1976 XS650C Restore

[gggGary]

Seems that mirrors is a deep subject Yamaha almost always had them off for the brochure shots so it's hard to ID what mirror is "right" for any model.
I think those black "beauties" were mainly seen on the XS750's. Most of my 74-79 standards came with round stainless mirrors.

Per the ever questionable parts fiches;
LH
This Yamaha 256-26290-10-00 MIRROR ASY LH is used on these models and components:

1970 XS1 HANDLE - WIRE
1971 XS1B HANDLE - WIRE
1972 XS2 HANDLE - WIRE
1973 TX650 HANDLE - WIRE
1974 TX650A STEERING HANDLE CABLE TX650A - XS650B
1975 XS650B STEERING HANDLE CABLE TX650A - XS650B
1976 XS650C STEERING HANDLE CABLE XS650C

PRODUCT OBSOLETE
This Yamaha 256-26290-00-00 MIRROR ASY RH is used on these models and components:

1970 XS1 HANDLE - WIRE
1971 XS1B HANDLE - WIRE
1972 XS2 HANDLE - WIRE
1973 TX650 HANDLE - WIRE
1974 TX650A STEERING HANDLE CABLE TX650A - XS650B
1975 XS650B STEERING HANDLE CABLE TX650A - XS650B
1976 XS650C STEERING HANDLE CABLE XS650C


BUT; the early 70-72 usually have clamp on style mirrors not threaded into the clutch and brake brackets.
I suspect the dealer set up guy just grabbed two from the "mirror tub" and bolted them on.

 

[cycleranger]

Seems that mirrors is a deep subject Yamaha almost always had them off for the brochure shots so it's hard to ID what mirror is "right" for any model.
I think those black "beauties" were mainly seen on the XS750's. Most of my 74-79 standards came with round stainless mirrors.
I suspect the dealer set up guy just grabbed two from the "mirror tub" and bolted them on.

I tend to agree. Now that I have them back on the bike I'll live with them for now.
I still need to work on the tuning a bit. I get occasional pop and crackle at lower throttle. Need to re-check all the usual stuff.
Here's how it looks in the noonday sun. Not the best time to take photos.

 

[gggGary]

Purdy!!!

 

[cycleranger]

Purdy!!!

Thank you sir! Your contributions helped make it that way.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Oh, yeah, that looks great!
Hard to believe 41K miles.
I'd zero it.

And, your trees look healthy too...

 

[cycleranger]

Oh, yeah, that looks great!
Hard to believe 41K miles.
I'd zero it.

And, your trees look healthy too...

Thanks! The PO got the bike from his Uncle and took really good care of it. I have all the maintenance records from new.
I rebuilt the speedo and replaced the tach. I wanted to keep the original mileage.
The trees, the ones that are left, are doing ok. The red oaks have been suffering the last few years and I've had several die and lost some to storms.

 

[Mailman]

Absolutely beautiful bike man. Back in the Seventies I had that exact bike, same color and everything. Nicely done!

 

[cycleranger]

I posted a vintage Yamaha XS650c sales brochure in my album.
More proof that Yamaha hates mirrors!
http://www.xs650.com/media/albums/xs650-advertising.2858/

 

[MaxPete]

Cycleranger: I've got the red version of that bike - also a '76 C-model. She isn't nearly as clean and pretty as your bike, but she's getting there with help from great folks like GeorgeOC who provided a nice shiny '76 front fender and stays and header pipes to replace the ratty, rusted and dented originals. Now, about those engine cases...

I noted with interest that your centre console says "Brake Light" - mine says "Oil" and your instruments have chrome rims on them - mine are plain black, (and note the highly optimistic 140 mph speedo....gimme a break!).

Some chrome rimmed instruments with the "Brake Light" legend came up on eBay in a shop in Calgary a few weeks back and I bought them and I also have an NOS OEM luggage rack coming - likely tomorrow. It's interesting the differences between two bikes built on the same line by the same people in the same year.

