later.
I hope the anti-shake works. I see cams mounted on helmets. I just didn't want that. The spedo is kinda in the pix but I have very few places to mount it. Mainly I got it for snapping pix so, will let you know what shakes out!
Thu
 
Well, the good folks at Schott NYC emailed me today to let me know they will not be taking back the 42 as apparently I’ve worn it too much. So back to plan A- better keep up with my diet and exercise routine. I suppose I may see my top speed increase as well. Not a bad goal either way. Thuban, bikes looking good. I have been meaning to get a camera for some time now. Let us all know how this one works out
 
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tzimmerm said:
Well, the good folks at Schott NYC emailed me today to let me know they will not be taking back the 42 as apparently I’ve worn it too much. So back to plan A- better keep up with my diet and exercise routine. I suppose I may see my top speed increase as well. Not a bad goal either way. Thuban, bikes looking good. I have been meaning to get a camera for some time now. Let us all know how this one works out
Click to expand...

Will do, TZ
 
Got some fork gaiters today for about $10
20200508_174015.jpg
Read one of 5t's posts and went with the ones he uses.
 
Ones 5T uses? Upper radiator hose on a 50 buick? No, I'm kidding. I had gaiters on hand the other day and I had the chance to put them on and chickened out! :shrug: ( it's a long way in there to em') I'm waiting to see how they look on your bike. :thumbsup:
 
Yeah Randy! That looks great on there. You’re making this bike so nice you won’t ever want to sell it!
 
All through these threads I see mention of unreliability of the XS. That seems to ring true to me so far. Mine has never left me stranded but I thought it was going to. It had the hole in the gas cap stopped up, My fault but I had to find it the hard way. It still limped home. I had a no start after it was hot. It finally did and came home. I had the engine break down and chug, then run perfect then repeat the chug. I was 40 miles out but it came home. Loose wiring connectors. I had two head lights burn out while riding. Fixed that with a LED. Not it's fault. New bulbs can't take the Vibs. Once in a blue moon you will pull up to a stop and it will just shut off. Starts right back up but takes a couple of kicks, and it may not do it again for miles and miles and just run like a top. I thought I did a better job of repairing the XS than the Honda. I do love riding the XS more than the Honda, 1200 plus miles on the XS compared to 700 on the Honda. But the Honda has never done anything but run. It's cold blooded as hell but always starts. It's heavy, uses more gas than the XS covering the same amount of road. But on the road it's a smooth piece of history. I wouldn't take for either one of em'. What I want now is a Service Cycle to restore. Some used an old upright looking brigs engine? Yeah and a brown leather bomber cap with the flaps flopping!
 
thuban said:
All through these threads I see mention of unreliability of the XS.
Click to expand...

It’s funny, I have owned three of them now and I’ve never had one do anything but run reliably.
The only bikes that ever gave me any trouble was a two stroke RD350 that fouled plugs like crazy and a 2007 Triumph that had a defective fuel line check valve that was starving the motor, then the electronic ignition failed, but not before giving me a lot of mysterious grief.
 
thuban said:
All through these threads I see mention of unreliability of the XS. That seems to ring true to me so far. Mine has never left me stranded but I thought it was going to. It had the hole in the gas cap stopped up, My fault but I had to find it the hard way. It still limped home. I had a no start after it was hot. It finally did and came home. I had the engine break down and chug, then run perfect then repeat the chug. I was 40 miles out but it came home. Loose wiring connectors. I had two head lights burn out while riding. Fixed that with a LED. Not it's fault. New bulbs can't take the Vibs. Once in a blue moon you will pull up to a stop and it will just shut off. Starts right back up but takes a couple of kicks, and it may not do it again for miles and miles and just run like a top. I thought I did a better job of repairing the XS than the Honda. I do love riding the XS more than the Honda, 1200 plus miles on the XS compared to 700 on the Honda. But the Honda has never done anything but run. It's cold blooded as hell but always starts. It's heavy, uses more gas than the XS covering the same amount of road. But on the road it's a smooth piece of history. I wouldn't take for either one of em'. What I want now is a Service Cycle to restore. Some used an old upright looking brigs engine? Yeah and a brown leather bomber cap with the flaps flopping!
Click to expand...

As someone who has a desire to ride this somewhere other than around town, this does make me a bit nervous to drive it a few states and a few days out. I've read a few stories on this site about people taking their XS's on some rather long journeys with no problems. That's kinda why I started the "where have you been" thread. I lack a large amount of riding experience.

I would think that a site like this wouldn't be so popular if these bikes were piles of shit. Yeah this site is here for the portion of XS's that are piles of crap and that have deteriorated into piles of crap over the course of 40 years. And of course we never hear about the XS's that run just fine. They don't need help. And I'm sure there are many. My friend for example has a 75 that runs perfect and didn't even know this site existed until I told him.
 
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Tiesco said:
As someone who has a desire to ride this somewhere other than around town, this does make me a bit nervous to drive it a few states and a few days out. I've read a few stories on this site about people taking their XS's on some rather long journeys with no problems. That's kinda why I started the "where have you been" thread. I lack a large amount of riding experience.

I would think that a site like this wouldn't be so popular if these bikes were piles of shit. Yeah this site is here for the portion of XS's that are pile crap and that have deteriorated into piles of crap over the course of 40 years. And of course we never hear about the XS's that run just fine. They don't need help. And I'm sure there are many. My friend for example has an 75 that runs perfect and didn't even know this site existed until I told him.
Click to expand...

It's true the site is to help fix the bikes so most likely most info is going to be about problems. I like mailman's trips. He's really winging it out in the heat for miles and miles. Even though I've had some glitches, most of the parts on my bike are original. I think I have it in reliable shape now. I wouldn't be afraid to cross country on it. Might not be real comfortable but it would be cool! :bike:
 
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I put the gaiters on today and I knew it was a good choice. They make the bike look beefier and the rubber looks to be quality.
20200509_143753.jpg

I do not fancy a pesticide sprayer as a backdrop. Nor do I fancy working in close proximity to them but the shop is stuffed full of sprayers on account of the cold weather.
20200509_150708.jpg


Before I put them on I put a little oil on the forks to prevent oxidation, should any water get underneath the covers. I may have to cut a notch off the gaiters in the future
 

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