First time rehab of a 1976ish basket case

Should I cut down front fender or leave it?

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It's a possibility that someone welded over the old VIN and stamped a new number to get around the NY title stuff 5Twins just mentioned...
 
JimD54 said:
It's a possibility that someone welded over the old VIN and stamped a new number to get around the NY title stuff 5Twins just mentioned...
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That had to be the case. now I have to figure out what year it actually is! Or at least get close enough for when time comes to address steering stem bearings and the like. Exciting stuff, I'm off to google images to play "find the difference"
 
Parts are so easily swapped around on these bikes that it is sometimes difficult to figure out exactly what you've got. Some things will need to come apart to I.D. them exactly. For instance, the forks. '76 and older forks had 34mm diameter tubes. '77 was the 1st year for bigger 35mm tube forks but they were a one year only version. '78 and later forks had internal differences, the damper rods mostly. Something you could easily check is the top caps. The '77 forks had a plain plug cap, the '78 and later ones had an adjustable spring preload cap.

f7hXHI0.jpg


But that's still not 100% proof. All those parts can be swapped around. The preload adjuster caps and newer style damper rods could be swapped into '77 forks, or vice versa.
 
You've got quite a project going on there, Greasy! You said you had a transferrable registration? And the VIN on the registration is the same as the frame? Vehicles in the Republik of New York did not require titles until after 1973. So, the state thinks the motorcycle was made '73 or earlier. The neck (the only place the VIN is located) could've been "transplanted" from a wreck, or any other motorcycle, and as long as the numbers match the registration, it's all legit.
It's a Frankenstein fer sure! "Stock", "OEM", and "Restoration" went out the window years ago! Fix what you got, run what you brung, and ride the wheels off it!
And check the classifieds here first! If you need something, this would be the best place to start, providing you don't need "new". Best of luck! :bike:
 
5twins said:
Parts are so easily swapped around on these bikes that it is sometimes difficult to figure out exactly what you've got. Some things will need to come apart to I.D. them exactly. For instance, the forks. '76 and older forks had 34mm diameter tubes. '77 was the 1st year for bigger 35mm tube forks but they were a one year only version. '78 and later forks had internal differences, the damper rods mostly. Something you could easily check is the top caps. The '77 forks had a plain plug cap, the '78 and later ones had an adjustable spring preload cap.

f7hXHI0.jpg


But that's still not 100% proof. All those parts can be swapped around. The preload adjuster caps and newer style damper rods could be swapped into '77 forks, or vice versa.
Click to expand...
Fork oil swap is on the agenda too, might have to address that sooner than later for another clue. Maybe if the tubes are 35mm without preload adj I'll be able to assume that frame and forks came together. Also it's been established that it's a '79 standard motor, its starting to look more and more like somewhere between 77-79 if I'm reading everything correctly
 
LiveSlowDieWhenever said:
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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Start with the ID chart..........This has been put together by a guy who has done his homework and is very knowledgeable on the XS. His site https://thexscafedotcom.wordpress.com/

I have done a whole lot of confirmations on models, (using his chart with permission), by getting no's from members off here, (these were done with photos of the vin sticker and frame/engine nos). The Production run no's of some models have the finishing production/run no. Others have the Yamaha max Possible production no and this is usually 101 no's behind the next model. On the chart i have color coded the models that are confirmed

It is feasible the finishing production/run no could be wrong. That being said i worry that your vin no doesn't correspond with the chart......It is not even close to the XS2 Vin no 12,000 above the final run no, 12,000 is a big difference as it is almost double the full production run recorded..................and your frame is definatly not an XS2.........If we look at the XSB whose no starts with 100101,.....It is 40,000 no's above the XSB US final run no and this is just way to much for the chart to be wrong i feel........Up until the XSB all bikes Production no were world specific, meaning the models sold all over the world were from the same batch no. from 75 The models batch no were different for the different countries they were sold to.......US......Europe.........C models could be specific to Europe, France, US, all having different Sets of no's.

