Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
I'll try that next time. Thanks TwoMany!
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'80 Special Refit
- Thread starter Solomoriah
- Start date
to straighten lower triples it's best to have them off the bike, insert straight fork tubes through the lower then upper so you can figure out which way they are bent. then use the leg for leverage to straighten the offending clamp. you know you are back in position when both fork legs will easily enter the top triple. Should do a video I guess.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
SO here's the latest issue with my '80 Special... the headlamp warning light is on. My understanding is that it lights up when a filament fails in the sealed beam, but that does not seem to be the case here, because when I start it up (so the light is on) and then flip the high/low beam switch, I can see the sealed beam switching between a "front" and "back" filament, exactly as it's supposed to. So... what's the deal here?
And, if the headlamp control thingie is dead or dying, what do I need to do to remove it?
And, if the headlamp control thingie is dead or dying, what do I need to do to remove it?
"disconnect the RLU, and jumper blue/black to blue/yellow, then your headlight will still work."
Quote from Retired Gentleman found here.
What the RLU does when low beam burns out is power the high beam filament at a lower power level. So you'll still get a "low and high" beam.... just off the same filament. You sure that's not what you're seeing?
Quote from Retired Gentleman found here.
What the RLU does when low beam burns out is power the high beam filament at a lower power level. So you'll still get a "low and high" beam.... just off the same filament. You sure that's not what you're seeing?
What Jim just said,
Last edited:
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
I'm absolutely certain it's not what I'm seeing. I see the light source moving from front to back, maybe a quarter inch, but definitely in a different place in the unit. The headlamp indicator goes off sometimes, but it was on when I observed the behavior I just described.
Thanks for the reference to the removal instructions. I'll very likely do exactly that soon.
If you're removing and bypassing the RLU, you can go a step further and provide yourself with a charging indicator light. Details are here .....
http://xs650temp.proboards.com/thread/9140
http://xs650temp.proboards.com/thread/9140
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
Hey thanks 5twins! Given how easy it is, I think I'll do this.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
HOKAY DOKAY. So today I set out to do what I described above, i.e. remove the RLU and rig the bike to work without it, AND possibly set up the charging indicator 5twins described.
The trouble started when I tried to unplug the RLU. This is what I found:
The red wire which is wrapped in so much tape is tagged on to the green wire of the RLU, which (I checked) connects to the green wire in the harness. That wire runs directly to the headlamp indicator, as I understand it. But look close:
What is that component? Some kind of resistor? (Sorry it's fuzzy, it's just so tiny.) It's connected in series with the indicator lamp, and the red jumper wire as well. The jumper goes here:
That red wire coming in under the subframe at the top is the jumper; it runs to the crimp nut at the bottom, then tags into the red and white wire at the junction. That's the tapping point in the red/white wire that 5twins indicates should be used to add a charging indicator when removing the RLU... but my RLU is still in place.
What the HECK is going on here? I can go ahead and remove the RLU by disconnecting the jumper and hooking the red/white wire back up normally, then doing the jumper at the connector. I just don't understand this. You can't get the charging indicator AND the headlamp failure warning at the same time, right? It's just one light.
The trouble started when I tried to unplug the RLU. This is what I found:
The red wire which is wrapped in so much tape is tagged on to the green wire of the RLU, which (I checked) connects to the green wire in the harness. That wire runs directly to the headlamp indicator, as I understand it. But look close:
What is that component? Some kind of resistor? (Sorry it's fuzzy, it's just so tiny.) It's connected in series with the indicator lamp, and the red jumper wire as well. The jumper goes here:
That red wire coming in under the subframe at the top is the jumper; it runs to the crimp nut at the bottom, then tags into the red and white wire at the junction. That's the tapping point in the red/white wire that 5twins indicates should be used to add a charging indicator when removing the RLU... but my RLU is still in place.
What the HECK is going on here? I can go ahead and remove the RLU by disconnecting the jumper and hooking the red/white wire back up normally, then doing the jumper at the connector. I just don't understand this. You can't get the charging indicator AND the headlamp failure warning at the same time, right? It's just one light.
