1973 Super Rustbucket Resurrection

[WideAWAKE]

Did you make those boards? Very nice!
I did the math, and 2oz in a gallon is a 1.5625% ratio.
The SO-Strong is used at a 0.01 to 3% ratio, so about the same.
When I was making the ThermoDipSticks, I mixed the resin by weight, enough to cast 5 at a time, I.E. a very small amount. The colorant was added by counting the drops from the bottle -- it has an eye-dropper type aperture on it. I think I was using 8 drops.

Yes, built( or restored) them.

I don’t use an exact science.

If you were using a mold like you were you could get away with far less. Maybe a half oz.

Again, I don’t get that scientific with it.

When it looks right, I go with it. Also, depending on how you are applying it, you will need more or less per the application.

Find what works and stick with it. Just throwing out another option with a lot of colors (there are far more than what’s listed on the site).

 

[DogBunny]

The problem with the cheap Chinese master cylinders that I love so much is that the brake light switches aren't very robust. I've replaced many. On the other hand, replacement switches can be had for as little as a dollar, and it takes about two minutes to replace one.
I replaced the switch (at the bottom of the photo) on the Super RustBucket this morning.

A while back, I swapped out the really nice highway pegs that I got from Jim (bottom) for a grubby set (top) that I found on eBay for $21. These are much more appropriate for the RustBucket. I'm saving the nice pegs for one of my XS1B restos.

 

[DogBunny]

View attachment 338072
The Sublime RustBucket started exhibiting fuel delivery problem symptoms. Similar to running out of gas, or having a non-venting gas cap, only different. It only occurred at freeway speeds, I.E. sustained high RPMs.
I checked the gas cap venting, and I disassembled the petcock hoping to find it plugged, but both were good.
So, I removed and went through the carbs. Was hoping to find an obstruction in the fuel cross-over tube, or somewhere else in the fuel delivery passages, maybe a partly plugged needle valve. I found nothing, and everything else inside the carbs checked out good.
It finally dawned on me to check the fuel filter. It was the culprit. I could have fixed this problem in 5 minutes, instead of the hours I spent, if I had checked here first.
I've never had a fuel filter plug up before. It took 3 years of daily use for this one to go bad. As you can imagine, the Superb RustBucket has a less than pristine fuel tank.

View attachment 338075
BTW, as with every XS650 I've ever worked on, I only run a single petcock on the Superior RustBucket. A second petcock is just one more thing to go wrong. This is how I how I run my lines and cap off the unused fuel nipple.

See above quoted post #203 from this thread.
Was riding on the freeway to friend's yesterday for Xmas dinner, when the Super RustBucket started crapping out. This time I knew exactly what the problem was.


The black-brown sludge inside is wet red iron oxide.
This filter was new 14 months ago. So, I guess replacing it is now a yearly maintenance item.

[Note to self for future reference: current mileage on the SRB odometer is 20290.]

 

[DogBunny]

This is my detailed review of the Givi windshield. I put one on the SRB several months ago, after reading several favorable reviews of it on this forum.
Spoiler alert: if you want to skip the rest of this review, here's the nutgraf: The Givi is very attractively priced. By all other measures, I consider it to be very mediocre.

First, an observation. The Givi definitely reduces the force of the air hitting the rider. However, the air behind the windshield which the rider sits in is very turbulent. For most of us, this may not be a problem.


But for me, I ride wearing T shirts a lot, and the turbulent air literally rolls up the sleeves. Which makes me look like some kind of 1960s James Dean wannabe poser.


The other thing, is that when I wear a helmet, it is a Biltwell or Fulmer open face style with a snap-on face shield.


Note that the holes for the snaps on the face shield are slotted so that it can accommodate different brands and sizes of helmets. What this means, is that the face shield is somewhat loose -- It jiggles. When sitting in that turbulent air while riding, the face shield jiggles and rattles noisily and constantly, loudly enough to drive you crazy. This was never an issue before the Givi.
My solution was to cram weather stripping (grey in the pictures) between the helmet and the face shield, immobilizing it. Doesn't look too bad, and completely solved the problem.

