Rat Racer - 1980 XS650 - MA

[xonix_digital]

Hey guys.

Just picked up my first bike.
1980 XS650

A wedding gift from my brother

Street tracker kit

Not a huge fan of the fiberglass. Looks mad better without it.

Just need to fab up a seat mount. Not super interested in cutting up the fiberglass tracker seat/fender thing yet.

Luckily my buddy crashed his Monte Carlo and left his hood at my house.

This is just a test run. The final seat mount will be made out of the center section of the hood with the two lines running down it.

More to come, just waiting for the pics to upload from my phone.

Looking forward to getting to know you guys and getting this hood rat on the road!

 

[xonix_digital]

Took apart the street tracker kit and pulled the lights out.
Flipped them over and mocked them up.

Trying to figure out if I should raise the brake light so the lights are just straight across.

 

[Sparky]

Looks like you got yourself a fun project. If this is your first bike, I suggest just riding it for a while. See what you like and don't like about riding position, comfort, speed, handling, etc. Look at other bikes, maybe find a local bike night. Then start modifying this one. Only reason I say that is, if you don't know what you want in a bike, (which. If you haven't ridden before you won't), then you'll end up doing something you don't like. Aside from that, it's a good looking bike. I agree that it looks better without the fiberglass, and that yes, the taillights need to be in line. And don't get too upset about the lack of response, most of the people on this forum really like these bikes bone stock and don't see any need to change em.

 

[xonix_digital]

Thats clearly good advice. Thanks for that.
I got some cafe style bars with it but Im too fat to be in that position comfortably.

Just have to get this thing working. The seat is really the only mod I wanted to do right away. Getting the lights on and a plate mount (still trying to get creative with that).

The list of issues I received with the bike are as follows:

- Needs a new Stator
- Carbs are off the bike and are either junk, or a perfectly good replacement (lol)
- Master Cylinder is busted and needs to be replaced
- Missing battery
- Tank needs to be cleaned out
- Front Tire is off the bead
- I have been told to "Marvel Mystery Oil" the cylinders because it has been sitting.

I ordered the Haynes manual, a new MC w/lever, and I have a big box of parts that I accumulated from Craigslist. I have some 79 carbs that look bigger and to be in pretty good shape. Since the status of the 80's are unknown I might just try the 79s first.

 

[Sparky]

There is pretty much everything you need to know about these bikes archived here on the forum. A search can find most of it. there are numerous threads about bringing a bike back to life after it sat, and the carb tutorials and write-ups are amazing. The carbs are pretty simple devices, i dont know that any stock carb is better than any other. I would try to keep all the parts from the same year though- its a pain to remember "well, the bike is a 80, but the forks are '76, and the engine is 81, except the carbs are 79....."

Having said all that, you are one of us now. congats, the Kool-Aid is over on the table. These are good bikes, dependable and easy to work on. Highly customize-able, probably more so than any similar bike. We look forward to keeping up with your build, and remember, we love pictures.

BTW, wash that thing off! aside from making it shiny, youll be amazed at what you learn when you start poking around in the nooks and crannies. stuff like loose bolts, bailing wire, electrical wires held together with wire nuts(dont ever do that), and sometimes things like cracks in the engine casing .

 

[XSLeo]

On the carbs, 70-79 used BS38 carbs the 80 up used BS34 carbs. They use different carb holders. Use the ones that fit your holders. www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf is what you need to read to get your carbs working.
On your list you say the stator is bad. How did you determine the stator is bad? They seldom go bad. Brushes fail, rotors fail, even reg/rec's fail before the stator. Once you get a manual follow the steps to test the rotor and stator. You may find they are ok.
Leo

 

[westonboege]

Looks rad! Good to see another semi local!

Nice datsun too! I just lost mine to thieves... Keep on the lookout for an orange 74 datsun 620....

 

[xonix_digital]

Sick gear on Counter Balance. You make all that?
Sounds like we all have the same taste in vehicles... a 620 is def on my hit list.

