I guess I've joined your club now...

[michaelpthompson]

What a great forum! Glad to meet you all. I was sitting on a friend's back patio, drinking beer with some friends, when one of them happened to mention that he had a 1975 Yamaha that he'd part with for $200. Not running, uncertain history, but $200? I mean, how could I turn that down?

Haven't had a chance to look it over in detail yet, it's St. Patrick's Day week and I lead an Irish pub band, so I'm a bit busy right now, but I'll definitely be posting pics soon and asking lots of questions. I'm not looking to do an original restoration or some kind of show bike, but just turn it into something fun for the weekends, and maybe commuting.

I read a lot of advice about manuals, and looked at eBay. There's lots of Haynes and Clymer, which I'll look into, but there was one very interesting one that I bought to get started. It's from Cycleserv publications. Don't know much about them, but it only covers two models, and years and looks like it will be more detailed than the ones that cover all 1970-1983. Any other recommendations for good manuals to figure out what kind of shape this is in and do something about it? Love to hear your advice and even start a flame war if necessary. (Just kidding about that last part Moderator.)

I used to ride thirty years ago, but haven't done so for a long time now, so I'm excited to get back into it. A little leery about riding a motorcycle in city traffic; there are a lot of bozos out there, but I want to do something while I'm still young and healthy enough to enjoy it. Looking forward to some great times!

 

[figure8]

Welcome to the site, an overload of good info here.

 

[angus67]

What band? Insurgence?
Buy evey manual you can find. Each have there own strong points. Haynes is pretty much a copy of clymer, wich is a copy of haynes, so.....?
We love pictures. Practice in the sand box

 

[michaelpthompson]

The band is called Mulligan Stew because it's different every time. Thanks for all the welcomes.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Michael and one thousand welcomes,
We await the bike photos in it's new paint job.
Forty shades of green with shamrock tank decals, eh?

 

[lakeview]

Many members, me too, need to see pictures, please.
And, Happy St. Patricks Day! You will be busy tonight, hope the bar owner pays you extra.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

Welcome to the forum, one band member to another.

www.thebenderstallahassee.com

 

[XSLeo]

Welcome to our world.
On manuals I like the factory books best. I have them that cover all the years. Most in actual books, some in downloads. I have the Clymer and Haynes books too.
The Clymer and Haynes are good books to. They do have some errors, mostly in translation from Japanese and metric.
As angus said, having more than one manual is good. Comparing them often lets you find the errors. Can't have to many sources of info.
I use them all. I often reference them when helping on here, by page and pictures. This way it helps people find the info in their own books.
Leo

 

[richardthemotorcycle1]

welcome Michael, it was about 40years for me, starting riding 6 years ago. Once you start it will be like good old times all over again

 

[michaelpthompson]

Hi Michael and one thousand welcomes,
We await the bike photos in it's new paint job.
Forty shades of green with shamrock tank decals, eh?

Sounds like a plan Fred. At first I was thinking of the American flag design like Peter Fonda, but then it seemed like that might be kind of contradictory on a Japanese bike. Your idea sounds better, unless somebody thinks I'm trying to fake it up like the XS-1.

 

[Spockwerks]

Hello Michael, welcome aboard. Good to see new members coming along, and you have one of the most perplexing decisions to make...what to do for the paint. There are so many possibilities from a simple monotone green, to a classic mural, to a little mind bending graffiti/abstraction that it is almost limitless. I saw a tank with the original paint almost all sanded away then about 11 coats of clear on what remained. The result was impressive but you do need an eye for the abstract to fully appreciate what the guy did.
Thing to remember is that there are no rules when it comes to Art. A lot of people are not at all comfortable when faced with a series of design problems that have no real right or wrong answers, but this stuff is like oxygen for me. For my own bike I got a pencil, eraser, and a journal then started making sketches of as many different ideas as this old brain could muster. I got some good thought seedlings as well as some stinkers, but I am working at my own pace. Retirement is great. I am an Artist, a retired Art Teacher, I put myself through College by painting Choppers, building custom bikes, and a bit of repair work.
Once you get a few sketches you like,(they do not have to fit together that's what you are paying the Artist to do) find a painter you hit it off with, check out his samples and ask him for a preliminary sketch. If it looks good, haggle over a price, agree, and let him/her do their magic. It will likely take a few weeks, pay close attention to the care and maintenance instructions and you could have a work of Art that lasts 20 years or more even in the harsh environment of a motorcycle tank.
I hope this helps, post pictures when you have it all done.
Cheers, Spockwerks

 

[michaelpthompson]

OK, finally got a chance to take some photos today. Not what you'd call an impressive looking bike, but I'm looking forward to it more and more.

