twinsarehot
fu*cking lurker
Roller bearings set.
XSJohn's BS34 needles.
PAMCO or NEW OEM Replacement.
XSJohn's BS34 needles.
PAMCO or NEW OEM Replacement.
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Top 3 Mods for reliability
- Thread starter Rustychopper
- Start date
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- Tags
- maintenance
On the 79 and older swapping the reg/rec to solid state is a great upgrade. The Pamco is great on these older bikes to. Replacing the stock glass tube fuses for modern blade fuses.
On the 80 up the Pamco when the stock ignition dies. Same with the reg/rec. Fuse upgrades here too.
All years clean and tighten ever wiring connection on the bike.Other than that if the engine is good they are very reliable machines.
Now if you want to talk improving performance of the bike, better handling and more usable power then that a whole nother thing.
On the 80 up the Pamco when the stock ignition dies. Same with the reg/rec. Fuse upgrades here too.
All years clean and tighten ever wiring connection on the bike.Other than that if the engine is good they are very reliable machines.
Now if you want to talk improving performance of the bike, better handling and more usable power then that a whole nother thing.
tonyc
XS650 Guru
Pete I have three permanent mag systems, Sparx, Mr. Riggs, and Hugh's I will run a different one in two of my bikes to see which is better. Right now I could not tell which is better. If the two cheaper ones hold up they would be better. Tony C
TonyC the Sparx system has to be better, it cost so much more. More costly is better. 
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
petesxs,
The Boyer is a good ignition, but it needs 9 volts and 200 RPM minimum to work, which is hard to come by with a kick start PM setup using a capacitor when starting. The PAMCO will work all the way down to 3 volts, but you generally have to have at least 5 or 6 volts for the coil. The PAMCO has been tested to work at 6 volts, and it will work with just 1 RPM.
Here is a video of the PAMCO working with a 6 volt lantern battery:
The most common comment I get about the PAMCO is easier starts, and this is why. With a conventional battery start setup, the battery can go as low as 8 volts, which makes for difficult starting with other electronic ignition systems, including the TCI and Boyer.
The Boyer is a good ignition, but it needs 9 volts and 200 RPM minimum to work, which is hard to come by with a kick start PM setup using a capacitor when starting. The PAMCO will work all the way down to 3 volts, but you generally have to have at least 5 or 6 volts for the coil. The PAMCO has been tested to work at 6 volts, and it will work with just 1 RPM.
Here is a video of the PAMCO working with a 6 volt lantern battery:
The most common comment I get about the PAMCO is easier starts, and this is why. With a conventional battery start setup, the battery can go as low as 8 volts, which makes for difficult starting with other electronic ignition systems, including the TCI and Boyer.
I just reread most of this post and most of the mods mentioned won't effect reliability. The ignition, charging, and electrics, make things reliable. Any thing else just makes the bike ride better, or perform better.
Swing arm bushings, steering head bearings, oil coolers, oil filters, All good but not nessasarily more reliable.
Swing arm bushings, steering head bearings, oil coolers, oil filters, All good but not nessasarily more reliable.
(1) fuse upgrade (I did the Radio Shack fuse holder transplant, so still use glass fuses), (2) clean and tighten all electrical connectors as many have mentioned, (3) add a relay to power the coil directly off the battery, instead of thru the kill switch.
rwingsfan
Xs 650 Dummy
Hmmmm....care to qualify the facts of why BB is a better ignition and why the Sparxx is "better" than that Banshee "nonsense"? I love it when folks make claims like this with no explanation to back it up. And BTW I already know the "rotating mass" behind the sparxx unit. It does give a slight performance increase, but as far as charging your battery or the ability to run with a capacitor...how is it better? Yes the BB does get rid of the advance unit, but performance wise...is it worth over twice what a Pamco is? Or is your claim that these are "better" just opinons as opposed to factual? 
rwingsfan
Xs 650 Dummy
Oh I'll put my vote in
1. Tapered neck bearings
2. Banshee "nonsense"
3. Pamco Igniton (yeah cheap is good)
4. I know its supposed to be three, but if you are running a swingarm, gotta include bushings.....so sue me
1. Tapered neck bearings
2. Banshee "nonsense"
3. Pamco Igniton (yeah cheap is good)
4. I know its supposed to be three, but if you are running a swingarm, gotta include bushings.....so sue me
Punkskalar
Hugh's HandBuilt
Pay no mind to PetesXS, I think he still has plenty to learn about these bikes based on his other posts...
