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I decided to make this short video about getting the bike on the centerstand. It's very easy. I hope this helps someone. I was hoping to make this look as effortless as it is. I'm not sure if I pulled that off. That XS1100 is too heavy to pick up. Proper technique is required. I realize...

Do all of these levers function with any stock XS650? I’m curious why the changes. The last is about a 25% weight reduction from the first.

I've had a couple of failed attempts at rebuilding vacuum petcocks. I thought the o'ring was wrong. I tried that. No help. Currently, I'm running some manual taps. @GLJ has solved the issue. https://www.xs650.com/threads/81-special.65260/page-4 I have an unused diaphragm from Dime City...

I’m sure someone on here went through this. Where can I buy one? Used is fine if one of you have one to spare.

I will preface by saying that it has been about 20 years since I last wrecked this bike. In the course of the last three years I have had it all apart. It had complete fork and swingarm service including steering and swingarm removal. Summer of 2022, I rode the bike to Eureka Springs, AR. I...

I acquired this bike about a week ago. It’s a one owner machine, or it was before it got dropped here. It came from a close friend. I know the brake fluid is original. The tires both have a 2003 date on them. I assume fork oil is original too. I don’t believe there’s anything to do other than...

Partzilla says all Special battery boxes are the same. Pictured are battery boxes from a ‘79 and ‘83 Special.

I met this young motorcyclist on the Natchez Trace while returning from Townsend. He was riding a brand new RE Birmingham-Vicksburg-Birmingham. He showed my his navigator after seeing me looking at a paper map. “You memorize the route and look for signs?” He seemed surprised. It looks far...

This is one of Ford's better ideas. The lug nut on the left is the OE jacketed lug nut. On the right is aftermarket. Every aftermarket lug nut I can find has the same dimensions as this one. At issue is that I can no longer use my OE version. They've been trashed by impact wrenches at...

I put two thousand miles on it. It drives out straight and corners fine. The swingarm is tight. Could it be my exhaust is bent? Seems if it was the swingarm, I should have detected it.

We traded. It went great.

This may help someone. He even has a nice shoutout to MikesXS.

My tool kit is missing a few pieces. Can you fill in the blanks?

I'm riding two nearly identical Specials. XS650SH & XS650SK The XS650SK has 17/33 sprockets. The XS650SH has 17/34 sprockets. I've been living with the 17/33 set-up for a year. I've had the bike for 40 years and this is the first time I ever tried it. I like it better than I thought I...

I wonder how many of these are still running the ball bearing steering.

I want a tool like this for the nut on the steering head. Do you call that a clutch nut socket? I measured between cutouts and it's close to 35 mm. Can one of you verify this for me please? Thanks.

A friend of mine offered to bring my XS650SH from storage in Atlanta. So, here's the history on it. I had a coworker who bought the bike in 1983. It had been squished between a car and garage wall. I assume it was totaled, but it has a regular Minnesota title. Nothing on it says "salvage"...

Kawasaki Concourse. I have a riding buddy here from Canada. We’re servicing his bike so it can go wherever he wants to go with it, as long as it isn’t my garage. Among other things, the steering bearings are roached. I can not reach the races with a drift. There is no puller available...

Is there any reason I can't replace this.... with this? Clearance issue?

I’m replacing the smashed crown nut. A razor knife isn’t working to get the copper washer off. Any ideas?