What have you done to your XS today?

When I was a boy in engineering school, everyone had posters of Farah Fawcett on the wall (or ceiling ;)) of their bedroom, but I had a poster of a 1979 BMW R100RS on my wall....

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...the more recent bummers really don't do the same things for me as that '79 R100RS did.
 
When I was a boy in engineering school, everyone had posters of Farah Fawcett on the wall (or ceiling ;)) of their bedroom, but I had a poster of a 1979 BMW R100RS on my wall....

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...the more recent bummers really don't do the same things for me as that '79 R100RS did.

Those old Beemers hold up really well too. They aren't hard to restore. Those jugs sticking right out there in the wind make it Soo easy to adjust valves and carburetors.

But sadly they are favorite targets of the brat pack hackers!
 
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I had a clutch cable snap on me once when I was out riding an old BMW. I was sitting at a traffic light and it killed the bike, when the light turned green I hit the starter with the bike in gear and it fired so I took off. I banged through gears without a clutch and nursed it five more miles to a motorcycle shop where I bought a cable and replaced it out in the parking lot. That abuse never fazed that bike. That old Beemer was a tough bike. Those Germans build solid machines!
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G'day Bob,

Have had a Beemer since 1977 at the moment a R1100RS 1994
Love riding it
 
I just sold the XS650's Velorex sidecar so it's solo again.
I kept the 17/36 sprockets (same gearing the late model Specials left the factory with) as being more appropriate for in-town use.
I still have the "Flying Pumpkin" Astro Tow Truck Orange painted XS11/SofA rig if I need to go out of town.
 
Rode the SG to breakfast and then to Pepboys and Autozone for filter and oil for an oil change later today.
 
Just finished the oil change. 2.5qt of 20-50wt and filter. Purelator ML16815.Man it's still hot and humid! Alice cooper show on the radio.
 
Going over a motor I bought a while back with unclear provenance, (I don't remember what the guy told me about it in other words, probably lies anyway - "it ran good when I took it out") seems to have decent compression, but the bottom part of the dip stick is broken off, so was looking for it today with no results, but taking the cover off showed a overly enthusiastic use of gasket sealer as shown.
I have read the posts about taking it all apart and cleaning all the passages, but I hope I do not have to crack it open as I want to stick it in a frame I have ready and try to start it to see what I have got.
Are there any less invasive methods of checking for clogs from this excess sealer? Would it help to dismantle the oil pump, I think not, maybe loosen the banjo nuts a bit to see if oil is getting to the head at first start?
FWIW, engine is 3U6-00071x, has no points or advance mechanism so it is an '80 and going into an early '80 (built 12/79) that is pretty complete, except for a motor.
 

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I checked tire pressure before going on a ride and the rear tire was around 8psi. checked the tire and sure enough, there was a hook from a pegboard hook sticking out. Pulled it out and the rest of the 8psi came out. Took the whole wheel to the bike shop adn my fears were confirmed, "sorry, we can't fix that. You'll need a new it tire". Picked out a Kenda and $115 later I'm walking out wtih my new mounted and balanced wheel and tire. Checked the bearings/grease seals and remounted my wheel on the bike. I wouldn't have minded as much if htere wasn't so much tread left on the old tire. Oh well.
 
Just got the Bike back together after tearing into it to find that Wrrrrrrr noise..... didn't find it....well maybe I did I think it's the primary drive sprocket to the clutch basket...allot of back lash on it !.....
anyway got it back together again and sounds the same ..... my Volt meter on the handlebars at the handle bar clamp is working great being held on with "Shoe-Goo" solid as a rock and it works good too !
......
Bob........
 
Took the 81 to my son in NYC, now I am without a XS. I would like to extend my thanks for all those that contribute to this forum. I've gotten lots of advise and tech information that helped with the the two projects I have worked on over the past 2 years. I will wait until I move to Florida next year to start another project and stop in from time to time just to see what others are doing. Again, thanks for making this forum a great resource.
Keep the shiny side up.....
 
"What have you done to your XS today?"

Mourned it. Daughter reports that the bozo I sold it to has managed to trash it. Somehow or another, he managed to beat it hard enough to crack the cylinder head. Rumor has it he has since bought and trashed another bike as well.

Some people got no respect.
 
Downeaster it's just a matter of time..............
Lakeview; it's a crap shoot but I'd pull both filters, be 100% positive the bottom filter has no holes. Loose goober is nasty but if it stays out of the pressurized oil system prolly not fatal. Yes check head oiling. there is a small orifice at the base of the oil tube. it's tricky getting the tube and that fitting off and back on, you may need to butcher up a cheap wrench or 2. Very careful of the threads in the crankcase there.
 
Decided to play with the advance/retard today on my Boyer Bransden ignition. Concluded the bike ran smoothest and with best acceleration when full advance matched the full timing advance line at 3000 - 4000rpm. Then accidentally burnt my arm on the exhaust pipe - I wish someone had told me they get hot!
 
Adjusted the rear brake switch so the bright filament would go out when the brake was not being applied. That's quite a reach to hook the spring on the front part and not a lot of viewing area on a fully assembled runner.
Tested it on a 10 mile ride down to within view of Lake Erie and on my return home tested that the reserve valves were not clogged! Didn't quite catch it in time so had to pull over to restart, but, no witnesses, it started first kick.
What is it with these p.o.'s that take off a starter on an otherwise stock appearing bike?
 

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Lakeview: I Learned from experience that gasket goop can be REALLY REALLY BAD on engines...
on my 2nd bike I owned I used to brush on indian head shellac gasket goop very liberally....
too liberally as it turned out as it ran over the sides of the covers like your photo ( though not as bad)
and on the inside it got into the oil... it didn't mix with the oil instead it got into the oil pump and plugged the output line
so no oil got to the head.... after seizing a piston i discovered no oil flow to the head it took 2 days work to clean the gasket goop out'a that engine..... it's better to use too little than too much gasket goop !
RTV Silicone as used for gasket material is mainly for those areas that have O-ring groves and No O-ring and it indeed works for that purpose
however on side plates it does what you have and makes a mess on the inside and the outside ! ....and that cannot any good for the Oiling system.... one thing good about it is that it usually dries fairly fast so chances are it's still where it was put....
I would pull it apart and glean all that junk off and do it right if it were me !
.....
Paul...... Exhaust pipes are Hot ! just remember that now !!!!! LOL
Bob......
 
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