1973 yamaha TX650 should i get it.

[rowdyrandy]

How much it will cost to make reliable has a lot to do with your abilities, patience, time and resourcefulness. Does it have good compression, and can you shift through the gears? If so, then you have a good start. You will likely need at least a new cam chain guide, carb boots (JBM), carb diaphragms (JBM), carb rebuild kits, possibly jets, fuse block (modern blade type because glass fuses suck), master cylinder rebuild kit, caliper rebuild kit, brake shoes and pads, drive chain, tires, spark plugs, stator brushes.....

I don't say that to discourage you, but to give you fair warning about what it takes to get an old bike running reliably. If you do the work, these can absolutely be a reliable form of transportation that you can hop on at any hour and buzz away on. I would not recommend any 30+ year-old vehicle for those not mechanically-inclined.

+1 on this. Do your homework and don't get nervous in front of the buyer and "just do it." I don't know if it would take all of the above but be prepared...and even if it does it's still a good deal imo...people these days will drop $300+ on a phone for gods sake..buy the damn thing, spend a winter getting your hands dirty and come out of it a better person with a kick ass bike you can be proud of. Mine has given me my fair share of grief over the years but all have been things related to age.. once the run, they run and you'll feel more and more confident knowing you know this thing inside and out. plus, we're all here to help. good luck.

 

[DLD1]

Right on, rowdyrandy!

 

[xgreg27x]

I've got the same bike and it was a hell of a lot worse when I got mine.... I'd jump on it personally.

How much did you have in yours to get it running?

 

[weekendrider]

Pass on the deal. Let someone who is really interested in riding pick it up.

 

[CalsXS2]

I don't think there's too many guy's on here that would not buy that bike, as long as they had the money to do so.

If your plan is to fix it up and flip it. You'll be disappointed. It's too rough, will take too much work and money to make it nice to sell for a decent recoup of your cost's and labor.

If you want to fix it up and ride it,,, it's a great project. I would not try to make it look new with a bunch of NOS part's. Unless of course it just turns out to be a jewel in the rough.

Vinegar and steel wool is your friend when it comes to rusty part's.

Personally. I'd get it and fix it up and ride it. But like others have said. If your going to try and flip it,,, you won't make much. Not worth the effort in my opinion.

 

[gggGary]

I kept records on a 77 I just did and was in about $1200 after the purchase.
This was to great running condition and decent looking. probably 120 hours of "skilled in the ways of the XS" labor and VERY deep XS650 parts bins to work from.

Details in the first post here. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28289
A bike you could commute on.

 

[mick71b]

I say buy it for that price. Make it safe and get it running well, don't worry too much about getting it pretty, and it would be a class daily rider.

 

[acebars]

Vinegar and steel wool is your friend when it comes to rusty part's.

In my experience vinegar is average for rust removal because it takes long but mostly because it flash rusts, I'd recommend coca cola with steel wool or better a light phosphoric acid solution.

If you do choose vinegar, remember to give it a dunk in a phosphoric acid solution and then water to stop the flash rusting.