Van Islander's TX650A - Quest for a Daily Rider

Those Hagons look really nice with the chrome cover on them, I didn’t know you could get them like that. On my XS2 I replaced my stiff old factory shocks with a set of Ikons and it absolutely transformed the comfort and handling. Your bike is lookin sharp!
 
The side stand problem. 73-75 . Totally different. Early XS stands mount the same way but disappear under the engine as you say. The later ones mount a totally different way. Keep the bolt that mounts the side stand properly torqued. The tangs on the stand will bend if you don't. Old brown would loose the the stand on Sunday to go racing and then reinstalled to go to work on Monday and one of those Mondays it didn't get tightened. Not Pretty. It has been in one of my tool boxes since about 1980 mocking me.There is a photo of it in my build thread. Been looking for another one but hens teeth are easier to find and cheaper.

As I mentioned earlier in your thread you have done a great job on your TXA. Old Brown didn't look as nice in the dealers showroom in 1975 when I bought her.

Cheers
Jack
 
I'm not sure what the stand that came on your bike is. I suppose it could be a modified early stand. The "new" stand you bought does indeed look like a '76 stand. It was an oddball one year only stand .....

p13YTaj.jpg


I'm not sure how accurate the drawing is, but what you need should look something like this I guess .....

9ZUVNdV.jpg


Maybe some other '74-'75 owners here could tell you more? Maybe provide a pic?
 
Thank you. I appreciate your kind comments and advice. :cheers: high praise from you guys :)
Mailman, in fact, Hagon has a number of options/price levels for their shocks. You choose how you want them to look and perform.
It will be interesting to confirm the sidestand. Mine for sure is cobbled together. It has a few dents and is straight. I should just build one.
 
The second sidestand you pictured looks just the same as the one that came with my TXA. Despite the fiche drawings I think it is the proper stand for your bike.
Perhaps a mid year change.
 
It does look the same although it did tuck under the engine and was too short. Perhaps the mounting point was different from this frame to another in a later/earlier production run?
 
If it is a XT sidestand it is way longer than the stock stand. Looking at the photo with the 700 your bike is standing pretty upright. Be careful.
 
TX650A919 Van Islander said:
I installed the side stand on my bike, but it was way too short, and due to the difference in the location/orientation of the welded onto the frame mounting point, the side stand tucked in under the engine when retracted. I continued to use the slightly lame side stand I have.
Click to expand...

That is what that stand was designed to do. The only thing that sticks out is the ball on the end that is supposed to extend out past the exhaust. The lenght of it is correct. The bike is supposed to lean over further on the side stand then it is now on the longer one. The bottom tubes on the XT where the stand mounts are much higher. That's why the foot hits the ground at the wonkey angle that it does on the TXA.
 
Thank you Team Junk. The side stand I currently have installed definitely looks like that XT one in your link. I'll take some better photos and post them, in addition to mounting the smaller one which tucks under the bike. The small one scared me though because I just envisioned it taking an impact from the road and being driven into the bottom of the engine, plus the bike was way leaned over with it being used. We will see how it looks again when installed again.
 
I get a nice warm feeling when I see your bike.. takes me back to standing in the Yamaha shop trying to decide between old brown and the 441 Victor sitting next to it. About the same price. I think that I chose wisely.
 
The fact that the xt500 side stand fits the frame mounting is pretty cool it would be pretty easy to shorten it enough to make it usable what does it look like when it's folded up ?
 
If you're going to be doing some stand mods, I suggest you brace the tang on your centerstand too .....

QOF59xn.jpg


If you don't, this is what will happen eventually .....

2V1zBtd.jpg


In fact, looking at your centerstand pic, I think the tang broke off already and was welded back on.
 
Last edited:
Thank you 5T. The longer this thread goes on, the more stuff I have to do! Happily, welding is not an issue for me. Stay tuned for an update down the road. :D
 
While "fixing" the centerstand, there's another little mod you should do to it - add grease fittings to the pivots. It's just plain amazing the difference this makes in ease of stand deployment. I think the braced tang helps as well because now all the force you put into stepping on the tang gets transferred into the stand and the lifting instead of being wasted through tang flex.

The pivot tubes on the stand aren't quite thick enough to take a grease nipple without it sticking through and hitting the pivot bolt. So, you need to build it up a little with a blob of weld. I put it right at the tip or top of the leg tube where it's welded to the pivot tube .....

oDNu59m.jpg


Grind a flat on it, drill, then tap .....

Ew2Dwng.jpg


hLILAWX.jpg


OGiZMeY.jpg


Ef0IlXm.jpg


Nz46pbi.jpg
 

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