XS650 Road Test

Wish I had my R5 back. Don’t see em for sale all that often. When you do, it’s sky high prices for a rough bike.

Still got my RD200 I “putt” around on.

I worked at a 2 stroke only shop for a few years. Got some good rides on the later Suzuki 2-strokes. (Rgv250 and rg500) scary fast!!!
 
I used to know a man who regularly drove his Duesenberg to local cruise nights. He told me he was going to wear it out. That's my attitude. Let me wear it out rather than someone else wreck it after I'm dead. Whatever I have to pay, I'm going to try to wear the value off of it. If collecting stuff to just have or display is your thing, I don't find anything wrong with that. As for me, no garage queen. As you were!
 
gggGary said:
Rode an RZ350 ONCE.
Click to expand...
Buddy let me ride his brand new RZ350 in Kenny Roberts Yellow (faster). Twisted on (just a bit) of throttle in a turn. Did a long sweeping wheelie around the corner! Holy Schmidt! That got my adrenaline up a bit. My first and ONLY corner wheelie. Buddy still owns that bike.
 
Lots of different bikes coming out of the woodwork. It’s the season plus what I call “Covid pricing”. People are getting crazy money for everything lately so lots of stuff coming up for sale. There’s a guy selling his ‘72 XS2 north of the border and asking $20k now. 😳
 
RZ350.... pretty much the end of the line for a fantastic era of little giant killers.

Power wheelies make Zack Courts giggle...
Come to think of it, they did me too. :laugh2:


 
gggGary said:
Buddy let me ride his brand new RZ350 in Kenny Roberts Yellow (faster).
Click to expand...
The yellow was not faster it was anti gravity paint that made the front end lighter.:)

The first ex Mrs Parker bought my Rz for my birthday to surprise me. A month or so later I walked into the house and she starts screaming at me. "Give me your F@@king keys". I had passed her on the Katy Freeway in 5 o'clock traffic front wheel firmly in the air. The difference with the RZ is you don't have to keep it wound up like the early ones. The power valve on the exhaust port let it make serious power as soon as you gave it throttle and boom here you are , balancing on the back wheel.

I have been collecting rubber parts for mine. Judy is not thrilled with the concept of the bike she has known as "The Yellow Death Machine"
 
Only new bike I ever bought. A '72 R5C. After I ground off the pegs mount in about 2K miles I learned how to hang off the seat like Roberts and gang did... :sneaky:
'Round the corner sits another bike. Memory's kinda fuzzy, but it was about that time I started collecting junk Brit bikes and piecing 'em back together. So... maybe a Norton or Bonnie?


1649961267175.jpeg



One of many RD's. This was one of my first try's at custom paint. Bikini fairing required some creative mounting for the turn sig's.
Iirc... that bike eventually got DG pipes and heads, Weisco pistons, clip-ons etc.... Was down at Ft Walton Fla back in the day when there was a lot of distance 'tween lights. It was a beast light to light.


1649961887840.jpeg
 
Jim said:
Only new bike I ever bought. A '72 R5C. After I ground off the pegs mount in about 2K miles I learned how to hang off the seat like Roberts and gang did... :sneaky:
'Round the corner sits another bike. Memory's kinda fuzzy, but it was about that time I started collecting junk Brit bikes and piecing 'em back together. So... maybe a Norton or Bonnie?


View attachment 211946


One of many RD's. This was one of my first try's at custom paint. Bikini fairing required some creative mounting for the turn sig's.
Iirc... that bike eventually got DG pipes and heads, Weisco pistons, clip-ons etc.... Was down at Ft Walton Fla back in the day when there was a lot of distance 'tween lights. It was a beast light to light.


View attachment 211947
Click to expand...
I had a T-3 Squareback like the one in the photo.
 
Jim said:
Only new bike I ever bought. A '72 R5C. After I ground off the pegs mount in about 2K miles I learned how to hang off the seat like Roberts and gang did... :sneaky:
'Round the corner sits another bike. Memory's kinda fuzzy, but it was about that time I started collecting junk Brit bikes and piecing 'em back together. So... maybe a Norton or Bonnie?


View attachment 211946


One of many RD's. This was one of my first try's at custom paint. Bikini fairing required some creative mounting for the turn sig's.
Iirc... that bike eventually got DG pipes and heads, Weisco pistons, clip-ons etc.... Was down at Ft Walton Fla back in the day when there was a lot of distance 'tween lights. It was a beast light to light.


View attachment 211947
Click to expand...
Whose "Sex Machine" Rambler was that in the 2nd photo? Man that's a ride guaranteed to get ya' laid.
 
I never owned a 350 but back I the day a buddy and my brother owned '75's and I rode both of them on multiple occasions. Man, what a machine. I remember people making fun of the way they sounded but they had no clue! Lately I have watched a few on utube and the sound still gives me chills. Sure would love to own one.
 
Jim said:
Yeah.... it's been a day or two since a motorcycle mag did one. :rolleyes: I still enjoy going back and reading the old road tests from time to time. I'm guessing I'm not alone. :er:
So, here's a thread where we can link to all those old articles.
And for something completely different, the pictures in this thread are the links. Enjoy. :)

First up... and in no particular order, the 77D... or 76C depending on whether you believe the pics or the text.
The Ye Olde Cycle Shoppe.
View attachment 157059


Next up, the granddaddy.
The mighty XS-1 This one is Cycle World looking back at the XS-1 from 2016
View attachment 157060


Here's the XS650B from Classic Motorbikes.net
View attachment 157061


From Curbside Classics, a little history of the beginnings.
View attachment 157063


Here's a reprint of the XS650B from Cycle World in 1974.
View attachment 157064

As I run across others I'll add 'em to this collection. Got a link to more? Put it in the comments.
Click to expand...
Nice one @Jim
I posted something similar here: https://www.xs650.com/threads/a-bloody-good-read.63215/
But it didnt gain much traction with the members; I just dont pull the readers like you!:shrug:
You're almost as famous as Lee Child (Jack Reacher) it seems!
Ads.:devil:
 
Looking at some of Jim's R5 pictures brings back memories of that awful seat. I always had the idea that it was filled with something like seaweed. Maybe the seat was better that way, slip and slide like King Kenny?
 

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