XS750 Drive to Chain conversion

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JB65

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Hi,
I want to get rid of the shaft drive and convert it to chain drive. I ran into a machine shop that said they did it for the 1000CC bikes for drag racing, but nothing this small.

A new swing arm has to be machined, I'm pretty sure, and I want a rear shoe brake and it looks like the best candidate is an 18" XS650 rear wheel. Any thoughts on axles, horizontal spacers, or anything else?

Thanks, in advance and appreciate any contact...

jb
Portland OR
 
JB65 said:
Hi,
I want to get rid of the shaft drive and convert it to chain drive. I ran into a machine shop that said they did it for the 1000CC bikes for drag racing, but nothing this small.

A new swing arm has to be machined, I'm pretty sure, and I want a rear shoe brake and it looks like the best candidate is an 18" XS650 rear wheel. Any thoughts on axles, horizontal spacers, or anything else?

Thanks, in advance and appreciate any contact...

jb
Portland OR
Click to expand...
www.XS11.club Search the archives. There are several there who have done it and you might even find parts. Best wishes.
 
Not familiar with the particular mechanicals of the engine but many shaft drive engines the shaft drive is an after thought addition to a conventional engine. They need to convert the non-linear output of the engine 90° to make it shaft drive so those components might be easily eliminated.
 
It seems Virago had a chain driven bike as I recall one being sold on Craigslist some years ago. A quick search led me to the '81 920 model, but on another link it said all US Viragos were shaft driven, Euro models were chain.
Just some trivia to add to the mix.
 
Signal said:
Can be done. There was even a kit produced at some time. Micheal Waller of Britania Motorcycles has a Youtube video series of him putting a XS 750 motor in a Norton Comando frame and does a shaft to chain conversion.
Here is the link.

Click to expand...
Um advance to minute 28 of that 29 minute video.............. trust me here. :cheers:
 
Last edited:
arcticXS said:
Not relevant for the XS triple, but there are some shaft drive bikes out there that has the output shaft turning the wrong way for a shaft drive conversion.
Click to expand...
I have an XS1100. The engine rotates backwards. The cam chain tensioner is on the front. I've seen them converted to chain drive.
 
jetmechmarty said:
I have an XS1100. The engine rotates backwards. The cam chain tensioner is on the front. I've seen them converted to chain drive.
Click to expand...
But the countershaft direction of rotation also depends of primary drive configuration, as well as gearbox designs. So going by crankshaft rotation only does not really say anything about countershaft direction of rotation.

My memory may be slightly unreliable, but I think the builder that ended up with 5 reverse gears, started with a 500/535 Virago.
 
arcticXS said:
But the countershaft direction of rotation also depends of primary drive configuration, as well as gearbox designs. So going by crankshaft rotation only does not really say anything about countershaft direction of rotation.

My memory may be slightly unreliable, but I think the builder that ended up with 5 reverse gears, started with a 500/535 Virago.
Click to expand...
Bet he had a crick in his neck!
 
gggGary said:
Um advance to minute 28 of that 29 minute video.............. trust me here. :cheers:
Click to expand...
I gotta wonder, why would anyone go to that much trouble to desecrate a Commando with a lump like that? I see the lower end of what's left of the transmission/swingarm cradle is bolted to tabs welded to the frame and still retain to retain the rear isolastic mount, how the heck does that work?
 
Signal said:
Can be done. There was even a kit produced at some time. Micheal Waller of Britania Motorcycles has a Youtube video series of him putting a XS 750 motor in a Norton Comando frame and does a shaft to chain conversion.
Here is the link.

Click to expand...

Thanks Signal! Now I’m hooked on yet another YouTube channel! That guy is prolific, that Yamaha is just one of his many projects and it contains 41 videos, each approximately 30 minutes long! o_O
 

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