What have you done to your XS today?

Over the weekend I picked up a unmolested 80 Special just to get the rear disc brake frame for whatever that is I`m building. Had it VIN verified, insured, titled & tagged in less than 2hrs. A new record for me at the DMV. Started to tear it down to the bare frame but mosquito`s in the garage got the best of me. Maybe tomorrow with some repellent.:thumbsup:
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dislodged the kick start lever enough to disable it
How do you remedy that. I'm going to be fixing the spring clip on !y #4 gear as well.
I am going to push in on the kick start spline as I take the cover off. I never had that cover off so I don't know exactly what it entails, If it does wind up getting out of sorts...?
 
How do you remedy that. I'm going to be fixing the spring clip on !y #4 gear as well.
I am going to push in on the kick start spline as I take the cover off. I never had that cover off so I don't know exactly what it entails, If it does wind up getting out of sorts...?

As long as you’re careful to do that, push that kickstart shaft in as you pull the cover off, you won’t have any problems. If you’ve never had the cover off, it’s likely to be really stuck on there. Just take your time with it and don’t be driving screwdrivers into the gasket surface area trying to pry the cover off, that aluminum is soft and you’ll nick it. I usually start by tapping on a small block of wood placed on the front of the cover, right here.
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The cover sticks out from the case right there, a little. Once I start to get a gap opening I insert plastic putty knives into that space and just keep working it.
 
Over the weekend I picked up a unmolested 80 Special just to get the rear disc brake frame for whatever that is I`m building. Had it VIN verified, insured, titled & tagged in less than 2hrs. A new record for me at the DMV. Started to tear it down to the bare frame but mosquito`s in the garage got the best of me. Maybe tomorrow with some repellent.:thumbsup:

I freely admit to being jealous of your DMV visit brother. I picked up a Stratoliner last month and had to make an appointment to get it titled and registered; in late August!!! Yep, I'm riding it as is and carry my Bill of Sale. the original title signed over to me and the Virginia DMV form for registration in case I get pulled over. The bike is insured and has a fresh State Inspection sticker on it. This dang Covid delay crap ruins a fellow's mood often...
 
Over the weekend I picked up a unmolested 80 Special just to get the rear disc brake frame for whatever that is I`m building. Had it VIN verified, insured, titled & tagged in less than 2hrs. A new record for me at the DMV. Started to tear it down to the bare frame but mosquito`s in the garage got the best of me. Maybe tomorrow with some repellent.:thumbsup:
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Reminds me of the 1978 black Special I had like in '79. Nice riding bike.
 
Well whatever that thing is I`m building is really starting to come around. 100% improvement since yesterday.:thumbsup: In fact the frame is already 95% done. All I have left to do is remove all the unnessary tabs, make new rear suspension, make new seat rails, bend up a new rear frame half, weld it all up, sandblast, and powder coat. Piece of cake.:D TCI from this bike goes in the classifieds.
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I was considering drilling my front, do you have the tire balanced after? How do the drill bits hold up? I figured they probably need a sharpening every 3-4 holes drilled. And or get like 20 generic bits of the size. What size did you go with? I read a while ago so I'm not really sure, but they should be in area of how thick the disk is.
I want to go with the spiral look swiping towards the outside. At one time there were templates on here. I'm going to search it..
That will look sweet when it's painted.
 
I was considering drilling my front, do you have the tire balanced after? How do the drill bits hold up? I figured they probably need a sharpening every 3-4 holes drilled. And or get like 20 generic bits of the size. What size did you go with? I read a while ago so I'm not really sure, but they should be in area of how thick the disk is.
I want to go with the spiral look swiping towards the outside. At one time there were templates on here. I'm going to search it..
That will look sweet when it's painted.
Have a look here.
168 holes with 1 drill bit... no sharpening.
 
The key to making your bits last is low speed and use some cutting oil. I think I ran my drill press around 550-650 RMP.
1+ on that. For steel you want a slow speed and moderate pressure.... and there's no such thing as too much cuttin' oil. ;)
 
The key to making your bits last is low speed and use some cutting oil. I think I ran my drill press around 550-650 RMP.

Hi willis,
yeah, BTDT.
Use the lowest available drill speed speed, flood with cutting fluid and reef down as hard as you can on the feed lever,
Cobalt steel drill bits work best. I recommend 3 steps.
Massive centerpunch marks then half size holes then full size holes
Note that the XS650 brake disk material is tougher than old boots.
 
Changed oil in my ‘77D today, cleaned the filter screens , the sump filter was clean as a whistle, just wiped it off and reinstalled. I’ve got to reinforce a tip from 5Twins here, on the sump plate gasket, I apply a thin coat of anti seize and it works so well, the sump plate simply falls off before I can even remove the bolts! Unlike the first sump plate I ever removed , that I had to beat on to get it to come off. o_O
gasket with anti seize already applied
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Let the best-est restoration upholstery shop in town look at my seat pan and cover...wanting him to just build up the foam for the seat..He said for just about the same as what I would have importing a molded seat foam but he was probably loosing $$ on it. Sort of sounded good to me. Have some rear spokes on the way.
 
Not on my XS but a twin nonetheless...

built a fiberglass battery/electrical tray for under the seat jump and a little under seat tool/paperwork dish. Lots of dirty work on the little canyon buggy - all still in the mock up/modify stage.

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34 mm fork rebuild
For the 73 TX 650, was not too difficult with reference to MaxPete's thread on same, especially the squished tube tool hint there, big shout out to P. O. who had done the hard work of draining them and breaking loose the Allen bolt.
 
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