Socopunk
XS650 Enthusiast
So here's the story. Kind of a cool one.
My dad bought this bike brand new in 1973. '73 TX650 Yamaha. For whatever reason he stopped riding a few years later, and the bike sat. When I was in high school (mid 90's) I would go out and tinker with the thing almost every day, but never got it started. At the time I didn't know it, but it was because it was losing compression from stripped spark plug threads. Anyway, In about '95 I got home from school one day and the thing was gone. Turned out my uncle was talking about it and my dad gave it to him. We live in California, my uncle lives in South Dakota. My dad bought it in Minnesota. So then it went through many owners and states over the years. It went through, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Alaska and Colorado. About a year ago (I'm now 32) I was wondering about it and asked my parents. They said it might be in Colorado. So I called my cousin in Denver and she checked it out and found that my cousin had it just outside of Denver. I called him and, long story just a little bit shorter, I bought it from him for $120. It wasn't running. I had it hauled back to California, when it arrived it had a different seat and a tank on it from a '72 I think. But, I opened up the seat and in the tray there was the title with my dads name on it, signed in 1973. So it is back full circle and now I own it. Took a few weeks, but got it running with the help of you guys on this forum.
Sorry the pictures are so crappy. I'm slowly working on this thing. At the moment it's almost bare to the frame. Bike isn't in the greatest shape, but it must have been hauled to all those states, because it's got 2100 miles on it. I'm addicted to this thing (like most of you to yours). Have been for 15 years.
Jimmy
My dad bought this bike brand new in 1973. '73 TX650 Yamaha. For whatever reason he stopped riding a few years later, and the bike sat. When I was in high school (mid 90's) I would go out and tinker with the thing almost every day, but never got it started. At the time I didn't know it, but it was because it was losing compression from stripped spark plug threads. Anyway, In about '95 I got home from school one day and the thing was gone. Turned out my uncle was talking about it and my dad gave it to him. We live in California, my uncle lives in South Dakota. My dad bought it in Minnesota. So then it went through many owners and states over the years. It went through, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Alaska and Colorado. About a year ago (I'm now 32) I was wondering about it and asked my parents. They said it might be in Colorado. So I called my cousin in Denver and she checked it out and found that my cousin had it just outside of Denver. I called him and, long story just a little bit shorter, I bought it from him for $120. It wasn't running. I had it hauled back to California, when it arrived it had a different seat and a tank on it from a '72 I think. But, I opened up the seat and in the tray there was the title with my dads name on it, signed in 1973. So it is back full circle and now I own it. Took a few weeks, but got it running with the help of you guys on this forum.
Sorry the pictures are so crappy. I'm slowly working on this thing. At the moment it's almost bare to the frame. Bike isn't in the greatest shape, but it must have been hauled to all those states, because it's got 2100 miles on it. I'm addicted to this thing (like most of you to yours). Have been for 15 years.
Jimmy
Last edited:
...need to go back through the chain and see if you can locate the original tank 
And the old SG and Les Paul I owned . . . Sorry, don't mean to hijack this thread.
