What have you done to your XS today?

834F1D36-5880-4DAB-B656-9E34E3422678.jpeg
4D23CB3B-B168-44DB-96B0-7301FF03A186.jpeg
I planned on working OT today, but by the time 5:00 rolled around, I was too tired and it was too nice out, so I went for about a 30 mile ride. Here’s another couple pics, post ride.
 
Odd I made a post the other day and can't find it ..... oh well
I said I fired up the XS650 the other day.... first time all winter...
I put about 1/2 gal of 40:1 chainsaw gas in the tank to stabilize the old gas... kind'a after the fact...
seams to have worked as the bike fired up on the first Revolution and ran like a top....
one thing I have learned with this XS650 is she wants a really good battery if the battery is weak
she won't run worth a darn !
...she sure ran good though..... i was impressed !
Bob........
 
...if there is not pics, it did not happen...
...in other words we want to see canadian tricycle!!!

Hi Moabite,
OK then, here's the orange Spirit of America chair still on the XS11 that's "too fast for owner"
IMG_0128.JPG
And here's the XS650 with the silver Velorex 562 chair that got sold because my wife didn't like it
IMG_0023.JPG
I'll try to add a photo of the latest build when it's done.
Anyone want to buy a sidecar-ready XS11SG?
 
LOL Thanks 2M..... getting older than I realise I guess !
I wrote up a for sale sign for the xs650... hate to see it go, but the wife needs new glasses
so..... got it for sale at $800.00 , no paperwork and as it sits with a dead battery...
I charged it up but within 24 hrs it was dead again.... fooie !
.... later all
Bob......
 
Hi Moabite,
OK then, here's the orange Spirit of America chair still on the XS11 that's "too fast for owner"
View attachment 139806
And here's the XS650 with the silver Velorex 562 chair that got sold because my wife didn't like it
View attachment 139807
I'll try to add a photo of the latest build when it's done.
Anyone want to buy a sidecar-ready XS11SG?
I like that XS1100!!! I have one too and it might be my all time fave. I got it because it also was too fast for the owner. I find it exhilarating!!!
F3E3F5BE-893D-4F77-B106-0DE4B0E94FD0.jpeg
 
Nothing to the bike per se, aside from installing new clutch cable and reinstalling sprocket and right side cover, but I got fresh Allen head clutch pack hardware, a new right side gasket, and a shiny new beam style torque wrench. Gasket will be soaking over the weekend till I get back in the g’grage Monday
 
Thanks! I'm hoping to get a lot more miles on it this year since the bugs got worked out last year.
 
B1594336-03D4-4887-B445-29C3CD669CDA.jpeg
For anyone with the heiden oil cooler from mikes- I just snagged a 5 pack of the filters off ebay for 10.00 and free shipping. This should get me through the summer. I spent 7.00 on a kaw brand filter at the local powersports place. I don’t see how much of a quality difference there could be on a paper filter of this kind, especially considering how frequently we change the oil on these things.
 
I see there are several Ebay offer in the UK (£16 for 6) when I search for Virago filters yesterday. But to add to tzimmerm's query regarding quality - What benefits does the expanded metal around a filter offer compared to those filters without? I am currently using the ones like in tzimmerm's post above.
Thank you.

s-l200.jpg
 
Well, I don't know why but, Sat afternoon I decided to fix a lot of maint stuff I had been putting off. Gearshift shaft/leaver had been stripped, delete the tach drive shaft and oil change. Plus what ever else came up with the "as long as I'm in here might as well...." . Mission creep I believe it is called.. I did exhaust gaskets since they had to come off and I wanted to use a new style I had found on ebay I had ordered. Oh yes, pics to follow. The Rt cover had to come off as well as the clutch. Starter clutch had to be attended too. I had an old one to replace the #4 gear. On an earlier oil change I had damaged the gasket on the sump plate so the old one was removed and just put gasket sealer to the plate and it held up. I had gotten some new gaskets so that was done. The tach cable drive was eliminated by taking the holder out with the driveshaft and thrust washer. The threaded portion was screwed out and found that a 16mm bolt could be screwed in. Done deal! Reinstall the holder with the special bolt. I get it all put back together and go to start the engine and It tried to turn over but then disengaged and the starter motor spun free. WTH??. It all had to come off again...Exhaust pipe, Rt engine cover and Clutch. Turns out the spring clip came out of it's groove and sprung out of shape so it couldn't be reused. It was the smaller wire anyway. Used the original spring clip on the older spare #4 gear. Got it in and turned the key on and pressed the starter button. Worked as advertised. Repeated it a few times to make sure it would again and again. WOO HOO! Success! Back to reassembly. Made sure the clutch was installed with it many washers in order. Cover back on. Exhaust pipe with new braided gasket installed. How about some pics?DSCN6016.JPG DSCN6017.JPG DSCN6016.JPG DSCN6017.JPG DSCN6018.JPG DSCN6020.JPG DSCN6021.JPG DSCN6024.JPG DSCN6026.JPG DSCN6027.JPG
 
Couple of things: made a design for a tracker style number board with a light, which necessitated a small h4 bulb headlight (UK MOT), found a German site offering a 90mm unit which was closed and weatherproof so made my measurements around that.

IMG_20190317_234546_854.jpg
IMG_20190315_201651_475.jpg
IMG_20190417_183304_900.jpg
IMG_20190424_170230.jpg
IMG_20190424_170325.jpg

My seat unit is also finished and needs upholstering, I chopped some of the unit away to open the space up a bit.

IMG_20190425_171259.jpg

I also took on some work rebuilding carbs for a local garage, these BS34s were puzzling, everything was nasty, seized and stripped (what's new!).
But the floats were way out (16mm). The only way I could get the top of the floats anywhere near 22mm was to bend the tang to the point where the floats ended up at an upward angle! One side has wonky floats where they have been twisted at some point, but this image shows the relatively even float.
IMG_20190416_215828.jpg

See the angle, the floats valves and bodies were new and seated correctly. I wonder if the angle of the floats to the metal bit around the tang has been altered, so the floats are bent down on their metal arms or something?

The bike idles ok and the levels are good, but it didn't seem right, I've seen pictures where the top of the float is parallel with the carb body.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20190424_183440_999.jpg
    IMG_20190424_183440_999.jpg
    133.9 KB · Views: 195
Last edited:
on older bikes I have seen many times where the owner just tossed in a valve seat needle of any size that would fit...and used that ...
making the valve adjustment by guess and by golly that's old school when you checked the level of gas in the bowl before you put them back in the bike.... today we don't do that, but I bet if you check the needle valves they will be the wrong length....
many times on really croaded carbs the small spring loaded piston on the end of the valve needle will simply be gone .... that too gives a weird reading
I ran into that on my XS650 when I first tore into it... those carbs were really bad....
had to put my glasses on before I notice the little springy tip was missing ! rusted away completely ! LOL.... gettin' old Sux man !
Bob.........
 
Thanks, the weird thing is I put in new float needles and bodies from a kit, the plate that holds the bodies down is flush.
All I can think is someone bent the floats at some point instead of the tang. I guess new floats are in order.
 
Back
Top