A little background and update. I was getting into the XS650 when XSjohn was developing his needles. I had bought a set of MikesXS Canadian needle, (5lX11), and Main nozzle, (366-YO), for my BS34's, thinking and believing everything that had been posted about the Fixed needles, EPA set pilot screw and the carbs Jetting.
Of course i bought these parts before dismantling my carbs and when i did, i found my Oceania 80SG with BS43 carbs, already had the, so called, Canadian needle, (5lX11) and main nozzle, (366-YO) set up. This was the Factory set up on Canadian, Oceania, Europe and other countries BS34 carbs, in other words the US was the only country with the Fixed Needle, 5HX12 and Main Nozzle Y-O.
Difference between the US Y-O and the Non US 366-YO are the amount of holes on the side of the Main Nozzle. US Y-O has 4 rows of holes, 2 rows have 3 holes and the other 2 have 4 holes. Non US 366-YO has 4 rows of holes , 2 rows have 4 holes and 2 rows have 5 holes
XSjohn Developed his needles to suit the US Y-O. He sent a set of his needles to one of our club members here in Australia to test them in his carbs to see if he noticed a difference and hoping there would be a market for them here.
XSjohn did not know our carbs had the 5lX11 needles and 366-YO main nozzle. Due to our different set up his needles made no difference to the running of our BS34 Carbs. With the amount of exports from the US of the XS650 there will be some US BS34's imported to these other countries, but the difference's in the carbs will not be common knowledge.
If you decide to make a copy and run of XSjohn's needles be aware the US is the only market these needles will be effective in the BS34 carbs. There will be non US people who do not know this and may buy the needles thinking they will be an upgrade for their cabs.
I will post the links to 2 threads where they have XSjohns Mods and a thread on his needles and their development. There is a pic i got from the 650rider site when XSJohn was developing his needles and was posting his findings as he went. He eventually decided to commercialize his needles and removed the development posts and pics he had posted. I made a commitment to XSjohn not to use or post the information i had already squirreled away.
I posted the information after XSJohns death when there was an interest in getting some needles reproduced.
Caution when using this information............This information may not have been the end product but was what he did to the existing US 5HX12 needle.
I am not trying to dis-sway you from doing this.....i am telling you this to use as information for any work you may do, on information already posted.
Threads.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/collecting-xsjohns-wisdom.2334/
http://www.xs650.com/threads/a-collection-of-xsjohns-mods.2426/