My Summer 2021 Chopper Build 1976 XS650...but... a small issue

freakchopper

XS650 Enthusiast
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I can't get it started. I installed a ... New fuel tank, New Fuel Line, New Spark Plugs, New Battery ... although it came with a Hughes PMA already installed. Previous owner said it had a no spark issue. Check out the photos ..any advice or criticism is appreciated.
 
20211022_190612.jpg
 
Is there a hole there If so It perhaps needs a patch pipe over it
Cylinder head looks like leaking need tightening

upload_2021-10-23_2-44-19.png
 
Is there a hole there If so It perhaps needs a patch pipe over it
Cylinder head looks like leaking need tightening

View attachment 200308
ok...on that particular picture I just wanted to know what the toggle switch to the right of the ignition was for ..it has 3 positions. ..not sure if it has something to do with the Hughes PMA ignition system..??
 
best guess on toggle is headlight. but start tracing wires cuz; custom.
Lets see inside that round cover on the end of the cam.
While you're at it lets see inside the lower round cover too.
20211022_190537-jpg.200304
 
best guess on toggle is headlight. but start tracing wires cuz; custom.
Lets see inside that round cover on the end of the cam.
While you're at it lets see inside the lower round cover too.

I will get some pics of that... like I say ..it has a Hughes PMA ignition system installed ...no points.
20211022_190537-jpg.200304
 
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hi..thnks all .... it is a kickstart. No electronic ignition. Correction..I meant Hughes charging not Hughes ignition. This is my first experience with an xs650, kickstarts and the Hughes PMA ( not familiar with any of this) . I am doing this on the fly. I will use that diagram and do some checking. I just don't have any idea if it is the Hughes system or something else. When I go to kick it ..it seems pretty dam dead to me. I don't even know if I'm kickstarting hard enough ..?
 
Also..I have a Mikuni carburetor on this bike... when I went to fill the fuel tank for the first time , I noticed fuel was leaking out of the rubber lines coming out of the carburetor. The leaking stopped after awhile. Is this normal ?
 
Seems like it may be a good idea to do some investigation and sort out what all your parts are before trying to drive the thing down the road.

Kickstart only means no electric start, not no electronic ignition.

get an absolute base line for all the things you have. Then you can try to understand how they play with each other.

Seems you’ve little experience with these (or motorcycles in general) and a highly modified bike by a PO that based on the pics didn’t seem to do such a stellar job. That can certainly be an uphill battle if you don’t take your time. You don’t want it ending up in a sidelined project or one that spends all its time getting fixed and never ridden.

None of this is a shot at you, just a suggestion to pump the brakes and move slow (you could be sorting this bike out for months to make it reliable) prepare for a long haul. If it’s quicker, all the better!
 
Seems like it may be a good idea to do some investigation and sort out what all your parts are before trying to drive the thing down the road.

Kickstart only means no electric start, not no electronic ignition.

get an absolute base line for all the things you have. Then you can try to understand how they play with each other.

Seems you’ve little experience with these (or motorcycles in general) and a highly modified bike by a PO that based on the pics didn’t seem to do such a stellar job. That can certainly be an uphill battle if you don’t take your time. You don’t want it ending up in a sidelined project or one that spends all its time getting fixed and never ridden.

None of this is a shot at you, just a suggestion to pump the brakes and move slow (you could be sorting this bike out for months to make it reliable) prepare for a long haul. If it’s quicker, all the better!
..sound advice...appreciate it !!
 
Following Gary's advice and giving us some pics of what's under the engine covers would go a looong way toward figuring this out.
 
Previous owner did say he could not get any spark .. I changed the plugs hoping that would solve the issue, but it still didn't fire up. These are the plugs I installed
 

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