maintenance

Hi everybody, I've been lurking on this site since I got my 650 in January, but I'm finally ready to get working on it so I thought I should introduce myself. I'm senior at WSU in Pullman. This is my third bike and I'm a pretty good wrench-turner, but there's still a few parts of motorcycle...

http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-abrasive-blaster-kit-37025.html?hftref=cj Was thinking of picking this up, but wanted to know if anyone has been able to use it with baking soda.

So I'm going to try to get my dad's XS650 back on the road, last time it had a plate was 1988 - hoping you guys can point me in the right direction:thumbsup: Motor turns over, next on the list is to get a battery

I recently replaced my front master cylinder with a Hughes Handbuild one and threw on a SS braided brake line for good measure. Everything works great during the day, but early in the morning when it's below 55 degrees F outside I have to pull the brake almost to the handgrip to get any stopping...

I'm reaching my wit's end, and any and all advice would be welcome. I've got an '81 Special II, it's all stock, with BS34s, and I can't get it to stop with the popping. I pulled the carbs and did as best a disassemble and clean as best as I could. I replaced the mixture screw o rings and both...

Hello there! i have this tiny oil leak coming out from one of the bottom cylinders side, (it only appears a little while after u finish ur ride n park the bike) and since i dont wanna tear apart the whole engine, im thinkin about buying an oil leake sealer (like the ones from stp or bardal)...

Can't locate NOS. Has anyone used these? Good? Bad? In-between? http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-75-79-XS-650-CARB-FLOAT-BOWL-GASKETS-YM-604-2-/220820649941?hash=item3369efb7d5&vxp=mtr Worse comes to worse I'll cut my own, but for $7 I thought I'd ask. TIA

hey guys & gals, Just registered on the forum, but I have surfed through a couple times looking for advice. I've been riding a 1981 xs 650 for about 3 years, my first bike, and I can't get enough. I'm no mechanic but am learning as much as I can. Over the time I have had the bike I have...

Mainly a go ahead and do it thread, the early switch is a simple device. Water can enter through the key slot and head down to the contacts. Mine was a touch intermittent had to wiggle key to get the headlight on sometimes. Remove two screws visible at base of switch and out it comes. Undo...

Hey guys hoping someone can give me some insight as to what is going on here so I can get this thing rolling today asap. Yesterday I pulled the clutch to replace a worn shift shaft. While in there I scotch brighted the plates and discs, replaced the springs, modded the bolts to allenheads and...

I bought my 1978 XS650 nearly 3 months ago, and since then I've been in a constant battle to catch up with maintenance. I feel like now I've caught up, and I'd like to get ahead. So far I've done fork seals, solid state voltage regulator/rectifier, front brake system clean/rebuild (with new...

I see a lot of bikes with bent ears from a tip over getting the turnsignal. I was doing some R&R on the front of the 73 and that bent ear was bugging me. These are after shots but this method really helped and it was "quick and dirty". For the ear, a chunk of 2x6 across the whole ear, you...

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42047 Here's the link to the original thread. Here's the status so far... not much done but tank, seat, and side covers off Air box out carbs off and started cleaning battery removed

Hey there, I have a 1981 Special II, and my tank emblems basically broke and crumbled away. I dunno, maybe being 35 year old plastic had something to do with it, lol. Anyhow, does anyone have any other options for tank emblems that one can use? I know I can get the original gold ones from...

Kevski posted:- 5 other bikes to fettle? I only keep 2 at a time as I only have one ass. Odd, a Brit that don't know how to spell arse? But back to how many. Of one model of bike, as many as you need to keep it, or perhaps one of them, running. But different types of bike, how many of them...

I have a 78 xs650, and the headers are a mess. they are tinted tan with specs of rust. I've tried several different chrome cleaners, one of which claims to remove rust, and have been unable to produce any significant improvement. What have you found works well, and what methods do you use to...

Laziness is the Mother of Invention ************************ This little project works on the 70-71 XS1/XS1B carburetors. In 1972 (XS2), the carburetor bodies were revised, but the idle fuel (mixture) screws remained the same for years 1970-1975. As such, dimensions and procedures posted...

This has worked for me and a few others. This route uses the stock long special cable. Per toomanyxs1b's exhaustive cable testing; bends in the cable are your ENEMY. Note the caps, this is a big deal. One sharp bend can fuggle your clutch action. The Yamaha worm gear was never an elegant...

Ok, here's the deal... I'm relatively new to the world of XS's I bought mine last summer and rode it until inclement weather forced me to garage it. I decided to take this as an opportunity to do a little maintenance over the winter. I winterized the bike, and a couple months later pulled...

:banghead: I've got a 1980 tacker with Ascot Pipes, XS intakes, carbs tuned accordingly, Omar.s front/rear wheel conversion. I've had it about a year and other than some a minor short in the rear light and a clogged petcock, it's been running like a top ...until I just changed the oil last...