Why do you love the XS/TX-650?

What is it about the Yamaha 650 you love? I don't know of any single bike that gets chopped, clipped, and bobbed as the xs.
Is it the Sound? reliability? cheap price? Or possibly you started out on a Yamaha bike.

** Here is MY Story**

My 2 wheel experience started on a 1973 yammer hammer 100 twin, I was 12 and raised on a Farm in North East Nebraska I drove that thing everywhere, I couldn't believe it! I lived on it, I raced a Kawasaki 100 Enduro, I got him big off of the starting line, the 100 twin had great low end and rapped out to 9000 RPM almost instantly, alas the Single lung Kaw caught up with me with that long stroke and beat me by a car length. In 1975 on a trip to visit my Aunt in N. Carolina my Step Dad bought a Honda 350 4 cyl. from my Uncle. We had the choice of that or a Purple Yamaha TX500, but he couldn't get it started easily while the little Honda and its Electric start went zip, zip and it was running. It was smooth and I remember the first time I rode it thinking it sounded like a Diesel Semi. that smooth DRRRR, BUT it was not as fast as I thought it would be, being 350% bigger It was quite a bit heavier and a lot more comfortable to ride on. I also didn't have to smell that awful 2 cycle exhaust of the 100, the 100 had an automatic oil mixer so that was one thing nice, but looking back, I believe it was set too rich on the auto-mix. It really smoked, a lot more than our 2 cycle chain saws
One day while I was in Shop class at School, a Senior brought in his 1973 TX-650 with extended forks and no Blinkers.
It had a King Queen seat (I had never seen one before), It had shorty glass packs and that Metal flake Candy Saphire Blue paint (whatever they called that Brilliant Blue)!! I thought it was the most beautiful paint job I had ever seen, those gold and black emblems and the chrome accents on the side covers really set it off! I hadn't even heard it run yet! That was in early September 1977
Elvis had just died 21/2 weeks before that August , and my Mother and Sister were still crying over it.
HA I still vividly remember pouring Cement that day on our water well and it was August 16th (a day before my 16th Birthday) funny how you remember those things.
THEN the Magic.... the Senior started it, I heard that sound for the first time, I was sold, there was no other Bike for me and I had to have one!.
I had worked for a neighboring Farmer for 3 bucks an hour plus I got $5.00 allowance big money back then! I got permission to sell the little 100, my Step Brother bought it for $100.00 it had 3000 miles on it.
Plus on the days I didn't work with the Farmer I hauled hay bales so there it was I had $475.00 saved up
from over 2 Summers.
We drove to the nearest Yamaha dealer 45 minutes away in Sioux City, a new bike was out of the question at $1495.00 BUT there was a used 1971 XS, beautiful Gold flake, It had a whopping 8200 miles on it, but the price was close to being in reach at $800.00. My Step Dad was a master at wheeling and dealing on vehicles and he soon had them down to $735.00 but that is where they stood. Now back then the only thing Yamaha dealers liked less than Honda was those Bas****s at Kawasaki! He gently dropped the bomb that we HAD been shopping and told me to come along back to Kawasaki for the bike we priced out earlier, as we started turning he told the salesman, "We only stopped here because the Boy was fond of the 650... 2 steps later we were turned around again by the famous, "Let me talk to the store owner".
Five minutes later he was on the floor, he asked my step daddy what number were you thinking of, Fred replied quickly $600.00, that was too low, but it helped when he said "This will be the Boys 2nd Yamaha, he thinks he likes them. We ended up at $645.00, a tune-up and new Battery IF we bought a new helmet too. Fred financed the rest of the money for me because he said he was proud of the way I worked and saved up on my own. I owned that bike for 10 more years when that same Dealer brought in a MINT Blue
1973 TX, the Bike of my dreams it only had 2000 miles on it and looked brand new. My body is just in tune with the 650 at about 60mph with foam grips.....AH the memories..... But the '75 XS1B I have now is the best running of all the 6 of them I have owned... I still love them as much as that beautiful Fall Day I first saw one. I have owned the 75 for 21 years now.
Cousin Larry

Quite a story there, Larry. Including some handy dealership haggling tips.
My first bike was a new 1970 Honda CB350. Rode the wheels offa it.
Then, I saw a 1970 XS1. Very similar, color, layout, just twice as big. CB350 on steroids.
Been hooked ever since...

