My Build thread - 1980 XS650 Special II

On a good note the oil fitting, teflon and gasket sealer is holding up so far.

I am wondering though if it is normal for it to seem like this thing is running hot everytime? It seems like it gets hot fast and stays hot even within a 20 min ride. That is definitely a fear of mine is pushing it too far when running hot. Don't wanna blow the darn thing up! Other than that, it seems to be running well now. The problem the other day was just a faulty brand new spark plug. Swapped it out and bam away I went. Sorry I haven't been back on here to share that bit, but been busy with trying to find a rent house and well riding!!
 
Hot is normal especially on an air cooled engine. Other than XSjohn's wings there is no method to cool any more than free air. Just don't let it idle while parked more than normal traffic lights require.
 
Well it just concerns me on how fast it gets hot. Not necessarily that it is hot. It just seems like it takes a few min to get up to the top of the heat spectrum.
 
How hot is hot? Is like how high is up. I believe all here will agree air cooled engines heat up quicker than liquid cooled with thermostats and jsut the volume of coolant to get warm before the mechanicals. You can get an infrared thermometer and measure various parts of the engine and compare that to any other bike you have access to. XSjohn seems to have the knowledge on the heat issue. If doesn't respond send him an PM or call. He'd be gald to her from you.
 
What colour are the plugs? when you say it's getting hot quick do you meen it runs with no choke almost straight away, I have dellortos on both mine, and use choke to get to the end of the drive on the 707 and just to start it on the 760, I think it's because of the pump you are constantly pumping fuel in every time you open the throttle.
 
Did you time it, could be a little retarded. When I added the Points cam to my '80 it had to have the timing plate at full advance to make it right even when I had the Pamco hooked up I had it turned 95% full clockwise to be at the correct advance. Did you make some timing mark on the new flywheel? If not turn it to about full advance and as long as the it doesn't vibrate too bad and runs cooler, your good.

Mine would start fine and run at normal settings, but it was real hot and a little on the doggy side. For some reason it was off compared to the older bike with the cam in there from the factory.
 
yeah I might just have to. We'll see. I'm just riding it around town with it right now, but I am wanting to do a longer ride here soon. So I want to work out the kinks.
 
So here comes another round of things I'm doing to the bike since you've last heard from me. I am wrapping up a 750 and a rephase (thanks hugh and Pamco). Today I am lacing up a front hub to a 21" rim... Since this is the first time I have ever laced up a mc wheel this should be interesting. A friend of mine will true it for me, but till then I will try and remember to take pics along the way! Jim
 
Alright well the wheel didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I figured it'd take longer since I was doing other things at the same time and I had never done it before... The hub and such isn't tarnished it's just light play
 

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So anyone have some tricks on how to flatten out a fender a little bit without losing its shape? After my rear fender cracked and broke. I am thinking of putting the front fender on the 16" rear. I am trying to figure out how I could actually widen up the thing to fit over the top of the tire without it looking goofy.
 
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Vibrations :-D. It was the stock rear fender that I tried to reuse, but it didn't last long.

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oh yeah I see now, in your pics. Well, if you want to try another back one (and maybe mount it differently to avoid the crack situation?)....lemme know - I have one just sitting there. A chrome one off my '80.
:)
 
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