XS1B Texas Resurrection

As for the front brake -- I have always wanted an XS650 with the drum front brake, so that stays.
It just occurred to me -- I also really like the early 70-71 fender, always wanted to run one of those too. Not sure how that will work with the later fork legs -- one more thing to muddle through...
I'm gonna be doing the same with my next build. Can you give me some info (a link) on that adapter plate?
I guess I dreamed up that adapter. Apparently, you can modify this adapter:
https://www.motolanna.com/ourshop/p...ront-CNC-Billet-Alloy-Yamaha-SR500-SR400.html
and maybe modify your leg too, and get it to work. I haven't read all the way through, but the answers seem to be here, in 2M's post #2:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/question-about-xs1-front-drum-brake-and-motolana.39495/
 
Thanks. I read that before. Thought maybe you found one specific to the XS.
 
Wow, whotta find.
Lotsa rust, lotsa work.

The luggage rack looks like a cobbled fit of a generic rack.

The XS1 fork tubes are really quite primitive and simple. Might be able to come up with a retrofit method to convert later 72-up fork tubes to work on the XS1B. Really only needs a bushing pinned at the bottom, and a groove cut for the clip retainer...
 
Elky 1.jpg Elky 3.jpg Elky 2.jpg My 64' Elky.. ( long ago sold :( ) got it with a 6 banger.. 3 on the tree.. toss'd the six..stuff'd a 8 with mild cam.. backed with a rock crusher 4 speed... made custom valve covers... air filter cover... really haul'd azz-sits... didn't stop worth a dang,.... drum brakes on all four corners....
Keep us posted..with lots of photos of your Xs1b project.
 
But, I will do nothing that is not easily reversible by a future owner. And I intend to finish with a nice bike.
DogBunny
I was just teasing you a little. I agree with what you are doing. I resurrected my 72, it's not pure stock. Nothing has been done that couldn't be easily undone. Same with what I am doing with my X75. With the X75 I'm saving every part, nut and bolt that's not getting reused so if I ever sell it the new owner could do a real restoration if they chose.
I'll be following your build with great interest. I have no qualms about the bike being very nice when you are done.
 
View attachment 158620 View attachment 158621 View attachment 158622 My 64' Elky.. ( long ago sold :( ) got it with a 6 banger.. 3 on the tree.. toss'd the six..stuff'd a 8 with mild cam.. backed with a rock crusher 4 speed... made custom valve covers... air filter cover... really haul'd azz-sits... didn't stop worth a dang,.... drum brakes on all four corners....
Keep us posted..with lots of photos of your Xs1b project.
You should have never gotten rid of your ElCo. In addition to the 1980 (5th gen) in the first post I also have a 1974 (4th gen), but what I really want is a 3rd gen like yours. Been looking for the right one for over 10 years.
I found the pic of you hauling a motorcycle on a trailer a little funny -- it should be in the bed -- no better bike hauler than the El Camino was ever made. The bed is so low that a motorcycle practically falls into it on its own. ElCos with motorcycles were common in the print ads.
DogBunny
I was just teasing you a little. I agree with what you are doing. I resurrected my 72, it's not pure stock. Nothing has been done that couldn't be easily undone. Same with what I am doing with my X75. With the X75 I'm saving every part, nut and bolt that's not getting reused so if I ever sell it the new owner could do a real restoration if they chose.
I'll be following your build with great interest. I have no qualms about the bike being very nice when you are done.
I can take a little teasing, I think... I had to look up X75. Pretty cool bike.
 
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Right side exhaust port, the side that had the rusted-out muffler. This is nothing, I've seen much worse.

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"Ran great when I parked it." That was 1996. When the owner was getting it ready for me, he discovered that the engine was seized. So, he was going to put Marvel Mystery Oil into the cylinders, but broke this plug. Shouldn't be too hard to get out for whoever rebuilds the motor.
 
DogBunny, you must have a rich history with vintage motorcycles to have seen worse. My reaction to seeing that would have been...: :yikes:
Two or three years ago I was parting out either a 70 or a 71. It was super-rusty and rough. Apparently had been in a space where there was a fire -- the turn signal lenses were a little melted. When I took the headers off, the exhaust ports were completely closed with caked white aluminum oxide. That white powder that you see on engine fins -- that's aluminum oxide. It's what aluminum does when it corrodes, the same as steel and rust. There was no space at all, just filled with solidified, caked aluminum oxide. I dug it out with a screwdriver -- took some doing. I ended up selling the intact engine to 2M. Not sure what his plan was, but I don't think he has done anything with it yet.
 
Maybe I’m wrong here, but I thought there was some difference regarding the 256 heads, something about the angle of the intake ports? That made them incompatible with linked carbs?
I found out the answer to this question for myself.

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Here, and below, are linked carbs on a 256 engine on a 1971 frame. There are no issues. You have to use 1974 and later angled carb holder intake boots.
To get the linked carbs on or off, you have to first remove the big cam chain adjuster acorn cap nut below the carbs. This is standard procedure when mounting or removing carbs. In this case, you also have to remove the intake boots. Very simple, and there is plenty of room to get at the allen head bolts that hold the boots on. So, to mount, you slip the linked carbs between the engine and the frame, and then you put the intake boots on.
I doubt that the original air boxes will mount to the battery box correctly, and I'm not going to try to find out. I'll be using UNI's.
Now that that's settled, I can remove the engine...

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