Street Tracker build yet again - v2

tom4130

XS650 Enthusiast
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OK so its been a while since I have been on the xs650.com, as I sold my last xs early last year. I have recently made a move to the east coast and now its time to build another XS in New York.

My last build thread is here and a pic of it below: http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39129&page=5



Hoping to build something similar but learn from mistakes and pitfalls I had last time and make another reliable, streetable and usable bike.

I just picked up a '79 with only 5700 original miles on it from the original owner after searching for around 6 months.It hasnt been registered since 2003 and consequently needs a little work. Thing is great and I have just done valve clearances, cam chain, clutch adjustment and the thing runs pretty good. Idle is all over the place and theres a HUGE gas leak from the petcock (Vacuum petcocks are the worst) so got some work to do for sure.

Here is the bike:


I am away to order some parts for it, but for east, does anyone happen to know which Mukini carbs these are off the bat so I can order the correct jets? any help would be awesome



 
What brings you to the east coast? I recently purchased a 81 Special for my son who is in Brooklyn. He will be riding it until the fall when it will come to me to be modified.
Look forward to your build.
 
@wes thanks man, Cant wait to get the next seat from you in a few weeks (I just made the order for the brown leather one), the last one looked great and fit so well.

I also have a rigid shovel I may end up sending the seat pan to you too if you're down.
 
@zeroxs650, job moved me here. It was a rough winter not being able to ride! Keep in touch man, when I get this one sorted Ill be looking for people to ride with. Im in Brooklyn also.
 
So a small update. I have been ordering a bunch of parts this week for the build. Some for aesthetics, but mostly trying to get this thing running good.

I pulled the carbs, that the PO told me he had just cleaned. I think he may have done them 15 years ago. Caked in varnish.





I got a rebuild kit from Mikes XS and some pods. There was a fuel leak from the old petcock that had basically destroyed the stock 35 year old air filters. So I bought some UNI pods and upjetted the carbs. I will tune them properly when I have the new mufflers on.

Also adjusted the cam chain (Which was way too tight) and the valves (which were way too loose) and then did an oil change. The tightness of the drain bolts leads me to believe that this is the first oil change in a VERY long time.

Started the engine and checked the voltage and im getting 12.5 Volts at around 3000rpm and I watched the battery go from 12V to 8V really fast. Charging and Reg/Rec are probably caput so ordered a Hughs Handbuilt unit that should arrive next week.

Thats all for now. More soon.
 
OK so another update.

Carbs cleaned, Mufflers were completely shot, and a fuel leak from the petcocks had been leaking into the original airbox causing the filters to disintegrate.

Updates now to the bike are as follows:
  • Uni Pods
  • Carb Rebuild Kit
  • New non-vacuum petcocks
  • New shorter mufflers
  • Rejet for new exhaust
I am tinkering with the tuning as not quite sure yet whether I have it too lean or too rich. Ill do a few miles on it hopefully this weekend and check the spark plugs. I also found out that the alternator wasn't making any voltage, so went in on a Hughs Handbuilt full PMA kit. Here are some photos and then as she sits now.





My plans differ with this bike from the last slightly as I plan on riding this one as I do the work on it incrementally, and hope to never have it off the road for more than a couple of days at a time. That means that my priority is getting it running correctly first, followed by the aesthetics.

Having said this I just received a new seat from Wes at Counter Balance Cycles, and will try to get that mounted up this weekend.
 
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