Now the review:
Price: 9 out of 10. Very affordable.
Effectiveness: 5 out of 10. Admittedly, it's a pretty small windshield so you can't expect too much out of it.
Looks: 4 out of 10. Honestly, you may disagree, but it's not very attractive IMHO. It suits the Super RustBucket just fine, but if I had a "nice" bike I'd be looking for something else.
Attachment system: 4 out of 10. I find handlebar-attaching windshields to be fussy-to-mount and janky-looking.
Attachment security: 4 out of 10. As has been noted by others, the Givi vibrates notably at idle. In my case, it is only the right side attachment that vibrates. Vibrations --> plastic fatigue --> eventual cracking.


I have a classic Harley style windshield on my Sportster. I wish they made something like this for the XS650. It is big. So big that it has vertical and horizontal chrome reinforcement strips across the Plexiglas. It blocks highway air so effectively that you could prepare English tea behind it while riding. It looks good, like a windshield is supposed to look.
It is rock solid, attaching at 4 points directly to the fork tubes.


Which means that you would have to get rid of the stock headlight brackets, and replace them with something like the above fork ears.

I know there are windshield threads, but I'd be interested to hear from others with windshields that they like.

 

[gggGary]

There's bout three national cycle shields round here, most of em have been on several bikes.
I take em off before I sell cuz buyers always think they want their bikes like their girls, with nothing on them.
They make several heights.
I wonder if that reverse curve lip at the top of the givi increases turbulence?

 

[DogBunny]

I'll look at the Nationals, but I don't think I'm gonna be happy with a handlebar mount system.

I wonder if that reverse curve lip at the top of the givi increases turbulence?

Could be, or it's just a characteristic of smaller windshields. I don't think most of the members of this forum would really notice it, because they don't ride in T shirts and they have expensive helmets. Other than that, the turbulence doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Jim]

The only time I've noticed buffeting with my Givi is in fairly strong crosswinds. 'Course, I suspect most smaller windshields will give you that.

 

[gggGary]

Oh I'm turbulence sensitive also.
Smooth air is quiet air.
You don't know what you're missing til you ride in a seriously quiet MC cockpit.
BMW tourers are amazingly calm places to be. With good windshield it doesn't matter if the helmet flip shield is open.
Many tall shields use a slot/hole to encourage a flow of air up the inside of the shield to quiet the vortexes flowing off the top lip.

 

[DogBunny]

Before: This seat has always irked me. It is the one thing on the SRB that is DAMAGED, as opposed to being rusted, pitted, worn, faded, etc. Nothing else is actually damaged, no dents, dings, cracks, etc., in the tank, tins, fenders, etc.


After: The damage was too excessive to repair, so when this original 1973 seat came up reasonably priced on eBay, I jumped on it. Did not come with a strap, but otherwise very nice, without a single rip or tear anywhere. Here I have changed out the strap and applied vinyl dressing.

The bike is now PERFECT, or at least nothing on it is damaged. I love this bike.

Some notes on eBay buying and selling, and psychology.
The seat was originally listed at $150 plus $20 shipping, which is an EXCELLENT price for a NICE one-year only 1973 seat which is rare as hell, and which they don't make any reproduction pans, covers, foams, or complete assemblies for.
The listing had a "Make offer" option. When you choose this option you are often presented with suggested offers of 15, 10, and 5% off. I chose the 10% off option at $135. My offer was rejected, and no counter offer was given.
So, I upped my offer to the 5% off choice of $143. That's only $7 less than the sellers buy it now price. Again, my offer was rejected with no counter offer. But this time, the seller edited his listing and raised the Buy It Now price from $150 to $179 !!! I guess that after seeing so much interest from me so quickly, he decided to do a little research, and realized that he was underpriced. Anyways, with a bad taste in my mouth, I said to myself eff that noise and gave up on the seat.