BTW, you may notice from the photos that the side covers are missing. How important are those to the function of the bike, i.e., protecting electrical components from the elements, etc.? I don't really care so much about the appearance, but are there practical reasons I should go to the trouble of trying to find some?

 

[michaelpthompson]

BTW, Most of the photos I see of these machines have twin exhausts. Mine seems to have two swept into a single on the right side. Any meaning to that, or is it a common variant?

Also, I remember seeing some place on the site telling where to find the engine serial number but now I can't locate it. Can somebody tell me where to look, so I can see if it matches the frame serial number? Thanks.

 

[Brassneck]

Welcome MPT,

The two into one exhaust just means someone changed things at some point in it's life...it would have come stock with a pipe on each side. Essentially the thing to think about is how they adjusted the carbs for the pipes (likely needed some adjustments...and that may mean rejetted). If it runs good and you like the exhaust, no reason to change...unless you want stock or something else...which would mean carb adjustments to some degree.

As to serial #...the neck of the bike will have it (stamped and then on a sticker)...and on the engine, right up front below the exhaust ports... this is helpful: http://www.mikesxs.net/XS_Model_ID_Chart.pdf

Good luck!

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Michael,
checking on those photos:-
You asked about bars, your bike has been retrofitted with the dreaded rototiller bars from an XS650 Special. If youve ridden the bike youll know why I hate those bastards.
Engine ID is stamped into the rightside front of the crankcase in a vertical line of characters.
That seat aint stock, nor is that 2 into 1 exhaust. If those aftermarket parts work for you, fine.
Sidepanels, well, they are not essential but they do keep things tidy.
Look in the list want ads. The attachment slot rubbers are essential as is the somewhat fiddly lower attachment device.
And the gauges:-
The speedo face screws have vibrated loose, most likely they are still floating around in there.
You have to remove the instrument bezel to get at them.
The search button will tell you how its done.
The tach is from a different Yamaha. It will read correctly but the XS650 redline is 7,500rpm NOT the 9,000rpm that's on yours.
Your bikes signals are missing. Dunno if your local regulations insist that a bike must have them, but they are a good thing to have.
And you DO have the nicest wheel design Yamaha ever put on the XS650.

 

[650Skull]

Welcome michaelpthompson,

Looks like your bike has been around the block a couple of times. Not all bad, just a brat that is almost a brat,

Gauges are from a TX500. All XS650 Gauges red line at 7500 and there was never an oil light on any tower or in an XS650 gauge. Gauge album for XS650's

Side cover for your bike were also on all XS650 Standards from 74-79 so plenty around and not an expensive item unless you want to buy off fleabay. Check out the Classifieds on this forum for an parts or put up a wanted add.

Fred gets a bee in his bonnet when ever he see those Bars............ Have an 83 heritage that had highway pegs on it when i bought it. Used to tie a bag on the back of the seat, put on a backpack and when i got on the open road would put my feet up and lean back using the backpack as a back rest and just hang on the the bars with my fingertips. Not for racing but comfortable enough for some long trips.

ID Album, several pages, run the courser over each pic, (or click onto it), and there is a description of the differences between models. not completely finished but the 74/75, (basically the same model), has been done

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Michael,
I was looking at your bike's photos and happened to notice one minor and two major missing parts.
The minor:-
There should be a snap-in chromed cover in the hole in the leftside cast engine cover where the clutch adjuster is accessed.
The major:-
The two long M10 bolts & locknuts that should be through the frame and the front engine mount don't seem to be there.
Now there are different opinions about the necessity for the upper mount from the head to the frame but NOT about the need for the front mount.
That one has a 100% approval rating.

 

[michaelpthompson]

Fella that sold it to me says he has a different instrument cluster for it. Perhaps the original, I don't know, he hasn't found it yet. Strangely, these gauges aren't even connected.

So my plan at this point is to put back the gauges from the seller and get new cables and all for them. If that doesn't work out, I'll look at hooking these up and repairing the tach.

As for the turn signals, that's a strange case. Hardly any indication they were ever there.

Even the switch is gone.

 

[Brassneck]

Looks like a perfect bike to do some customizing on...almost a blank canvas.

 

[michaelpthompson]

Met up with the previous owner just now, he passed over the side covers, instrument panel and a gasket set. Guess I've got my work cut out for me now.

I was planning to paint the tank anyway, guess I can include the covers now.

He did say it leaked oil, so I'll probably need these.