I had a Honda CB350 for awhile after I blew up the 73 TX 650, It had more power than the 350-4, but the 4 cyl was very smooth. I had no problem riding 55 doubled up.. That really impressed me.
I know where there is a Honda 550 4 sitting in a Barn right now, the guy wants $150.00 for it. he also has an incomplete BSA and a little Harley Spirit.
My 71 was a bit weak on the low end, my others weren't like that so I believe it was a timing or carb issue. It was before I knew how to work on them.
IF you have the 650 tuned just right they really get up and run, even stock.

Do you guys realize a good running XS650 puts out approximately 2 more HP than a new Suzuki C50T Volusia/Boulevard 800?
I had a hard time wrapping my mind around that fact too! I know (I have a C50)! I think the Volusia has a bit higher top end of 115mph stock
mine starts to not like it at 95+ but I have never had it past 100. with the windshield and bags on it, the steering gets a touch wonky, I don't want to ruin some kids Summer Vacation while he rides by in Mom and Dads Grocery getter while they scrape what's left of me off of the highway!
My 650 doesn't like to go over 85. YOURS?

Gidday Orion61, your thread is along the same lines as one I started (I added the thread to the clubhouse which was probably not the right place for it) , love is all a part of it too, I think the nostalgia and sound a XS650 makes when banging along at 75 is just great and makes to the stories. Your story is cool (Elvis part too) and the history in your case goes way back..... See some of the posts, incredible stories from members who posted on the link below,

http://www.xs650.com/threads/why-did-you-buy-an-xs650-heres-why-i-did.46616/

For me it was the sound of the mufflers on the early models as well as the style / colour / reliability etc.
I still remember the day that I first heard one.
In fact there were minor differences in the sound from the early XS1 to the later XS1 to the XS2 to the TX650 (as indicated by the different part numbers).
The mufflers changed 3 times within the early XS1 alone.
I think the early XS1 sound was more "industrial" and sounded slightly better although it is hard to detect the difference between 70 and 73.

In 1974, the TX650A sounded completely different and had a different style and it was never as appealing to me (although the overall bike may have been better and the TX650A was recognised as when the Yamaha 650 came of age).

My first bike was a Suzuki 250. I've only owned Yamaha 650's ever since that time and never bought another make.

Why do I love the XS650..........................its the right size, the right weight and the 360 degree engine sound is just music to my ears. Then there is the very high quality stock parts and the style of my 1978 Special is just superb! Did I mention the engine has great torque over a broad rpm range. It has just the right amount of vibration to let you know its alive, as compared to some bikes that you could almost fall asleep on.

I've only owned 3 motorcycles...................all Yamahas. 1967 305 cc Big Bear 2 stroke. 1976 XS500C. 1978 XS650 SE.

Edit: Almost forgot to mention....................it gets great fuel economy too,
(58 mpg, 25km/L )

Why do I love it? You're assuming that I do--I hate the noisy, dirty, attention seeking beast! But if too much time goes by without butt on saddle, wrench on fasteners, etc., bad things happen. First there's the headache, then the shakes, then nausea, then the screamin' comealoose. It's a curse, and if I ever find out who put it on me I will hunt that buzzard down and hurt him badly.

" It's a curse, and if I ever find out who put it on me I will hunt that buzzard down and hurt him badly."
LOL now THAT is some funny Sh*t right there !