The next day I get an offer from the seller of 10% off the $179 price, for $161.10. This was possibly an auto-generated offer originating from eBay, something that happens when you click on the "Add to Watchlist" button on a listing. Even though I was being rooked out of $11, I know a great deal when I see it, and I pulled the trigger.

All told, with tax and shipping, I paid a few dollars under $200. And, I'm going to get half of that back when sell the old seat on eBay. Score!

 

[Jim]

Nice!!!

A few weeks ago I went through the same "make offer" bullshit. Every time I made an offer, it was immediately rejected. And I'm talking within about 5 seconds... with no counter offer. Auto-generated no's to any offer??? It makes me wonder why people even set up the make an offer if they're not gonna take anything less than full price.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Nice!!!

A few weeks ago I went through the same "make offer" bullshit. Every time I made an offer, it was immediately rejected. And I'm talking within about 5 seconds... with no counter offer. Auto-generated no's to any offer??? It makes me wonder why people even set up the make an offer if they're not gonna take anything less than full price.

I have found that when it comes to eBay selling a valuable item there is considerable risk. Say I have something worth $2500 that should generate interest or I think it will. If I list said item for $2500, I’ll likely get it. If it is an item that generates traffic, list it for $0.99. You might get a lot more than that $2500. The strategy has worked for me in the past. I probably screwed myself a time or two as well.

A 1973 XS650 seat was probably best listed as he did it. I’m glad it worked OK in the end.

 

[DogBunny]

I never, EVER put the "Make offer" option in my listings, but I know how it works. The seller can set a "minimal offer." Anything below will instantly be automagically declined. The seller can set an "Auto accept" price. Anything above will immediately be accepted. You can set up either, or both, or neither.

More psychology: A couple days ago I needed one bolt. This was by far the best price, and I needed it now, and it was only a couple bucks. But, I would have felt like a chump if I didn't make an offer, since the option was there. So, I made an offer of $2.19 on a $2.39 item. Offer was accepted, and I felt like I had made a deal, when in reality I only saved 20 cents.


Another example. Listed at $9, which is a crazy low price. My $8 offer was accepted, and with shipping and tax, I paid $18.38, crazy low. Yes, pretty rusty, but zero damage -- the front mounting eyes on these are always cracked or missing, but these were intact.
Bought two other items from the same seller, at the same time. I put all three in my Shopping Basket, and tried to get a combined shipping discount, but got a message that "this seller has disallowed combined payments" ????? Tried using the "contact seller" button to ask for combined shipping, but "seller has messaging turned off." So, I bought all 3 separately, paying 3 shipping costs. And you know what? All three came in separate boxes, when they all would have fit into the largest box.

I never EVER put the "Make offer" option in my listings. I do a lot of research, and my prices are always correct, period, so I see no need to ever lower them. However, buyers use the "Contact Seller" button all the time to try to get me to sell for less. It all depends on the item and the approach taken. On a $50 item a buyer will message me with: $25. That's the whole message, "$25", no other text. On a correctly priced $50 item. So, that low-ball gets completely ignored, no response at all from me. If I'm in a really foul mood, I'll block that buyer. Someone else who want's a $50 item might say "I need this for my restoration, will you take $35." My response is usually on the lines of: "Sorry, the item is already competitively priced, so I really can't offer a discount on it. But, as a show of goodwill I'll take $2 off. I know that's not much, but it's better than nothing."
They always accept. If I just said a flat out "no", it would make then feel bad, and they'd buy from someone else.

 

[gggGary]

ps I'm seldom in a hurry, have WAY more projects going then I'll ever complete. So I put a watch on the item or put it in the cart, 7 times out of ten get an offer to sell for 10 to 15% off the listed price. I do this with on-line merchants as well. It's not uncommon to get a reduced price offer. Recently found an item i needed at a smaller venders own website, after one bought from flea-bane was junk. About 30 plus shipping which was fair. put it in the cart got a free shipping offer, silence on my part, then got an ADDITIONAL offer of $15 off so got the $42ish dollar item for $15 shipped. High quality, made of metal and does exactly what I need it to. I kinda felt bad for the seller...
PS sorry if i chapped your hide DB