What have you done to your XS today?

Yes, that sounds like one of the junk cables MikesXS supplies. 650Direct sells many of the same products. I had one break in the same manner after a few thousand miles. I was lucky to get that I guess, lol, but didn't feel it was good for a clutch cable. Most bikes I've owned over the years have clutch cables that last and last, literally 10s of thousands of miles. So, I contacted Mike's about it. Their response? - "A clutch cable is a wear item ...." Well, I know that, I just expected it to wear more, lol. Or to put it another way - fuck me, lol. Stuff like this was the start of me not buying hardly anything from them anymore.
 
Took the SG out to Sahuarita Carl's Jr for lunch. . Stopped on base to go to the BX. Come out and she was running on 1 cylinder. Rode it home. I'll replace the coil. It would run with one cylinder disconnected so, it's internally shorting out. It's a Monster Coil. It's been there for years. I have others coils to replace it.
 
I don't remember what brand it was, but I bought it from XS650direct, p/n 51-6502. I plan to call them tomorrow and see if they will replace it. Worth a try for sure. Fortunately I still have the original which came on the bike when I bought it 20 months ago. Not sure if it's original, but I thought a new one would better

Humm, had my 49 yr old cables on my mind yesterday...Has xsDirct om my mind today...MotionPro, that I thought had a Teflon or improved lining seem to be just churned out China cables as well. I would hate that to happen. Everyone seems to like MotionPro the best. By phone I priced a MP '72 x650 clutch cable in silver (custom job) lining cover...$110.00. no thx.
 
I priced a MP '72 x650 clutch cable in silver (custom job) lining cover...$110.00. no thx.

I went through the same thing with my XS2, I finally bought a standard black Motion Pro cable, I thought the color would bother me but I don’t even notice it and the cable is just plain superior to anyone else’s, it’s worth it.
 
Was a sunny afternoon here in Victoria so went for a short ride after work. Bike is running well after the refinement of the weight stops in the advance timing unit. Stopped to take a photo of the bike with the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the background with Seattle area way in the distance.
Everything was going great until the recently purchased new clutch cable snapped about 5 miles from home - pulled right out of the lever end! Fortunately only had to run one stop sign on the way home after I got the bike rolling again!

Sixteen years ago I was riding my old BMW R100/7 and I was about 40 miles from home when my clutch cable snapped. I knew I was about 10 miles from this little motorcycle repair shop, that old Beemer was such a tank, I could put it in first gear , hit the starter, it would lurch forward and fire and I’d be off, I could shift it without the clutch, come to a stoplight, kill the motor and start all over again. :laugh2: It got me there, I bought my cable and installed it out in their parking lot.

By the way, a lot of forum members live in interesting and unique places ( I’m looking at you Raymond ) but you are right up there. Your home is the polar opposite of where I live. I’d love to see more photos of you out and about with some more of your lush landscape and beautiful shores. :thumbsup:
 
Also priced a motion pro in silver, :yikes: being of thrifty heritage I have found if you wipe a black cable with acetone wait a bit and and spray or brush on metallic silver (engine case paint is perfect...) it looks the job and stays put forever. :rolleyes: works on black wiring sheath also, and a quick coverup for badly sunburned silver on cables and sheaths as well.
 
‘76 doesn’t require any machining. 7 out, 8 in plus an extra steel plate.

I must have been doing something wrong all these years, I've had loads machined from all different years including 6 plate, I've never managed to get 8 plates in without machining, the only way I've heard of doing that is by using thinner plates, even with machining the top plate is almost at the top of the basket.
 
I must have been doing something wrong all these years, I've had loads machined from all different years including 6 plate, I've never managed to get 8 plates in without machining, the only way I've heard of doing that is by using thinner plates, even with machining the top plate is almost at the top of the basket.
Have to use thinner plates.
 
Yup the Alto 8 plate conversions, 8 thinner plates plus one more steel, 74-79 plug n play 40 sets sold so far and going strong.
At least one has been extensively raced in a powerful sidecar rig with zero failures.
I should open up Madness just to see how the plates look.
 
Take a look at this pic...can anyone show me the new, spec. length on a 1972 ft. fork spring. Been searching, can't find..But, used, the two I pulled are 15 5/8". The spacer atop is 90 mm exact. Orig. tube = 22 3/4" Thing in the bubble wrap (progressive ft.spring) = 19.50". Orange thing (new replacement tube = 22 15/16".
I did notice the old spring + the old spacer approximate the length of the progressive spring. I saw a difference in tube length or 10 mm (new is 10mm longer). P1010087.JPG
 
Looks like a BS30/96 type pilot in a VM22/210 bowl, and on top of that, they stripped the head, lol. Call me mean if you like but I think people who commit multiple SNAFU's like that, one right after another, should be made to pay through the nose. A good swift kick in their wallet may be the only way they'll learn, lol.
 
Call me mean if you like but.....
Meanie... :rolleyes:
But yeah, I agree. We used to have a sign at a shop I worked at....
Labor:............. $10 per hr
If you watch:... $20 per hr
If you help:...... $40 per hr
 
Yes, that KZ750 uses BS38 carbs very similar to our 650 ones. I always liked that bike but I hear it's pretty heavy.
 
Quote 2many "........ take this with a grain of arsenic.
I believe that the later 76-79 float bowls can use the earlier 70-75 pilots, (with or without their side air holes), since their bleed air intermix zone is above the pilot, making the pilot design type irrelevant..........."

Looks like a BS30/96 type pilot in a VM22/210 bowl, and on top of that, they stripped the head, lol. Call me mean if you like but I think people who commit multiple SNAFU's like that, one right after another, should be made to pay through the nose. A good swift kick in their wallet may be the only way they'll learn, lol.
Not so sure it makes any difference? I can see how a VM22/210 pilot won't work in a BS30/96 bowl but vice versa likely doesn't matter.
 
For some future searcher
VM22/210 BS30/96 pilot slow jet thread size.
Had to chase the threads in the float bowl to reform and clean out the remains of the pilot I drilled out. a new pilot measures 4.8mm x .80 I was able to use a M5x.80 with careful control of depth, repeated checking, to be sure the new jet would seat but not rattle around in the bowl threads. This will work if the threads are just a LITTLE boogered. Hack sawed 3 slots in an old pilot that owed me nothing. I went in upside down holding it with a vice-grips Enough to clean up and slightly reform damaged threads.
tap pilot jet.jpg
 
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