Someday, we'll have to get them together someday - those colour schemes are just sooooo....70's.

Pete

 

[cycleranger]

You must have the Canadian version.
Although it's interesting that it lacks the dual front disk of the export version and has the speedo in MPH.
The red paint scheme was not offered in the US. We only got the French Blue in '76.
Which is a pity as I like that red.
I'd rather have an oil light instead of the useless "brake lining" light.
Your bike looks pretty good and appears to be all there and should clean up nicely.
My engine looked like yours before MUCH polishing.
The cases are probably brighter now then when they left the factory.

 

[MaxPete]

Actually, I have never seen a dual disc bike in Canada either, so I think that option only went to the Europe/UK and the Australia/NZ markets. In those days, we were still a British Imperial system country like the US and we used mph, pounds and feet. The switchover to the SI system took place a couple of years later (much to the chagrin of everyone over the age of about 12 from what I recall).

As for the colour - I have seen blue parts here such as a tank and sidecovers but not a complete blue bike (it is a very striking scheme IMO). Similarly, I have seen some red parts - but not a complete bike in that colour either. When I was in university in the mid-late 70's, I had a black & gold '75 B-model and I simply don't recall ever seeing a red or blue bike at the time. By then, Suzuki had come out with their GS 4-stroke series and Kawi had the Z1000 and the other smaller KZ 4 cylinder models (not to mention Honda's multitude of 4-cylinder CB's) and so up here, the popularity of big twins was really waning.

Polishing - yeah, I've got to get at it - but I am having so darned much fun riding the bike that I don't want to take it off the road to do that sort of work.

On the matter of the oil light - the only time it is on is when the key is on and the bike is not running or when I crank the engine - so it behaves like an "oil" light but I really do not know what it does. I have looked high and low and as far as I can tell, the engine has no sensors of any kind that monitor oil level, oil pressure or oil temperature. Other Yamaha models had oil pressure and some even had oil level sensors, as I discovered last week) - and the 650 didn't as far as I know.

Ahhh well, inscrutable orientals.

BTW - your bike has black mirror housings and a chrome chain guard - are those original '76 parts?

Cheers,

Pete

 

[cycleranger]

As far as I know the black mirrors are original. If you see some of the previous posts in this thread you can get my opinion of them....
The PO of the bike had several parts chromed back in the day, the chain guard, the engine mount in the front, and the peg mounts.
Heh, I wonder if that "oil" light is wired up to the brake liner sensor?
That cover may be off a different model that had an oil pressure sensor.
That triangular cover was used on other models, like the RD400 I believe.

 

[xjwmx]

mine says "Oil"

What does the light connect to? Was there a stock oil sensor?

 

[MaxPete]

What does the light connect to? Was there a stock oil sensor?

Hmmmmm.....not sure. I have a look once this wedding is over.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Very nice indeed! I remember seeing those colors on the RD400E with the coffin shaped tank which my brother inlaw had back in 1978. Looks infinitely better on your tank!

 

[cycleranger]

Well so it's been a few months and I finally finished getting a "barn find" '74 CB550 ready to sell so I thought it's time to shake down the XS650 since I finally got it legal and make sure it's ready for the upcoming Harvest Classic in Luckenbach.
(Since my CB750 has leaky pucks and the Pamco ignition on CJ360T has apparently died.)
But there's still a few issues...

 

[gggGary]

Check the shaft to body clearance I've run into southwest carbs that had worn out throttle shaft bushings.....

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

...it's time to shake down the XS650 since I finally got it legal and make sure it's ready for the upcoming Harvest Classic in Luckenbach...

Are you entering it?

 

[cycleranger]

Are you entering it?

I was thinking about putting it in the bike show. If I can get it there....

 

[TimeMachine]

Gotta love those 76c's. Very nice looking ! The chrome rack is a nice piece .. RT