What have you done to your XS today?

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Next!
This 78 standard is the last of three shabby relics that MaxPete and I got in Toronto this spring. ( The cafe is almost ready to go in for the safety inspection and the rusty now much improved 78 Special is back in the shed waiting for fresh inspiration.)
This 78 is going back stock, it has vacuum ports on the manifolds so I will be able to use a tank I have on the shelf that came to me with a red cote done and 2 new vacuum
petcocks.
Put some power to it and the starter works on the button and sounds great, right indicators blink and the horn bleats.
I will do the wake up drill on the motor to see what I have before I get too far into it.
. :popcorn:

Always a pleasure to watch you save these old bikes! I’m looking forward to following along!
 
This 78 is going back stock, it has vacuum ports on the manifolds so I will be able to use a tank I have on the shelf that came to me with a red cote done and 2 new vacuum
petcocks.
Nice ! I’ll watch this 78E for sure.
Well, I made it here after work to look into making my own bronze bushings and turn the grease holes into a grease groove. Little progress at a time these days.
 

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I rode it. Not bad for a quick resto mod. Put a new x ring chain on it the other day. It's running good thanks to 5twins for clarifying how to set the timing slightly retarded from stock.

One major thing that needs to be done before a longer ride is to rebuild the front forks. I ordered new seals and some 20w fork oil. Once that is done the bike won't feel so dangerous. The forks literally are bottomed out just sitting on the bike.
 

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I rode it. Not bad for a quick resto mod. Put a new x ring chain on it the other day. It's running good thanks to 5twins for clarifying how to set the timing slightly retarded from stock.

One major thing that needs to be done before a longer ride is to rebuild the front forks. I ordered new seals and some 20w fork oil. Once that is done the bike won't feel so dangerous. The forks literally are bottomed out just sitting on the bike.

Bottoming out when you sit on it sounds like a spring/spacer issue.
 
Bottoming out when you sit on it sounds like a spring/spacer issue.
Im probably exaggerating. But when I rebuild them I'll probably do the washer trick to stiffen it up. And thick 20w.
Cafetools, nice going on your 79 !

Thanks! It's such a classy bike. And loud, sounds good, and turns heads!
 
...it also decided a ring wasn't going to seal. So now the motor gets to come back out so I can see whats going on...

@Ratranger, back in July, you posted:

I didn't check the oil rings when I put them in my bike. But the 1st and second rings showed up dead middle of the end gap specs, and about 1k miles no smoke, no extra blowby, and were very closely matched out of the box. ..

From this thread.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/cruzin-image-ebay-pistons.55294/#post-602663

Would like to follow-up and hear more about this...
 
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I took her out for a 20 mile “get to know you” spin. Acquainted myself with the rear drum brake wear indicator. She pops a little when shutting the throttle off. Feels like she’ll stall coming to a stop but hasn’t yet. Idling below 1000rpm. Realised I can’t get the side stand down when I’m sat on the bike!
 
View attachment 147918 I took her out for a 20 mile “get to know you” spin. Acquainted myself with the rear drum brake wear indicator. She pops a little when shutting the throttle off. Feels like she’ll stall coming to a stop but hasn’t yet. Idling below 1000rpm. Realised I can’t get the side stand down when I’m sat on the bike!
Set your idle @1200 rpm, it's the norm.
I have to use my heel to catch and use the side stand as the tang is directly below the foot peg, '77 Standard. My old '83 was right there in the open to catch.
 
I may be wrong, but I sincerely don't think I have ever seen two XS650 sidestands that are exactly the same or that have the heel "peg" in precisely the same spot.

What I have seen is that the heel peg is carefully hidden directly underneath something else...and you have that too, so perhaps there are some identical stands around somewhere.
 
This afternoon I had time to go further into a top end disassembly of my spare engine. I taking it apart a little at a time and accumulating cool stuff like chrome hardware and hard parts like the type E cam chain tensioner, rotor, oil strainers, etc.
Best Prize to get is the head ! It’s looking good. Stubborn cam bearings now tho.
 

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