The "Banshee Nonsense" can be assembled super cheap if you are crafty with your searches for parts. Not trying to sound like a commercial here, but I've sold about 250 or more of the adapter kits all over the world. And I've only been offering the kits for about 3-4 months now. I recommend the Ninja 600 Stator and you know if it can power all the needs of a modern sportbike, it can handle life under a 30 year old vertical twin. People are ditching the stock stuff for a reason, and its because cost and reliability become a determining factor. Not crafty with your searches and just want to buy it all for top dollar? I sell the entire Banshee Swap NEW ready to go for $379.00 shipped, the Sparx setup is $510.00 comparatively not shipped.
Pamcopete makes the BEST ignition out there for the money. Period! I guarantee you that there are more bikes using his setup than the Boyer. And he hasn't been around nearly as long as the boyer has been. Reliable? Well lets see, 3 wires and your bike is running. No magic black boxes to go bad, no extra wiring to worry about, and some of the best customer service on the planet. I've personally installed no less than 10 of his ignition setups. Top quality from Pamcopete everytime.
And yes, XS650 guys are cheap. Lets go ahead and get that out there
So why bother spending more money when you can have proven performance and great customer service to back it up. I'm with XSleo, just because it costs more, does not make it "better".
The "Banshee Nonsense" can be assembled super cheap if you are crafty with your searches for parts. Not trying to sound like a commercial here, but I've sold about 250 or more of the adapter kits all over the world. And I've only been offering the kits for about 3-4 months now. I recommend the Ninja 600 Stator and you know if it can power all the needs of a modern sportbike, it can handle life under a 30 year old vertical twin. People are ditching the stock stuff for a reason, and its because cost and reliability become a determining factor. Not crafty with your searches and just want to buy it all for top dollar? I sell the entire Banshee Swap NEW ready to go for $379.00 shipped, the Sparx setup is $510.00 comparatively not shipped.
Pamcopete makes the BEST ignition out there for the money. Period!
I guarantee you that there are more bikes using his setup than the Boyer. And he hasn't been around nearly as long as the boyer has been. Reliable? Well lets see, 3 wires and your bike is running. No magic black boxes to go bad, no extra wiring to worry about, and some of the best customer service on the planet. I've personally installed no less than 10 of his ignition setups. Top quality from Pamcopete everytime. And yes, XS650 guys are cheap. Lets go ahead and get that out there
So why bother spending more money when you can have proven performance and great customer service to back it up. I'm with XSleo, just because it costs more, does not make it "better".
rwingsfan
Xs 650 Dummy
Well Hugh, I am an expert at nothing, but I get real tired of people who make these claims with nothing to back it up. The Sparxx system has its advantages in the total performance sense, but for reliabiltiy (which is what the thread was about) there is NO advantage and possibly a disadvantage as I can score a stator or a regulator that will work just about anywhere. I am betting that PeteXS has never installed or used the banshee "nonsense" and has nothing with which to compare, except his much lighter wallet. And when it comes to Pamco;s ignition, talk about customer service...wow...Pete is the man. He for real answered most my questions in like a half hour. He must sit as his computer just a waiting
Pay no mind to PetesXS, I think he still has plenty to learn about these bikes based on his other posts...
The "Banshee Nonsense" can be assembled super cheap if you are crafty with your searches for parts. Not trying to sound like a commercial here, but I've sold about 250 or more of the adapter kits all over the world. And I've only been offering the kits for about 3-4 months now. I recommend the Ninja 600 Stator and you know if it can power all the needs of a modern sportbike, it can handle life under a 30 year old vertical twin. People are ditching the stock stuff for a reason, and its because cost and reliability become a determining factor. Not crafty with your searches and just want to buy it all for top dollar? I sell the entire Banshee Swap NEW ready to go for $379.00 shipped, the Sparx setup is $510.00 comparatively not shipped.
Pamcopete makes the BEST ignition out there for the money. Period!
And yes, XS650 guys are cheap. Lets go ahead and get that out there
gmiller217
XS650 Addict
And yes, XS650 guys are cheap. Lets go ahead and get that out there
x3 ... I have had the same $15 craftsman 1/2" drive ratchet for 20+ years ... finally broke it last week with a six foot pipe in it trying to unscrew a dodge ball joint
... my $200 snap-on ratchet of less than a year has had the gears replace no less than 6 times ... Just because you spend more doesn't make it better Reading and following a couple of threads and seeing just what kind of stand up guy PamcoPete is, I am definitely going to use one of his systems. and Through pm-ing Hugh I am going to use his adapter and regulator when the time comes for the alternator. (also following his blog on Hugh's hand built through facebook ) so top three would be as follows for me
Pamco
Banshee alternator
re wire with new fuse block
rwingsfan
Xs 650 Dummy
Ah gmiller217....that is Banshee "nonsense" ok? 
