Hi All

[Ozboy]

Hi All
Just bought my first bike ever and its a 1979 XS650sp. Love the forum and wont take delivery of my bike from Japan for a few weeks yet so I have alot of reading to go thru. A few things I want to do first to it are to make it my daily ride more reliable:
- Electronic Ignition
-PMA Alternator
-Tidy it all up.
Attched photos of the bike.
Keep up the great work and I think I will be on her here alot.
Nate

 

[lakeview]

Welcome and Happy New Year from the other side of the world.

 

[Ozboy]

Happy New Year to you too.

 

[richardthemotorcycle1]

Welcome and Happy New year. looks like a great project for the new year.

 

[Kathos]

Looks like a pretty solid bike right now

 

[Airwolfie]

Wow! Nice find!! Looks pretty decent!!!

Probably only needs a dusting, brake bleed,and fuses changed to blade type fuses, perhaps new tires and a new battery?

Keep us posted!

 

[650Skull]

Welcome from the FNQ on the east coast.

Looks like a good start and personally i like the 78/79 Specials because they have the metal side-covers and hinged seat.

FACT: There is a preconceived idea that the XS650 charging system is not reliable. This is not true. Poor maintenance is the main contributor.

There are threads in the tech menu, (electrical), and ID sticky (in the garage) that cover every thing needed to diagnose and trouble shoot problems with the Stator/Rotor/regulator/rectifier and cheep alternatives to replacing the regulator and rectifier.

The cooler could be a problem on the bike. The hoses are facing down so when the bike has stopped all the oil will drain out of the cooler. On start up the the pump has to force the oil up to the cooler and fill it before any can return to the engine, that is a lot of work that the XS pump is not designed for
I question how much and how long it takes the oil to get to the head when starting up, if the cooler is taking oil from the head during this time then is the cam and tappets getting the oil required. If not for some time there will be damage done.

The cooler hoses should be entering the top, (flip cooler), and the cooler could be mounted lower down in front of the motor mount. This means the cooler will always be full of oil and the travel time to and from the cooler will be minimized.

Brake hoses need to be checked or replaced with SS lines, rubber hoses d-laminate over time.

Complements of the season.

 

[Ozboy]

650Skull
Thanks for all those fantastic tips. I was reading about coolers and the way the hoses should face so it will be the first thing I will be doing to get it right. Everything else you mentioned is on my list plus new brake lines.
Big Thanks!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... I question how much and how long it takes the oil to get to the head when starting up...

Now, that's a good mental exercise.

The oil pump, in good shape, is rated at 1.3 litres/minute at 1000 rpm, just below idle speed. If we assume, due to oil distribution and the restrictor in the oil pipe fitting, that the oil delivered to the head is somewhere less than half of total flow, then it probably gets less than 600cc/minute, or about 10cc/second. Much less if it's hot.

Now, if we assume a total volume of a drained/emptied front tube fitted oil cooler and its plumbing of about 200cc, then, at 10cc/sec, it could take a minimum of about 20 seconds to get oil flowing in the head. Of course, worn parts and hot oil would make that longer.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi All
Just bought my first bike ever and its a 1979 XS650sp. Love the forum and wont take delivery of my bike from Japan for a few weeks yet so I have alot of reading to go thru. A few things I want to do first to it are to make it my daily ride more reliable:
- Electronic Ignition
-PMA Alternator
-Tidy it all up.
Attched photos of the bike.
Keep up the great work and I think I will be on her here alot.
Nate

Hi Nate and welcome,
what Skull said.