My rebuild journey. (old title: Future owner - Help me identify this 650.)

I guess the rusty cotterpin that was in it didnt hold up...
I'm gonna suggest you slow down a bit and do a thorough safety inspection on your bike before any more rides. Nose to tail.... replace cotter pins.... double check lock tabs on sprockets... brake disk.... everything.... and that tire looks like it'd pop if you so much as looked cross-eyed at it.
If that brake stay had let go while you were leaned into a corner.... a car coming at you in the other lane... you might not be on your computer right now. Don't mean to sound like a grumpy old man, but you're a lot luckier than you realize.
 
I'm gonna suggest you slow down a bit and do a thorough safety inspection on your bike before any more rides. Nose to tail.... replace cotter pins.... double check lock tabs on sprockets... brake disk.... everything.... and that tire looks like it'd pop if you so much as looked cross-eyed at it.
If that brake stay had let go while you were leaned into a corner.... a car coming at you in the other lane... you might not be on your computer right now. Don't mean to sound like a grumpy old man, but you're a lot luckier than you realize.
You dont sound like a grumpy old man at all. I am not leaving my neighborhood with this bike for awhile. Today I took it down the culdesac and back. Got it into 3rd gear for the first time. I really was just wanting to feel how the back wheel rolled. I walked it back after the brake broke too. I will need to get it inspected to get my license and such so new tires are a must. I will go through and look at other things like cotterpins. The "get the bike running" part of my build is done. In the spring I will get to the "get it street ready" part of my build. New tires and proper oil is step 1 and 2. A good tear down, clean up, doll up will also happen then. Also want to get a helmet, gloves, and a jacket if I plan on actually riding it. My mentality now is still just a sunday driver or bringing it to family events to remember gramps.

I also need to get my motorcycle license. Ive been eyeballing some courses near me I can take in the spring.
 
Good advice from Jim ...this is getting a bit risky
Solid footwear is something further to consider .
Over the years I have used work boots -- Some with steel toe caps , And army surplus leather boots.
Last long and are not so expensive.
Some with little higher shafts ,,which I like ... it takes the wind and the heat should leg go against pipes or engine
Flip flops or sneakers wont do it if bike stops and you need to kick a lot.
Not for me anyways.
Or push it for that matter.
Or put the foot down hard.
Work boots seems to be the norm in the US .. If you look online ... Those can be used in the shop also .when doing the work
and then hop on for the test ride.
 
Good advice from Jim ...this is getting a bit risky
Solid footwear is something further to consider .
Over the years I have used work boots -- Some with steel toe caps , And army surplus leather boots.
Last long and are not so expensive.
Some with little higher shafts ,,which I like ... it takes the wind and the heat should leg go against pipes or engine
Flip flops or sneakers wont do it if bike stops and you need to kick a lot.
Not for me anyways.
Or push it for that matter.
Or put the foot down hard.
Work boots seems to be the norm in the US .. If you look online ... Those can be used in the shop also .when doing the work
and then hop on for the test ride.
Im a avid cowboy boot wearer. So I hope those should suffice.
 
Im a avid cowboy boot wearer. So I hope those should suffice.
Reality is, those boots should have armored shafts. That could save some post accident amputations. Helmet, gloves, and armored shaft boots should be my first three gear choices. I don't care to wear motocross boots any more than the rest of you.
 
looks like you have one of those real special tyres that have the tread on the sidewalls
pxl_20210129_192309416-jpg.183698
 
point i was making is with those tyres is.........
1; dangerous as hell and could blow........lucky the brake stay did brake because going any faster and blowing a tyre....

2; hard to judge the handling with such an old damaged tyre......the side wall cant flex properly thats why it affects the handling
 
point i was making is with those tyres is.........
1; dangerous as hell and could blow........lucky the brake stay did brake because going any faster and blowing a tyre....

2; hard to judge the handling with such an old damaged tyre......the side wall cant flex properly thats why it affects the handling

I figured you were making some point about the tires. That photo makes the treads look a little exaggerated since the bike is leaning away from the camera on its side stand. But sure the treads are jacked and the tire is dry and rotten. I know the tires need replaced.

