Hi DB90,
the designers must have thought it was important but of all the bikes I've ever worked on,
the XS650 is the only one that has such a plate.
What is your front sprocket tooth count and what style of chain runs on it?
That rubber-shod plate will only accommodate a 17T sprocket with a standard weight chain on it.
18T with standard chain needs the rubber shaved off the plate, 17T with an O-ring chain needs the plate's removal.
Note that even with the plate gone there ain't enough space to run an O-ring chain on an 18T sprocket.
Yes, the chain has nibbled little grooves in my bike's shifter shaft over the years but hey!
I upgraded my XS650's chain and ditched that plate in 1988 and the shaft still only has two little wear notches
that don't affect the shifting at all.
