Very cool Mailman! A perfect end to a cool journey of an XS rebuild. Was that a police suv going after you?!? Lol:laugh2: congrats man work well done! JC

Haha, thanks Superjet. Yeah, what’s up with that Sheriff huh? He cramped my video style. I was turning around and had planned to come roaring back , only to realize the law was on me!

A respectful round of applause is in order here. Congratulations Mr. Mailman!

That durned Jim beat me to it.

Thanks Jim and Gary. I couldn’t have done it without your help, I mean that sincerely. I will be putting together a better thank you for everyone here soon.
 
Bob, What a ride it was for us 650.com forum members to take with your complete restoration of your XS2 Yamaha. I, for one, congratulate you for your perseverance and attention to details. For your expertise that you have shown me and many others what can be accomplished if wanted. For your exact, sometimes very exact postings of your intricate work on you bike. For your humor that you interjected while doing this. I have followed you since day one and have always been interested in what job you were doing next. I have learned so much from your thread and other forum members that I feel confident in my own 'resto-mod', although you have raised the bar for us backyard mechanics tooooo high. I want to thank you and congratulate you on a truly incredible "museum" quality classic Yamaha motorcycle.
Enjoy the 'fruits of your labor' and ride, ride and ride some more...oh, and keep that incredible smile.:bike::cheers:
 
Bob, What a ride it was for us 650.com forum members to take with your complete restoration of your XS2 Yamaha. I, for one, congratulate you for your perseverance and attention to details. For your expertise that you have shown me and many others what can be accomplished if wanted. For your exact, sometimes very exact postings of your intricate work on you bike. For your humor that you interjected while doing this. I have followed you since day one and have always been interested in what job you were doing next. I have learned so much from your thread and other forum members that I feel confident in my own 'resto-mod', although you have raised the bar for us backyard mechanics tooooo high. I want to thank you and congratulate you on a truly incredible "museum" quality classic Yamaha motorcycle.
Enjoy the 'fruits of your labor' and ride, ride and ride some more...oh, and keep that incredible smile.:bike::cheers:

Thank you. That means a lot to me. You and so many others here have all become long distance friends to me and I enjoy it more than you know. My little fix up project kinda spiraled out of control, and so did my blog. I can’t imagine anyone ever looking at all that in the future and thinking , I need to read all that! Haha! But it’s sure been a blast. Thanks again.
 
Congrats Duke!!:cheers:
Great feeling when you take it for the first ride and everything work like it should. You spent the time and effort to make a perfect bike and I think you have accomplished your mission. Enjoy!!!
 
Congrats Duke!!:cheers:
Great feeling when you take it for the first ride and everything work like it should. You spent the time and effort to make a perfect bike and I think you have accomplished your mission. Enjoy!!!

Thanks Greg, it was fun having you doing your XS2 at the same time. You have been very supportive and helpful to me along the way. Thanks buddy! :thumbsup:
 
Haha, teenage biker living in a retirement community. :bike:

It's essentially a brand new 1972 Yamaha XS2.

By hand restored by the owner.

Definitely a calendar item.
And this thread should become a book... :thumbsup:

Thanks Steve, if this is a book, you have your own chapter! Your influence is all over this bike! You’ve saved my bacon time and again!
 
What can I say that everyone else hasn’t already?!

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He’d be proud of you too Bob!!!!

I love your documentation and am going to miss looking for this thread. You are going to have to start looking for a new project to keep us entertained Bob.
 
Mailman XS Extraordanair ! You can make one the finest XS videos ever seen ! :D

Haha! Thanks Randy, you have been such a good friend. I’m so happy you found your way back to our little hang out!

Mailman, you should have your own 2020 calendar (+ one month on the regular calendar too!)...

You can expect a pallet weighing ~ 194 kg (428 lb) (wet) on your doorstep soon... :smoke:

Thanks Oddjob! :D You know I’m an honorary Canadian, did you see my hat? Happy to help a fellow Canuck out! ;)
 
What can I say that everyone else hasn’t already?!

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He’d be proud of you too Bob!!!!

I love your documentation and am going to miss looking for this thread. You are going to have to start looking for a new project to keep us entertained Bob.

Thanks Willis, you’re too kind. It’s funny you mention Robin, he has been so much on my mind as of late. The two of us were always on the same track, first we were both restoring our 77D’s, then struggling with carburetors, then engine builds, and right after I bought my XS2, Robin bought his TX650 which is almost identical mechanically.
Right after he bought it we opened up a running PM, we called ourselves the early boys. We shared so much information ( and a lot of small talk ) inside that PM. We had over 500 messages inside that running PM, in fact I talked to him just hours before he died.
I always thought we would share our restoration adventure together. I miss him more than I can say.
Thanks for posting his funny photo, it made me smile.
 
THE COMMUNITY BIKE

I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to some specific people who really helped me on my rebuild. I never would’ve attempted such a build without the support of the great guys on this forum. So...in no particular order, to the members that so generously parted with their precious stash of hard to find parts, out of their sincere desire to help me achieve my goals , a special thank you to...

