Finally got my XS

[BlackRabbit18]

Finally got my XS1 last night! She’s not running at the moment but everything seems mostly to be there. will start going through everything soon. 8,000 indicated miles. Any tips on XS1s would be great, I know they are slightly different in a few ways than the rest of the bunch.

 

[Adamc]

Great looking starting point. Welcome to the shed of dreams; and post plenty of updates and piccies.

 

[drgonzo]

Nice score!

 

[motormike]

Nice project... I know early units had weak piston con rod issues. Mine failed and I used a Tx (73') crank assembly. Can't make out your taillight but we'll assume it has the Yamaha dirt bike unit. Yours has fork gathers... they were dropped during the production run. If you do an engine top end .. pistons etc etc... this is the model year the requires breaking the cam chain.... the gravity the chain runs in between the cylinders has a web connection. Mike's Xs sells re-pop stock mufflers. I'd go proper restoration... do not bobber.. cafe'.. I help out at a small shop dealing with early Xs units... restorations.... and have done a few of the Xs1's..... parts are get'n difficult to find. (marks650yamahas)... You have an excellent base for restoration.

 

[BlackRabbit18]

Nice project... I know early units had weak piston con rod issues. Mine failed and I used a Tx (73') crank assembly. Can't make out your taillight but we'll assume it has the Yamaha dirt bike unit. Yours has fork gathers... they were dropped during the production run. If you do an engine top end .. pistons etc etc... this is the model year the requires breaking the cam chain.... the gravity the chain runs in between the cylinders has a web connection. Mike's Xs sells re-pop stock mufflers. I'd go proper restoration... do not bobber.. cafe'.. I help out at a small shop dealing with early Xs units... restorations.... and have done a few of the Xs1's..... parts are get'n difficult to find. (marks650yamahas)... You have an excellent base for restoration.

thanks for that! Yea my original goal was to make a scrambler out of a late model XS but found this one and looking to go more in the restoring route. Not perfectly OEM but "period correct" type mods.

 

[BlackRabbit18]

Great looking starting point. Welcome to the shed of dreams; and post plenty of updates and piccies.

will do!

 

[13R]

No need to break cam chain. You can just remove the bearings from the end of the cam, remove the tensioner from the rear of the cylinder and then slip the cam our from under the chain.
Tip 2: if you cut screwdriver slots in the tops of your head/cylinder hold-down studs you can remove the top end without pulling out the engine.

 

[650Skull]

Finally got my XS1 last night! She’s not running at the moment but everything seems mostly to be there. will start going through everything soon. 8,000 indicated miles. Any tips on XS1s would be great, I know they are slightly different in a few ways than the rest of the bunch.

This is what MotorMike was talking about............check your engine # against the chart.

Very early X1's got a 26mm wrist pin and little end on the conrod..........they had a problem and did break, (not all just a weakness), and exit the front of the engine.

 

[BlackRabbit18]

This is what MotorMike was talking about............check your engine # against the chart.
View attachment 229840
View attachment 229841

Very early X1's got a 26mm wrist pin and little end on the conrod..........they had a problem and did break, (not all just a weakness), and exit the front of the engine.

looks like engine and frame are numbers matching S650-003103... so is that something I want take care of nowish?

 

[BlackRabbit18]

Nice project... I know early units had weak piston con rod issues. Mine failed and I used a Tx (73') crank assembly. Can't make out your taillight but we'll assume it has the Yamaha dirt bike unit. Yours has fork gathers... they were dropped during the production run. If you do an engine top end .. pistons etc etc... this is the model year the requires breaking the cam chain.... the gravity the chain runs in between the cylinders has a web connection. Mike's Xs sells re-pop stock mufflers. I'd go proper restoration... do not bobber.. cafe'.. I help out at a small shop dealing with early Xs units... restorations.... and have done a few of the Xs1's..... parts are get'n difficult to find. (marks650yamahas)... You have an excellent base for restoration.

any way to tell if I have an early one or not? Id hate to finish the bike and have a conrod go

 

[Jim]

No need to break cam chain. You can just remove the bearings from the end of the cam, remove the tensioner from the rear of the cylinder and then slip the cam our from under the chain.

Not on the early 256 motors. There's a web cast into the chain tunnel in the cylinders. No way to get the chain around it. Has to be split.

 

[freddy3]

I'm jealous! Always thought the green XS was one of the nicest.
Looks like a great base for a restoration project. I hope you'll bring 'er back to OEM spec.