What have you done to your XS today?

Changed the oil and it was clean. Replaced the clutch plates with mikes “high performance” kevlar plates this morning. Killed the bike several times after install because of the tighter grip. Boogied up to the next exit at 90. Hard accelerated through every gear. Clutch is 100% grippy, no slippage, no finagling. At this point I’ve replaced the springs, retainers, and plates, so it should be, and I’m happy.
 
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Not exactly "on" the SG but for her. I acquired a spare head some time back and just recently been taking a harder look at it's condition. Very little carbon build up. Took an Intake and exhaust valve off and the contact area isn't that wide. Springs were a bit rusty but strong. Hmmm. Just might have to start a thread on the mods I've done and might do and ask for opinions on a couple.
 
Not exactly "on" the SG but for her. I acquired a spare head some time back and just recently been taking a harder look at it's condition. Very little carbon build up. Took an Intake and exhaust valve off and the contact area isn't that wide. Springs were a bit rusty but strong. Hmmm. Just might have to start a thread on the mods I've done and might do and ask for opinions on a couple.

I would be very interested in seeing that! :thumbsup:
 
Progress!
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The wiring on the 77 "cafe" is almost complete to the extent that a key turn and a button press has resulted in a starter motor saying thanks for the juice, I am not even the least bit growly after such a long rest!
Neutral light glows as well as the stop light indicator.
Now to tidy up the harness, check chain tension and valve gaps, hang a set of carbs on it and see what I bought!
 
I am juggling three so I work on one till I get tired of it and go to the other. Just spent a couple afternoons on the rust bucket Special, repaired and mounted a pretty good wiring harness and it's getting closer to this point too.
It's time now to go after the wiring on the '83, maybe I am on a roll!
 
I have that book “XS650 Engine and the electrical system” that provides several simplified and updated wiring diagrams for stock components. Considering the mess in the headlight bucket and my loose wire somewhere I have been wondering if it would be better to just make a new wiring harness myself with new fuses and less mess. Any reason to keep the stock harness rather than build
My own? Will this hurt the bikes value as an “original” or is it more a practical upgrade if done right and clean? Is there any benefit to keeping the stock wiring?
 
The wiring harness sold by Mike's is in my view a huge bargain if your bike is mostly stock - all shiney, new and uncorroded. Unless you are prenaturally tidy and practiced, by the time you get your first harness built and trouble free your time and parts will be a lot more than 80.00.
Resale value is what you can get for it, but being able to say "new wiring harness from biggest after market supplier" may be a better sale point than "look what I did"
Respectfully.
 
Oh! I didn't even realize Mike’s sold a harness. That would definitely be preferable to making my own. Really good to know.
 
I'm not sure about their '77 harness but some of their harnesses have a few "bugs" in them. My buddy got a new one for his '80 Special II from them and now his headlight comes on with the key. It shouldn't do that, it should wait for the motor to be started and the safety relay to be tripped and send it power.
 
FWIW: I was trying to track down a newer model that might use some of those elusive shouldered bolts - you know, the centre stand bolts, the ones that hold on the rear fender, the brake stay bolts, rear axles, was on the ronayers.com web site which if you plug in a part number, it will tell you what models the PN was used on, and it seems that the 2015 SR400 has a similar geometry to our favoured marque.
For example: '75 centre stand bolt: 90109-10268-00, compare SR400 PN90109-10269-00.
'75 rear fender bolt: 90109-10547-00 and damper 168-21639-00-00, compare SR400 PN95817-08035-00 and 168-21639-00-00
'75 rear axle: 341-25381-02-00, compare SR400 PN150-25381-02-00
This may be all old news to the seasoned contributors on this site, but I thought I would throw it out there.
I was going to go to local dealer today to investigate further, but a big storm last night blew down a maple tree in the back yard, so I have clean up to do. Glad the wind was blowing away from the house!
Update July 25
Only positive result was the damper 168-21639-00-00 which is a perfect fit in the mounting holes of the back fender of the Standard and the Special, however at $7.59 each Cndn, they may be a last resort only.
 
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I'm not sure about their '77 harness but some of their harnesses have a few "bugs" in them. My buddy got a new one for his '80 Special II from them and now his headlight comes on with the key. It shouldn't do that, it should wait for the motor to be started and the safety relay to be tripped and send it power.
Yes, I wouldn't want my lights on before starting either. I need all the amps I can send to my starter. But, as many might know, I don't have that problem. My lights come on when I choose. LOL. I can ride with no lights on. And I do when I forget to put them on. But that only happens 2 or 3 times a day.
And, I can start my bike in gear. Very handy when stalling out at a light.
By the way 5T, I set both air screws to a 1/2 turn and no more stalling, very minor, but occasional stuttering on takeoff. It runs great and starts great, (and I don't need to choke it anymore, weird), but it still backfires. All is stock for 72 except the 1 step up on the pilot. I think that the next time the carbs are off I'm going back to the stock pilots.
 
image.jpeg Oh, almost forgot. Last week I changed my oil with Liquimoly 10w-60. I found it on Amazon for $43 per 5 liters. That's 2 oil changes at ~$22 a change. I have found that with Castrol 10w-60, (way too expensive), and Mobil 1 20w-50, the oil is much cleaner after 2000 miles.
 
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Interesting. I’ve always used Honda GN4 20/50 in my Hondas. I’m not sure what I’m gonna use in this Yamaha.
 
Hi Gator, there are several threads on oil types and weights. Lots of different opinions. 20w50 seems to be the common weight. I forgot to mention I put a 1/3 of a bottle of Rislow ZDDP zinc additive in all my oil changes. Although, the Mobil 1 15w-50 has zinc in it already. I am now partial to synthetic oils. Check out the oil threads.
 
Marlin, from your "sig", I see you've done some porting. After I ported mine, I had to go down a pilot jet size. I was up 2 over stock before the porting and reduced that to just one over stock. I didn't have to change the mains (2 over stock). I had heard that improved flow could pull more fuel through the jets and require smaller ones. I guess that happened for me in the lower RPMs.
 
The local mailman brought my 3ph. 35A rectifier from Windy Nations. It's going to replace those 2 old Radio Shack single phase rectifiers. They have served well but, it's time to modernize.
 
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