 

[xonix_digital]

Thanks for the tips Leo!

All of that information was given to me with the bike.
I just got my Haynes in the mail and have been pouring through it nightly.

Lots of great tips and tricks for diagnosing issues and testing equipment. I will follow your advice and dig into the stator issue a little further.

For now I think I am going to put it all together (carbs, fuel lines, battery, etc.) and see what it does. Its gonna be hard for me to fix all the issues with no context or symptoms of erratic operation.


Thanks for the welcome Sparky!

 

[NONclow]

Good project! mebbe integrated red signal/stop lamp combo?

Sweet Z as well. Alas I must suffer with a rotary....and am in the process of aquiring a 74 repu.

 

[xonix_digital]

Nice whips! *searches for build threads*

 

[xonix_digital]

Pulled the tank off for cleaning:

Installed the 79 carbs after they passed the bladder test. Sorry for the crappy pic but i had to also install the cable guide from the 80 carb as the cables are clearly different between years.

Yucky BMC. Already have a replacement for this but have yet to get it installed:

Nudes:

 

[xonix_digital]

hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Ordered myself up one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gel-Sealed-...amaha|Model:XS650&hash=item58a175affb&vxp=mtr

Anyone have any experience with these? Cheap enough so I thought I'd give it a shot.

 

[xonix_digital]

Cleaning out the tank a bit today. There is a retarded amount of junk in this thing.

Giving the salt and vinegar trick a try.

What a freakin' mess.

Ugghhhh...

There was about a quarter pound of dirt and flakes of stuff that came out of the tank. Plus the typical rotten gas rust slurry that is to be expected. Looked like yoohoo.

 

[xonix_digital]

I am super shocked at how well the Salt/Vinegar solution worked. Just let is sit for a week and shook it up and flipped it every couple days.

I am doing it again this week because I will be travelling for work and there was still a small amount of junk in there.

 

[paulpops55]

Just wondering how the wife liked the wedding gift ?

 

[xonix_digital]

The wife tolerated it. Lets just say shes not pissed that its a one seater.

Just got back from Colorado and tried to empty the tank of the salt/vinegar solution that had now been sitting for two weeks.

The inside of the gas cap either got junk jammed in it or the acid solution ate something inside it cause the lock no longer works.

But that is one clean tank!

Heard a bunch of stuff rattling around inside the tank this time so I removed the petcock and found the problem.

The inside of my petcock literally disintegrated under the caustic conditions.

Looks like Ill be ordering up another one of those!

Rinsed out the tank with a hose and water to get the vinegar out. Then sealed the tank back up, dumped in some HEET water remover and sloshed it all around to keep it from rusting while I wait for parts. Cheap solution too as this stuff only costs a little over $1 at Walmart.

 

[xonix_digital]

Had to disassemble, clean and run fuel lines to the carbs.

Also replaced the BMC/Brake lever and flushed all the lines front and back. The Brake fluid in the rear was hilariously black. Wish I got a shot of it.

I straightened out the tail light brackets. Not sure if I like them. Ill try a few different mounts and see how it goes.

Also finally got the bike running!

 

[xonix_digital]

Hey all,

Pardon my inability to figure this out on my own...

I have had a popping sound coming from my right side exhaust for as long as I've had it running.
I went through the typical cam chain, valve lash, etc procedure and came to the points and timing.

Now, all the stuff I've found on points ignitions and electronic ignitions do not correlate to what I am seeing here.
I just need a nod from the group about the following:

1. Is this an electronic ignition (all inclinations point to "yes").
2. How the hell do I set timing on an (this) electronic ignition?
3. What kind of ignition is this?
4. Is this an ignition? lol

 

[weekendrider]

Yes yamaha's TCI ignition. You can remove the rivets from the pick-up(the black plastic oval), slot the holes and using screws to hold it get a little timing adjustment. XSJohn did this and posted his work on the old 650rider site.