Drew650
XS650 Enthusiast
Hey guys,
I've been following a lot of builds on here along and have asked for help getting my ol girl running.
A little background. Picked her up about 4 months ago for $150 from a friend of a friend. Didn't run, got new carbs, went over and adjusted everything. Now she runs and rides great. To my knowledge she is pretty much stock besides the carbs which are off a EX500 running pods. Problem is, I want to go over all the wiring and nuts and bolts, etc before really taking her on the open road. Plus, she needs a real good cleaning as she is a little rusty and beat up.
The plan as of now is to tear it down and clean everything. Paint frame, fenders, tank, and everything else that the chrome is gone on. Replace parts as necessary remove what's unnecessary and put her back together. Mostly stock. Like everyone else, mostly, I'm on a budget. This is my first bike and I want something to learn on next season.
Is there any advice in the teardown or any step in the process a newbie like me should look out for? Can I paint side covers? They're both pitted, but polish smooth with aluminum foil. Also, the exhaust is rusted through on the ends. But the headers are good. May decide to run them straight as I'm a believer in a loud bike for safety reasons. Suggestions for that?
Thank you guys in advanced. I'll post many pictures along the way first to come tomorrow.
I've been following a lot of builds on here along and have asked for help getting my ol girl running.
A little background. Picked her up about 4 months ago for $150 from a friend of a friend. Didn't run, got new carbs, went over and adjusted everything. Now she runs and rides great. To my knowledge she is pretty much stock besides the carbs which are off a EX500 running pods. Problem is, I want to go over all the wiring and nuts and bolts, etc before really taking her on the open road. Plus, she needs a real good cleaning as she is a little rusty and beat up.
The plan as of now is to tear it down and clean everything. Paint frame, fenders, tank, and everything else that the chrome is gone on. Replace parts as necessary remove what's unnecessary and put her back together. Mostly stock. Like everyone else, mostly, I'm on a budget. This is my first bike and I want something to learn on next season.
Is there any advice in the teardown or any step in the process a newbie like me should look out for? Can I paint side covers? They're both pitted, but polish smooth with aluminum foil. Also, the exhaust is rusted through on the ends. But the headers are good. May decide to run them straight as I'm a believer in a loud bike for safety reasons. Suggestions for that?
Thank you guys in advanced. I'll post many pictures along the way first to come tomorrow.