Recent content by OdysseusXS

Thanks Thuban, I'll give it a try.

'Nuff said, time to spring for a new voltaic pile before the dark Australian winter descends! It can sometimes get as cold as 5 degrees Celsius here in South Australia. Just joking, I spent 4 years in British Columbia as a kid, I have seen what happens to batteries when the temp starts to fall.

Thanks 5twins, you just confirmed why becoming a supporter of this site is money well-spent. A piece of mechanical insight that I won't find in my Clymers manual. Experience-based and priceless. I'm going to start an XS650 mechanical recipe book to keep track of all the good advice I get from...

Hah! Yep I often have to use the 'feather foot' to get her down to neutral at standstill, too much oomph and she drops straight through to 1st.

I hear what you are saying. I only go for neutral when I pull up at the stoplights, otherwise I'll hold the clutch and give myself that little bit of extra response time to avoid the vehicles that keep trying to turn me into roadkill. :)

Ok, so that means I can still adjust that by taking up some more of the freeplay at the clutch lever adjustment?

Are they a lot better than the simple sealed lead acid units?

Hi everyone, I don't understand why, but when my XS is in traffic and getting a bit hotter than she would be on the open road I have difficulty selecting neutral, especially at standstill. It is always easier to downshift to neutral while she is rolling but pulling up to the lights once she is...

Thanks for the response, I appreciate the feedback. Guess I'm just being a bit of a tight-wad about springing for a new battery . I do have a voltmeter for the bike. I just haven't found a decent spot to fit it to yet. With all this corona virus business I have the time to play with that now.

I can only suggest that you get in touch with Geoff from GeoffsXS. He is an Aussie business, ships local stock and is a decent person to deal with to boot. Bought plenty of bits from him. Never been disappointed.

Hey everybody, I have spent a bit of time giving my XS some attention as far as the electrics go. So far I have replaced the carbon brushes, cleaned the slip rings on the stator (I think that's what it's called). I have replaced the regulator and ignition coil. Re-built the ignition leads and...

Nevah! Not now, not ever...

Back at the spokes today. Guess which cheap, readily available hand tool has a cut out section on it that is the perfect profile for scraping rusty stuff off the spokes of an 82 Heritage Special? Winning!

Thanks for your reply. I will look into holding up local gas stations to fund my front wheel rebuild. As I mentioned previously, my budget does not allow for a 400 dollar plus luxury item spend like that. I'm not complaining about it. Financial restraint is a fact of life if I want to act like...