Recent content by MountainXS

All stellar info. I'll go the self etching primer route before painting with Rustoleum glossy black. I'll report back with findings. And interesting hypothesis on the battery/carb leak. Bike had been sitting for ages in a garage. PO had it stashed away with some ancient gas still in the...

Great call. Very much not a full resto. More of a survivor that I'd love to get looking good from 10 feet. Maybe after riding it for a season I'll dig in and refine it further. Thanks!

I'm in process on replacing the stock bushings with bronze on my 1980 xs650 Special and I noticed a bit of bare metal near the swingarm pivot point. Since I've got it off, I figured it should be addressed. Any thoughts on having it powder coated vs stripping the paint myself and hitting it with...

I appreciate all the takes. Figured I’d also place a call to 650central and see what they’ve got in stock in addition to scouring ebay. Slow steps forward. Thanks!

I'm currently in the meticulous phase of getting my carbs sorted on a 1980 xs650 special with Mikuni BS34 carbs. From doing a bit of research here and elsewhere, I'll likely be replacing the butterfly shaft seals. I spotted this link from 5Twins regarding some Suzuki seals that work with 1980...

Appreciate the tip on Niche Cycles for Mikuni jets AND the intel on home grinding custom bits. I placed an order earlier today. Rookie question, does Vessel or otherwise make a JIS flat head screwdriver?

Started picking up the pace on my 1980 xs650 Special project. Pulled the carbs which were in rough shape. But I was able to track down an ultrasonic cleaner on the cheap via FB marketplace. While everyone has their own preference, I went with the 50/50 mix of Zep Citrus Degreaser and water...

Thanks for the tip on the 1981 xs650 petcock. I tracked down an original for less than the cost of a net. And it’s in better condition than the one I pulled off the tank. Onto tank rust removal and a thorough carb cleaning.

Thanks for this. Great call on the later year petcock. Seeing as the '80 filter is NLA. I'll hunt for that (the '81-'83) and see what I can find, before yielding to the siren song of contemporary aftermarket stuff.

Hey! Thanks for the link. And yes, it's the single petcock as illustrated. The 1981 assembly looks identical to what I'm working with. $30 for the net is a little spicy. But glad to see it's available.

Hey All, New member and new to wrenching. I've been browsing this forum for a minute now and the advice has been invaluable. I recently picked up a 1980 xs650 special for a few hundred dollars. Well intact, but it had clearly been sitting in storage for years (decades?) Compression was solid, so...