How far can you go on an XS650?

[gggGary]

View attachment 232119

Hard ass!

 

[xjwmx]

^Fun to try to identify parts on it.

 

[xjwmx]

The big thing I find is the sock special II seat is not designed for long saddle time (I’m 6’-2” and have longish legs).

For next year, I may need to fab up some highway pegs so that I can stretch my legs.

If that's the seat with the sudden step, some ppl replace it with a '80 seat, which has the same fitment and lets you slide back a little better. Its step is less extreme

 

[FLEA]

have ridden from cairns in nth qld to mildura in vic on a xs650 a couple of times , its 1777 miles or 2860 lks ea way , so long as the bike is healthy and u keep your maintance up ( 2 months grape harvest in mildura in between ) not a problem , also dont push the bike, by staying roughly in the speed limits the bikes handled the trips well , was loaded up with enough gear to live off the bike without carting the kitchen sink ... did the trip one way with a babe on the back with all our gear on a xt550 one time as well , also solo on a xt500 but that was only 1 way as sold it and bought a 4x4 for the trip home

 

[Jim]

Did an Iron Butt on an XS650 back in the early 80's.... late 70's? 'Course... that was before I even knew an Iron Butt was a "thing." I was just gone from home for far too long and was homesick. It was January and I'd spent the last 3 months at the White Sands Missile Range.
'78 XS was already loaded.... relieved of duties at 3pm... pulled into my driveway in Fla at about noon the next day.... frozen and numb. The follies of youth.
Only maintenance needed was the chain. It's a trip I would NOT recommend.
.... but the ol' XS never missed a beat.

EDIT: after sleeping on it, I recall it being dark when I pulled into my driveway, so I'm guessin' north of 24hrs... 28-30 maybe. Still....

 

[jetmechmarty]

These are Viking Cafe Racer bags. They were fine for five days at the hotel. The rain covers worked in torrential downpour. The bags are somewhat fiddly, but require no modifications to the bike. I made these purchases as they went on sale. I think they're a good value.

 

[Paleomechanic]

Soft bags , backpack….Whitehorse to Ottawa 2012….went back and got my duc out of storage and ran her the same way the summer after.
6500 km…8 days . No breakdowns on either one . Changed rear tires in Thunder Bay ( chip seal is hell on rubber…)
Nuf said .

 

[SEd27]

If that's the seat with the sudden step, some ppl replace it with a '80 seat, which has the same fitment and lets you slide back a little better. Its step is less extreme

No, it is the earlier style 79/80 one with less of a hump. it’s hard to see under all the stuff. I have learn how to pack less.

 

[xjwmx]

^It seems like it should hold more than it does. I never could figure out that picture on the previous page where Robert Pirsig fits that big bag and a kid too on that ~300cc bike. Beautiful bike by the way (yours).

 

[jetmechmarty]

Nuf said .

If you say more about it, I'll read it.

 

[Paleomechanic]

Haha
Yeah, I guess I could expand on a few Yukon and motorcycle stories and epic long hauls

I was living up in Whitehorse for years , and being on the Alaska Hwy. I saw EVERY manner of bike come up that road ….
Lots of Ewan and Charlie guys having a “ dream ride” ( or…crisis….it was hard to tell sometimes lol)

My favorite to this day, was this kid , halfway between Dawson City and Whitehorse , California Plates , old army duffel…. On. A. Honda. Cub !
That kid was just livin it ! , all I could think of was him in Northern BC on the Alaska with those big B train Semis behind him. I’ve never met anyone before or since that was so frikken happy to be out just doing life his own way !

One of the most memorable, also,
was me at
The Arctic Circle ( had dirt tires on my Ducati)

I’m chillin, having coffee… tour group
Shows up on GS 1200s absolutely loaded with spare tires, and everything else you could imagine…. Then there’s me … backpack, soft bags … brewing up on my whisper lite stove

They actually avoided me , until one of them spotted my Yukon Plate ….” He’s a LOCAL!”

So, we all chatted about what’s the “best bike “ etc…..except the tour guide …. I’ve never before actually seen a guy white with rage ….to cap it off I politely mentioned that the road gets a bit more difficult further north …. And perhaps they want to dump some gear at Eagle Plains … too
Much weight up top… it’s going to happen very fast….when the clay gets moist …

Tour guide…. Nope . We’re fine ….

He was medevac’ed out a couple days later after an epic high side

Riding in the north is awesome … I’ve dodged bison , bears and literally heards of caribou

Short season , but long sunny days .

