What Model to purchase

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af226

XS650 Enthusiast
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I had a 1982 XS650 way back when. It was bone stock and I rode it for a summer then sold to a friend. Well that was a mistake. So fast forward 30yrs, and I have owned numerous bikes and built a few odd balls along the way. I currently ride a old softail that I love but the draw as I get older to build that bone stock classic bike still burns. I fix bikes on the side for friends and few others so skill set is intermediate at least. I have been looking for a new project for a while but XS650's are hard to find in Ontario, Canada. As I cruise the interwebs for a candidate, I wonder what year model is the best for restoration? I have zeroed in on the XS due to the availability of parts. I have done a few XJ's and the intricate parts are getting hard to find and costly to attain.....XJ forums were awesome though.

Anyways please let me know your thoughts. If anyone in Ontario reads this and has a project they wish to offer, drop me a line.

Cheers,
Brad
af226
 
Restore for ride or show? Are you doing it with selling or keeping in mind?
For ride, I go along with @nj1639. Unless you like the Special. Those are fine as well and parts might be easier to come by.
If you want a higher value XS650, I recommend the XS-1 through TX650. 1970 through 1973.
Good luck!
 
I see quite a few XS650’s for sale on Kijiji. Many have been taken off of the market over the winter but still a good place to find them. Most that I have seen lately were Specials. FB Marketplace is also a good place to keep an eye on. Good luck with your search.
 
I do have a job...lol. I have been trolling this site for a while. Kijiji has nothing on it right now but I keep looking. I am looking for a rough bike to bring back to shinny and ride. Ecstatically I like the spoke wheels, but I have been trying to work a deal with a guy that has a rough bike in Toronto. It is a 83. I will keep looking. I have learned in the past to ask on the forums as it helps to avoid issue models.

Thanks for the replys.
Brad
 
Most forums aren't as active as this place. I have asked or posted on other forums and it may be days before you get a response. I don't think most people realize how nice of an active community we have here. As Marty says, maybe he posted and went to work figuring he will check back when he gets home. That's what i'd do, except I am able to log in while i'm at work.... don't tell my boss.

**Edit... I see he's already responded... Good deal.
 
willis said:
don't tell my boss.
Click to expand...
for sure.. well having a job and a woman isn't necessarily a deal breaker to owning an XS650, just a hindrance.
;)
1 1a.jpg

Wel, there is the holy grail in my opinion. :D
Very hard to find
-R
 
Even though most parts for these are readily available, parts for the '74 and newer models will be easier to get and less costly. Although the model line was updated and upgraded throughout most of it's run, biggest and best changes occurred in the mid to late '70's. '76 saw the carbs bolted together as a bank with a linkage and one throttle cable. These are easier to sync and hold the sync better/longer. '77 saw a whole new bigger (35mm tubes) and better fork. In 1980, an electronic ignition finally replaced the points set-up, and a completely new, different carb set was introduced (the BS34's). The Standard model was also dropped so only Special models were available for the rest of the production run. There's nothing really wrong with the Special models that a few changes and some parts swapping can't fix, lol. In my opinion, top of the list is doing away with those silly buckhorn handlebars they came with. That alone will totally transform the look and feel of the bike.

So, what to get? Seeing that these are getting harder to find, you may have to take what you can get, lol. But as a rough guideline, I'd try to stay '74 or newer, '77 or newer even better. I wouldn't worry too much about the Special and Standard thing, but do grab a Standard if one comes along.
 
There was a local ‘77 for sale for the longest time but I just looked and it is gone. If not for the winter I would have gone to look at it. There’s still room in the garage. Lol.
 
Yep, that one's a project alright, lol. I might hold out for something better (or offer him less money).
 
af226 said:
There is a 76 is Oshawa for $800, but its pretty banged up. I did ask the seller what is in the "Box of original parts"? So we shall see:)

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1550288110
Click to expand...
Seems like it needs quite a bit of work. Unless you’re looking for a big project, I’d probably keep looking. As the weather warms up (one day), more will come onto the market. There’s a nice early ‘80’s Special in Belleville that I know of that will be back up for sale in the spring. Too bad I lost his contact info. Place a “wanted” ad on Kijiji and see who replies.
 
af226 said:
I had a 1982 XS650 way back when. It was bone stock and I rode it for a summer then sold to a friend. Well that was a mistake. So fast forward 30yrs, and I have owned numerous bikes and built a few odd balls along the way. I currently ride a old softail that I love but the draw as I get older to build that bone stock classic bike still burns. I fix bikes on the side for friends and few others so skill set is intermediate at least. I have been looking for a new project for a while but XS650's are hard to find in Ontario, Canada. As I cruise the interwebs for a candidate, I wonder what year model is the best for restoration? I have zeroed in on the XS due to the availability of parts. I have done a few XJ's and the intricate parts are getting hard to find and costly to attain.....XJ forums were awesome though.

Anyways please let me know your thoughts. If anyone in Ontario reads this and has a project they wish to offer, drop me a line.

Cheers,
Brad
af226
Click to expand...

Survey the models here......http://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650-...workshop-manuals-and-other-information.30569/
 

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