Both FedEx and UPS have business relationships with USPS. The former often hand off packages to USPS for final delvery, and we aren't informed ahead of time.
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The beginning of My Road Racer
- Thread starter Robert Breen
- Start date
I have that little HF hand held blast gun, and for the most part, I think it works pretty good. I've used both soda and sand in it .....
Doing this the "budget" way, I don't buy the special blasting sands, I just use sand sand, sandbox or beach sand. I sift it first to get the junk out, then put it in the gun hopper. Most things you're cleaning, like a frame or wheels, will allow you to get at most parts with wire wheels and such. You just need to blast the nooks and crannies, like around the welds.
Doing this the "budget" way, I don't buy the special blasting sands, I just use sand sand, sandbox or beach sand. I sift it first to get the junk out, then put it in the gun hopper. Most things you're cleaning, like a frame or wheels, will allow you to get at most parts with wire wheels and such. You just need to blast the nooks and crannies, like around the welds.
Well, Harbor Freight it is then. Anyone know if they take PayPal?
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Yeah I spoke with the UPS guy who delivers both to my job and to my home and he said it is a cheaper way for the seller to send packages And well I guess that makes sense because the parts are new Yamaha manufactured but there sold at below what other retailers are selling them for
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Hi there Sir. I really had no plans to race the bike as it will be street legal in every way but will resemble something we only remember seeing back when we were still teens or saw at a museum. Just something to enjoy
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
I would think they at least take credit cards JimD54 I mean there a pretty big outfit and even have online ordering as well as local stores everywhere
Make sure you wear a quality respirator. Silica is not good for your lungs.
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Ok so I did get everything needed from harbor freight Sunday
twin filtered respirator, blast hood, sand blaster with 50lbs hopper, and dryer/filter then went out to rual king and got two 50lbs bags of black diamond 20-40 fine coal slag blasting media. I played around a bit today on the main frame before the rain started and I think for a grand total of about $95 and change for everything it was worth it for me as I will be blasting other smaller parts later on and it works pretty darn well once you get the hang of it
Also sense my long term girlfriend works new construction cleaning and always gets the left over stuff if she wants it (OR UM IF I DO LOL) she will be bringing me some visqueen so next week when I have more time to blast I can lay it on the driveway and then screen and re-use the media after
Here are some pictures the first one is the frame before I started
twin filtered respirator, blast hood, sand blaster with 50lbs hopper, and dryer/filter then went out to rual king and got two 50lbs bags of black diamond 20-40 fine coal slag blasting media. I played around a bit today on the main frame before the rain started and I think for a grand total of about $95 and change for everything it was worth it for me as I will be blasting other smaller parts later on and it works pretty darn well once you get the hang of it
Also sense my long term girlfriend works new construction cleaning and always gets the left over stuff if she wants it (OR UM IF I DO LOL) she will be bringing me some visqueen so next week when I have more time to blast I can lay it on the driveway and then screen and re-use the media after
Here are some pictures the first one is the frame before I started
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
I feel really stupid LOL
Well after about an hour trying to use about 9 zip tie's and a gazillion F-words that didn't include Friday I got smart and checked out youtube and then went to home depot & bought some plastic A/C duck hanger strip and two 4.5" plumbers screw band clamps Cost about $6 and made some ring compressors so I could get the jugs on over the new rings and WOW! a but load of Yamalube and some very light taps with a rubber mallet and that's it. I'm sure a lotta you fella's on here have done a ton of builds but this is my first ever xs650 motor disassembly and I really do appreciate all your help and support. Thanks Ya'll
Well after about an hour trying to use about 9 zip tie's and a gazillion F-words that didn't include Friday I got smart and checked out youtube and then went to home depot & bought some plastic A/C duck hanger strip and two 4.5" plumbers screw band clamps Cost about $6 and made some ring compressors so I could get the jugs on over the new rings and WOW! a but load of Yamalube and some very light taps with a rubber mallet and that's it. I'm sure a lotta you fella's on here have done a ton of builds but this is my first ever xs650 motor disassembly and I really do appreciate all your help and support. Thanks Ya'll
There ya go!!
