First time rehab of a 1976ish basket case

Should I cut down front fender or leave it?

  • Total voters
    7
Here's some ID charts from the TECH section. Frame S/N is on the steering head. Motor S/N is on the front of the cases at the motor mount.
 
grizld1 said:
Uh, gotta beg to differ, 5T. When no numbers on the motor or frame match the paperwork, it could be a very bad thing.

Hope this project turns out well for you, Greasy. You have a good handle on what needs to be done and a good attitude on doing it. Welcome.​
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Haha, yeah that's more the response I was expecting! But the best thing about a can of worms, when you get to frustrated you pick it up and go fishing!
 
5twins said:
The extra disc mount is normal on the later forks but a '72 didn't have it. After looking at some '72 model pics, your frame appears to be a later one too. Notice how the '72 eBay headpipes lower tab doesn't come anywhere near the frame mounts you have. All of this really isn't a bad thing. Parts will be easier to come by (and cheaper) for your later model assemblies. You'll just need to positively nail down the year of some of the things like the motor and carbs.
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The photo on the headers showed them on a chopped out rat rod, so I'd just assumed mounting tabs had been relocated (head slap) but you're absolutely right it could be a blessing in disguise. More pics incoming
 
Ok JimD54, here's the points. Don't know what I'm looking at, aside from nothing looking too shot and it started and ran before i pulled wiring.
IMG_3430.JPG
5twins here's the front fork assembly, I also had just assumed that they were a direct swap between earlier and later model trees, but are you thinking maybe someone just had a clean titled xs2 and built everything around the vin?
IMG_3427.JPG
Here's some stamping above can chain adj. also looking like some weeping around hg. Not even close to ready to address that yet though
IMG_3426.JPG
 
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There is nothing on the bike that is pre 74.

Tank is 74/75, Front hub Rotor spacer cap is 74-76, front forks/rotor/Caliper 77-83, Rear hub plate 78-81, Frame 74-79 Standard.

A tell on the Frame showing it is not a 72. Usually the main visual is the rear passenger peg mount but it has been removed, The top of the rear shock is different and the mounting point/bracket on the frame is different. Main visual is the 70-73 frames front down tubes have a kink in them just below the front engine mount.
Some visuals to compare with your bike.
xs_right_3 u.jpg 72 Front end v.jpg

Footnote. I see you have posted the Frame Vin no, Defiantly states it an early XS frame prefix, S650......as long as it matches the paperwork.........The stamping S650 looks sus and the no does not relate to any of the 70-73 Frame no's.........The only one i can see ot relates to is an XSB and then it makes it a very high production run no...........Frame no makes it there were 40,000 XSB's sold in the US alone


Engine No matches a 79F Standard
 
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JimD54 said:
I guess the more important question is does the frame S/N (VIN) match the paperwork... the title?
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It does! Bike only came with transferable registration, I guess that's the deal here in ny. But still can't find any conclusive matches to the vin! Guess I can't call it a 72 anymore..
 
650Skull said:
There is nothing on the bike that is pre 74.

Tank is 74/75, Front hub Rotor spacer cap is 74-76, front forks/rotor/Caliper 77-83, Rear hub plate 78-81, Frame 74-79 Standard.

A tell on the Frame showing it is not a 72. Usually the main visual is the rear passenger peg mount but it has been removed, The top of the rear shock is different and the mounting point/bracket on the frame is different. Main visual is the 70-73 frames front down tubes have a kink in them just below the front engine mount.
Some visuals to compare with your bike.
View attachment 127184 View attachment 127185

Footnote. I see you have posted the Frame Vin no, Defiantly states it ann early XS
Click to expand...
650Skull said:
There is nothing on the bike that is pre 74.

Tank is 74/75, Front hub Rotor spacer cap is 74-76, front forks/rotor/Caliper 77-83, Rear hub plate 78-81, Frame 74-79 Standard.

A tell on the Frame showing it is not a 72. Usually the main visual is the rear passenger peg mount but it has been removed, The top of the rear shock is different and the mounting point/bracket on the frame is different. Main visual is the 70-73 frames front down tubes have a kink in them just below the front engine mount.
Some visuals to compare with your bike.
View attachment 127184 View attachment 127185

Footnote. I see you have posted the Frame Vin no, Defiantly states it ann early XS
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Thanks 650, this can of worms just keeps getting deeper! Oh well, what's an old bike without a good story to tell, right? Still very confused about frame no. Since it's just past the cutoff for a 72 (133900, mines stamped 145721) and the tx's start at 2something. Good to know approx what years the brake components are for when it's time to work on them
 
JimD54 said:
I guess the more important question is does the frame S/N (VIN) match the paperwork... the title?
Oh... and you've got OEM points on the iggy system.
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Yeah I'm going to try to keep the ign and charging systems until the decide they don't want to play ball anymore. Can't believe how all over the place this bike is, year wise. If people ask what year it is, I'm gonna have to reply "good question" and start doing long division on a bar napkin
 
650Skull said:
There is nothing on the bike that is pre 74.

