First XS650 Build, What to Look For

Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but something about your cam doesn't look right to me.
The timing notch doesn't seem to bisect the lobe centers.
When I look at the lobes only, the cam is definitely retarded by at least one tooth.

Hey guys, great thread to read!!! My xs2 engine seems to be seized and have the feeling that I may be going through a similar process as SlowMaintenece. All the advice/pics/homemade drawingd are great and should be very helpful if I have to dig into the engine. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Texas! Glad to hear the thread has been helpful. Who knew that the homemade drawing in paint would be of use!

More progress last night, got the PMA mostly installed. Here's a shot of the stator


And another of the PMA all set up. Torqued this alternator bolt to 27 ft/lbs...anybody got the spec on that front drive sprocket nut? I've found every different value under the sun via google, and my manual doesn't list it.



Also my riserless rabbits from Zombie Performance came in yesterday, and my god are they beautiful. The welds are immaculate on these things, with that awesome rainbow effect. Here's a few shots of how they'll look (kind of) once I get some hardware to bolt them in. Anybody got a quick explanation of what hardware I need for that? These have 12mm riser bosses, does that mean I just need two 12mm bolts? What length? Never had "riserless" bars before so this is all new to me.



Really digging the pullback on these, looking forward to strapping a packed duffel to the sissy bar and leaning back as I cruise down the open road. Easy rider style.


Not much too look at yet, but I've got the vision and I can feel that this summer is gonna be excellent.

Foot controls will be coming from Jump Street Customs. Spoke with Jay on the phone yesterday at length, really solid dude who took the time to explain everything behind why he makes his stuff the way he does. Definitely check him out if you've not done so already, he was super accommodating and has a left side control blueprint that will plug right into the modified worm gear assembly I've got going. what more can ya ask for?

For the time being, just waiting on the frame and crossing my fingers that this engine runs lol

Couldn't agree more about Jay, awesome dude! As for hardware on your bars, contact ZP and ask them what size and thread pitch you'll need. For my bars, from Jay btw, I used 1/2" coarse thread bolts that were 3.5" long.

Nice! Wrote to Steffan who recommended 12mm x 1.75 bolts, writing back to confirm what pitch is appropriate for them.

What did you use underneath? Flat washer? Lock washer? Thanks!

I just used the original washer but replaced the rubber with solid riser bushings.

Ah yea he recommended that as well. I was considering using the rubber ones to reduce vibration as I heard these engines can be like a jackhammer at speed. Thoughts on that? I'm not beyond convincing, just curious.

As an added bonus, shaving the upper tree really cleans up the look!

Posting this here so people can see the difference it makes vs. stock.



So those two bolt bosses you shaved off are just for the stock headlight right? Which I wouldn't be needing anyways. Damn that does look much cleaner.

Actually I think those are for the gauge cluster. You won't need them either way.
The solid bushings are grooved with a rubber o ring to help with vibration. They help make steering less sloppy.

Got it, I will probably put those new bushings in before I take it for it's first test ride then.

In other news, I got a headlight from zzblazezz on here, the amber one in the top right. (Bring on the non-white headlight hate lol) Super stoked, USPS says it is at my door now. Can't wait to get home and check it out. Will need to see about a mount for it though, as it doesn't appear to be adjustable.

Nice! We've got similar taste, I'm running one kinda like that but vertical.

Love that setup man! The different colored headlight gives a real character to the front end that you just don't see a lot of anymore (probably due to legal restrictions on using them lol).

Can you pm me a close up shot of your headlight mount whenever you get a chance to snap a pic?

Yes, I'll just post it here. It was actually Jay that rigged this up for to run it vertical and adjustable.

SlowMaintenance said:

- - - In other news, I got a headlight from zzblazezz on here, the amber one in the top right. (Bring on the non-white headlight hate lol)

Click to expand...

Hi SlowMaintenence,
not me, eh? I love colored headlights.
Every other road user should have amber or yellow headlights to cut down on dazzle.
I'll keep the white ones so I can see where I'm going.
That said, you can get away with using that amber headlight so long as you also have some kinda white light pointing forward?
Needn't be a big one, perhaps a number plate light, just so long as it's there.

It's going to be running off a sparx capacitor with PMA setup, so I'm wondering if that system could support two headlights. Any thoughts? I could always test it out and check voltage readings. Though I'm pretty far away from that stage just yet.

Figure8, how does your yellow headlight do at night?

Right now I'm trying to get that damn seal out of the advance cover unit as it's torn and needs replacing. The points cover however was fine and need not be messed with. Once I get that seal sorted out, I can begin installing the PAMCO.

Being truthful it's not very bright...if you ride a lot at night you may want to consider two headlights. In my case running it vertical lessens the range it illuminates.

Good suggestions. I see they make some pretty straightforward cross type mounts which hold one headlight above the other. If blaze has that white one still available I could scoop that and run it in tandem with the amber. I just can't get over how cool that color looks on a headlight.

Thinking it would look like this
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/500/DSCN0946.JPG

Yep, that's what I was thinking as well. I may have missed it, but what hardtail are you doing? What's the seat set up gonna be like?

Na the hardtail was pretty pictureless to this point. My local shop ordered it for me, the TC Bros one that everybody uses was the choice for my first go-round. They were able to get it for me at cost so I avoided the shipping charges. That said, it got there on May 6th and was supposedly sent off for welding. I've been contacting them every few days and have yet to hear back on the cost or expected date of completion. Trying to keep busy with whatever I can until then.

Seat is up in the air but I've already got some 2 inch springs and the bungs from lowbrow to mount them on. Just waiting on the right seat to come along.

Getting those damn oil seals out seems to be the biggest challenge facing me right now. Once those are squared away I can button up the starter plug, install the advance cover, and then the PAMCO.