BSAKat
XS650 Enthusiast
Hey there! Back in the before times (last year) I picked up a long-abandoned '78 SE model that was in pretty sad shape. Here it is the day I brought it home.
I finally dug into it this weekend and the carbs are a disaster. Carb #2 is completely seized up, packed full of filth and dried out varnish. Carb #1's float bowl has about a half-inch of ancient gas that turned into tar-like varnish and gummed everything up. It's pretty gross in there.
I'm not new to working on old motorcycles (or even old Yamahas, I've had an XS850 for 20 years), but I am new to XS650s. When sourcing carb parts for this thing, what should I watch out for? Any obscure variations between model years I should be aware of?
Also, if you're curious, my plan for this thing is to get it running, add it to my fleet, and ride it until I find an early-70s 650 (which is what I really want). Gonna leave it stock and just ride it as a survivor.
I finally dug into it this weekend and the carbs are a disaster. Carb #2 is completely seized up, packed full of filth and dried out varnish. Carb #1's float bowl has about a half-inch of ancient gas that turned into tar-like varnish and gummed everything up. It's pretty gross in there.
I'm not new to working on old motorcycles (or even old Yamahas, I've had an XS850 for 20 years), but I am new to XS650s. When sourcing carb parts for this thing, what should I watch out for? Any obscure variations between model years I should be aware of?
Also, if you're curious, my plan for this thing is to get it running, add it to my fleet, and ride it until I find an early-70s 650 (which is what I really want). Gonna leave it stock and just ride it as a survivor.