If your paper work coincides with the frame no and it states its an XS2 i would not inform them of the differences and be content if the registration has no hiccups..........Enjoy the bike as it is........I guess the only consideration is has the bike been stolen and re-stamped.
 
59Tebo said:
You've got quite a project going on there, Greasy! You said you had a transferrable registration? And the VIN on the registration is the same as the frame? Vehicles in the Republik of New York did not require titles until after 1973. So, the state thinks the motorcycle was made '73 or earlier. The neck (the only place the VIN is located) could've been "transplanted" from a wreck, or any other motorcycle, and as long as the numbers match the registration, it's all legit.
It's a Frankenstein fer sure! "Stock", "OEM", and "Restoration" went out the window years ago! Fix what you got, run what you brung, and ride the wheels off it!
And check the classifieds here first! If you need something, this would be the best place to start, providing you don't need "new". Best of luck! :bike:
Click to expand...
Yes thank you! This bike absolutely captures the true maverick spirit of riding. Appreciate the support, she should be back in fighting condition in no time
 
You know that the frame and forks are 77 and forward Standard, and that's all you need to know when it comes to steering head bearings. If you get into the forks to change seals, etc., the only year-to-year difference you'll need to be aware of is that 77 damper rods have tops with two raised flats on them, while 78 and forward rods have a recessed 17 mm. 12-point top. Guys like to show off their welding skills making a special tool for these; I just fit a coupling nut into a 17 mm. socket, tape it in place, and stack up a bunch of extensions.
 
650Skull said:
Start with the ID chart..........This has been put together by a guy who has done his homework and is very knowledgeable on the XS. His site https://thexscafedotcom.wordpress.com/

I have done a whole lot of confirmations on models, (using his chart with permission), by getting no's from members off here, (these were done with photos of the vin sticker and frame/engine nos). The Production run no's of some models have the finishing production/run no. Others have the Yamaha max Possible production no and this is usually 101 no's behind the next model. On the chart i have color coded the models that are confirmed

It is feasible the finishing production/run no could be wrong. That being said i worry that your vin no doesn't correspond with the chart......It is not even close to the XS2 Vin no 12,000 above the final run no, 12,000 is a big difference as it is almost double the full production run recorded..................and your frame is definatly not an XS2.........If we look at the XSB whose no starts with 100101,.....It is 40,000 no's above the XSB US final run no and this is just way to much for the chart to be wrong i feel........Up until the XSB all bikes Production no were world specific, meaning the models sold all over the world were from the same batch no. from 75 The models batch no were different for the different countries they were sold to.......US......Europe.........C models could be specific to Europe, France, US, all having different Sets of no's.

If your paper work coincides with the frame no and it states its an XS2 i would not inform them of the differences and be content if the registration has no hiccups..........Enjoy the bike as it is........I guess the only consideration is has the bike been stolen and re-stamped.
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's looking like that's the case. If anyone in a button up shirt with a clipboard askes it's an xs2, but I think I've managed to close down on this frame and motor's actual heritage.. at least close enough to replace what I need to. Time will tell. Ps it was registered insured and inspected acouple towns over as recently as last year so I'm hopeful there will be no hiccups
 
grizld1 said:
You know that the frame and forks are 77 and forward Standard, and that's all you need to know when it comes to steering head bearings. If you get into the forks to change seals, etc., the only year-to-year difference you'll need to be aware of is that 77 damper rods have tops with two raised flats on them, while 78 and forward rods have a recessed 17 mm. 12-point top. Guys like to show off their welding skills making a special tool for these; I just fit a coupling nut into a 17 mm. socket, tape it in place, and stack up a bunch of extensions.
Click to expand...
I watched a few videos that showed the old "electrode measuring contest" and it seemed like stacking extensions made more sense. We'll find out soon enough!
 
