Searched for on the side of the road.

[Pawn126]

I have had my xs650 for 3 years. I enjoy ridding it and it has been running well. But during that time, I have finished a few rides with items missing

- Choke lever
- Exhaust Band mount bolt
- One front Break caliper bolt
- A Carb manifold vacuum barb
- Speedometer cable (inside core wire)

Am I just bad at tightening things, or do things just occasionally vibrate off?

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

- One front Break caliper bolt

A brake caliper bolt !!?!!

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

The XS650 does vibrate more than a lot of bikes, but if you torque the bolts properly (to the spec), they shouldn't come apart.
Many of us also use loctite blue a good deal.

The carb manifold vacuum barbs do have a habit of coming out when the manifold gets old and hardened. You can check to see if they are loose, and pull them out and epoxy them back in.

 

[GLJ]

Am I just bad at tightening things, or do things just occasionally vibrate off?

Are you sure you have a XS650 and not a RE Bullet?
That is a lot of stuff to loose. I have not found a need for Locite but I do check mine over from time to time for loose fasteners.
It did loose me from the seat once or twice about 40 years ago, vibration was not the problem.

 

[Pawn126]

A brake caliper bolt !!?!!

Yea, that was interesting. Fortunately it was the top bolt, so the caliper just became loose. The bolt also hit me in the leg, so at least I was warned.

 

[timbeck]

Loctite is your friend........

tim