I miss it alot

No, it’s not my XS…. But good pose none the less
The lake…yes, it’s frozen, it’s June …( muncho lake , northern BC Rockies)

 

[Jan_P]

Thinking out loud A Front Screen could be something to consider for JetM

About long rides on small bikes I once met a Young German somewhere mid between Oslo and Bergen .
In Norway. Westbound.
The road goes over the Mountain .And back then the road was not open all year I don't know how it is today.
If to much snow they closed it .I did not know this myself but this being in first 2 weeks July it was open.
The German had a smaller bike 175 cc or maybe 250 cc. No Motorcycle gear to speak off,
He only had the map back in a pocket Calendar that had Entire Norway in the Size of a card deck Playing card.
Not more than max 10 roads printed
He then said " I do believe my brake pads are worn "
I told him these are mountain roads steep up and down ---Some times Rock on one side and a several hundred meters drop down on the other side to the fjord. Concrete 0.5 meter wall keeping you on the road. That is if in a Car .On the Motorcycle you get Airborne if you hit that wall .and dies.
I dont think he listened .Which Young man does that.
All here knows that preparations and even a Plan and Plan B makes it safer and more enjoyable.
And have brakes serviced.

 

[46th Georgia]

Haha
Yeah, I guess I could expand on a few Yukon and motorcycle stories and epic long hauls

I was living up in Whitehorse for years , and being on the Alaska Hwy. I saw EVERY manner of bike come up that road ….
Lots of Ewan and Charlie guys having a “ dream ride” ( or…crisis….it was hard to tell sometimes lol)

My favorite to this day, was this kid , halfway between Dawson City and Whitehorse , California Plates , old army duffel…. On. A. Honda. Cub !
That kid was just livin it ! , all I could think of was him in Northern BC on the Alaska with those big B train Semis behind him. I’ve never met anyone before or since that was so frikken happy to be out just doing life his own way !

One of the most memorable, also,
was me at
The Arctic Circle ( had dirt tires on my Ducati)

I’m chillin, having coffee… tour group
Shows up on GS 1200s absolutely loaded with spare tires, and everything else you could imagine…. Then there’s me … backpack, soft bags … brewing up on my whisper lite stove

They actually avoided me , until one of them spotted my Yukon Plate ….” He’s a LOCAL!”

So, we all chatted about what’s the “best bike “ etc…..except the tour guide …. I’ve never before actually seen a guy white with rage ….to cap it off I politely mentioned that the road gets a bit more difficult further north …. And perhaps they want to dump some gear at Eagle Plains … too
Much weight up top… it’s going to happen very fast….when the clay gets moist …

Tour guide…. Nope . We’re fine ….

He was medevac’ed out a couple days later after an epic high side

Riding in the north is awesome … I’ve dodged bison , bears and literally heards of caribou

Short season , but long sunny days .

I miss it alot

No, it’s not my XS…. But good pose none the less
The lake…yes, it’s frozen, it’s June …( muncho lake , northern BC Rockies)

I understand that the Alaska H-Way is paved now. I know that it makes travel easier, but what does it mean to a real adventurer like yourself?

 

[Paleomechanic]

Well, there’s lots of Alaska hwy stories for sure ! I think I would have wanted to run it in the 1970s when you carried spare parts and expected “ delays lol”

Now days , you are right, it’s pretty tame ( the biggest risk is the extraordinarily high gas prices ..)

I moved to Rural west Quebec , where dirt roads abound, so I’m lucky there

I’m a bit of a re-tread, as i took a few years off from riding ( bikes) and am happy to be rigging my new to me XS as a desert sled for some good back road exploring

For real adventures though , I can default back to my life as a guide , but the mode of transportation I used was a bit different!

 

[xjwmx]

Well, there’s lots of Alaska hwy stories for sure ! I think I would have wanted to run it in the 1970s when you carried spare parts and expected “ delays lol”

Now days , you are right, it’s pretty tame ( the biggest risk is the extraordinarily high gas prices ..)

My dad drove my uncle to Alaska in the early 1960s to take my uncle to some school he'd gotten into. The uncle got homesick and got back before my dad did. I'd always thought it was a hunting trip for some reason; just recently learned the real story.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I had been believing that touring requires a huge bike. I guess it helps a lot if you need to run interstate highways at modern speeds.
In about 2007, I did about 3200 (or so) miles with my then 13 year old daughter. We did it on my very stock Eleven Special. It was hard to pack the minimum on that bike for changing latitude in spring.
I’ve thought if my wife decides she wants to go along, a Road King could be in order. A long trip is unlikely anytime soon. I’ll have to retire first. Before I get there my focus is maintaining my health to get me to that time.

 

[xjwmx]

I’ll have to retire first.

Cousin by marriage of mine died the day after he retired. His first day of retirement. Hadn't been sick. Was an oil executive of some kind and obit was in business magazines.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Cousin by marriage of mine died the day after he retired. His first day of retirement. Hadn't been sick. Was an oil executive of some kind and obit was in business magazines.

We should live every day like it’s our last.

 

[joebgd]

No, it is the earlier style 79/80 one with less of a hump. it’s hard to see under all the stuff. I have learn how to pack less.

Is that a suitcase secured to it? It probably holds more than the saddle bags I have.

 

[Paleomechanic]

My “go to” for years has been the North Face messenger bag ( the bigger ones) and , their terrific duffel.
It’s been hauled on bikes , bush planes , canoes and horses since 2009…these have been absolutely great !