'71 ridden for the first time since '93

[angus67]

WOOT!
Just rode my friends bike to the corner store and back for the first time in 19+ years! Even though it was only 3miles, ran great! I only got it up to 35mph, the tires are old dunlops. could be originals, no blinkers or brake lite, but, Man, After all that ive learned and been through with this bike, I just had to.

Seems the only issue now is the ignition switch cuts off/on while ridding. quite alarming in a turn. On the straight when it did it, I quickly flipped the key on/off, and let the clutch back out, and fired rite up.
I know these blinkers worked a week ago, and I had the bike outside while I worked on the brakes to my van, and it got caught in a downpour. Also, the headlite wont turn on sometimes I have to jiggle the key to get it to lite. Seems as long as the neutral lite is on, the ignition is on too.
Brakes. Fronts are new shoes, feel spongy, but they do start to grab, hopefully they just need to seat in.
Clutch. OH MY GOD. stiff,stiff, stiff. New cables, properly adjusted. Iguesse thats just the way it is. My '80 isnt this stiff. good feel in the friction zone, though.
What a fun bike. good response down low, and revs smooth thru the power band.

 

[pyroman]

congrats, all that hard work is paying off. Your Friend is lucky to have a Friend like you.

 

[nj1639]

^ ditto!
How do you like the soft tail stocker?

 

[angus67]

bouncy! but since they are the orignal shocks, they are prolly blown
Took apart the ign switch. was all corroded, took it apart, and re-soldered. everything is a little briter, and if I jiggle the key, everything stays on, but the blinkers wont go still.
Is it the brown wire in the switch to the blinker circuit? if I have to, I'll just run a 10 amp fused wire to the flasher.

 

[5twins]

I would clean the TS switch on the handlebar next. Power is getting through the ignition switch now so that's not the problem anymore.

 

[angus67]

did clean the ts switch. no go. no power going out of the switch in first or second position. I backtraced th brown wire, test lite clipped to bat+, ground brown, power is flowing thru the circuit. will a bad flasher unit do this? it the original. I thought if it didnt work, they would still lite, but not flash.

 

[Malloy]

Absolutely awesome bike. Grant news!

 

[Stone]

straight up awesomeness going on right here folks

 

[angus67]

yea, big thanks to PamcoPete.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5207

 

[littlebill31]

The flasher relay will cause it to not work. My bike has a br/wh from the switch to the flasher. Then a brown to the rest of the browns. The yellow/red goes to?? I got it cut off and cant remember. The ch and dark green goes to the signals. Make sure the signals are really grounded good!!!
So the power goes to the flasher (brown), then to the signal switch (wh/br). Then from the switch to the signals (chocolate or dk green). I think. So get a new flasher. They are cheap. They only make a 2 prong now, so just use the brown and the br/wh prongs. Omitt the yellow/red on the connector.

 

[angus67]

ok. thanks for varifying they did not change colors over the years. I did a complete re-wire from scratch on my '80 chop. I have a working blnker diagram for it, just wanted to check colors, really.

 

[angus67]

I know I only rode it a couple miles, but I did wind it up a bit, and my driveway is a good slant uphill, and I raced it in 1st and shut it off at the top(couple hundred feet), pulled the plugs today and they are -electrode tan, not glazed, a little bit of soot on the ground around threads, ground over electrode is clean. Is it too early to really read plugs? Its prolly is, but am ecxited and scared to burn a hole it it.

 

[jamesgs4]

the arm on the clutch worm gear under the left side cover is shorter on the early years. swap it out with a later(longer)one and it provides more leverage, making the clutch pull easier.

 

[xjwmx]

am ecxited and scared to burn a hole it it.

Just listen for knocking and back off when it happens, or before it happens when you get the feel of it, until you can adjust the motor. It sounds a bit like keys rattling. Evidence of knocking on the plugs will be tiny black specks on the insulator inside the chamber.

 

[jayel]

hey Angus here's the 71 wiring diagram, what # plugs do you have in it?

 

[XSLeo]

Good job on getting it running. I've followed your thread on the experiences you have had. As others have said your a good friend to help the guy out, hope he appreciates it.
Again well done.

 

[angus67]

bpr7's....

 

[cheftay]

That looks so so good!

 

[angus67]

he came and picked it up today. he rode it down my driveway, pulled out onto the main road, and ran the piss outta it. hit 70mph.
He is impressed with the smooth throttle, and all.
Thank you every body. I will miss her.
Now that I have my garage back, I can finish mine. cheers.

 

[atomic22]

Well done sir!