Gary Goetz ( Wisconsin) for supplying me with an exchange cylinder, already bored, with matching pistons and rings.

Steve Buss ( don’t mess with Texas ) really unobtainable speedometer parts, and one of my favorite pieces on my bike, his custom made , machined friction steering damper. ( just call me XS2M)

Pete Frise ( Ontario Ca) for gifting me a new , impossible to find, seat handrail. Shipped to me on the Canadian Underground Railroad! :D

Jim Dent ( Missouri) supplied a new OEM cam chain guide and turned my valves on his mighty Atlas

Daniel Black ( Arizona) my buddy, new clutch assembly, handlebar switchgear, and helped me R+R my motor

Ken Hansen ( New York ) Ken is so great, his old XS2 lives on in I don’t know how many other bikes, he sent me switch gear parts, starter motor parts, and a steel front brake line. And has offered me more. Thanks Ken!

5Twins ( New York ) Bob supplied me with a steering head lock from a TX500 , that he modified to fit my bike. He worked hard on it and I really appreciate having it. Thank you!

Gary Ward ( Queensland Australia ) Gary just wanted to pass on a little good Karma and be part of my build.
He sent me the metal Yamaha decal for my brake caliper. Thanks Gary, I want you to know, you inspired me to pay it forward. Thanks buddy!

David Jones ( Missouri ) he custom made a mold and hand crafted the seat foam on my bike. I feel lucky to have it.

Robin Cecil ( London Ontario ) he gave me some carburetor parts, he located the seat rail that Pete got for me, and he made me a custom tool ( the Sprocket Locket from 2M industries) that I used to install my front sprocket. It was the first tool I put in my tool box when I got it, and it is top center , where I can always see it.

Randy Tobin, ( Oregon). Supplied me with all new rubber parts for my tail light assembly, and some cool garage art too!

Thank you all!
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Those guys supplied me with parts, but that’s just part of the picture. The coaches and mentors are what really put me over the top, so again in no particular order, a thank you to all the guys who really walked me through the technical aspects of this build.

5Twins, not just me, but you help anyone who is willing to learn. You explain things in a clear and easy to understand way and usually support your tutorials with excellent photos. My charging system and brakes and steering head bearings and on and on were built on the foundation that you laid. Thanks buddy!

Gary, you were the first guy I consulted when I was going to look at my XS2, you have really come through for me when I was in a pinch and you are always a reliable source of good information. And you’re just an all around cool dude! :pimp:

Jim , took me ( ( and Robin ) under his wing and really helped us through our engine builds. Many was the time I would pester Jim with questions and he was always the patient teacher. His engine build tech article is better than the Hans Pahl book.
Thanks Jim, you’re the best!

2M, talk about homework, dude you made me read until my eyes were bleeding. But more importantly you made me learn. Sometimes ( ok most times) I’m not performing on the same technical level that you are. But you really made me want to understand the intricacies of how things work. And the way you tore into your own spare speedometer to show me how to get into mine, and then sent me spare parts. That was way above the call of duty.
I owe you a BBQ dinner! Thanks man!

Pete, I think you were the very first person to talk to me when I poked my head in this forum, even before I had a 650, I was just asking about them. You’ve been encouraging me ever since and have become a solid friend, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet you face to face.

Skull, you are a living archive of all things XS650, you have been so helpful when I’ve tried to identify distinctions between parts for various years, and your work on the wiring diagrams is amazingly helpful.

Yamadude, Jeff, you have always been a source of support and encouragement to me, you have a lot of experience and you have made some very helpful suggestions when I’ve been stuck.

Machine, Randy, I was also delighted to meet you personally on your trip to Arizona last winter. You have been a constant source of good cheer and a good friend, and you are becoming quite the restorer, maybe you need to open a shop!

GLJ, it was really fun doing simultaneous XS2 builds. You’re a fun guy and gave me some good insights along the way, particularly with my wiring.

All you guys that cheered me on and gave me encouragement along the way, I want you to know how much it meant to me. I have also enjoyed watching you go through your projects
Willis
Mr. Bultaco
Geedubya
MrTwo wheel
ScriptoVU
Meddy
Azman
Halfmile
Fred
Downeaster
Superjet
59Tebo
Rasputin
Cra-Z1
Oddjob
WBacon
2Xsive

Thank you all, if I’ve missed anyone ,please forgive me, this has been a very long thread. But know your support was appreciated.

Wow! What a trip this has been.
Bob
 
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Well Bob, I think it’s safe to say, Well Done. I have enjoyed reading this blog, and learned a lot on the way.
Congratulations to you and a big thank you to all the contributors.
The bike looks and sounds fantastic.
Looking forward to the riding diaries, I’m sure there will be some?
 
Well Bob, I think it’s safe to say, Well Done. I have enjoyed reading this blog, and learned a lot on the way.
Congratulations to you and a big thank you to all the contributors.
The bike looks and sounds fantastic.
Looking forward to the riding diaries, I’m sure there will be some?

Thanks! And you bet there will be rides coming!
 
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