I fab'd a set of "z-bars" for my first CX500. 12in rise, and slight setback and downturn on the handles proper. The setback/downturn I arrived at by holding them in place before tacking them, closed my eyes, and used the force to find the angles my hands naturally relaxed at. Those were some very comfortable bars. Might try to recreate them for this bike, because I've already found these stock bars have way too much setback for my 6ft frame. Kinda cramped...
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Introduction
- Thread starter WyoRay
- Start date
I'm in Thermopolis, but work all over the Bighorn Basin, from the MT state line down to South Pass. I try to stay away from the Jackson area on principle, but the rest of the state is infused into my DNA.
I calculated a bit under 45mpg on the way home from Laurel, holding 70mph avg most of the way. I might have to research sprocket ratios others have had success with.
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Congrats on your new bike Wyo. You won't find a nicer and more experienced (xs650 or otherwise) group of guys anywhere else than what you'll find on this forum.
Nice bike and looks to be in good shape, but they all need a few things. They're near 40 year old bikes after all. Read around the site here and you'll find lots of little tweaks and upgrades, many costing next to nothing, that will make the bike even better.
Changing the handlebars will totally transform the look and feel of the bike, and all for less than about $30. We all have our favorite, mine are the Euro bend. They mimic that natural wrist angle "the force" directed you towards and I feel they just look "right" on a bike, blending in with all the other angles of the other parts. And they're very, very comfortable besides .....
Changing the handlebars will totally transform the look and feel of the bike, and all for less than about $30. We all have our favorite, mine are the Euro bend. They mimic that natural wrist angle "the force" directed you towards and I feel they just look "right" on a bike, blending in with all the other angles of the other parts. And they're very, very comfortable besides .....
Welcome Ray - from Canada's sunny southern coast in Windsor, Ontario!
Nice looking bike - well done!
May I suggest that you change the oil and don't forget both of the oil filters/strainers: one is inside the little round cover on the RHS of the engine case cover and the other is down in the engine sump. To get to the sump strainer you'll need to:
NOTE: the mesh filter screen tends to tear if the bike is revved up with the engine oil cold and thick. There are lots of posts on the forum on how to clean and/or repair the screen. Most of us have a second or third strainer and some even have a spare sump plate which we can keep in good shape (new or repaired) so that when we change the oil, we have something to put right back on.
Cheers,
Pete
Nice looking bike - well done!
May I suggest that you change the oil and don't forget both of the oil filters/strainers: one is inside the little round cover on the RHS of the engine case cover and the other is down in the engine sump. To get to the sump strainer you'll need to:
- get the bike warmed up and put it on the centrestand
- the drain the engine oil (NOTE: there are TWO drain plugs - one approx. under the crankshaft and the other further back under the transmission - open them both)
- remove the six M6 bolts from the rectangular sump plate
- give the sump plate a smart swap with a piece of wood or something like that (they tend to get stuck-on)
- the strainer is bolted to the upper side of the sump plate.
NOTE: the mesh filter screen tends to tear if the bike is revved up with the engine oil cold and thick. There are lots of posts on the forum on how to clean and/or repair the screen. Most of us have a second or third strainer and some even have a spare sump plate which we can keep in good shape (new or repaired) so that when we change the oil, we have something to put right back on.
Cheers,
Pete
Thanks for the tech tips.Scheduled for this weekend. PO gave me a new small filter. I've never seen a Japanese bike old or new with anything resembling the lower filter screen. Interesting. Going to run Castrol, as I have on all my bikes for years (boy hope that doesn't incite, add to or resurrect the Oil Wars topic...)
Ray
Hi Ray,
"filter" is a bit of a stretch, I'd call them strainers.
And while Castrol also pushes my nostalgia button any el-cheapo 20W50 motorcycle-rated oil will
work for the 1,000 miles it'll take for the XS650's all roller and ball no filter engine to wear it out.
OH GAWD - not an oil discussion please!!! 
I'd rather have my head stapled to the floor than talk about oil - EXCEPT for one thing:
I'd rather have my head stapled to the floor than talk about oil - EXCEPT for one thing:
- do not use ANY oil of any brand or viscosity that has a little round API "Energy Conserving" or "Resource Conserving" label or any variation of it, on the back of the bottle. That class of oil has friction modifiers and anti-wear additives that will make your wet clutch slip.
