What have you done to your XS today?

While we're on center stand...I use mine allot when I park it at home it is usually on center stand. What is the best way to grease the pivot points, bolts?

Chances are your centerstand has never been off.
I think the best results would be to remove the centerstand and clean up all the corrosion and install grease zerks.
With the bike on the centerstand , you can stuff washers in the spring and then when you bring the bike off of the centerstand and resting on the side stand the spring will be slack and you can easily remove it. Then just clean everything up , install the zerks, and before you reassemble, give all the pivot points a coating of grease.
You will be amazed at how much easier it works when it is clean and well lubed.
112F3280-AF35-4BAF-9E33-E7A66B29105D.jpeg 259CB6C6-8441-402B-8DBC-D68EBFA16ECA.jpeg BC250484-B851-4C7A-AFBD-10D83C64BF06.jpeg F7D2B334-CDAE-4FA5-9613-30703FEA13CB.jpeg 140A20A5-01F0-4A2D-8C68-428268290982.jpeg
 
Chances are your centerstand has never been off.
I think the best results would be to remove the centerstand and clean up all the corrosion and install grease zerks.
With the bike on the centerstand , you can stuff washers in the spring and then when you bring the bike off of the centerstand and resting on the side stand the spring will be slack and you can easily remove it. Then just clean everything up , install the zerks, and before you reassemble, give all the pivot points a coating of grease.
You will be amazed at how much easier it works when it is clean and well lubed.
View attachment 173791 View attachment 173792 View attachment 173793 View attachment 173794 View attachment 173795
I really should have done this while I had mine off but I didn't think the fittings I had were self tapping. I did grease it up real good though
 
I really should have done this while I had mine off but I didn't think the fittings I had were self tapping. I did grease it up real good though

I installed the zerks on my ‘77. For whatever reason I failed to install them on my XS2, I did clean and grease everything well, but now , over a year later I can feel it needs more grease. I plan on pulling it back off and installing new zerks on it, maybe this fall. You do have to tap the hole for the fittings, you can either just buy a single tap or buy an inexpensive tap and die set from harbor freight. Although now that I’m thinking about it, I did buy a single tap because I bought metric zerks, and I needed to get the correct thread pitch.
 
I installed the zerks on my ‘77. For whatever reason I failed to install them on my XS2, I did clean and grease everything well, but now , over a year later I can feel it needs more grease. I plan on pulling it back off and installing new zerks on it, maybe this fall. You do have to tap the hole for the fittings, you can either just buy a single tap or buy an inexpensive tap and die set from harbor freight. Although now that I’m thinking about it, I did buy a single tap because I bought metric zerks, and I needed to get the correct thread pitch.
I know they sell self tappers but I've never used them before so I'm not really sure how effective they are. A tap would likely be a better bet, they're pretty cheap but at this point I'll for sure wait till off season to pull it off again
 
Chances are your centerstand has never been off.
I think the best results would be to remove the centerstand and clean up all the corrosion and install grease zerks.
With the bike on the centerstand , you can stuff washers in the spring and then when you bring the bike off of the centerstand and resting on the side stand the spring will be slack and you can easily remove it. Then just clean everything up , install the zerks, and before you reassemble, give all the pivot points a coating of grease.
You will be amazed at how much easier it works when it is clean and well lubed.
View attachment 173791 View attachment 173792 View attachment 173793 View attachment 173794 View attachment 173795
I've never installed a grease zerk it has to be a zerk that's doesn't rub on the inside shaft
Or all zerks the same as in really shallow
The center stand metal can't be all that thick
 
I've never installed a grease zerk it has to be a zerk that's doesn't rub on the inside shaft
Or all zerks the same as in really shallow
The center stand metal can't be all that thick

Drill the bolts half way down and then a cross hole; tap a fitting into the end.
See the expensive completed item in Mike's catalogue.

Lakeview, I never realized they sold a specialized for that purpose, and I like your idea even better! That would work perfectly. Thanks, you learn something every day. By the way Greyandridin, I drilled and tapped right on the weld that holds the legs on. The weld adds thickness.
 
Drill the bolts half way down and then a cross hole; tap a fitting into the end.
See the expensive completed item in Mike's catalogue.
Sorry, I don't really understand what you're saying. Can you ELI5 this, as well as link to the Mikes item your referring to?
 
Lakeview, I never realized they sold a specialized for that purpose, and I like your idea even better! That would work perfectly. Thanks, you learn something every day. By the way Greyandridin, I drilled and tapped right on the weld that holds the legs on. The weld adds thickness.
That makes sense I take it you buy a quantity of zerks not just 1 or 2
Is there a special marking on the zerks indicating metric or not so I know what tap to get
 
I don't think the fittings themselves are marked but they are usually packaged by their thread size. I recommend getting the M6 x 1 size. This is a standard metric thread and the same size as all the other grease fittings on the bike. There's also a ton of M6 x 1 bolts and screws used on the bike, well actually on any metric bike. So, it's real handy to have that size tap on hand in case you need to repair a threaded hole, chase it's threads, or make a new one.

To get you started, you can usually buy an assortment pack containing straight, 45°, and 90° fittings at the auto parts store for about $5. You usually use mostly straight ones so if you want to invest in more of just them, and get good ones, search eBay for the "Mize" brand. These are Made in USA fittings and very nice .....

Ef0IlXm.jpg


I'll also mention that when I install them on the centerstand pivot, to insure it's thick enough, I add a blob of weld to the existing weld .....

oDNu59m.jpg


Then I grind a flat on it, center punch, then drill and tap .....

t3lcZwP.jpg


jcM5Yzm.jpg
 
Just did a test fit of the new brake line - this look okay? Not sure if that loop at the top is fine or not, then at the bottom there's a bit of slack but I had to give it maybe a quarter turn to get in which again, not sure if that's legit or not.
 

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I don't think the fittings themselves are marked but they are usually packaged by their thread size. I recommend getting the M6 x 1 size. This is a standard metric thread and the same size as all the other grease fittings on the bike. There's also a ton of M6 x 1 bolts and screws used on the bike, well actually on any metric bike. So, it's real handy to have that size tap on hand in case you need to repair a threaded hole, chase it's threads, or make a new one.

To get you started, you can usually buy an assortment pack containing straight, 45°, and 90° fittings at the auto parts store for about $5. You usually use mostly straight ones so if you want to invest in more of just them, and get good ones, search eBay for the "Mize" brand. These are Made in USA fittings and very nice .....

Ef0IlXm.jpg


I'll also mention that when I install them on the centerstand pivot, to insure it's thick enough, I add a blob of weld to the existing weld .....

oDNu59m.jpg


Then I grind a flat on it, center punch, then drill and tap .....

t3lcZwP.jpg


jcM5Yzm.jpg
Thanks one less mystery cleared up for me
 
It appears you mounted that brake line sort of backwards? Usually, with an angled fitting, you angle it away from the part it's attaching to. On the caliper, this gives more room to access the bleed nipple .....

Df6kM3B.jpg
 
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