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Those show the starter solenoid #15 on the right side of the bike. On my XS2 (which has 7k miles and is very stock) the starter solenoid is on the left side.

Yes, I understand that because that is the terminal configuration for the original Yuasa 12N12A-4A-1 battery. My question is that it doesn't seem like the cable that runs from the positive terminal to the starter solenoid will fit with that configuration? I haven't been able to find a picture...

Resurrecting this thread. The battery that came with my 1972 XS2 is almost 10 yrs old and needs to be replaced. My understanding is the original battery is a Yuasa 12N12A-4A-1. The current battery is a Duracell Ultra DURAGM-15L-US. I assumed this battery was of similar configuration to the...

If I only had a couple of vintage bikes, I wouldn't mind messing with the points. But my girlfriend and I have more than 20 bikes vintage bikes in the garage, so I've made a point of converting most of the bikes to electronic ignition where good alternatives are available. I was holding out on...

This thread is motivating me to install an electronic ignition like I've done on most of my other bikes :)

Thanks. I did light filing before re-gapping. Agreed setting points gap at the upper limit seems prudent to allow for wear.

Are you recommending replacing the poins every 3000 miles?

1972 XS2 with a bone stock ignition system. I set my points gap to 0.016" less than 3000 miles ago, oiled the cam felts, and lightly greased the cam. I checked the gap last night the points gap had closed up to 0.012" but the bike was running fine. Does this seem like a lot of wear for 3000...

My XS2 seems to be puking less oil from the breather tubes running an oil level just above the low mark of the later dipstick. But no puking and preferably a higher oil level would be better for peace of mind. To that end, I'll install the Heiden Tuning reed valve breather and see if that...

The spec is 2.1 quarts for a routine oil change (not cleaning filters). So that's actually more than recommended.

Just swapped my original XS2 dipstick for a later type dipstick. For weight weenies, the later dipstick is significantly lighter than the early dipstick. The 140mm measurement in the pic is correct for the later dipstick. The early dipstick measures 130mm. The 25mm measurement in the pic is...

I decided to buy a later dipstick for my '72. Cheap on eBay. The later ones have a plastic threaded section, which won't heat up like the early metal dipstick, so a little easier to check oil level on a hot engine.

I have a '72 XS2. From the above, my (original) dipstick measures 130mm to the MAX line. And the MAX line is 25mm above the MIN line. So if I want to lower the oil level to the revised factory recommendation, I shouldn't fill the oil any higher than halfway between my MAX and MIN lines. Or...

What hub was the rim drilled for?

Larger offset moves the tire contact patch forward, thereby reducing trail, resulting in faster steering. Which would exaccerbaate a flexy front end. I'll have to check the XT500 triple clamp offset to see if it is somewhat close to the later XS650 triple clamps. I believe XT500 forks are...

Thanks! So frame geometry is essentially the same? I read something about the 1970-73 swingarms being shorter than the later swingarms? The later stiffer/stronger frame seems like the way to go given I'm building this bike to bomb through rough roads.

Resurrecting this thread which has been dormant for 10 years. I'm putting together plans to build an XS650 equivalenty of a Triumph desert sled. For the chassis I'll probably go with a stock frame (trimming off unnecessary tabs), an early (center axle) XT500 fork with RaceTech internals, and...

I skimmed the 4 pages of posts at that link and didn't see anything directly on point to my hot vs. cold clutch adjustment question?

A couple of questions about minor stuff: Should be clutch and clutch cable be adjusted when the bike is cold or warmed up? My service manual doesn't say, and I've noticed the cable adjustment seems to vary a bit between the two. My idle speed seems to vary a few hundred RPMs with a 20-25F...

I seem to recall purchase price was around $2k. I've installed new Heidenau tires, a front brake caliper rebuild kit, a 14mm Nissin master cylinder, a primary oil filter and a rear brake switch. And I bought spare cables, carb rebuild kits, and petcock rebuild kits. So I'm probably into it...