Petcocks ?

Wow Pete you have been riding long before me..i started in 1975 and it was on an XS650 to boot..I have come full circle...I didnt buy my 1st bike until 1982 ..when i bought my XJ1100 Maxim that i kept for 30 yrs..sold in 2012 and regretted it ever since...
 
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That thing looks like a widowmaker...and no head gear..or any protective gear...:eek::eek::eek:
 
A vacuum petcock does NOT have a off position why so many dislike them.
There is no right or wrong answer to the vacuum or manual question. It's preference and often exasperation trying to stop a vacuum petcock from leaking with the engine off and lever in the "on" position.
 
often exasperation trying to stop a vacuum petcock from leaking with the engine off and lever in the "on" position.

ZACKLEY!!!

When they work great - great, but when they don't - Houston, we've got a problem here....
 
The petcock did indeed come from Mikes. I purposely left the intake boots with the vacuum ports there, as has already been said, to sync the carbs. And yes, I turn the petcock off when parked, also for the aforestated reason.
Personally, and not to hurt anyone's feelings here, but reserve is there for a reason. All one has to do is space out the distance travelled running on reserve from full once and you're walking. Wouldn't be my first choice.
 
Lets be clear here..I have no real basisi of experience with the XS650..even though it was the first bike i learned to ride 45 yrsago..in the interim i havent even looked back at the XS650s..until very recently that is.. So my experiences with petcocks involved soley inline 4 cylider Yamahas where that transiton from ON to RES was so bad i had to pull off the road...That is effing unsafe and unacceptable..
I started this thread seeking some answers..i dont pretend to have them all..I know what i have done in the past and it has worked well for me...but now that i will be riding an XS650 I need to know what works and what doesnt...
I'm stubborn but i am not that newbie kid that doesnt listen..thats why i created this thread...Thankyou all for you valued inputs..
Thankyou Phil for your clarification..I wasnt going to ask anything else...well at least not until i meet y'all in person...You didnt write this one up although you took alot of pics..but many details are unknown to me and prolly many others as well..its hard not to have questions and even harder to think of them all before committing to buying this bike..so many things are not obvious right off the bat..and i am basically learning everyday more details on these bikes...So I appreciate your patience Phil..
 
My experience on my 650 and my BMr is the same. The bike will start to loose power and then drop a cylinder. Switch one side to reserve and in a few seconds everything is good. I normally do not switch both to reserve. Happened to me yesterday when I was headed to fill it up. On a airhead you have almost 100 miles between the 2 reserves.
 
Your honor they are badgering the witness......................Much to do about nothing............if a guy wants to ride with reserve on then that's up to them..........Almost at the bullying stage.............lot of other potentially unsafe posts that get no comments
 
Your honor they are badgering the witness......................Much to do about nothing............if a guy wants to ride with reserve on then that's up to them..........Almost at the bullying stage.............lot of other potentially unsafe posts that get no comments
I asked for opinions and i got 'em..I'm a big boy..i can take it...
 
Your honor they are badgering the witness......................Much to do about nothing
You have point. It's a slow week. People need something to talk about.:D
Much to do about nothing............if a guy wants to ride with reserve on then that's up to them.
Very true. On the other hand he may not understand the value of reserve if he never had one before.
Almost at the bullying stage
Been reading this from the beginning. Every post has seemed civil to me.

4 pages does seem excessive for a petcock question. :rock:
 
I asked for opinions and i got 'em..I'm a big boy..i can take it...

No doubt, you haven't complained..............you have pointed out more than once that that is the way you do things and won't change............it is the persistence and indignation of the many i make fun of
 
No doubt, you haven't complained..............you have pointed out more than once that that is the way you do things and won't change............it is the persistence and indignation of the many i make fun of
No i didnt say i wouldnt change..just that i am stubborn to change..but then i said i wasnt stupid and prolly would listen to those with more experiences...I may not ride with the pets on RES..if the transition as others have said..isnt that bad and i can continue to ride whilst transitioning then I would prolly deem the petcock method as acceptable..
My biggest concern about the petcocks(based on my prior experiences) was that transition from On to Res.. If in fact it is more seamless with the XS650s then that will make my uusing the petcocks as intended a reality...
regardless I have no love for petcocks...but they are part of the deal...
 
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At least i haven't called you ignorant...........

Maybe rereading through the thread you will see exactly how many time you stated you wouldn't change your ways.........

Non issue.........enjoy your new to you bike
 
more seamless with the XS650s
Never have had to pull off to the side of the road. It has happened a couple of times when passing. Depending on conditions a few times I did retreat and regroup.
 
At least i haven't called you ignorant...........

Maybe rereading through the thread you will see exactly how many time you stated you wouldn't change your ways.........

Non issue.........enjoy your new to you bike
True my stubborness still is an issue but eventually i have come to realize it and have to keep an open mind about the petcocks on the XS650s....
Being a teacher..i have a saying ...
" Stupid is forever...Ignorance can be fixed"
 
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