Short People

[DogBunny]

Here's a link to the current Hugh's kit:
https://www.hughshandbuilt.com/product/xs650-sr500-fork-lowering-kit-35mm/
A single spacer length, which you cut to size.
Or, you go to your local metal supply house, and buy pipe. DOM is nice, but many cheaper choices will work just fine.

 

[jetmechmarty]

What I've found, though, shows the Euro had 18" wheels instead of 16"s. Which would have made her taller, not shorter, wouldn't it?

Yes, theoretically could be true. Also, your Special shocks are angled forward to lower the rear of the bike.

 

[5twins]

The overall diameter of the 16" wheel is also slightly smaller than the 18", so that combined with the more angled rear shocks does lower the Special a little bit. This is why it's harder to put on the centerstand than a Standard model, you have to lift it more. You can lower the forks a little by sliding the tubes up in the trees, but not much. There isn't much clearance available between the top of the fender and the bottom of the lower triple tree at full fork compression. I have both mine lowered about ¼". I do this not for the lowering aspect but to improve the steering and handling.

The easiest and best thing you can do to ease side and centerstand deployment is to keep their pivots well greased. This helps with the sidestand but can make an absolutely amazing difference on the centerstand. If those long tube centerstand pivots dry out and get rusty, they bind up big time when you put a load on them .....

 

[650Skull]

I try not to use the word REMEMBER much, cause, yeah, mine's terrible, but Dave, the guy I bought it off of, said he thought it was the shorter European model. What I've found, though, shows the Euro had 18" wheels instead of 16"s. Which would have made her taller, not shorter, wouldn't it?

All Standards worldwide had 19" front and 18"rear wheels.

All Specials worldwide, including Europe, had 19" front and 16" rear wheels. Mag or spoke wheels.

That is not to say someone hasn't changed a Special 16" rear wheel to an 18" wheel. All Specials in the US from 79 had a model that had 16" spoke rear wheel so the change to an 18", swaps straight in

 

[Shelby]

All Standards worldwide had 19" front and 18"rear wheels.

All Specials worldwide, including Europe, had 19" front and 16" rear wheels. Mag or spoke wheels.

That is not to say someone hasn't changed a Special 16" rear wheel to an 18" wheel. All Specials in the US from 79 had a model that had 16" spoke rear wheel so the change to an 18", swaps straight in

My '82 had Mag wheels. Both the long time ago '83 and the current '83 had/have spoke wheels. Did I think to measure them? Nooo. LOL

 

[jetmechmarty]

My '82 had Mag wheels. Both the long time ago '83 and the current '83 had/have spoke wheels. Did I think to measure them? Nooo. LOL

If you had an ‘82 Heritage Special with mag wheels, the wheels came off an ‘81 Special. The ‘82 only came 64 spokes in front, 48 spokes in back. I put mags on my ‘83. It’s running them now.

 

[650Skull]

My '82 had Mag wheels. Both the long time ago '83 and the current '83 had/have spoke wheels. Did I think to measure them? Nooo. LOL

Mags of an 81 have a drum brake. The only year the US got a drum brake rear Mag.

Not uncommon for them to b swapped into a spoke wheel model Special. 82 Heritage Specials were the first year to have the Gazillion spoke wheels.

Post #9 I posted a link. This covers 95% of models world wide and has information + links to some howto's you might find handy.

 

[Shelby]

From the TECH menu. Doesn't look any harder than rebuilding the forks.

https://www.xs650.com/threads/how-to-rebuild-xs650-forks-install-lowering-kit.5537/

Exactly. And that's something else I'd rather not do. ROFL

 

[Shelby]

If you had an ‘82 Heritage Special with mag wheels, the wheels came off an ‘81 Special. The ‘82 only came 64 spokes in front, 48 spokes in back. I put mags on my ‘83. It’s running them now.

Was an '82 Special, rather than a Heritage Special. '83 was a Heritage Special. Until recently I didn't know there was ever an '82 Heritage Special. Back in the day, I was told the Heritage was the '83 end of model run model. Reading about '82 Heritage Specials now was a bit of a shocker.

 

[650Skull]

Yep, the 82 was the red headed child of the 650 line.

 

[5twins]

Well, when you get one of these, the forks usually need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned out. Fork oil doesn't get real dirty like motor oil does, but over time, dirt does work it's way in past the fork seals. And since fork oil doesn't get hot like motor oil, the dirt will remain in the bottom of the forks when you drain the oil. The only way to clean it out is to physically swab it out.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Well, when you get one of these, the forks usually need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned out. Fork oil doesn't get real dirty like motor oil does, but over time, dirt does work it's way in past the fork seals. And since fork oil doesn't get hot like motor oil, the dirt will remain in the bottom of the forks when you drain the oil. The only way to clean it out is to physically swab it out.

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Yes! I believe they shed aluminum into the oil. I do my best to keep my fork oil changed.

 

[Kevin Werner]

I am shorter too... I just strap a step stool on my tank...

 

[Shelby]

Well, when you get one of these, the forks usually need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned out. Fork oil doesn't get real dirty like motor oil does, but over time, dirt does work it's way in past the fork seals. And since fork oil doesn't get hot like motor oil, the dirt will remain in the bottom of the forks when you drain the oil. The only way to clean it out is to physically swab it out.

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Idonwanna I donwanna Idonwanna... OK. Shoot me now. I will learn to do this.

 

[Shelby]

I am shorter too... I just strap a step stool on my tank...

That made me laugh, but it also brought up a memory that has me smiling. My mom was driving a Chevy Suburban in her late 70s and she was too short to get into it on her own. She had a single step step-stool on a rope she'd haul up after she got in and drop on the passengers' side.

 

[bosco659]

I am shorter too... I just strap a step stool on my tank...

Sorry, but had to post this.

 

[Shelby]

Sorry, but had to post this.

LOL. Perfect! That's exactly how my mamma did it. She was 5' 6", shrunk to 4' 10" or so -- osteoporosis. Drink your milk, guys!