Mailman

Hardly a Guru
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Repair Index Page, this thread has grown long. I hope this helps make it a little easier to find stuff.

Page # Post # Subject

2. 25. Factory tool kit

2. 38. Initial inspection / tear down

4. 69, 76. Begin carburetor rebuild

4. 77. Diagnose leaky clutch pushrod seal

6. 107. Clutch pushrod seal replacement, clutch pushrod bushing
replaced, NOS long one piece push rod, New front sprocket
installed

8. 145. Crankshaft seal replacement, new alternator brush set installed

8. 157. New tires, rear sprocket, rear brake rebuild, disassemble clean
and lube speedo drive

10. 184. New drive chain , handlebar bushings, removing clear coat from
The rims and polishing

10. 198. Cleaning wiring connections

11. 209. New spark plugs, new decals for gas tank and side covers

12. 229. Changing fork oil / disaster strikes!

13. 247. Bike started first time!

14. 273. Clean and lube advance mechanism Part 1

15. 282. Advance mechanism Part 2, first video, first ride, charging
System check...not charging, discover intake air leak

16. 301. Step by step charging system diagnose, order new
Components , VR-115 voltage regulator, 3 phase rectifier

16. 317. Polish engine case

17. 331. Part 1 charging system overhaul

18. 348. Fab rectifier mount

18. 352 Test new charging components
21. 404. Diagnose intake leak

21. 417. Pamco installation

23. 450. Diagnose carb issues

24. 461. Jetting change

26. 508. Speedometer repair

27. 530. Brake caliper rebuild

29. 574. Pamco E Advance Installation

31. 606. Headlight bucket wires

32. 623. Headlight bucket cont.

33. 647,
659 Steering head bearing
Part 1

35. 686. Steering head part 2

35. 693. Headlight bucket cont

35. 699. Diagnose intake leak

36. 707. Intake leak repair jetting change

37. 731 Can this carburetor be saved? Worn body

38. 743. More carburetor probs

39. 771 Cautiously optimistic video

40. 789. New carb body from Gary

41. 803. NOS. Luggage rack

41. 816. Front brake squeal

42. 838. Brake squeal pt 2, stainless front brake line, new master cylinder.

43. 858. Carb tuning. Pilot jets manometer results

44. 873. First oil change / sump filter

45. 894. Sump filter cont.

47. 936. Starter gear / clutch replacement

49. 968. Carburetor body replacement

Well this all happened pretty fast. Just six days ago I posted in the lounge that I was in search of a clean survivor. Today, five days short of my 60th birthday, I pulled the trigger on a 1977. I found it at a dealership in Colorado. After a flurry of phone calls and going back and forth with emails I was satisfied with the bike and a deal was struck. This is the third bike I have bought from a dealer out of state, the upside is, that you can pretty much rely on the information they give you and this dealership specializes in classic motorcycles and they sell clean roadworthy bikes. The downside is its in ANOTHER STATE and getting it transported , while not difficult to arrange is time consuming. These companies book up weeks out and it could take as long as 6 weeks to get my bike. In the mid to late 70's I was on a serious Yamaha binge. I had (at different times) a '73 RD350, a '75 XT500, a '76 XS650, and a '78 XS750. They were all great bikes but the one that always haunts my memories is the 650. So without further ado here are some photos as it sits on the dealers showroom. Yeah yeah I know the paint is wrong, but it's just paint. The bike is clean and complete and ( so they tell me) it runs nice. I plan to keep this one. If there are problems I will fix them. The wait however is killer, probably be early December before I get it. Wish me luck, Bob
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Fly up Friday night, put it in a rental pick-up be home Sunday morning.
Congrats and happy birthday to you.
 
Actually the white looks good. I look forward to helping iron out the wrinkles when she makes her way home.
But first thing is first. Since this is a new to you bike, look in the tech section on how to get a barn find running again. I really dobt it runs nice. Run and rides....yes. But main jets rarely plug up, so anybody at that shop and anybody test driving it will grab a hand full of throttle..
Be prepared to get her caught up on routne maintinence, i.e. Valves, timing, cam chain tension, .
Its not the shops fault, just something that needs to be done before you start it for the first time.Iwonder how long that shops had it?
 
I know they have had it since at least mid summer. They tell me they got it from the son of the original owner. I also ordered a Clymers repair manual , I should have that before the bike arrives, let the fun begin.
P.S. Daniel, I told you that bike was on my radar! Haha
 
Hi Bob and congratulations,
like WER sez, go rent a truck and fetch the machine yourself, eh?
and when you do the Lazarus thing on it, check the date stamp on those nice-looking tires.
More than 6 or 7 years old and they'll be hard as wood even if they look perfect.
 
Thanks! You know it's growing on me. At first I thought I would go right back to the stock paint job , but it's nicely done and I have a black motorcycle to share the garage and I kinda like the contrast. A little ebony and ivory action. Haha
 
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P.S. To all the members who said go up and get that thing. Man it's killing me not to. The bottom line is , I'm trying to be as financially conservative as possible and after crunching the numbers the cheapest ( and slowest) way to get it home is a slow truck.
 
Looks the goods....love the paint too.....
Happy birthday as well, I'd be really tempted to ride the sucker, iron bugs out and ride off into the yonder
 
Congrats on the new bike and Happy B-day. That is a fine example of a 1977, I had purchased one this past winter and has been a blast to ride. This forum is a great resource of information.
Ride Safe
 
Nice bike Mailman. My dad bought himself a '77 XS650 as a 40th birthday present. Of course that was 30+ years ago. It's in my garage now, disassembled.
 
Nice bike Mailman. My dad bought himself a '77 XS650 as a 40th birthday present. Of course that was 30+ years ago. It's in my garage now, disassembled.

Nice! So what are your plans for your dads old bike? That's a nice connection to have.
The bike I just bought was passed from father to son.....and now me.
 
It was a little too trashed to be worth resto'ing, so I am losing some weight and cleaning it up, but nothing radical. Lowest priority project, but at least it's indoors now.
 
Congratulations, very tidy bike. Nice chrome, exhausts, spokes, alloy rims and polished engine. I agree with the others, white is excellent, something very aristocratic/noble about the paint job! Someone has put a lot of time and effort into preparing that bike just for you.
 
Today was a productive day. Bike has been paid for, I've already got it insured, and transportation is locked in.
The bike will be delivered in eleven days with a temporary license already in place. Woohoo!
I can't wait.
 
That 77 looks really sweet.Looks like original pipes in excellent condition.
If that bike is all original someone took good care off it.I have a 77 BUT its been a total
frame up rebuild.Alot off work and $$ just to get it to look like yours.One thing i have found
and mentioned many times on this form,keep the original parts as there most likely built
way better quality that after market.Honestly the only things that really need changed
out are the Regulator,Rectifier other wise the rest off the bike is pretty sound!!
 
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