I would not assume any thing relating to the year of the parts.........77 35mm forks are different to the 78-83 35mm forks. Your tank is of a 74/75 model and has manual petcocks........78/79 Standard tanks have vacuum petcocks......Identify your carbs. linked carbs are from 76/77-78/79 and they changed so the jetting is different on each set of carbs. As said earlier the front hub cover plate is chrome, 73-76.......77 and later hubs had a plastic cover. Could have been changed and doesn't make any difference to the bearings or any hub parts.........Just more intrigue and another caution due to the so may parts from different years.

just need to post pics before work in most cases. The top of the 77 forks are different to the later 78-83........
 
650Skull said:
I would not assume any thing relating to the year of the parts.........77 35mm forks are different to the 78-83 35mm forks. Your tank is of a 74/75 model and has manual petcocks........78/79 Standard tanks have vacuum petcocks......Identify your carbs. linked carbs are from 76/77-78/79 and they changed so the jetting is different on each set of carbs. As said earlier the front hub cover plate is chrome, 73-76.......77 and later hubs had a plastic cover. Could have been changed and doesn't make any difference to the bearings or any hub parts.........Just more intrigue and another caution due to the so may parts from different years.

just need to post pics before work in most cases. The top of the 77 forks are different to the later 78-83........
Click to expand...
Thanks for the perspective. No more obsessing about "what year" from now on, it's been established that it's all over the place. Due diligence and a cautious approach will be the name of the game from here forward. Does it still make sense to wire based on an xs2 diagram though? My logic being that it has the simplest wiring while still including elec start and seperate reg/rec. everything from the ign and charging standpoint seems to match up.. also all dummy lights and tach have been stripped off of this bike and for now I don't think I'll be replacing them, MAYBE a tach for tuning assistance
 
LiveSlowDieWhenever said:
Does it still make sense to wire based on an xs2 diagram though?
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If it were me, I'd take inventory of the electrics I have... and match that to the wiring diagram that most closely matches what you have. Diagrams are in the tech section.
 
JimD54 said:
If it were me, I'd take inventory of the electrics I have... and match that to the wiring diagram that most closely matches what you have. Diagrams are in the tech section.
Click to expand...
I may be misspeaking as I'm going from memory, but I believe 72 was the first year with elec start? Tomorrow afternoon will be back in the lab scratching my head and chewing on spanners like a cave person with a Dino bone.
 
Back in the late '80s and '90s the XS650 had a small following, and was one of the least wanted and most despised motorcycles on the road. Example: in 1997 I bought a Heritage Special, complete and in very nice condition with 7500 miles on the clock, for $100 from a salvage yard. It had gone DOR due to minor fuse box problems. The owner walked away from the bike--left it by the road, and evidently didn't consider it worth the towing fee after the state had it picked up. It was sold to me with a salvage title, and in Illinois that means that the bike can never be registered again, period; it's strictly a parts source. Provenance of your bike could be similar.
 
Ok all, again a million thanks for all of the input and advice. I'd literally be lost without all of your support so early in this endevour. I'm off to dream of a running bike, I work a 4:00 am shift and that morning alarm really sneaks up on me. I hope to provide y'all with some more details and slowww progress tomorrow! Cheers
 
grizld1 said:
Back in the late '80s and '90s the XS650 had a small following, and was one of the least wanted and most despised motorcycles on the road. Example: in 1997 I bought a Heritage Special, complete and in very nice condition with 7500 miles on the clock, for $100 from a salvage yard. It had gone DOR due to minor fuse box problems. The owner walked away from the bike--left it by the road, and evidently didn't consider it worth the towing fee after the state had it picked up. It was sold to me with a salvage title, and in Illinois that means that the bike can never be registered again, period; it's strictly a parts source. Provenance of your bike could be similar.
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That certainly could be the case, fortunately no title so no salvage! It was on the road last year, and it'll be on the road again this year! Funny enough, I didn't pay much more than that for this parts bucket, but I'm fully expecting it to be "worth" much more than that by the time I'm done throwing my bank account at it
 
JimD54 said:
It's a possibility that someone welded over the old VIN and stamped a new number to get around the NY title stuff 5Twins just mentioned...
Click to expand...

On the older bikes, is the vin that far up on the neck? Mine starts mid way where the 6 digit number is and down to the bottom.
 
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