New 650 Owner, Introduction

[StoneAgeVulture]

Hey all! My name is Matt and just recently purchased a 1981 XS650 with 9100 unmolested miles. This is my second bike, my other one is a 1979 XS1100. I was on the lookout for months trying to find a smaller bike, the 650 was my first choice, but due to the resurgence of cafe racers, the price went up and out of my range, but luckily I happen to hit CL at the right time and found this one at a good/realistic price and nabbed it up. And I love it, it is honestly so much nicer to ride than my 1100, mainly due to weight. My plans are to keep it stock for right now, but I do have plans to make a combination cafe/rat bike.

 

[ippytattoo]

They sure do look like quite the pair there don't they. Nice find and happy riding.

 

[Scrambled]

Looks like a a good score .

 

[scabber]

Welcome. Nice bike, unmolested and appears to have been taken care of. Would make a nice café/rat. If you park it under a pine tree out in the back yard it will speedup the rat process. I have an old set of rusty Mac head pipes and short cones scratched and dented would be great for your rat look. Willing to trade for yours. Start a build thread the rat café theme sounds interesting. Until then have fun with it.

 

[Scrambled]

Rat bikes just happen naturally , you just need patience coupled with lack of maintenance .

 

[5twins]

Oh, it doesn't take that long sometimes. A new local guy I met last spring managed to do his in one season. He never fixes nothin' until it breaks. He's all talk about all the things he wants to fix and upgrade, but I know now that's just talk, lol.

 

[FB71]

Love 'em both! Look great!

 

[AnthonyXS]

Hi All,

I am having some issues with my Cam Chain adjustment. Have owned my 1978 xs650 for two weeks, has it checked up with a mechanic before I purchased it and he gave me the usual list of maintenance issues that need to be taken care of on an older bike, but the general ok.

Issue at hand: valve lash noise on every combustion (clicking / metal tapping when engine is running). I figured I'd check the cam chain tensioner, since I've read that that could cause the problem.

I take off the big Acorn nut and see that there is no lock nut in there!! The adjustment nut is screwed way, way further in than any of the videos or diagrams I have referenced, but the pushrod is ALSO way, way in to the adjustment nut. Very strange. In order to get the pushrod flus with the shoulder of the adjustment nut, i have to screw the adjustment nut so far in that I don't even have any thread left to screw the acorn nut back on.

Why is it so drastically off, and how have I been riding this bike for the last two weeks without the cam chain slipping or anything? What to do?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Anthony