35 cents for every dollar ....

[motormike]

This is my 82' Special.... had it for a few years .... sold it to Joe College kid... (first bike).... it developed electrical gremlins... bought it back.... bought one new in spring of 83'. Decided to strip it down... go full restoration.... powder coat.. etc etc.... not much chrome on this year so that'll help the pocketbook... I figure for every dollar I spent... I'd get back 35 cents if I sold it.... but I noticed Specials are starting to get a little for " luv ".... PS: Yes, I'll keep the goofy handlebars

 

[Adamc]

This is my 82' Special.... had it for a few years .... sold it to Joe College kid... (first bike).... it developed electrical gremlins... bought it back.... bought one new in spring of 83'. Decided to strip it down... go full restoration.... powder coat.. etc etc.... not much chrome on this year so that'll help the pocketbook... I figure for every dollar I spent... I'd get back 35 cents if I sold it.... but I noticed Specials are starting to get a little for " luv ".... PS: Yes, I'll keep the goofy handlebars

Great another build to get into.

 

[5twins]

Yes, I'll keep the goofy handlebars

Better you than me, lol. The late Specials are very nice once you get rid of all the silly safety add-ons (sidestand switch, clutch switch). I did this to my '83, along with adding back a headlight on-off switch (from a '77 model). It's much better/nicer now with that addition and the safety BS removed. In '78, the tail light was tied into the ignition switch and came on with the key. Not too bad if you have just the single bulb tail light and install a LED bulb. But the late Specials turn on 4 bulbs back there, 2 tail lights and 2 plate illumination bulbs. That's quite a draw on the small batteries these have. I needed to "fix" that, and I did.

 

[Kevin Werner]

I figure for every dollar I spent... I'd get back 35 cents if I sold it....

I tell my wife "these XS650s are an investment" I don't tell her "Where else can you get almost 50 cents for every dollar invested..."

 

[Paul Sutton]

I am one of the few to admit to liking those original handle bars. They fit perfectly for me, probably because they keep my head upright. Having my head tilted slightly back, as would be the case with lower handlebars, gives me severe headaches e.g. painting a ceiling is a killer for me.

 

[Jan_P]

Yes I Also like the stock handlebars Did not notice first on Mr Mikes picture ..I have mine rotated more clockwise standing on the right side.
There was another type wider and lower on the bike when i got it called " Brando Bars " here
Leaning a bit forward and getting load on the arms riding which is not there after setting the stock bar right to my Size

 

[motormike]

Better you than me, lol. The late Specials are very nice once you get rid of all the silly safety add-ons (sidestand switch, clutch switch). I did this to my '83, along with adding back a headlight on-off switch (from a '77 model). It's much better/nicer now with that addition and the safety BS removed. In '78, the tail light was tied into the ignition switch and came on with the key. Not too bad if you have just the single bulb tail light and install a LED bulb. But the late Specials turn on 4 bulbs back there, 2 tail lights and 2 plate illumination bulbs. That's quite a draw on the small batteries these have. I needed to "fix" that, and I did.

So I can order a bar switch from Mike's and wire it to the 82' then I can have lights on command ? I didn't care for that light on by itself mode.... I had it changed on my RE 500.... I got the bike as a non runner.. the side stand switch and other " safety " switches were all bad or loose and I tossed them.

 

[member43148]

tell my wife "these XS650s are an investment" I don't tell her "Where else can you get almost 50 cents for every dollar invested..."

better investment that XS’s ?
Buy lots of beer! Drink the beer and turn in the cans for the deposit, about the same return on investment

 

[member43148]

better investment than XS’s ?
Old motorcycle projects in my own experience have a better return than Women..

 

[40north]

better investment than XS’s ?
Old motorcycle projects in my own experience have a better return than Women..

I enjoy riding motorcycle born in 1940. It's less exciting to ride ladies born in 1940, though, mind you, not entirely unexciting, sometimes. Trade 2 1938 UL for one... right...no bet. After the rocker clutch is notzogreat.

 

[Kevin Werner]

better investment that XS’s ?
Buy lots of beer! Drink the beer and turn in the cans for the deposit, about the same return on investment

Already got that covered...

 

[Kevin Werner]

better investment than XS’s ?
Old motorcycle projects in my own experience have a better return than Women..

...and they have an off switch...
...and they are easier to figure out...
...and...

 

[Wingedwheel]

So I can order a bar switch from Mike's and wire it to the 82' then I can have lights on command

I ordered a couple of these just to have an extra on the shelf and have already used both. The quality seems as good as any repop.
https://yamahaxs650.com/product/bar-switch-assembly-throttle-side-2/

 

[5twins]

So I can order a bar switch from Mike's and wire it to the 82' then I can have lights on command ?

Well, you need to make a few wiring changes, but nothing permanent that couldn't be changed back to stock if you wanted to (although I don't know why you would). I did a write-up on it here .....

https://www.xs650.com/threads/retrofitting-headlight-on-off-switch-to-81-83-model.58167/

I quite like the mod and am glad I did it. I would do it again to any multi-tail light bulb model I got.

 

[650Skull]

If your going to keep the factory bars and replace the right bar switch to an on/off one make sure you buy the right one. He sells 2. One for 76-78, (basically for Standards, euro, japan, US), for $64.58 with what looks to b a short pigtail length.

Sells one with an on/off switch with a 23" pigtail with a connector for $97.95.

 

[5twins]

Jeez, I can change a lot of wires out for $35, lol.

 

[650Skull]

Jeez, I can change a lot of wires out for $35, lol.

Con Job for sure. Taking advantage of people who cant solder. One of the other ones for the buck-horn bars is $120.............Makes the $98 one a bargain

 

[40north]

In our great democratic republic it is prohibited to have lamp switch on motorcycle past some date lost about the time of flood. Cop bike are excepted ! Very democratic. However...if the switch were not labeled and the rider not excessively loquacious...not that I would advocate for deceiving cops! Ace hardware sell some nice DC rated toggle switches that snuggle into the machine quite comfortably, and unobtrusively....we do not desire to sully the aesthetic elegance.

 

[650Skull]

Yea blame it on red tape, to much bourocricy controlling what we can and cannot do.

Tax's pay for infrastructure we drive on. Driving/riding kills a lot of people, in fact it is one of the highest, top of the list of things that kill humans.

One of the things that help to lower deaths on moterbikes was to implement measures to make the headlight on a legality as a safety measure for the rider, so other people on the road would have a better chance to see them.

Yea, remove that safety feature, don't need it because I don't like it. Same as the warning light for the tailight, who cares if the bulb blows and you don't know, those car drivers, behind you, are so observent to you and your surroundings they can tell when your braking if your tailight bulb has blown.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Yea blame it on red tape, to much bourocricy controlling what we can and cannot do.

Tax's pay for infrastructure we drive on. Driving/riding kills a lot of people, in fact it is one of the highest, top of the list of things that kill humans.

One of the things that help to lower deaths on moterbikes was to implement measures to make the headlight on a legality as a safety measure for the rider, so other people on the road would have a better chance to see them.

Yea, remove that safety feature, don't need it because I don't like it. Same as the warning light for the tailight, who cares if the bulb blows and you don't know, those car drivers, behind you, are so observent to you and your surroundings they can tell when your braking if your tailight bulb has blown.

Refraining from getting on a soap box is sometimes so difficult….

No, I don’t disagree with Skull.