What have you done to your XS today?

Machine said:
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You've Clearly put much thought and consideration in all your components. Please share your opinion of the variations of the cam chain tensioner. The type "D" vs the "E" with the added lock nut.
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5twins said:
Yes, you should upgrade or update your type D tensioner to a type E. The "how" and, more importantly, the "why" are in posts 22 and 23 here .....

http://www.xs650.com/threads/cam-chain-tensioners.1056/page-2
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I'd definitely prefer a Type E - just couldn't find one when I went to replace the stock '75 tensioner. I really don't want the high profile one the motor shipped with. To be honest, this one is a bit of a mockup placeholder. Anyone have a Type E for sale?
 
You can usually find them for around $20 on eBay if you're patient. That's for a whole assembly even though all you really need is the plunger and lock nut. But, nobody really seems to break these down and sell the individual parts, mostly just complete units.
 
Bought $12 worth of steel. And used this to practice some welding. I ran out of wire and had to pick some up. Wire makes a difference. Lincoln > Hobart .30 flux

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Teckk220, very nice bit of work. I only use flux core gasless MIG and the wire quality makes a big difference. In the US the good stuff is Lincoln
Innershield® NR-211 and in the UK I find SIP's to be very good. But in both cases the wire is approximately 2x the cost of other brands. In the US there is a flux core for stainless steel made by Blue Demon. I want to try it but it works out at £80-90 for 1/2kg in the UK. I may have to switch my MIG from gasless to gas just to do a small non-urgent stainless project.

Keep welding and you will soon earn back the money you invested!
 
Yes, my welding has greatly improved my grinding skills, lol. Speaking of which, you'll want to invest in some metal cutting and grinding tools. The $10 4.5" grinders from HF work fine for occasional use and the cut-off wheels they sell are "the bomb". I have several grinders, one with a cut-off wheel installed, one with a flap disc, and of course, one with a grinding wheel.
 
5twins said:
Yes, my welding has greatly improved my grinding skills, lol. Speaking of which, you'll want to invest in some metal cutting and grinding tools. The $10 4.5" grinders from HF work fine for occasional use and the cut-off wheels they sell are "the bomb". I have several grinders, one with a cut-off wheel installed, one with a flap disc, and of course, one with a grinding wheel.
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yep. I have a Milwaukee for cutting and a hf with a flap disc for sanding/grinding.
 
Tekk, had to wait for a sunny(er) day for pics. I used a diagram I found right here in the tech section from Jayel and added in turn signals.
The breaker and fuse box are inexpensive Amazon buys. I Coulda put everything on three circuits but it was just easier to wire in a forth. Less things to go out in case I do blow a fuse.
 

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Rasslin' With Big Jugs
After a couple tries got the barrels to go into place.
This motor had been dismantled a few years ago and moved several times, so when time came to install the cylinders, a couple of studs were just enough out of square to stop the new cylinders from sliding into place. Removal after the first try involved a hammer and wood block I am sorry to say.
But a straight edge showed two out of whack so appropriate gentle yet effective adjustments were made.
Now for the piston pin install.
 
Zoze said:
Started unwrapping the nest of wires along the frame in an attempt to start rebuilding a simplified harness.
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What year is the bike, Zoze? What are you going to include in the simplified system?

The wiring on my 1978 SE had been messed around by POs, so I pulled it all out and rewired, missing out all the things I didn't need like light checker and flasher cancel unit and so forth.
 
one rear wheel finally finished, new wheel bearings, new stainless steel spokes, balanced, new brake shoes, the axle and chain tensioner cleaned, now a old shiny piece
 

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What spokes did you use? I ask because if they were 650 ones, even though they seem to fit there is an issue with the outers. They're not bent quite enough up where they connect to the hub. They may start breaking, popping the heads off. At least that's what happened to me when I tried using 650 spokes on a 750 wheel. Eventually I found some actual 750 spokes and replaced all the outers. The 650 inners fit and work fine, and are still on there.
 
5twins said:
What spokes did you use? I ask because if they were 650 ones, even though they seem to fit there is an issue with the outers. They're not bent quite enough up where they connect to the hub. They may start breaking, popping the heads off. At least that's what happened to me when I tried using 650 spokes on a 750 wheel. Eventually I found some actual 750 spokes and replaced all the outers. The 650 inners fit and work fine, and are still on there.
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Its a TX750 rear wheel using for my XS1b project, stainless steel spokes bought at Cognito Moto, wheel look's similar to the XS650/TX650, rim is the same size, but the drum with a bigger diameter, so far as I know! working since weeks on two sets
 

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Yes, I know what wheel you're using. What wheel are the spokes you bought for? An XS650 wheel? If so then within a few hundred miles of riding, outer spokes may start breaking. If the spokes you got are specifically for the TX750 rear wheel then hopefully you'll be fine.
 
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Oops!
Pulling the new chain thru the motor and my attachment failed way down there. Turned it a bit to let gravity help and the whole thing fell out. Dang!
 
I did the same exact thing a few years ago. My retrieval did not go as well as yours. I got it, but it came with a great deal of stress and anxiety.
 

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