x3 ... I have had the same $15 craftsman 1/2" drive ratchet for 20+ years ... finally broke it last week with a six foot pipe in it trying to unscrew a dodge ball joint
so top three would be as follows for me
Pamco
Banshee alternator
re wire with new fuse block
Dillrepair
XS650 Member
i'm really not trying to start an argument or disrespect pamco stuff at all.. but i've wanted to go pamco for a while now, but i'm torn by the fact that boyer has less moving parts... the line i'm hearing in response to this is "well you need to take care of your advance mechanism" but since i've not had to do that before why would i want to spend a large amount of money (any way you look at it, even though petes is cheaper) to do more maintenance. convince me beyond the voltage issues mentioned earlier because i'm going to run a big battery or big enough and my bike starts on one kick now with stock tci... are you saying that if i got a boyer that it might be harder to start? again i'm really not on one side or the other with any of this, i try to weigh the facts based on what i'm interested in doing and not doing. I think part of my reluctance to try anything at all yet is my inexperience with timing and spark in a gasoline engine... all my other engines do not use spark plugs.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
Dillrepair,
Well, in your case, starting out with a TCI to convert, you would buy a PAMCO kit from MikesXS that has a brand new advance mechanism in it along with new bushings and advance rod. Most of the wear and tear on the advance mechanism, especially the weights, pins and tabs, is caused by the points rubbing blocks pulling on the weights. With the PAMCO, there are no rubbing blocks (no points) to cause stress to the weights, pins and tabs. The advance weights just fling out to their maximum advance position at 3,000 RPM and stay there for the rest of the ride. No stress at all.
I was the first to install a PAMCO on a '81/H that I bought for development of the system for TCI bikes, and that was back in 2008. I have not serviced the advance mechanism or replaced, adjusted any parts of the advance mechanism. I just check once in awhile for free movement and snap back, and that's it. No need to pack the 'Labyrinth" with special grease.
In fact, you do not even have to install the grease holding "Labyrinth's" because there is no rubbing block torque with the PAMCO setup.
So, a new advance mechanism installed in your 35 year old bike will outlast the rest of the engine with very low maintenance.
Well, in your case, starting out with a TCI to convert, you would buy a PAMCO kit from MikesXS that has a brand new advance mechanism in it along with new bushings and advance rod. Most of the wear and tear on the advance mechanism, especially the weights, pins and tabs, is caused by the points rubbing blocks pulling on the weights. With the PAMCO, there are no rubbing blocks (no points) to cause stress to the weights, pins and tabs. The advance weights just fling out to their maximum advance position at 3,000 RPM and stay there for the rest of the ride. No stress at all.
I was the first to install a PAMCO on a '81/H that I bought for development of the system for TCI bikes, and that was back in 2008. I have not serviced the advance mechanism or replaced, adjusted any parts of the advance mechanism. I just check once in awhile for free movement and snap back, and that's it. No need to pack the 'Labyrinth" with special grease.
In fact, you do not even have to install the grease holding "Labyrinth's" because there is no rubbing block torque with the PAMCO setup.
So, a new advance mechanism installed in your 35 year old bike will outlast the rest of the engine with very low maintenance.
tonyc
XS650 Guru
Dill I do have a Boyer and love it but my next system will be either a Mr. Riggs setup for a 277 crank or Pete's for a 277 crank. You could not go wrong using either.
Indiana Drew
XS650 Member
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1 Roller bearings and bushings 2 Banshee swap Boyer or Pamco your choice . 3 general maint. Oil change filters change . But most of all check your brakes .
Skip
XS 650 Screwturner
My top three which I have installed on my bike would be
Coverted to TCI ignition system
Dual Disc front brake set up
Gel Pack Battery
Close behind would be
Halogen Headlamp
Starter gear drive
New reproduction fuse box
Coverted to TCI ignition system
Dual Disc front brake set up
Gel Pack Battery
Close behind would be
Halogen Headlamp
Starter gear drive
New reproduction fuse box
Purplezinger
XS650 Addict
A very easy repair of the 650 fuse box can be done this way: Purchase a Radio Shack 4 pole fuse block (the one for round glass fuses). If you are careful the 8 individual clips (2 for each fuse) can be removed from the plastic block. These clips are an almost exact copy of the 30+ year old clips in the Yamaha block, only they are newer and made stronger. If you examine the 650 fuse block you can see how to remove the original clips. Insert the Radio Shack clips (you may have to do some minor filing to get the fit just right). Re-solder the wires, replace the fuses and it looks like a factory job.
