1972 XS2 with 5k miles

[patentgeek]

Purchased last weekend from the original owners family. Running and very low miles but some "shelf wear" from being stored in an unheated San Francisco garage. These are as purchased pics. I'll post additional pics with the accessories removed in another post.

 

[jpdevol]

Welcome! Awesome find!

 

[patentgeek]

With accessories removed. The original tank badges came with the bike in a box. The family promised to contact me if the missing side panel and grab bar show up as they sort through the garage.

Surprisingly, the front brake master cylinder freed up without too much effort and I was able to bleed the system. I suspect the master and slave cylinders will need to be rebuilt though. I drained the oil and didn't see anything horrible. I'll replace the primary and secondary oil filters, which are probably original to the bike given the mileage. The fuel tank interior is pristine.

Chrome and aluminum surfaces are cleaning up okay with some pitting. Japanese chrome from that period wasn't great. Mufflers are a bit rusty on the bottom, one worse than the other, but it's well hidden so I'm not going to worry about it for now.

Sur

 

[patentgeek]

I'll post additional pics once the cleanup work is done. I'm hoping there are no major surprises and it will be roadworthy again for the cost of oil filters, oil and tires.

 

[Mailman]

Welcome to the forum! Looks like you found a real gem there, that ought to clean up nicely! I’m looking forward to seeing your bike brought back to life!

 

[Jim]

I'll replace the primary and secondary oil filters, which are probably original to the bike given the mileage.

They're metal mesh screens, not filters... designed to be cleaned and reused indefinitely. If yours are in good shape, reuse 'em. They'll be better than anything you can buy today.

 

[patentgeek]

For anyone who might be interested, I posted an advert for the removed accessories in the classifieds section. Free to pick up in Redwood City, California.

 

[Jan_P]

I'll post additional pics once the cleanup work is done. I'm hoping there are no major surprises and it will be roadworthy again for the cost of oil filters, oil and tires.

I would be surprised if it does not need a new battery also .. Try charging it and test it .. Can save a lot of kick starting attempts.
Please read the upstarting routines

 

[patentgeek]

I would be surprised if it does not need a new battery also .. Try charging it and test it .. Can save a lot of kick starting attempts.
Please read the upstarting routines

Thanks. A new glass-matt battery was installed several years ago and (surprisingly) seems to have recovered well after a baseline charged followed by a week of conditioning on a smart trickle charger.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Nice find!!!

As for your goal, it may be drivable with just some oil and tires, roadworthy… ehhh I wouldn’t suspect so.

 

[patentgeek]

it may be drivable with just some oil and tires, roadworthy… ehhh I wouldn’t suspect so.

My girlfriend and I maintain and ride about two dozen vintage motorbikes ranging from pre-war to early 70's. So I have a pretty good idea as to what it will take to make this bike roadworthy.

 

[Mailman]

My girlfriend and I maintain and ride about two dozen vintage motorbikes ranging from pre-war to early 70's.

Oooh! Got some photos to share?

 

[Jim]

Oooh! Got some photos to share?

Pics please...

 

[TX650A Van Islander]

Welcome to the forum and what a score!!!
Would love to see some photos of your other vintage bikes!

 

[jetmechmarty]

Total restore? Run as found? In between?

 

[patentgeek]

Total restore? Run as found? In between?

No plans to restore. I'm hoping this bike will only require routine maintenance checks, cleaning/polishing, and typical old bike parts (tires, cables, etc.) to be a rider.

The bike is titled/registered as a 1973 but the internet says the color scheme is 1972. So I updated the title of this thread to reflect that.

 

[jetmechmarty]

No plans to restore. I'm hoping this bike will only require routine maintenance checks, cleaning/polishing, and typical old bike parts (tires, cables, etc.) to be a rider.

The bike is titled/registered as a 1973 but the internet says the color scheme is 1972. So I updated the title of this thread to reflect that.

I hope you'll post some pics out on the road! That was the bike that piqued my interest in the XS650 when I was in my early teens.

 

[cra-z1]

Very nice find indeed. And about those tires. They look to be original.

 

[Grewth]

Amazing how it's always the LH sidepanel that goes AWOL, not the RH.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Amazing how it's always the LH sidepanel that goes AWOL, not the RH.

It's the same story with the lower panel on the Heritage. It's always the left. Why?