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Thanks for the compliment, tonyc. I won't colour-match the shocks - or have exposed springs - because the black shrouds are a key part of the 'look' I want. To me 'look' is an abstract concept which is something you recognise when it's not there. I was raised on Brit bikes in the late sixties...

Glad you like it Michael: just a shame these posts don't include a sound card, because it sounds as sweet as it looks.

Sorry, Skull: the headers remained but the mufflers went as a swap for a CV carb float bowl.

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Because neither the factory's brown or green paint offered for the '74TX650A appealed to me, mine now wears '77XS650D livery. TPO had painted the tank and side covers, and the legend on the tank had been professionally painted (see first pic.) The '77 decals worked well, with a bit of filling-in...

They're a nice bike, but I had to do mine as a '77 XS650 (the tank and side covers had been repainted from original anyway) because there was no way I could restore a bike in Cinnamon Brown or Mist Green! I know Jeff used to have couple of very good TX650A silencers I swapped with him a couple...

Thanks, Skull: the only thing stopping me is the nearly four hour trip up the Hume with the Yam in a trailer! See you have a TX650A too - nice.

Mate, if it didn't involve a three hour trip up the Hume with my baby in a trailer, I'd be doing that now!

Desperate problems call for desperate measures, fredintoon, and unless I have a revelation between now and Saturday, I know what I'll try on the weekend. Thanks for that.

Sure enough, fredintoon, and thanks for the pointers: those sparks get any fatter, they'll need a diet. The ignition hasn't been touched since it started first kick in January, and the Mikunis were put on and set up by Australia's pre-eminent XS650 bloke - the same bloke who has a Mikuni...

That's where I'm up to now, fredintoon. Turning over isn't the problem, and if there are sparks, why no explosions? The bike's a US import, it's done about 14,000 miles, and has been as reliable as the '71 R60/5 standing next to it in the shed, which is saying something. ('cept the Yam sounds a...

Good point, 5Twins. Unfortunately, the battery's fine, and still puts out enough urge to turn the motor over: the damn thing turns, but there's no fire! But there is when I test the plugs, so it's got me tossed. Thanks for the help, too

All good, and all only about 1200 miles old. I keep thinking I've overlooked something easy, but the list of stuff I've checked and cleared is growing. Thanks for the suggestions.

Good point, 5Twins. Unfortunately, the battery's fine, and still puts out enough urge to turn the motor over: the damn thing turns, but there's no fire! But there is when I tset the plugs, so it's got me tossed. Thanks for the help, too

Dear retired gentleman. Thanks for the input, I should've been more clear. The bike has always started well on the kick start - usually first kick if I've cleared the plates. This time, it's the self started that sounds like somebody's stirring a box full of ball bearings with a steel shovel...

Thank you, sir: those items are all new and have been checked, gapped, adjusted and tested as appropriate. The fuel has been in the tank for a few weeks.

Apologies, fellow XS650ers, I'm sure this topic has been hammered before, but please indulge me. My TX650A was always a good starter (it's unregistered, but I always started it monthly) and is still stock, other than 34mm Mikunis installed by Australia's XS650 guru himself. In January, it...

Thanks Curtis - that's how I'm thinking at the moment...I have a free morning tomorrow, I know how I'm going to spend it now. A process of elimination. Thanks for the advice. Cheers.

Many thanks for that tip, Tom: I'll follow it up with Michael Moss now. Even though I've had a look at the shoes to ensure things looked the same, I haven't actually taken the shoes off the backing plates - they seem to move freely when actuated by hand, but they may be binding on the pivot...

Has anyone had any experience with the Grimeca 230mm four leading shoe front brake? I've installed a new one in my TX650A but there's a problem. The linked actuating arms on the left brake plate work fine when the brake lever is squeezed, but those for the right will not return to the 'resting'...