xs650 vs xs500 and xs750

[Mr Ful]

Hi all. sorry for being completely ignorant and stupid here, but what are the main differences between the xs650 and other xs´s besides the engine size...?
Im new to this, I really like the xs 650 look, but they are almost impossible to find for sale in Sweden.....

 

[jay760]

The differances are huge,

the 500 is a 8 valve twin can't remember if it's sohc or dohc.

the 750 and 850 are shaft drive triples

the 650 is a sohc 4 valve twin

 

[Mr Ful]

thanks for quick reply.
are the frames very different?

 

[dwyatt]

Very, almost nothing in common amoung these sister machines.

 

[Mr Ful]

thanks for clearing this up. guess i really need to keep digging for the real stuff i.e. the xs650...

 

[72XS2]

XS500: 2 cylinders engine, air-cooled eight-valve head, 180-degree crank, DOHC, electric start and two CV carbs. They said here that the reliability was not very good, at least on the first model.
http://www.realclassic.co.uk/yamaha04112500.html

XS650: Produced between 1970 and 1983. 2 cylinders engine, air-cooled 4 valve head, 360 degree crank (two pistons go up and down together like a Triumph), SOHC. Very good reliability.

XS750: Produced between 1976 and 1979. 3 cylinders engine, DOHC, shaft drive. Lack of reliability.

 

[72XS2]

I didn't see the answer of Jay760, sorry.

It's true that these bikes have huge differences.

 

[berniebee]

The XS500 engine is completely different from the other two, the differences have already been mentioned in earlier posts. However, many parts are shared with the XS650: electricals, wheels and brakes, controls, instruments, rubber bits, etc.
There is a lot of XS500 info at the TX/XS500 forum (www.xs500.proboards.com)

 

[CDNTX650]

dont forget the TX750, 2 cylinder 360* degree twin with a counter balancer....and a habit of frothing oil and seizing up.


Basically, yamaha had to over complicate the shit out of everything, ad they paid for it dearly with alot of models.

 

[retiredgentleman]

I had a 1976 XS500C for 13 years. Seems to me it had just about as much power as an XS650. Its power was done at higher rpm's. It would easily do the Ton.

Because of the balancer shaft, the engine was silky smooth................imagine that no vibration! I used to take it on week long camping trips. Never had to do much maintenance. I enjoyed the bike.

Here's a pic of my bike back in the 1970's. I didn't care for the plastic brown front fender that was stock. I went to my local Yamaha dealer and ordered a front fender from another Yami model called an XS650................I guess that fender was my start at owning an XS650.

 

[tonyc]

I bought a xs500 Yamaha new. It had a factory defective head that leaked. Yamaha replaced the head with a new one. My bike was smooth as silk and I also put plenty of miles on it before I sold it. I did put a set of del O'roto pumpers on it and it ran even better. My only complaint was the fuel mileage. I could never get above 45 mpg.

 

[retiredgentleman]

tonyc;

If I remember correctly, I believe I got about 50 mpg (us gallons).