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
I know this is jumping the gun a bit but I had the extra cash on hand and they were at a good price so I
went ahead and got me the rear sets from Old School Speed. all billet aluminum I will most likely buy some other linkage rods or at least come up with something to cover the ugly threaded rods
I tried a set of those on mine but was not happy with the fit. The left side was fine but the right side interfered with the exhaust. I reached out to OSS but got zero support. So...make sure you check fitment before you commit.
I went with a set of these instead: https://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XS-...ash=item212c0f369d:g:x3cAAOSw8d9UyWaN&vxp=mtr
The only change I would make to these is to have the brake arm be a touch longer for better leverage/feel.
I went with a set of these instead: https://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XS-...ash=item212c0f369d:g:x3cAAOSw8d9UyWaN&vxp=mtr
The only change I would make to these is to have the brake arm be a touch longer for better leverage/feel.
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Thank you Sir. I have not gotten to the point of application yet but I'm sure or at least pretty sure I can make the proper mods as nothing universal fitment is ever a direct bolt up and so on and I am 100% in to learning what ever it takes to either make these fit or go what ever other route need be Sir
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Hi Thatxs650guy
I'm using a 1982 xs650 special frame, I have solid header pipes with no cross over so they can be moved in or out to hopefully clear and a set of vintage Trumpet mini megaphones about 13" long. Not sure what year frame you used or if it would make a difference as well what exhaust combo you used. I'm a long way from the mock up stage but I will keep you and all the awesome folks here on the forum informed of my progress and or set backs on and threw out the build. And thank you Sir for the info on the other rear sets
Mine is a '79 Special. Here is a pic of the right side with the OSS mid mount pegs. The exhaust at the time was stock. You can see the way the linkage is with the lever at the bottom:
I bought these used and I wonder if I ended up with two left side levers or if they were an earlier version. You may not have this issue...
Here are the ones I have now. These have the adjustable levers so you can put the pivot point anywhere you want. Also, you don't have to modify your brake and shift levers:
I went thru three sets of rearsets before I settled on these. Like I said, the only thing I would change would be a bit more length on the brake side for better leverage and maybe rubber mounting. You get a lot of buzziness thru the pegs but you get used to it pretty quickly.
Not trying to talk you out of the OSS rearsets. I just want to relay some of the pains I went thru to get some that worked.
Good luck
I bought these used and I wonder if I ended up with two left side levers or if they were an earlier version. You may not have this issue...
Here are the ones I have now. These have the adjustable levers so you can put the pivot point anywhere you want. Also, you don't have to modify your brake and shift levers:
I went thru three sets of rearsets before I settled on these. Like I said, the only thing I would change would be a bit more length on the brake side for better leverage and maybe rubber mounting. You get a lot of buzziness thru the pegs but you get used to it pretty quickly.
Not trying to talk you out of the OSS rearsets. I just want to relay some of the pains I went thru to get some that worked.
Good luck
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Update I have gotten a little farther along on the Road Racer project. Not very far as work and life get in the way but I did finish top end rebuild and have the motor almost completely back together. The block, jugs, and heads are painted with 1,500 degree gloss black engine enamel, case covers and valve inspection covers are panted 500 degree candy red and the clutch adjustment cap and cam covers are 500 degree anodized red
I plan on doing the oil feeder tube either anodized or candy red not sure just yet and I would like to get all black allen head hardware and acorns
well here is a picture and yes all tins will be candy red as well
I plan on doing the oil feeder tube either anodized or candy red not sure just yet and I would like to get all black allen head hardware and acorns
well here is a picture and yes all tins will be candy red as well
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Oh got the main frame painted. I wanted something a lil different than everyone ells as it's normally gloss black or the same color as the tins, So I shot some candy silver base coat on and then shot translucent anodized black over it to get this smoked effect. I guess I didn't prep the backbone as good as I should have as can be seen in the 2cnd picture but Hell your never gonna see that when the bike is all together and Hey I never claimed to be a pro or a paint & body guy LOL I think it's coming out pretty nice so far and I estimate the entire build including the cost of the bike and doner bike will be about $2,200 or less. At this point I've spent just under $1,500 and have about 89% of the things I need or want for the build and some of that was spent on tools like cheap sand blaster and paints primers yamalube and so on. Any-4-hoot here are the pictures
Robert Breen
XS650 Enthusiast
Sorry my lil 1 car garage is a mess lol
Join the club Robert! I call my garage the Disaster Central Workshop or DCW for short.
Pete
Pete
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