Xs2 engine

[Tim L]

Hi all,

My XS2 engine leaks more oil than Iraq, so I am going to get a second engine to overhaul over the winter and fit for next summer.
Are all XS engines compatible? I am thinking fittings, electrics, ignition, etc.
Any advice gratefully recieved.

Tim.

 

[jay760]

any of the later engines will just slot into the frame, there are quite a few differant parts internally with the xs2 engine to later engines so quite alot of the parts won't interchange

 

[nkymain485]

leaks oil like out the bottom or burns it? i think i read somewhere you can swap crank and pistons for any year into the xs2 motor...someone please verify or correct me.... if your gonna overhaul a motor why not just overhaul the motor you have...all new gaskets throughout...unless of course there is a hairline crack

 

[Tim L]

If I overhaul my engine I won't be able to use my bike and I have got very attached to her..........and the fact that she wakes up the neighbours!
Oil leaks are rocker covers, contact breaker covers, seal behind generator, clutch rod seal, pretty much everywhere actually. She is pretty old too and has done about 50000 miles so she probably needs a bit of TLC. May even be burning a bit of oil on the right hand side.
I have only just rebuilt the XS2 as a flat/street tracker and knew I would have to do the engine sooner or later so it is not really a problem as it was expected. A rebuild would allow me to get a nice shiny oil tight engine to match the rest of the bike..........hopefully.
If I get a spare engine then I can maybe even bore one out a little.

 

[nkymain485]

i can understand that...but you said winter so i was thinking you couldnt do much riding in winter... i see your from uk... hows the weather there for winter....

 

[Tim L]

The weather in the UK is pretty bad all year round so you have to ride when you can, winter or summer. When I was a boy we did have four seasons most years, now we only seem to get 2 and they are both wet. Cold and wet or warm and wet are the options.
I work overseas and only get home for 3 weeks every 3 months so I like to do a few miles whenever I get back. I have allways ridden all year round anyway, hence the Rheumatism in one so young.......ish!
With a bit of luck I can take the spare engine with me when I am away to keep me out of the bar.
Where do you live?

 

[nkymain485]

haha i can see that... out in the bars gets expensive...and gets ya in trouble, lol i live in the US in kentucky...... so does your xs2 have that compression release on it? or did you get rid of it?

 

[Tim L]

Yes, it still has the decompressor/start combination.
I have had many bikes over the last few years and when I got bored with sports bikes I started building streetfighters but when I bought the XS2 it really took me back to my youth and the simple pleasure of thumping along on the open road.
My mate had an XS2 in the early 70's and I remembered it well so when I saw ine for sale I snapped it up.
I have modified it a lot but the 'grin factor' is still there.
Once I have found, fixed and fitted a spare engine I will be looking for an XS1 to restore to original.