Maybe you can? Maybe this was an earlier mod by a P.O. to do just that? If so, the white light in the dash should come on with the key, go out when you start the bike and it begins putting out a charge. If it's not doing that, maybe the bulb in the dash white light is burned out? But, I'd do as you're contemplating, eliminate all that old stuff and go with the mod as I outlined it. This mod comes from Pamcopete and is known to work. I've had mine hooked up for a good 10 years now and it's still working fine.
Boy, people do some rude and crude things to these bikes, don't they, lol.
Boy, people do some rude and crude things to these bikes, don't they, lol.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
The issue I'm having is that the light comes on kind of faintly when the bike is running. Perhaps it's warning of a charging issue? Gah.
That's normal.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
... very interesting, Jim. I had not noticed that. The odd thing is, the light had never illuminated at all while running until just recently, when it started going off and on.
So anyway... I went ahead and cut the plug off of my RLU, given that it's been adulterated already, and made a quick headlight jumper out of it; so far, so good, headlight works fine. The original jumper wire put together by some previous owner turned out to have a second resistor (?) in it, near the plug, and I've cut it off; I'll probably go ahead with the charging indicator mod using that wire since the ends seem to have been put on pretty well. The previous owner didn't leave me much of the light green wire to use, though. Can anyone tell me how to release the pins so they come out of the plug? I've done this with computer-type Molex connectors but I can't see through these well enough to see how they lock in.
So anyway... I went ahead and cut the plug off of my RLU, given that it's been adulterated already, and made a quick headlight jumper out of it; so far, so good, headlight works fine. The original jumper wire put together by some previous owner turned out to have a second resistor (?) in it, near the plug, and I've cut it off; I'll probably go ahead with the charging indicator mod using that wire since the ends seem to have been put on pretty well. The previous owner didn't leave me much of the light green wire to use, though. Can anyone tell me how to release the pins so they come out of the plug? I've done this with computer-type Molex connectors but I can't see through these well enough to see how they lock in.
What type of crimps are in your plug, flat spade type or round ones? The flat spade type have a tab on the side you need to depress .....
The round type need a special tool shaped like a tube. You can see it here on the lower right .....
Here's a better shot of the tube part .....
The round type need a special tool shaped like a tube. You can see it here on the lower right .....
Here's a better shot of the tube part .....
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
Ah. The pins are round. I have a tool like in your picture, but it's sized specifically for the smaller pins of a DB connector. So I suspect I'll work with what's sticking out the back of the plug.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
Okay, so... I did the modification more or less as I described it; rather than dig out my soldering iron, I just crimped bullet connectors to the wires on the plug, made a bullet-connector jumper to connect them, and put a bullet on the previous guy's lead wire so I could use it. The mod is now as 5twins described.
The light comes on when the key is turned on, stays on when the bike first starts, then goes off when the bike is running normally. I'm concerned the fact that it doesn't go off immediately might indicate some problem with the charging, but I haven't taken a ride yet.
My best guess about the previous mod is that the light would come on either if the headlamp failed OR if the bike stopped charging. How you would then decide the nature of the problem, I don't know. But this also makes me concerned about the charging status, since I now know my headlamp is fine.
Does a bad battery make the light come on, or is it always an indication of a problem with electrical generation? Am I looking at new brushes?
The light comes on when the key is turned on, stays on when the bike first starts, then goes off when the bike is running normally. I'm concerned the fact that it doesn't go off immediately might indicate some problem with the charging, but I haven't taken a ride yet.
My best guess about the previous mod is that the light would come on either if the headlamp failed OR if the bike stopped charging. How you would then decide the nature of the problem, I don't know. But this also makes me concerned about the charging status, since I now know my headlamp is fine.
Does a bad battery make the light come on, or is it always an indication of a problem with electrical generation? Am I looking at new brushes?
The light is triggered by charging output from the alternator so no, a bad battery shouldn't influence it. That might be an issue that it isn't going out immediately after starting. That would seem to indicate the alternator isn't producing any output at first. Sure, check the brushes. That's one of the simplest checks and cheapest fixes if they're worn out. Clean the slip rings too if they're dirty. But I'm not sure why worn brushes wouldn't work at first but then start. I'd think they wouldn't work all the time.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
I was assuming the voltage could be marginal, i.e. not enough at low RPM.
