hey all! so i just purchased a 1981 xs650. the bike has 13000 miles on it and the engine has not been started in over 15 years so as you can imagine it doesn't make a sound. my end goal in all this is to make the bike have a frisco style with a few other styling queues from my favorite parts of all different styles. with that comes my first issues. turning this bike into a hardtail. ive seen a lot of different ways to do this from universal mounts to just doing it myself to modifying. im not very proficient at welding but could probably get a welder and have it done. what are suggestions for this? also the engine. considering it hasn't been run in about 15 years i can just imagine all the gunk that is built up. from all of yours experience after cleaning the carbs and engine out, replacing gaskets and lines will this engine be worth saving? please respond with any and all suggestions, pointers, etc. so i can get this bike running and looking beautiful!
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hey all! so this is my second post in about 10 minutes just cuz im navigating this site still and trying to widen out to as many as possible. so i mentioned before that i purchased a 1981 xs650 that hadn't really been touched in over 15 years. im not really competent at all with engine work so i was wondering if there was a way to get some kind of manual that will take me through the steps of disassembling the motor, cleaning it out as well as the carbs, and reassembling it to get it started. i appreciate the help!
Welcome to the board! You are the smart one, seriously posting up here before you start in was the brightest thing you could have done. Every bike is different but I would not assume the engine needs to come apart. Lot of XS650s have come awake after a 20 year nap and gone right back to running just fine. Clean the carbs, yeah that's a good idea. Do the cylinder stud retorque, remove the oil sump and side filters, clean and repair or replace the sump filter. Report on any chunks of black rubber. Set valves and cam chain tension. Get the engine running and ride the bike 1 or 200 miles before starting the "project" If the compression is good and she's not using oil you are golden. That time will save you 4 times that effort later, when you are "nearly done" and champing at the bit to be riding. Read the tech section for pointers, there is lots of great info there. Ask questions whenever you are not sure of something.
Welcome to the board! You are the smart one, seriously posting up here before you start in was the brightest thing you could have done. Every bike is different but I would not assume the engine needs to come apart. Lot of XS650s have come awake after a 20 year nap and gone right back to running just fine.
Clean the carbs, yeah that's a good idea. Do the cylinder stud retorque, remove the oil sump and side filters, clean and repair or replace the sump filter. Report on any chunks of black rubber. Set valves and cam chain tension. Get the engine running and ride the bike 1 or 200 miles before starting the "project" If the compression is good and she's not using oil you are golden. That time will save you 4 times that effort later, when you are "nearly done" and champing at the bit to be riding.
Read the tech section for pointers, there is lots of great info there. Ask questions whenever you are not sure of something.
The carb guide is a must read before going into them.
Clean the carbs, yeah that's a good idea. Do the cylinder stud retorque, remove the oil sump and side filters, clean and repair or replace the sump filter. Report on any chunks of black rubber. Set valves and cam chain tension. Get the engine running and ride the bike 1 or 200 miles before starting the "project" If the compression is good and she's not using oil you are golden. That time will save you 4 times that effort later, when you are "nearly done" and champing at the bit to be riding.
Read the tech section for pointers, there is lots of great info there. Ask questions whenever you are not sure of something.
The carb guide is a must read before going into them.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
scri...,
As gggGary says, get the bike running first. Then, remove the rear shocks and replace them with some sturdy angle iron and ride the bike around for a couple of weeks like that before you fire up the SawzAll.
Give yourself a chance to come up with a truly original "build" that can actually be ridden every day, everywhere.
As gggGary says, get the bike running first. Then, remove the rear shocks and replace them with some sturdy angle iron and ride the bike around for a couple of weeks like that before you fire up the SawzAll.
Give yourself a chance to come up with a truly original "build" that can actually be ridden every day, everywhere.scabber
XS650 Guru
Welcome. I would get it running. Depending on your skills it might take you till spring haha. Look around the site lots of nice bike all styles. Make a build plan and a budget.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
Only down at the lakeshore..
..get some long Johns, boots, gloves, warm helmet and grow a beard...
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