New XS650 in Central Texas

[NDSinTX]

I just came home with a 1982 XS650 Heritage Special that has been sitting in my father's warehouse for the past 25 years. It will be the basis for my first "build from the ground up" MC project. With the dirt cleaned off of it, it is really one of those once in a lifetime garage finds.

The wiring harness was eaten by a dog over 25 years ago, but that may be the only mechanical problem it has. We shall see.

It is going to be the basis of a street tracker, along the lines of the River Rat City XS650 that I saw last weekend in Austin, or the Mule XS650.

The stock pipes are just about perfect, so I may have to keep them for the build.

Many questions are likely to follow, I'm not very experienced in the mechanical world...

S.

 

[cycleranger]

Howdy! Welcome!

I'm just up the road in Dripping.

 

[NDSinTX]

Wow, that was quick! And close! If you are interested in providing free advice (I have no experience with this bike or with building one up), please get in touch. norman dot sanders at gmail dot com, in Wimberley.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Welcome to the forum, Norman.

...The wiring harness was eaten by a dog over 25 years ago, but that may be the only mechanical problem it has...

The dog has mechanical problems?

 

[angus67]

Welcome.we thrive on pictures!!

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Norman and welcome,
congratulations on your find! Me, I'd check it out using the site's excellent resto tips, install a replacement wiring harness, buy it a new battery and tires and go ride the thing.

 

[NDSinTX]

Welcome to the forum, Norman.



The dog has mechanical problems?

Not any more it doesn't...

 

[gggGary]

Welcome in!

 

[NDSinTX]

Welcome.we thrive on pictures!!

Two pix - one when we loaded it on the trailer, it's first daylight in over 25 years, and the second after a healthy dose of Hill Country Rain on the trip from Llano to Wimberley, plus a healthy squirt of the hose and some S100.

 

[gggGary]

That looks amazing! you might want to consider finding someone who wants to restore that and can/would trade a bike better suited to the angle grinder.

 

[NDSinTX]

That looks amazing! you might want to consider finding someone who wants to restore that and can/would trade a bike better suited to the angle grinder.

I'm thinking that I'll make the original parts that I don't use available to restorers.

This bike only has 13k miles on it, and I'd be unlikely to get another better suited to what I have in mind. I'm not at all fond of the aesthetics of the original Heritage Special layout, so it will cause me no grief to see it transformed into something more lithe, along these lines, though probably using the original pipes, which are too good and too pretty to casually ditch...

http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2015/11/11/yamaha-xs650-river-rat-cycles.html

S.

 

[weekendrider]

Your bike, your money. You won't be the first to build a dream on something you don't have a background with, and then be disappointed. The classified, ebay and craigslist, all have ads that say "I built this xxx years ago but never ride it anymore".

There aren't many wanting to restore an only year (all black) XS, probably more buyers for a stock unmolested bike.

My best advice (not that your looking) fix it, ride it for a season to see if it (the ride) does what you are wanting.

 

[cycleranger]

It does look pretty nice really, at least from 10 feet away.
Before you tear it apart I would fix the wiring, clean the carbs, change the oil, rebuild the front brakes, replace the tires, and fire it up and ride it a bit.
That will give you some repair experience and give you some time to to do some research about what you ultimately want to do with the bike.
Cleaned up and rideable it's probably worth $2500-3000+ in the Austin market. At least that's what they're asking...

 

[jamesgs4]

That looks amazing! you might want to consider finding someone who wants to restore that and can/would trade a bike better suited to the angle grinder.

oh man really? restore a disco-era bike? if anything these are the best ones to cut up because of how hideous they are stock. I love the look of an early standard, but the 80s bikes,

 

[weaselbeak]

The best bikes were from the early 80's. Just open your eyes. Much better than those plumbing nightmares they push today.

 

[fredintoon]

oh man really? restore a disco-era bike? if anything these are the best ones to cut up because of how hideous they are stock. I love the look of an early standard, but the 80s bikes,

Well gee, Jimmy,
Seein' as how (apart from the different shock angle) a late model Special can be changed to look just like a Standard with a seat rebuild and an hour of wrench work to swap in a Standard's tank & 'bars, I don't see your problem.

 

[jamesgs4]

The best bikes were from the early 80's. Just open your eyes. Much better than those plumbing nightmares they push today.

Well gee, Jimmy,
Seein' as how (apart from the different shock angle) a late model Special can be changed to look just like a Standard with a seat rebuild and an hour of wrench work to swap in a Standard's tank & 'bars, I don't see your problem.

haha, just poking fun since my bike is an 81. Starting out with a nice bike for a project is always better than a rusted out basketcase. The 80s bikes are a dime a dozen, unlike the early bikes. My son has an nice example of an 80 that lost the disco flavor.

 

[NDSinTX]

haha, just poking fun since my bike is an 81. Starting out with a nice bike for a project is always better than a rusted out basketcase. The 80s bikes are a dime a dozen, unlike the early bikes. My son has an nice example of an 80 that lost the disco flavor.

Your son's bike is a big improvement.

I will probably try to get this thing running as is, but I have no qualms about chopping it up. This is the 7th bike in my current stable (2003 BMW R1150RS, 1998 Guzzi Centauro, 2007 Triumph Thruxton, 2011 Royal Enfield C5 Chrome, 1941 Triumph 350, and 2014 Vespa 300ie), so I'm not likely to be posting any of those "I never ride this so I'm selling it" messages. I like to run the shinola out of them...

S.

 

[5twins]

If you just change the handlebars to a more normal type, that will transform the look and feel of the bike. That would be first on my list. My bar of choice is a European bend. I see you have a BMW. That's what turned me on to this handlebar bend. I put them on all my bikes now. The way they droop down slightly on the ends makes them very comfortable .....

 

[NDSinTX]

If you just change the handlebars to a more normal type, that will transform the look and feel of the bike. That would be first on my list. My bar of choice is a European bend. I see you have a BMW. That's what turned me on to this handlebar bend. I put them on all my bikes now. The way they droop down slightly on the ends makes them very comfortable .....

Actually, what I have in mind can be seen in the inserted image.