What have you done to your XS today?

I've had the '83 Heritage Special in the warm winter workroom for the past week.

Got this pulsing in the front brake at very low speeds. ggGary's thread from 2010 was helpful in sorting it out:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/front-disk-brake-runout-heritage-special.1819/
I found that the runout in the disc was well over spec, and it was heavily grooved from a crumbling brake pad. The mating surface was running true.
I remembered that I had salvaged a rotor from the '78 I bought a few years ago for $100, and dug it out. Thankfully, it is in superb condition; minimal runout and wear.
Got new pads and checked the caliper in regards to the piston moving freely: AOK.

Next, replaced the clutch cable and surfaced the worm gear contact area on the side cover to remove that nasty casting ridge.
Replaced the pushrod bushing which was quite worn.

Replaced the chain with a new HT item, and bought new sprockets, dropping two teeth on 5T's suggestion. 17/32

Pulled the carbs and cleaned them, installing 135 mains (again, on 5T's recommendation), replacing the stock 132.5's. Drilled out the brass plugs hiding the idle mixture screws and adjusted them to 3 turns.

Following a cam chain and tappet adjustment, there was nothing left to do than to take it for a spin!

It was my unusually good fortune that it rained heavily friday night, clearing the streets of road salt, and when I woke up saturday morning it was 62 degrees at 8am! A freak warm spell for Syracuse NY. By 3 pm the streets had dried pretty well, so out it came.

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The brakes feel great, the performance is excellent, idles good, although I need to do a bit more work on the clutch.

Back in the winter workshop, I slapped into the AIWA a favorite old cassette recording of Bob Marley live.

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...and pulled in the next winter project, the '73 DT3 250.
Couldn't be happier :)

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Nice work Jeff! That’s a very cool little 250 you’ve got there, that’s the bike I learned to ride on! :thumbsup:
 
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A little red neck engineering for a mount. Temporary light set up until I can find the perfect light. Not bad output at all for a cheap lightbar. Going to be mounting another below to act as the "high beams".

Edit: does anyone know where I can buy the collar for the tachometer cable? Haven't been able to find one let alone, know what to search for.
 
Edit: does anyone know where I can buy the collar for the tachometer cable? Haven't been able to find one let alone, know what to search for.
Don't think you can get the nuts (collar) separate. They were installed before the ends were swaged on. You'll need the whole cable. I've got several cables. PM me if you're interested in one.
 
still not showing up, when I look at the thread the photos are there?
That's because they're linked inside your computer (or whatever you're using). Your browser's looking at them. We out here on the inter-toobs can't see 'em. When I click on the [IMG.] link, it sends me to an AOL sign in page.

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hmm ill fix that somehow, I hope. I think my computers got a bug, when I transfer the photos from my aol. it tansfers text like a program or something wierd
 
take two lol, ok so I already had Harley mag wheels on here with a 3/4 axle that I had made fit the xs forks with some handy lathe work, but I now want these spoked wheels on here , as sson as I mounted it the back of the early caliper was hitting the spokes, no good, I had spaced the caliper back from the frok tube a 1/4 inch to match where the rotor sat on the Harley mag wheel, there was no problem with the 7 or 8 spoke mag wheel, but now I had to space the Harley rotor off the Harley hub a little over an 8th inch to allow the caliper to clear the spokes, and this wheel had a 1 inch bearings, lol all the work I did to adapt the mag wheel had to be redone for this wheel, I have the matching rear 16 (to be seen soon, anyways just go a start on this build, I was running dual xs calipers and dual Harley rotors with the mag wheel, im not sure yet if I will with this wheel, one I would have to drill and tap the holes in the hub, and 2 it looks so cleen and empty when viewing the wheel from the ouside of the bike on the side with no rotor, but then again 3 I know how well one of these bikes stopes with two early calipers, and a Harley 11/16 mastercylender, I have that set up on another bike and its 1 finger, and very very predictable.
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I decided that four XS650's isn't enough.
Perhaps you saw my posting in the Craigs thread of this bike for sale.
A running (I drove it) '82 Heritage with 5,000 miles, appears to be all original.
The seller pulled it off FB marketplace, but it reappeared last night.
He was asking $1250.
We haggled.
He eventually said his rock-bottom price was $800.
This afternoon I picked it up after we settled on $700.
Good title.

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It's even got the rare right lower side cover, and lower dress plates,
AND the factory locking chain.

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The garage is filling up :)

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Thanks for the positive feedback on my purchase of the '82 today, guys.
The "hunt, bargaining and capture" process of buying an old bike intrigues me.
The thrill is almost worth the purchase price. :)
This one took a full week of back-and-forth phone calls and texts.
My riding buddy, Gary, helped me load it up and we celebrated over pizza.
.
.
 
Thanks for the positive feedback on my purchase of the '82 today, guys.
The "hunt, bargaining and capture" process of buying an old bike intrigues me.
The thrill is almost worth the purchase price. :)
This one took a full week of back-and-forth phone calls and texts.
My riding buddy, Gary, helped me load it up and we celebrated over pizza.
.
.

That is such a nice score Jeff! I can’t believe the difference in prices from the East to here. I never even see bikes that low unless they’re trash heaps. Well bought sir!
 
That is such a nice score Jeff! I can’t believe the difference in prices from the East to here. I never even see bikes that low unless they’re trash heaps. Well bought sir!
Thanks Bob!
I should mention that it isn't charging (might be contacting Jim), the front caliper is partially frozen, carbs need cleaning, and the tires are 15 years old. But that is all just fun winter project material. :)
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She's a beauty! Lucky dog!
I decided that four XS650's isn't enough.
Perhaps you saw my posting in the Craigs thread of this bike for sale.
A running (I drove it) '82 Heritage with 5,000 miles, appears to be all original.
The seller pulled it off FB marketplace, but it reappeared last night.
He was asking $1250.
We haggled.
He eventually said his rock-bottom price was $800.
This afternoon I picked it up after we settled on $700.
Good title.

View attachment 158077
View attachment 158078
View attachment 158079

It's even got the rare right lower side cover, and lower dress plates,
AND the factory locking chain.

View attachment 158080

The garage is filling up :)

View attachment 158081
'
 
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