Any differences in Canadian models??

[SangreDeDios]

Picked up an 83 xs650 yesterday for 300 bucks.. pretty decent shape, just needs to be cleaned up but has all the parts.
I didnt even notice at first but the speedo is in Kms so i guess it must be canadian.
The speedo shows 5000 Kms (i'm assuming since everything else is in Kms) so right around 3100 miles, pretty low.
Any differences between american and canadian models? I heard something about jetting differences but im not too sure.
Trying to figure out at the moment if i want to keep it or not, Got 4 other XS650s sitting in the garage.

 

[OakBehringer]

The Canadian models read in KM on the speedo.

 

[rikkibobbi]

FYI.... they have a 36 tooth rear sprocket as well....real shitty on the highway but good for pulling stumps and the odd car out of the snowbank...i spose??
Anyways, do yourself a favor and get a 34 tooth at least or even smaller.

 

[Visegrippe]

aren't the needles on the 34s adjustable and profiled differently too?

 

[Lunatic]

Yes, the Canadian BS34 needles are adjustable. Not sure if the profile is different, but I think it probably is.

 

[azman857]

I too have heard the needles and needle jet is different in the Canadian XS650 BS 34's vs the USA. What about the pilot jet and main jet? Or are they the same? I changed the needle and jet on my stock '80 and it idles fine and 3500 and up is smooth. aprox 2500-3200 it's stuttering and cutting out. It gets better when warmed up but for 10-20 min after starting its a bear to get going and be under 35-40mph. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm at second slot from the top on the needle and using the CDN needle jet. Everything else is stock. Airbox/filters and exhaust. Pamco iggy w/ ultimate coil, plugs at .035 gap. I've cleaned the carbs a few times (soaked in cleaner and can sprayed) floats set, new kits used. Using Seafoan in gas (its made a big difference for the better. Its like the final cleaning). I don't need to use the choke when starting. Plug check is a touch dark. I'm at a loss.

 

[5twins]

That's the problem here, no one has ever reported the complete Canadian BS34 jetting specs. We know about the needle and needle jet but no one really knows where that needle was set from the factory or if the mains and pilots differed from the American spec in those carbs. From the description of your problem, I would try a smaller pilot or larger air jet, or maybe both. Or maybe just larger air jets with the American stock pilot. There's no way to say really. You may be breaking new ground here and experimenting will be the only way to solve the problem.

 

[azman857]

(Sigh) Surly theres a retired Yamaha MC mechanic in Canada that can recall the stock jetting for the BS34's or an old Canadian dealership level repair manuals. Somewhere...

 

[5twins]

I've been active on these lists now for several years and nothing has come to light yet. I sure would like to find out about this too. The way MikesXS advertises these parts, they appear to be a drop-in mod and improvement. I don't think they could be. When you change one circuit in a carb, you usually have to adjust the ones next to it as well. In this case, that would mean tweaking the main and pilot circuit to match.

 

[azman857]

I agree 5twins

 

[retiredgentleman]

What's not known by the general motorcycle public, is that each Canadian model came with a ski that was easily mounted under the front wheel. Chains for the rear tire and an oil heater were available as a dealer option. Since these items were well used for 10 months of the year, very few have survived to this day. Of course these original items are still highly sought after by us riders north of the 49 th parallel, and command a high dollar value if they could be found.

Seriously, my bike (78SE) came with a 36 rear sprocket. Excellent for drag racing from red light to red light, but not so good for the expressway. I now use a 33 rear, which works very well.

 

[azman857]

Yeah, thats on my list for the next chain/sproket change is to change my rear sproket to a 32 from a 34. I want to wear out the present set first.

 

[jamesgs4]

Just change the sprocket now, it could be years before it wears out if you keep everything maintained properly.

 

[Lunatic]

My experience from tearing apart my (Canadian) carbs is that all the other jets were the same sizes as the specs for the US models. But at 30 yrs old, who knows if that was stock.

 

[5twins]

How about the needle clip position? Do you recall where that was set?

 

[650Skull]

Here in Aus the the 34's have the same needle-jet as the Canadian 34's. I am in the process off putting new diaphragms in my carb s now and the needles have no adjustment. My main jet is a 30, don't know what the air jet is.

I made the mistake of assuming our 34'2 were set up the same as the US 34's so i ordered a set of Canadian needles and needle-jets to stop any leanness and when i pulled the needle-jet out i found it was the same as the ones i bought. xsjohn was in the early part of his needle development at the time and i asked him about the differences and he didn't answer me on that one.

 

[Lunatic]

How about the needle clip position? Do you recall where that was set?

It was set in the middle when I got it, but like I said I can't say that was the original position.

 

[Chuck]

I have just put in the Canadian needle and seats on my USA 80 BS34s. It’s a disaster. I think it needs a smaller pilot and or air jet. Telltale sign is that I can't adjust the idle jet, it seems to get better after 4 or more turns out (hard to say it’s so bad), which my guide says is a problem with the pilot jets. Until I hear how to do it, I am going back to the stock needle and seat. It’s just too hard for a greenhorn like me to figure out. Very diapointing though. Oh yea I have stock pipes but was using little foam air pods. I don't think it was about the little pods, its just runs too bad for that. I think I may go back to the stock air box. I read in this forum its way better than the pods on the XS650. So maybe I should have just gone up on the mains and called it good.

 

[azman857]

I installed my Canadian needles in the middle slot to start. This is after a soaking carb clean, followed up with a LOT of spraying with carb cleaner( too make sure all was clear) reassembled with Mikes carb kit. I got the bike running but it was rich(judging by the plugs). Lowered the needles and started running seafoam in the gas. That made it run worse, but it slowly improved as I rode it around the neiborhood. It was the Seafoam doing its thing. I've had to drop the float bowls a few times and they are so clean due to the Seafoam. Yes, I run a filter on my fuel line. It got to a point where there was a sputtering betgween 2500-3500 rpm. I had to really rev it to get over that gap. going to a 45 pilot helped. I finally started raising the needle and for me it was cured at the #4 (from the top). Its such a pleasure to ride now. Plugs are clean burning. I'm still using the stock 135 mains. I'm using the stock airfilters and housings and exhaust. It's working for me. I live in Tucson AZ and we are about 2500 ft.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks AZman, Wow that’s some good advice.
I had the needle set at second from the bottom. I moved it up to the middle slot and chenged from the 135 main back to the stock 132.5. this evening but still had the problem with the idle mixture and yes its really rich. I switched back to the stock main because the carburetor guide said that the large main will affect the idle mixture. But as I said it didn't help much. I will try going up a notch on the needle to lean it out. If that’s better maybe I will order the 45 pilots.

I did all the cleaning as you did but not the Seafoam, which sounds like a good idea. How much Seafoam in a small XS gas tank???