New guy from VA Beach

MaX5ingout

XS650 Member
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Hey all, been lurking for a bit since I bought a '77 xs650 hardtail on a whim and now that I am officially in over my head I figured I'd sign up and seek help. So the main point of this thread is to find other members in the area, VA Beach, Norfolk, Cheasapeake, Hampton, Newport News etc... I'd like to make connections and get a foot in the door of the biking world.

LITTLE ABOUT ME:
Graduated VMI class of 2018 (Rah to you other keydets there's always a few) Been Army National Guard Infantry since 2015. Originally moved out here for quick work after college and put my Army career on hold in order to accomplish all my other aspirations that I put on hold in order to go to college. Checked most of the boxes I wanted to check except for this bike and shes proven to be the most difficult. I am mechanically minded, do all my own vehicle maintenance and upgrade installs, even worked in a small engine shop for a bit, certified in welding years back. All this to say I can more or less handle myself in a shop setting but I don't kid myself on how much more there is to learn. My biggest handicap is that I don't have any access to any tools other than basic hand tools.

THE BIKE:
58958539523--68B27073-F9B3-4C7F-843D-2818FBBFDECB.JPG


'77 xs650, I am the 3rd owner it is originally a Texas bike

PO:
- Hardtail conversion, kit unknown
- Harley rear wheel conversion with bullseye brake caliper (needs rebuilt)
- Mikuni vm 34mm roundslides from TC Bros
- Unknown pipes which have been sawed off :banghead:
- Supposedly rebuilt 2,000 miles ago and rephased 277*
- Aftermarket dual coils which I can only identify as "green monsters"
- Sportster style tank
-TC Bros mid controls

ME:
- reinstalled everything that has vibrated off.

THE BAD:
I bought it knowing the pushrod bearing leaks a tad and while it has electric start it is disconnected and in unknown condition. I was able to ride it home the day I bought it and while it was rough, after adjusting the carbs it seemed fine like it just needed some cleaning, organizing and sorting out (disconnected wires all over the place) but long story short it turns out its not charging and after inspection I can't even find a voltage regulator/rectifier. There is no horn, no turn signals the shifting controls are wonky at best and now the gear selector seems stripped but only in its correct position. Oh and the rear brake light bracket and speedo bracket disintegrated.

When I bought this bike I thought I was buying a running project that after a few weekends of installing and fixing the bare minimum necessary to be safe I could have inspected and road legal for some short trips. I was even excited to invite the adventures that some would call disasters that come with old bikes breaking down on longer trips but, like I said I've found myself in over my head. I will continue to claw my way out of the hole using this gold mine of a forum as a guide however it would be really nice to find a mentor in the area that would be willing to help me out in exchange for homecooked meals, beer, music, good company or even help with your own projects you might have laying around.

Admins if I'm in the wrong place I apologize, and if you could point me in the right direction...

- Cheers mates!:cheers:
 
Hi Max! Welcome to the party! It looks like you've got a cool little chop/bob there! And thank you for your service, sacrifice, and commitment to our great Nation! (my son-in-law is an active duty Lt., Army) Okay. Get a rear fender before you change gender. :yikes: And a cut-down front fender not only keeps the gravel out of your face, but it acts as a fork brace. :thumbsup: That looks like a T.C. Bros. hardtail. Nothin' wrong there. Simple tools will get you through rudimentary tune & tests. HFT is a boon to tinkerers (watch for those coupons!). My tool boxes are full of HF tools. If I made my living from my tools, I'd get better tools. But for "Johnny Fix-it", they're fine, and don't break the bank. Soon, it'll be wrenching season (I'm not gonna say the other "w" word!), and you'll have plenty of time to get her ready for the next riding season. Keep us posted, and take lots of pictures (we like pictures 'cuz we're nosy! :wink2:). Good luck! :rock:
 
Thanks fellas,

That looks like a T.C. Bros. hardtail.

Glad to see someone else thought so too it seems likely seeing that there are several other parts that came from TC Bros.

Get a rear fender before you change gender.

Haha and I do have a rear fender which also snapped off right before this picture. I have plans to rig it back up with a sissy bar and a pillion so I can slap a duffel bag back there.

looks like you have a neat project there...:cool:

As frustrated as I am I can't deny the fact that a lot of the heavy lifting of this project has been done before I bought it so I still feel like I came out on top with a solid start.
 