Solomoriah
XS650 Addict
Okay, so I replaced the brushes. Turned out a lot easier than I expected, and all is running well now.
As usual with a vintage bike, I fixed one thing and another broke. On practically my very next ride, the left-hand mirror started swinging freely around. Back when I first got the bike, I noted: “Took off the mirrors, and put the left one back on… because the left mirror was attached to the right side of the handlebar on a clamp, and the right mirror was crossthreaded into the mount on the left side. You all know that Yamaha bikes have left-handed right mirrors, but apparently the previous owner didn’t. Gah. The collar nut is missing from the right-hand mirror, so I couldn’t remount it, but after running a bolt through the left-hand mount from the bottom to straighten the threads, that mirror went on fine.” Later I got new mirrors; in fact, I bought new mirrors twice, as the ones I got in July of 18 were kind of crappy, actually. Vibration from the XS made them entirely useless, and they would not stay adjusted. But I had retained the original clutch perch, as the damaged threads didn’t seem to be a problem at first. Now they were. Over the next several rides, the mirror would repeated jump a thread and get loose, requiring gentle, judicious retightening. Something had to change.
I went on ebay and found this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/45-4012-YA...EFT-SIDE-BRACKET-341-82911-00-00/361317819355. So I ordered one, and when it came I pulled the bad one and laid them side-by-side. Sorry I didn’t take a pic, but trust me, the replica is almost exactly the same. The metal is just the least bit thinner where the lever mounts to the perch, but that’s it, and it’s not thin enough to worry me.
Managed to save the left grip, too, so I didn’t have to replace it; I call that a win.
Here’s the cockpit of my XS650 now:
Emgo bars, the cheapest (and yet, in my opinion, nicest) grips on ebay, plus bar end weights, mirrors, master cylinder, and clutch perch all from ebay. Gauges and indicator cover are used, with thanks to bwthor, and a used clutch lever stolen from my TW200. I’d already put shorties on that bike, and when I got the master cylinder with a shiny metal lever, I felt like I needed a shiny metal lever on the clutch as well. The only thing original there are the switches, and the plastic tiedowns for the wiring that I managed to save when I took off the stock bars.
As usual with a vintage bike, I fixed one thing and another broke. On practically my very next ride, the left-hand mirror started swinging freely around. Back when I first got the bike, I noted: “Took off the mirrors, and put the left one back on… because the left mirror was attached to the right side of the handlebar on a clamp, and the right mirror was crossthreaded into the mount on the left side. You all know that Yamaha bikes have left-handed right mirrors, but apparently the previous owner didn’t. Gah. The collar nut is missing from the right-hand mirror, so I couldn’t remount it, but after running a bolt through the left-hand mount from the bottom to straighten the threads, that mirror went on fine.” Later I got new mirrors; in fact, I bought new mirrors twice, as the ones I got in July of 18 were kind of crappy, actually. Vibration from the XS made them entirely useless, and they would not stay adjusted. But I had retained the original clutch perch, as the damaged threads didn’t seem to be a problem at first. Now they were. Over the next several rides, the mirror would repeated jump a thread and get loose, requiring gentle, judicious retightening. Something had to change.
I went on ebay and found this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/45-4012-YA...EFT-SIDE-BRACKET-341-82911-00-00/361317819355. So I ordered one, and when it came I pulled the bad one and laid them side-by-side. Sorry I didn’t take a pic, but trust me, the replica is almost exactly the same. The metal is just the least bit thinner where the lever mounts to the perch, but that’s it, and it’s not thin enough to worry me.
Managed to save the left grip, too, so I didn’t have to replace it; I call that a win.
Here’s the cockpit of my XS650 now:
Emgo bars, the cheapest (and yet, in my opinion, nicest) grips on ebay, plus bar end weights, mirrors, master cylinder, and clutch perch all from ebay. Gauges and indicator cover are used, with thanks to bwthor, and a used clutch lever stolen from my TW200. I’d already put shorties on that bike, and when I got the master cylinder with a shiny metal lever, I felt like I needed a shiny metal lever on the clutch as well. The only thing original there are the switches, and the plastic tiedowns for the wiring that I managed to save when I took off the stock bars.
Good to hear and thanks for the update!