My genius welder of a nephew has been chopping, bobbing and bratting since his shop classes in HS. He makes six figures now with no college diploma, but with plenty of training and experience. I'm a retired teacher and was looking to reclaim my old mc days: 100 Kaw enduro, K?400 twin and then the all crazy '79KZ1000...omg. Saw some rough riding on that KZ on the Dan Ryan in Chicago. Finally traded it for a 175 enduro and then got out of riding.
25 years later I ask my chopping, bobbing, welding genius nephew what kind of bike should I look into for a project and to get back into riding? Without hesitation...xs650.
So I bought my '81H from a kid who I'll swear shed a tear as we loaded it up in my minivan. Took it to the Neff's 'lab" and proceeded to make it road worthy.
Put a thousand miles on and the winter came and we had some great 'lab" time of our own.
Pamco, HHB PMA, removed starter, solinoid and all of the safety switches and relays, replaced all the oil seals including valve seals, checked the clutch, replaced that annoying broken spring that causes the bike to shift into neutral between third and fourth, fixed that stupid shifter, replaced the clutch push rod, fixed the turn signals, dropped the battery cage, and on and on...and a hundred emails with Hugh. Oh and rewired and trimmed the loom a 100 times.
Well it's August and I finally have it running like an xs.
I love the way it sounds through all five gears.
I love hearing the engine and knowing what's going on in there.
I love thinking how I can simplify it even more so when I pull up next to a bike whose parts are covered in plastic or overpriced chrome, I know I can just unscrew this, adjust that, get it running just so while waiting at a train crossing.
I love that no one has or ever could have this bike as I have customized it to my liking.
Yeah, my nephew is a genius...
For recommending the XS650

Great story! My old XS650B is completely stock, it runs so well there is simply nothing it needs for modifying.
If the cash comes around I will be giving the old girl a new paint job. I do miss the 4" over forks. the 6" were too tall and I thought ugly.

I purchased this xs1 in the early 1970's when it was a big bike and it vibrated ALOT. The girls liked the big bike so they wanted a ride, after about 15 minutes riding they started to snuggle and hold on real tightly from behind. God,I love the memories!

I remember those days, Bikes have come a long way from the Beach Boys (or Hondells) whichever version you remember singing little Honda,
and today. People look at a 650 today and they think they are small. A 50 HP motor tucked under your legs is a far cry from little, when you compare
a VW's 80 hp. My Cousin has a lightly modified Kawasaki Ninja that runs 120 HP! In my opinion anything over 70hp is simply "STUPID Horse Power"
because only stupid people actually really access it, and there are blood streaked roads to prove it. He always got mad when the girls wanted to ride on my bike and not his, I tried to tell him it was the way he rode... but after the previous post, perhaps it had a little more to do with the 650 than I thought!

I love my because it reminds me of the twin 650 triumphs, it is more reliable than a triumph (earlier years), it is easier to ride then my Harley when I just want to do local runs, and it is easy to work on. And I can make it my own......

It also reminds me of the unit 650 Triumph's . I built several of them, bolt on/weld on hardtail kits, Amal carbs could make you crazy, along with lucas electrics. All of a sudden it seamed like the frames and parts got crazy expensive. Enter the Yamaha XS650's into my life. They have a lot of the look, sound and reasonable parts to modify them into what ever you want. The best part is they "DON'T LEAK"................................

They do leak. Sump filter plates. Even when following mfr torque spec
But... When i decided to get a street bike after riding trail( not trial) bikes, i thought i would end up with some pos street bike. Lo and bhd, i ended up with a 1 year old 2003 marader suzuki(wait for it)...... 5 years later i need extra credit in welding class. A guy sold me a xs650 for $50. I hard tailed it. Passed the class, now i have 3 riders and 2 extra motors. Funny how shit works out. I just like old tech i guess.

It's an honest, naked motorcycle. Not complicated. Easy to work on. It can be modified to be the style of bike you want. To a limit. I'm partial to twins. Enough power to do local city rides/errands or ride distant "B" (non Interstate) highways. Relaxed rides.

I wanted an inexpensive, simple, and reliable way to get to work and back as I believe public transport and subways are inhumane. Of course I love the mid century british stylings of which our beloved XS pulls it's styling from, but I love how honest the bike is.

I have never found Highway driving to be that bad, Mine has no problem doing 70 all day. I never travel more than 100 or 150 miles in a trip. after market grips are a must have as is a throttle lock. The only issue are the idiots that think they need to go 90.
The good to go with the bad is they come up from behind you and they see you. Their strongest point is City driving, they are just perfect!

I remember as a young man watching Happy Days, Watching the Fonz ride his Triumph and the sound of it. I have never owned a Triumph
but is wondering what the sound is like compared to the XS650?
I nearly bought a Triumph 650 in the mid 80's but when I looked at the wiring mess that the guy had, (no lights worked and it didn't charge the battery,
I passed it up, I asked him why he would ever cut and splice wiring like that, he said he thought he could fix it himself. then he went and burned up the Stator.