What have you done to your XS today?

A half hour here, a rare hour there, little by little getting Stella ready to go.

Carb bowls and jets cleaned and reinstalled. The headlight was loose in its ring. Took it apart and reassembled. Clutch, throttle, tach, and speedo cables removed, flushed with spray lube and hanging vertical to drip dry. They'll get oiled over the next day or so as I get other little things done like adjusting the chain and servicing the clutch worm. Getting real close to firing her up for a tune-up.
 
DanielBlack said:
A half hour here, a rare hour there, little by little getting Stella ready to go.

Carb bowls and jets cleaned and reinstalled. The headlight was loose in its ring. Took it apart and reassembled. Clutch, throttle, tach, and speedo cables removed, flushed with spray lube and hanging vertical to drip dry. They'll get oiled over the next day or so as I get other little things done like adjusting the chain and servicing the clutch worm. Getting real close to firing her up for a tune-up.
Click to expand...

Daniel , you’re going to need to update your info! Good to see you bringing Stella back to life, or should I say, out of retirement!
7F481CE4-8A11-4EAD-B322-B79133FC8C98.jpeg
 
Mailman said:
Daniel , you’re going to need to update your info! Good to see you bringing Stella back to life, or should I say, out of retirement!
View attachment 169862
Click to expand...

Fair enough about my location, but Stella is indeed retired from getting me to work and back 365 a year. From here on out it's just pleasure rides when the weather suits!

Yessiree, it does feel good to get my hands greasy again.
 
Last edited:
DanielBlack said:
Fair enough about my location, but Stella is indeed retired from getting me to work and back 365 a year. From here on out it's just pleasure rides when the weather suits!

Yessiree, it does feel good to get my hands greasy again.
Click to expand...
Greasy is good.
Now if we could just convince Bob of that !

OoSu5XJQTznQXpg7rhZFAjtX9j0id_FiacN-7F_PY&usqp=CAU.jpg
 
gggGary said:
That is JUST wrong We need to sneak a British bike into his shop, THAT Will cure the grease free thing!
PS I been try'n to get that done!
Click to expand...

Haha! Gary has been working on my weakness for British bikes. This is a photo from my old house, note the Union Jack flag and framed pictures of Triumphs on the wall. Gary the instigator! :pimp:
6638F6A4-FF73-4B5F-820A-402FDBA631F7.jpeg
 
Yesterday I went to the local junkyard and found an XS650! I found some nice highway bars on it but the bolts were rusted solid... After about 15 minutes of wrenching, I had done more damage to my hand than to the bolt - another day maybe :banghead:

Buuuuut I did get a stock fender for $10. The outside is not too bad...It was SUPER rusty on the inside but I forgot to take a picture before I took an angle grinder with a sanding disk to it. I plan on spray painting the inside silver, and trying to polish the top. Any thoughts?
 

Attachments

  • unnamed (3).jpg
    unnamed (3).jpg
    406.6 KB · Views: 120
  • unnamed (4).jpg
    unnamed (4).jpg
    280.2 KB · Views: 128
  • unnamed (5).jpg
    unnamed (5).jpg
    134.9 KB · Views: 105
  • unnamed (6).jpg
    unnamed (6).jpg
    157.4 KB · Views: 105
itsmattyc said:
Yesterday I went to the local junkyard and found an XS650! I found some nice highway bars on it but the bolts were rusted solid... After about 15 minutes of wrenching, I had done more damage to my hand than to the bolt - another day maybe :banghead:

Buuuuut I did get a stock fender for $10. The outside is not too bad...It was SUPER rusty on the inside but I forgot to take a picture before I took an angle grinder with a sanding disk to it. I plan on spray painting the inside silver, and trying to polish the top. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I found one while looking for a station wagon bumper. I brought home the bumper and the XS650. The bumper was $100. The 650 was $35.
 
20200615_182822.jpg
Probationary Polishing/Lick and a Promise
Ready for the Blue '77

So ok, I am not a born polisher. But I have the alloy stuff that had to be done before assembly finished to my satisfaction. By the end of the day, my fingertips were almost smooth and my hands were cramping. Did not use the polishing wheel, just sandpaper and a final lick of Autosol.
Plus I took some 220 grit on my sander to the brake rotor and then painted the centre black. Next got the worst of the rust out of the headlight and painted the inside white, per 5Twins' tip.
Next is to drain the old oil from the forks, rinse the sludge out, refill, install and get this item up on rubber!
 
jetmechmarty said:
Yes! I got three more for free! So other than the new one I bought from the dealer, $35 is the most I ever paid fro acquire an XS650.
Click to expand...
How do you.... *Clears throat* ... How does one *Ahem* develop the skillset to acquire such a fine beast for such a lovely price? The devil is in the details of course :p

Asking for a friend, of course, I'm sure you understand. Thanks!
 
Like I said, I stumbled across a 79 Special 2 in the junkyard. Another came up on Craig’s List for free. I grabbed it. It was mostly junk, so I kept what I wanted and divided the rest up amongst my 650 buddies. I shipped the frame to California as I recall. I don’t believe I sold any of it, rather shared my booty. Another, I got from a coworker. He had a 81 Special in his basement for over twenty years. He bought it when it was still new. The frame was crushed in a garage accident and it was totaled. My friend bought a new frame (it has no numbers on it)and rebuilt it. He rode it a few thousand miles and it ended up in the basement. The intent was a chopper build. I had been bugging him to do it or put it on the road. Anyway, he got a new job and had to move. He offered me the bike, so I picked it up. I made it a father- daughter project. It’s done and in her shed now. An XS650E was discovered in my brother-in-law’s garage. He just wanted that junk out of his way. So, my father-in-law hauled it to Georgia for me. None of them were real nice, but the ‘81 has 6,000 miles on it.
 

Similar threads

W
She runs! What’s next?
Replies
14
Views
322
Wrenchmorethanride
W
Mailman
The complexity of modern valve trains and maintenance costs
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
Paleomechanic
Paleomechanic
STARCROSSEDMOTO
77-81 XS650 "JADE" Tribute Build
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
JOHNDADDY
JOHNDADDY
Bountiful
Thanks for the warm welcome!
Replies
12
Views
2K
Grumpydog
Grumpydog
GLJ
XS2 Survivor resurection.
5 6 7
Replies
120
Views
11K
GLJ
GLJ
Back
Top