Mailmans XS2 , the rebuild.......again

[Mailman]

Something for you to fiddle with while waiting for the tank - I noticed the position of the hitch pin on your rear axle back in post #302. I like to run mine with the closed end butted against the rear shock or it's mount. This holds the clip in place so it won't pop out .....

You will have to rotate the axle and find just the right spot so you can insert the clip and it locks behind the shock mount once rotated in. Above is my '78 with a partially stretched out chain (axle back farther). On my '83 with a practically new and unstretched chain, I had to position it differently .....

Yeah that probably not a bad idea. I just recently switched from cotter pins to hitch pins. They seem secure enough but I’ll admit to a bit of worry about them popping out.

 

[arcticXS]

Hell, at this rate you could learn how to make the hitch pins.

On that note, are any of you familiar with "Rue Rings"? They are supposed to be more secure than those hitch pins/ R pins.
At work, we use SS Rue Rings on critical towed "in sea" equipment.
https://www.pivotpins.com/products/bq-rue-ring.html

 

[Jim]

On that note, are any of you familiar with "Rue Rings"? They are supposed to be more secure than those hitch pins/ R pins.
At work, we use SS Rue Rings on critical towed "in sea" equipment.
https://www.pivotpins.com/products/bq-rue-ring.html

Now I like those.

 

[Mailman]

On that note, are any of you familiar with "Rue Rings"? They are supposed to be more secure than those hitch pins/ R pins.
At work, we use SS Rue Rings on critical towed "in sea" equipment.
https://www.pivotpins.com/products/bq-rue-ring.html

Yeah, that’s pretty darn cool, I’ve never seen those.

 

[arcticXS]

Hell, at this rate you could learn how to make the hitch pins.

Now I like those. View attachment 188162

Yeah, that’s pretty darn cool, I’ve never seen those.

Learning how to make them may take even longer, though....

 

[kshansen]

Learning how to make them may take even longer, though....

A few minutes with an old coat hanger and a pair of needle nose pliers and he'll be making them and selling in Ebay!

 

[Mailman]

And so here we are, it’s been a long strange trip.......

When I sent the tank to Jim, I had intended to just go with solid red. I was getting frustrated at all the problems I had been having, and I just wanted a quick fix. We have talked before about XS650 graphics and I had told him how much I liked the early bike graphics, he said he’d be happy to do that for me, and he already had the paint.
Winner winner chicken dinner, yeah let’s do it! I have done the faithful restoration the last time, and after all the problems I had , I just wanted to have some fun with this and have a different looking XS2.
Yesterday afternoon the UPS driver brought me a present, I was like a kid at Christmas, I ran out to the garage and quickly opened the box, I had to see if it came out the way that Jim and I had both hoped it would. We really took a gamble on matching the paint long distance, without any original parts to compare. I grabbed a side cover to check it. Sweet! Dumb luck triumphs again!

So this morning I went out to get started on it. I wanted to see how it looked compared to my old tank. Looks like they were separated at birth.

I had to do some trimming and filing of the paint to get the gas cap to fit, then I installed the petcocks and all new rubber bits.

And got the emblems out to install,

I ran to the gas station and put a couple gallons in it and then took it back home and installed it. I love it!
I think it came out really well.

It was too hot to take it out this afternoon, hopefully I can get out for a while tomorrow morning. I can’t wait!

I’d like to give a big shout out to Jim for doing such a great job on this tank and the rotor , he is the consummate professional and he worries about the details and the quality of his work. He kept me updated with the jobs status and he did a great job packing and shipping, both my rotor and gas tank. Thanks Jim , you rock!

See you later, I’m goin riding!
Bob

 

[Jim]

If you were observant enough to follow along.... we left some bread crumbs out there....
Back on page 6 or 8....

 

[Mailman]

Haha! Yeah I’ve made no secret about my fondness for those early bike paint schemes. By the way, I’m running the early style petcocks that came with the tank , and I rebuilt them , but they’re not dedicated right and left, so with the gas shut off, you’ve got one lever forward and one lever back.
Well I took that gas tank to the gas station today to get a couple gallons in it. I set a piece of cardboard on the ground and set my tank on it and started to put gas in it. It immediately started pouring gas all over the ground!
I had both levers facing forward. Fortunately I caught it and no gas got on the tank. But I thought I’m never going to remember which one goes forward and which one goes back, so when I got home I color coded them. Just connect the dots!