While no excuse for riding such an unsafe bike. Here is context when I say I don't leave my neighbor. It consists of a back lane, main lane, and 4 culdisacs. I would never take it out knowing it's condition. Walking it back from the entrance was enough. Before today iv never gotten it off my back 2 culdisacs. Today I ventured down the main lane. Pretty ballsy I suppose :shootme:
Screenshot_20210129-210148.png
 
So, what made this happen? Did the bolt holding the torque arm to the brake plate break or fall out? That bolt is pretty special, shouldered, stepped, and has an oval head so it fits into the cut-out on the backside of the brake plate.

tGpenC6.jpg


fOlUnNI.jpg


If you just used a regular bolt there, that may be why it gave out.
 
I was catching up on this thread and there was talk about axle adjusters. If you don't trust your adjusters to be even when the marks line up it's easy to check. Use a tape measure. Hook the end on the grease fitting on the swing arm bolt. Measure from there to center of axle. Make both sides ther same.
Check how the marks line up. They should line up the ame on each side.
On the brake strut falling apart and breaking the lever, you are very luicky. Even going straight and under 30 mph,having the rear whell lock up lets ytou fall over pretty easy. Been there, done that, didn't want the tee shirt. hurt the rash too much.
Leo
 
So, what made this happen? Did the bolt holding the torque arm to the brake plate break or fall out? That bolt is pretty special, shouldered, stepped, and has an oval head so it fits into the cut-out on the backside of the brake plate.

tGpenC6.jpg


fOlUnNI.jpg


If you just used a regular bolt there, that may be why it gave out.
So I actually used one of those bolts - I imagine it was the stock one. I do remember the cotterpin being REALLY bad (rusty and weak due to to much bending). I left it idling for quite awhile before I took it down the lane, maybe it shook itself to pieces. Maybe I forgot to put the pin back in when I was told my wheel was on backwards and I fixed it. I actually still have the bolt. I saw it skip across the ground. Nut is missing of course. I think im going to order a near linkgage rod, bolts, and drum arm.
 
Did you have the nut on the brake arm bolt? And if so, did you tighten it? The cotter pin is just there as an additional safety measure in case the nut gets loose and tries to leave the party early. So it normally has no function.

None of this stuff is difficult but you need to be careful to replace everything you remove, tighten everything you slack off. When you finish a job, it's always a good idea to go over what you did and check everything. Don't want to sound as if I'm lecturing but you were lucky.
 
So I wanted to update yall. My son was born and the project took the back burner time wise and financially. Luckily I was able to pick up a side project helping a friend move and they ended up paying me enough money to finish the bike. Slapped new tires on it, rebuild the carb about 6 times, bought a carb sync tool, a new chain, and new proper oil. I also was able to slap blinkers on it (currently not working).


I just wanted to say thank you again! I was able to drive the bike down to my inlaws farm for my wifes grandma's birthday. This was the widow of the man who owned the bike. They didnt know I finished it and surprised them by driving it there. Many tears were shed seeing the old bike pull up! This moment couldnt of happened without all of your guidance and support.

I have some work to do still. I want to repaint as much as I can. It is burning oil unfortunately and im not sure if I want to do a topdown rebuild or not. Its not enough to see visible smoke under throttle. But BOY does she smell - my wife followed me to the farm with the windows down and she had to pull back so we didnt fumigate the kids. I have to fix the linker relay. No voltage gets to the blinkers but it does get to the blinker relay. I plan on rewiring and cleaning the grounds along with slapping a new 3 prong relay on it. Hopefully getting the blinkers working I can get it registered and plated (I snuck it down to the farm in the meantime). I also want to check timing and all that jazz. I wont find myself getting it out much so that will be at a "as i feel like it" pace.

Here is a picture of my son, my grandma (in law) and me with the bike. It was truly a special moment being able to bring this bike back from the dead in the old mans memory! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

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