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Yes, you're going to find that many of us believe frequent oil and filter changes (1000 to 1500 miles) are the best thing you can do for this old bike. Normally, you don't buy new filters for every oil change, you just clean and re-use the old ones. They're metal screen type and made to be used that way. It does help to have extras so you can have a clean set ready to swap in at oil change time. Then you can clean the ones you removed at your leisure and have them ready for the next change. Having an extra sump plate is also very nice since the filter bolts to it. This gives you a whole spare "assembly" to swap in which speeds up the process even more. Spare sump plates, often with an old torn filter still attached, are readily available on eBay for around $20 or less.
I prefer old original filters, even ones that were torn and patched, to the new aftermarket replacements. I think the old ones are made better. So, a little JB Weld to patch the tears and you're good to go. The screening makes an excellent backing for the epoxy and you get a very strong repair. The filter has much more surface area than it really needs so blocking some off like this doesn't hurt .....
Now, you will probably read in the description of the new aftermarket replacement sump filters that they are an improved design, reinforced and stronger. That's really not true, they blow out just like the originals. Yes, they have reinforcing added but if you inspect one closely, you'll see that they are not reinforced where they need it most, at that "point" near the one end that tears all the time. So, to me, they're just a waste of near $40. I'd rather spring for a torn original and patch it.
I prefer old original filters, even ones that were torn and patched, to the new aftermarket replacements. I think the old ones are made better. So, a little JB Weld to patch the tears and you're good to go. The screening makes an excellent backing for the epoxy and you get a very strong repair. The filter has much more surface area than it really needs so blocking some off like this doesn't hurt .....
Now, you will probably read in the description of the new aftermarket replacement sump filters that they are an improved design, reinforced and stronger. That's really not true, they blow out just like the originals. Yes, they have reinforcing added but if you inspect one closely, you'll see that they are not reinforced where they need it most, at that "point" near the one end that tears all the time. So, to me, they're just a waste of near $40. I'd rather spring for a torn original and patch it.
Oil Flame Wars 
I'd rather talk about politics or contact patches...
I was "involved" on the now-defunct SacBORG website a few aeons ago back when I was surviving my Buell phase. I marvelled oft how easily some would get their knickers in a twist over someone else's ideas about a fluid made from decayed reptiles...
I'd rather talk about politics or contact patches...I was "involved" on the now-defunct SacBORG website a few aeons ago back when I was surviving my Buell phase. I marvelled oft how easily some would get their knickers in a twist over someone else's ideas about a fluid made from decayed reptiles...
Good info. I'm a compulsive parts collector, but I've never kept an oil filter for re-use. Good thing to know, especially since I'm in tightwad mode at the present.
(I wonder if I could improve the screen design...)
I'm finding a lot of great info and resources on this website.
Buell is not a phase, it's more like chicken pox, it'll come back and grab you again down the road....Oil Flame Wars
I was "involved" on the now-defunct SacBORG website a few aeons ago back when I was surviving my Buell phase. I marvelled oft how easily some would get their knickers in a twist over someone else's ideas about a fluid made from decayed reptiles...
OH GAWD - not an oil discussion please!!!
I'd rather have my head stapled to the floor than talk about oil - EXCEPT for one thing:
- do not use ANY oil of any brand or viscosity that has a little round API "Energy Conserving" or "Resource Conserving" label or any variation of it, on the back of the bottle. That class of oil has friction modifiers and anti-wear additives that will make your wet clutch slip.
Huh... I didn't know that. Castrol, yep.
Huh, I had to take my riding class on a Buell. I liked it, for as long as it took to finish a two day class.( Because they screwed me outa my MC license when I retired in 89.) Talk about getting abuse from PPL learing to ride!
I don't know..It had good brakes, especially using down shit too, Good throttle, low center of gravity., handled well, I liked it. Instructor said, "How come you keep gassing the throttle a little bit?" I said, "I don't know/" "dirt bike days?"
Nice stable! Bike on the left is an RS1000 I believe?
Was looking at a 96 S1 a guy down in CO had for sale. Price was right, but he never returned my texts, so --
I bought this XS650. I think that was the wiser choice. Bought a 2000 X1 new back in the day. Rear shock replaced 3x on warranty, when the 3rd one started leaking I forced Buell to buy my bike back under lemon laws. That seemed to be the beginning of the end for Buell. Loved that bike, and loved the rowdy crowd that rode them, but I didn't much feel like ponying up good coin for bad goods. Felt bad afterwards -- for about 15 minutes...
