Recent content by JCB-78XS650-SE

Okay, it ain't no modified bleacher for lifting, holding, displaying whole motorcycles but I invented it out of ingenuity. Photo on left is small Taiwanese pry bar. I call it my clutch basket holder. Whoops, bent that sucker on the foot peg mount last time taking out the clutch. Photo on right...

After narrowing the gap on left cylinder, the timing fell right into place. Great! Now the electric starter as well as the kick starter fire up the bike on first push/kick. YESSS! 5twins: So your Forum handle must mean you have 5 motorcycles with twin cylinders, likely 650s, and you've been...

5twins, I don't understand the process but I'm on that closing the gap for left cylinder. Thank you. gggGary, your suggestion makes sense. I ordered new points from Mikes. Thanks. I'll report back for all my fans and followers :bike:. I do appreciate your sticking with me and my ignorance. -- j.c.

I re-set the points and re-timed the machine. All went much better and the bike ran better. The right cylinder timed nicely with minor adjustment of points plate. However, when timing the left cylinder, I do not have enough adjustment to get the mark into the the "F" zone. The e-starting...

5twins says, "You want the "F" mark for idle timing ....." That's the problem! Sometimes I get so fricking flustered I miss the basics. I will be back before sunset! THANKS, EVERYONE.

Thanks, 5twins. I'll check the charging with voltmeter. My last post had a cartoon with WTF! Would that stand for "Wasn't This Fun? :bike:

Brassneck, gggGary: I re-did the points and timing. He runs better, starts better — just not like it should. This may be a deeper problem. Just minutes ago, when I timed the left cylinder the mark on rotor would not reach the "T" mark on the stator — even when I adjusted the plate inside the...

Brassneck, thanks for the reply. My "intermittent" meant the engine's actual starting is intermittent. The spinning (or as you say, doesn't seem to engage the gears) is usually present. When the spinning is not there, it "catches" and the engine starts. Putting it another way, each time I try...

gggGary, thanks for your quick reply. On the video, JohnnyAction pushes starter button at times: 0.01, 0.03, 0.06, 0.08 seconds and the engine fails to start. Each of those start attempts, the starter just spins or chatters (pick the descriptive sound you'd use) and the engine does not start. I...

My electric starter sounded much like the bike in YouTube video link below (thanks, JohnnyAction). Mine did not chatter quite as long nor as often as the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MdD2goE84o I did a lot of research here on XS650 Forum and did the following: I drained the...

5twins and gggGary: Thanks for extra tips. I've been riding my XS-SE for nearly 30 years. It's been like a 9-life cat — he ran and ran and ran. Only when he decided he was tired last summer did I understand just how much you guys know. And, in spite of the great bikes the XS650s are, no one...

5twins quote: "Personally, I'd go with the original gear and re-tensioned original drag clip." Thanks, 5twins! I think you're absolutely right. The re-try begins. j.c.

gggGary: I will only open if I have a plan of what I'm going to fix but not for photos. I'll post the pics once I open him up. The battery is fully charged. Occasionally the electric starter works exactly as it should with every thing sounding and operating "normal." Most of the time (4 out...

TwoMany: My font trickery was cool maybe but I''d hoped it'd communicate a little better. Any ideas with the remaining starter issue?

My bike did run with left cover off but the oil did ooze out a little around the push rod. Thanks, TwoMany!