Are there fewer XS650’s around now?

Guess you got the clutch and the center stand fasteners on that Tiger straightened out, Mike. Congrats.

Sure, with the stock suspension the XS650 handles poorly. It takes time and money, but if you know what you're doing (a very big if in most cases) you can make the old machine dance without surgery.

Yeah, Marty, we're getting old, and the older I get the slower I get. My bike is lazy in the corners now, and I'm the reason. At some point in the next 5 years it'll be time to hang up the helmet.
Count me in as one person who won't hold you to that 5 year time line.
If it turns out to be 10 or 15 or 20 years, that would be OK, too.

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As to the original question, Bob, Yes there are less XS650's around. Like air cooled VW's, Ford Model T's and A's, attrition due to collectors, accidents, rusted away, Hot Rodders, Old/former owners stashed their ride away to go to service/war and don't come home due to forgetting, dieing, career, family or whatever keeps them from returning to their old ride. Hopefully those rides get rediscovered by new owners of the property and not scraped. Maybe grampa's(Dad's)? ride gets inherited, restored, revived by the grandson(daughter?) . Chopped/Hacked apart for "customising" and never finished (or can't be finished) due to lack of interest, funds dry up, changing priorities, or who knows. Every bike that disappears has a story.....
 
Yeah, Mike, I was "that guy"--Dick Russell, you know, the guy who's written the tech articles in the Society News for the last 12 years or so and tied up your center stand with zip ties for you before it did a comealoose and put you on your head. I remember that ride very well. You were setting the pace; Don and I just kept you in the rear view. On the first leg, with you in the middle and me on sweep, we cruised at 40 mph. When we changed places and you were the guy at risk of getting run over, the pace picked up to a cruising speed of 50.
 
XS's are getting harder to find around here too. Yea couple chopped up one's here and there but the nice origainals are rare ( a very nice original 81 special found me just recently) and i have another basket case that will get chopped but i drove 4 hours away for that one. Prices are also going crazy on the chops and cafe' bikes, nice originals are almost untouchable unless your independetly wealthy.
 
I hope the lads keep on chopping. Every bike they cut up, just makes my stock bike more valuable:)
When I see stock 78 Specials like mine selling for $10,000 USD, I might consider selling it.
But that's a big might!
 
YamadudeXS650C, is that you in the pic? Very easy to visualize him at age 20.
:laugh2:
Oh, I do wish that was me, as I'd like to own that sweet vintage English bike.
I'm not quite that old :).
But I did post a picture of myself yesterday on another thread.
 
I can't remember the last time I saw an XS here on the road in Kansas City... been years. Kinda sad really.
 
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What is this bike? I can't read it when I enlarge it. The girder front end makes it pretty old and the water cooling is very unusual for that time period and furthermore, is that a V-4 engine? It almost has to be British, but what?
 
What is this bike? I can't read it when I enlarge it. The girder front end makes it pretty old and the water cooling is very unusual for that time period and furthermore, is that a V-4 engine? It almost has to be British, but what?
Oh, you would think I would know what it is, having posted it :rolleyes:
Actually, I did post this photo a couple years ago, and we did settle on what it is.
Being an Old Fart, I can't remember.
Lets hope someone can recall............
 
What is this bike? I can't read it when I enlarge it. The girder front end makes it pretty old and the water cooling is very unusual for that time period and furthermore, is that a V-4 engine? It almost has to be British, but what?
It's an AJS V4
 
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