Welcome to the madhouse!!
Not in Va, but maybe someone will speak up?
Many bobber builders just remove the starter and put a plug in there. Look underneath the engine and see if ones installed? Back in the tranny area.
Left side of the engine... pull the alternator cover (bottom fwd. 2 horizontal screws... NOT the right side, that's the oil filter) and give us some good pics. We need to see what ya got before we can help with charging. Some (thankfully not many) bobbers are built with total loss... non-charging electrical systems. Let's find out.
Pull the left top chrome cover from the head.. again, 2 horiz. screws... take pics so we can tell what ignition you have.
With average to good wrenchin' skills and this forum, you'd be surprised at how much you can do.
 
Cool! yeah many bobber "artists" run out of steam about 2/3s through. Electric often gets short shrift.
Agree with Jim pics help so much.
Never kick an xs over without grounded spark plugs on the coils.
 
Some (thankfully not many) bobbers are built with total loss... non-charging electrical systems. Let's find out.

Bike is stored in a friends garage I'll be sure to start taking more and more pictures, when you mention total loss systems are you referring to systems with a small capacitor in place of the battery or is this something completely different?

Never kick an xs over without grounded spark plugs on the coils.
Could you expand upon that please?
 
"Total loss" means no alternator/charging. All electrics runs off the batt. When it get low, you plug the bike into charger.
Un grounded coils can fry themselves and any electronic ign. running them.
 
Hey max5 ,welcome to the site , it’s awsome ,you’ll find everything you need to know here! Great people that are willing to help you out, check out the tech section! I live in Chesapeake,raised in Virginia Beach, lived there most of my life! Where about do you live ,go to the beach often on rides! Right now I just started to to my top end, gonna do pistons,rings ,and checking all the bearings and valves, and so forth, glad to be of any help I can!
 
plug the bike into charger.

After the original battery died and I discovered it wasn't charging I only took her on short rides and always hooked her up to a battery tender. There were sometimes she was a pain to start but most of the time shed fire right up second or third kick which I understand isn't optimal but I attributed it to not having discovered the carbs sweet spot yet. Now she'll only run for a second and die. I've had problems with gas flowing from the overflow line out of the bowl before and cleaned the float needles in case there was some grit holding them open, It stopped the immediate problem but now there is a very slow drip even when my petcock is off. Maybe my needles are somehow faulty and are sticking in random positions?
 
Looks like a nice project. I would go back to a XS650 rear wheel because that's a Harley wheel but I would check first if its a 3/4 " axle . If it is you are going to just have to buy some Harley brakes to use that wheel. I am up in NJ and just ask and if I can help over the phone or with parts like others on here we will help walk you threw things. I just finished up my 53 rd XS650 build and most of my builds are choppers like yours and I can direct you in the right direction on buying parts that actually show up at your door set LOL
Need me contact me at DADDYGCYCLES@YAHOO.COM and we can exchange phone numbers. I have built bikes on FACETIME with people HAHA
Rich
 
Hey all, been lurking for a bit since I bought a '77 xs650 hardtail on a whim and now that I am officially in over my head I figured I'd sign up and seek help. So the main point of this thread is to find other members in the area, VA Beach, Norfolk, Cheasapeake, Hampton, Newport News etc... I'd like to make connections and get a foot in the door of the biking world.
THE BIKE:View attachment 150969
'77 xs650, I am the 3rd owner it is originally a Texas bike
- Hardtail conversion, kit unknown
- Harley rear wheel conversion with bullseye brake caliper (needs rebuilt)
- Mikuni vm 34mm roundslides from TC Bros
- Unknown pipes which have been sawed off :banghead:
- Supposedly rebuilt 2,000 miles ago and rephased 277*
- Aftermarket dual coils which I can only identify as "green monsters"
- Sportster style tank
-TC Bros mid controls
Admins if I'm in the wrong place I apologize, and if you could point me in the right direction...
- Cheers mates!:cheers:

Hi Max and welcome,
Yes, you are in the right place.
And as you are trying to get it running and even if I hate hardtails and despise those who remove
rear suspensions to build them you didn't do those horrible things to a nice bike so I won't yell at you.
From the front:-
Needs a fork brace, (the stock fender's other job) Fork is wibbly wobbly without one
Suggest a megahole disk drill job and a smaller piston front M/C as the stocker is sized for dual disks
Needs longer pipes. (the sawnoffs are NFG except at full throttle.
As others have posted, fit a rear fender lest your nuts get ripped off.
Harley rear wheel? WTF not so long as the brake works OK.
And fear not, we have seen worse and have seen them running again.
 
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