First bike, first restoration 72 XS2

[shawn00sa]

I noticed this bike in a friends garage a few years back. After years of pestering him to sell with no luck,he finally broke down and sold it to me. I just picked the bike up on 6/20. They guy bought the bike used while he lived in CA. In 1976 he moved to Michigan and the bike has been sitting in his garage since then. It was dirty, the motor was seized, the tires were flat and looked like a mess. I had no idea what a XS was or what it was worth but it looked like a fun project.

First thing I did was take to a the car wash.

 

[shawn00sa]

Now the work began. Fortunately I work at a motorcycle company(We build motocross bikes for kids) and this project was I am able to keep the bike at work and work on it after hours. Monday morning I put WD40 in the cylinders and hoped for the best. By lunch time the engine was broke free and I was on cloud 9. That was until I opened the gas tank cap. Wow what a mess.

For the rest of the week I dis-assembled stuff and spent time cleaning carbs and rebuilding them. We have an ultrasonic cleaner at work and this thing is the bomb. The petcocks were CLOGGED and required more time than the carbs by far. This included making new parts for the reserve system and cleaning them all up. The carbs didn't even require a rebuild kit.

 

[shawn00sa]

Spark was easy. It just needed a battery and it had spark. No adjustments to the points or anything. I was so anxious to see if it would run. I rigged up a ketchup bottle and some fuel lines, installed the carbs and crossed my fingers.

Yes I changed the oil and put new plugs in it before attempted this.

Here is what happened. It fired up!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200864905721615&set=vb.1133593312&type=3

 

[shawn00sa]

Now I have to fix these darn brakes. Any suggestions?

 

[jb_supermoto]

Awesome purchase! I love my '72. I thought you were going to throw it on the floor at the end of the video! I'll be watching this thread for more pics.. Here is a pic of mine just after I got it last year for inspiration! It's had a few upgrades since then. Just don't have a recent pic..

 

[shawn00sa]

I cleaned up some chrome today.

 

[shawn00sa]

Here was the title I got with the bike.

 

[jb_supermoto]

Keep it coming Shawn! If you need a picture of anything to re-assemble I have a fairly stock '72 as well.. Have fun and good luck!

 

[kithrak]

What method did you use to clean up the chrome so well?

 

[shawn00sa]

Oxacilic acid....wood bleach. I mixed a tub of this with 5 gallons of water and then just soaked the parts in it. Some took 3 or 4 hours and some took 12 or more. I bought the stuff from a hardware store. Just soak the parts ans then rinse them off with water. I have not even used a chrome polish yet.