 

[2XSive]

Congratulations and very very nice! Belongs in a museum.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

And so here we are, it’s been a long strange trip.......
View attachment 188647

When I sent the tank to Jim, I had intended to just go with solid red. I was getting frustrated at all the problems I had been having, and I just wanted a quick fix. We have talked before about XS650 graphics and I had told him how much I liked the early bike graphics, he said he’d be happy to do that for me, and he already had the paint.
Winner winner chicken dinner, yeah let’s do it! I have done the faithful restoration the last time, and after all the problems I had , I just wanted to have some fun with this and have a different looking XS2.
Yesterday afternoon the UPS driver brought me a present, I was like a kid at Christmas, I ran out to the garage and quickly opened the box, I had to see if it came out the way that Jim and I had both hoped it would. We really took a gamble on matching the paint long distance, without any original parts to compare. I grabbed a side cover to check it. Sweet! Dumb luck triumphs again!
View attachment 188648

So this morning I went out to get started on it. I wanted to see how it looked compared to my old tank. Looks like they were separated at birth.
View attachment 188649 View attachment 188650 View attachment 188651

I had to do some trimming and filing of the paint to get the gas cap to fit, then I installed the petcocks and all new rubber bits.
View attachment 188652

And got the emblems out to install,
View attachment 188653

I ran to the gas station and put a couple gallons in it and then took it back home and installed it. I love it!
I think it came out really well.
View attachment 188654 View attachment 188655 View attachment 188658 View attachment 188659

It was too hot to take it out this afternoon, hopefully I can get out for a while tomorrow morning. I can’t wait!

I’d like to give a big shout out to Jim for doing such a great job on this tank and the rotor , he is the consummate professional and he worries about the details and the quality of his work. He kept me updated with the jobs status and he did a great job packing and shipping, both my rotor and gas tank. Thanks Jim , you rock!
View attachment 188662 View attachment 188660 View attachment 188661 View attachment 188663
See you later, I’m goin riding!
Bob

Hey, I'm lovin' it too !!
.
.

 

[Mailman]

Congratulations and very very nice! Belongs in a museum.

Thanks! But it’s a rider.

Hey, I'm lovin' it too !!
.
.

Thanks Dude! I’m glad you like it!

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Thanks! But it’s a rider.



Thanks Dude! I’m glad you like it!

But of course all that matters is that you are happy.
.
.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

And Kudos to Jim! Superb paint job !
.
.

 

[David Toll]

Here I am bitching about my kick stand and a few scrapes and there you are achieving yet another milestone. Well done Bob!!

 

[GLJ]

I’m running the early style petcocks that came with the tank

On mine with the original petcocks if my muscle memory remembers correctly the right side should go forward and the left the opposite for off.
Had me fooled about the paint scheme! Very glad you stayed with original 2 tone.
Paint looks perfect!
Jim

 

[RustiePyles]

Man, that thing looks killer Mailman! Nice work @Jim!

 

[willis]

Well done. I like that paint scheme better than the factory 72. Outstanding work as usual. That is one sweet ride Bob. Looking forward to reading more of your ride reports and adventures!!!

 

[gggGary]

Hey @Mailman Wow! you prolly owe Jim your next child...

On the petcock situation; I Have the same deal on WJL, with the ever changing menagerie here it's tough to 'member all the little foibles. Took a magic marker and carefully drew a petcock diagram

on a handlebar clamp bolt head. So I can see it without bending over.

 

[Mailman]

Well done Bob!!

Thanks David, now if this old bike will remember how to run!

Had me fooled about the paint scheme! Very glad you stayed with original 2 tone.
Paint looks perfect!

Thanks Greg! Yeah, I’m really happy I kept the two tone paint also. We got really lucky that the the paint matches so closely, just really almost indistinguishable.

Man, that thing looks killer Mailman! Nice work @Jim!

Thanks! Almost looks factory eh?

Well done. I like that paint scheme better than the factory 72. Outstanding work as usual. That is one sweet ride Bob. Looking forward to reading more of your ride reports and adventures!!!

Thanks Rob! I’m really looking forward to getting this bike back on the road too!

Hey @Mailman Wow! you prolly owe Jim your next child...

Yeah, I owe him BIG! He did a terrific job! And I like your little petcock chart.