Tank is 74/75, Front hub Rotor spacer cap is 74-76, front forks/rotor/Caliper 77-83, Rear hub plate 78-81, Frame 74-79 Standard.

A tell on the Frame showing it is not a 72. Usually the main visual is the rear passenger peg mount but it has been removed, The top of the rear shock is different and the mounting point/bracket on the frame is different. Main visual is the 70-73 frames front down tubes have a kink in them just below the front engine mount.
Some visuals to compare with your bike.
View attachment 127184 View attachment 127185

Footnote. I see you have posted the Frame Vin no, Defiantly states it an early XS frame prefix, S650......as long as it matches the paperwork.........The stamping S650 looks sus and the no does not relate to any of the 70-73 Frame no's.........The only one i can see ot relates to is an XSB and then it makes it a very high production run no...........Frame no makes it there were 40,000 XSB's sold in the US alone


Engine No matches a 79F Standard
Click to expand...
650Skull said:
There is nothing on the bike that is pre 74.

Tank is 74/75, Front hub Rotor spacer cap is 74-76, front forks/rotor/Caliper 77-83, Rear hub plate 78-81, Frame 74-79 Standard.

A tell on the Frame showing it is not a 72. Usually the main visual is the rear passenger peg mount but it has been removed, The top of the rear shock is different and the mounting point/bracket on the frame is different. Main visual is the 70-73 frames front down tubes have a kink in them just below the front engine mount.
Some visuals to compare with your bike.
View attachment 127184 View attachment 127185

Footnote. I see you have posted the Frame Vin no, Defiantly states it an early XS frame prefix, S650......as long as it matches the paperwork.........The stamping S650 looks sus and the no does not relate to any of the 70-73 Frame no's.........The only one i can see ot relates to is an XSB and then it makes it a very high production run no...........Frame no makes it there were 40,000 XSB's sold in the US alone


Engine No matches a 79F Standard
Click to expand...
So you think it was possinly an xsb that was restamped with a xs2 prefix? I'd imagine that was easy to do when this bike was in its heyday.. also included is a photo of the front of frame, the "kinks" you were referring to in frame are where it sweeps out near the motor mount, correct? Don't seem to be here on my bike
 

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JimD54 said:
I suppose it's possible that chart is in error. I'm leanin' toward XS2...
See if you can get a good shot of the front downtubes.
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650skull Seems to think it may be an xsb frame, hopefully more photos will result in a positive id. The suspense is killing me
 

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The tops of the downtubes have a tube wrapped around the top... a tube within a tube. It was much smaller on the XS2....

14994-1378890253-3bbe2a8f0ed3b811882e48fafe90c38a.jpg

22.jpg


Yours appear to be the longer newer downtubes.
 
JimD54 said:
The tops of the downtubes have a tube wrapped around the top... a tube within a tube. It was much smaller on the XS2....

View attachment 127189
View attachment 127190

Yours appear to be the longer newer downtubes.
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My downtubes do sleeve, but not until they're below the headers... thanks Jim! I've been looking at photos of all years xs's but it's tough to differentiate from photos.. time to rename this thread to "some kind of 650" I guess. Ps you guys are all awesome and I'm amazed at the support from so many users after just one day! Amazing group of folks
 
You also have the later one piece front motor mount. The early bikes and frames just had 2 plates. You also have the '77-on post mounted side stand. All earlier ones were a clevis mount.
 
N.Y.S. didn't start issuing titles for bikes until '73. Prior to that, you just used the old registration as a "title".
 
5twins said:
You also have the later one piece front motor mount. The early bikes and frames just had 2 plates. You also have the '77-on post mounted side stand. All earlier ones were a clevis mount.
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Thanks 5t, So it's at least a 77, I'll start looking for other defining factors now to narrow things down. Passenger pegs have been removed but there's still some marring on the frame maybe I can use peg mount position in identification process. Said it before and I'll say it again, you guys are fantastic. had no idea there would be this kind of support here
 
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