Oldie but new to XS650s

[650Skull]

Another thing is to replace worn rubber dampers with rubber dampers......foot pegs, handle-bar rises............forget solid rises.................some bar end weights will help as well...........if you get the seat re upholstered or new foam, make sure it is function over form...........

Still a lot of old folks on these bikes.......

 

[mrtwowheel]

When these bikes were new and only a few years old there was no way that I was going to own one, they were cheap small bikes to me and I really didn't care for the styling of the specials. I was more interested in the heavier bikes with bigger engines, super bikes. I didn't go looking for a 650, it just happened. I liked the challenge of getting that rust bucket running and sorted out. After getting it running I still was not impressed, a real stone-axe machine I thought. Then I synched the carbs, wow, smooth and powerful enough for one rider with enough extra power left over. Riding that rust bucket down the road with a well tuned engine was finally impressive. I had to keep looking down at that rust bucket to remind me which bike I was on. Myself, I wouldn't ride one two-up, but it is plenty of bike for one.

Gel grips are great for the hands, foam grips are too big for my hands and give me cramps.

Scott

 

[5twins]

Yes, it's a wonderful engine. It has a real "personality". It really surprised me the first time I rode mine how fast the revs drop when you shut down the throttle and come to a stop. I thought it was going to stall, but it didn't.

 

[fredintoon]

Well i have owned and ridden yamahas since 1983 when i bought my 1982 XJ1100 maxim..I kept it 30 yrs as regretfully sold it back in 2012...
I have owned a variety of bikes but nothing too extensive..My only experience with parallel twins came in 1990 when i bought a 1978 Yamaha XS400 with an aftermarket 4to1 exhaust that backfired and popped alot on de-accel...that was good as it scared off the deer and other wildlife too..
But that parallel twin was a beast..and not in a good way...Those motors vibrate so bad that at 50mph the mirrors are totally useless..after 50 miles my hands and forearms are numb...and my backside aches from the crappy seat...so here we are XS650s..parallel twins....
Are the XS650s better motors..sounds like a dumb question but..
How do they ride..is there enough power ? Do they vibrate you to death? They certainly look cool and they suck me in big time for the classic vintage parallel twin looks...but how good is it as a daily rider?
I have always preferred inline 4s because of their inherent smoothness and power delivery...
I did read some tech articles on re-phasing the XS650 motor..but how many folks have actually done this?

Hi madmax and welcome,
I remember you from the XS11 forum and I'm sure you will feel at home on this list too.
XS650 ain't the high speed superhighway cruiser the XS11 is but neither are we these days, eh?

 

[jetmechmarty]

Vibrations aren’t an issue when the bike is used as design intended. The sweet spot is somewhere around 3500-4000 RPM. That will get you to 60 MPH or so. MadMax, you wouldn’t like the rephrase. It vibrates hard down low and gets smooth as a baby’s bottom around red line. It’s a good mod for those who wish to run the snot out of it.

 

[madmax-im]

Hi madmax and welcome,
I remember you from the XS11 forum and I'm sure you will feel at home on this list too.
XS650 ain't the high speed superhighway cruiser the XS11 is but neither are we these days, eh?

Thankyou Fred..great to see you here..I havent seen you on the XS11.com site in a long time...I have no need for a mega high speed cruiser and I loathe interstates anyway..Cheers mate!

 

[madmax-im]

Vibrations aren’t an issue when the bike is used as design intended. The sweet spot is somewhere around 3500-4000 RPM. That will get you to 60 MPH or so. MadMax, you wouldn’t like the rephrase. It vibrates hard down low and gets smooth as a baby’s bottom around red line. It’s a good mod for those who wish to run the snot out of it.

Yes so i have gathered..and a spocket change and a proper tune will smooth it out at hwy speeds...

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

This thread may be entertaining...

http://www.xs650.com/threads/the-perfect-mc-xs-almost.53549/

 

[5twins]

Yes, the minor sprocket change I mentioned will give you 65 or so at just under 4K RPMs. But droning down the highway all day at 65 or 70 isn't what this bike is all about, not what it was designed for. It's most at home on secondary and back roads, running up and down through the upper couple gears, say in the 40 to 70 MPH range. It works well for this and is lots of fun. Stock sprocket set-up on the U.S. models was 17/34 but in Europe, they came with a 33T rear. I think Yamaha hit the nail squarely on the head with that choice. It's very well matched to the motor's power output.

 

[madmax-im]

Yes, the minor sprocket change I mentioned will give you 65 or so at just under 4K RPMs. But droning down the highway all day at 65 or 70 isn't what this bike is all about, not what it was designed for. It's most at home on secondary and back roads, running up and down through the upper couple gears, say in the 40 to 70 MPH range. It works well for this and is lots of fun. Stock sprocket set-up on the U.S. models was 17/34 but in Europe, they came with a 33T rear. I think Yamaha hit the nail squarely on the head with that choice. It's very well matched to the motor's power output.

I havent any intention of riding it all day long at superslab speeds..I loathe interstates so ther'll be none of that..except on a trailer...if were going to a rally...