Can someone ID my bike?

Davep

XS650 Enthusiast
Messages
46
Reaction score
34
Points
18
Location
Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK
I’ve recently bought a project bike and I can’t pinpoint the exact model. I think it’s ax XS D based on the wiring harness and clocks etc.
The forks however are 34mm with a single disc and early style caliper, but I think it should have 2. The caliper is mounted behind the left fork leg. Not the same as an XS D that I previously had..
The chassis number is 447 - 09121, although that is off the V5 so I think it should be 009121. According to V5 engine number matches. I did check it on the bikes while ago.
I’m wondering if it has been made up of various XS parts over the years.
The bike was imported some years ago and is registered as a 1977, but I think earlier or on the cusp of C and D model.
 
Need pics, only way to identify what it actually is especially if it has been made up of different models............

https://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650...workshop-manuals-and-other-information.30569/

the only bike Vin no i can see your bike # fitting into is a 74 TX650A...................Again pics needed

ID Chart01 crop 1.jpg
 
Last edited:
The bike is a mix of some different models...........Front forks are 76C, 34mm, with the 73-76 brake rotor and Brake caliper..........Front Rotor and caliper have been swapped to the left side of the hub..........On the Us models they are on the right side.

CAUTION; Euro front forks are different than the US front forks, the Euro front brake rotors are 265mm. Because the rotor is smaller the caliper mounts suit lower on the fork legs so any Euro rotors cannot be used if you want to put on a twin disc/brake set up............. Or if you damage one fork the other one cannot be paired with a Euro front fork.. Would have to swap both or get another from the US.

Go back to the link i provided and this is explained on the 75/76 Euro models, (pic of the front wheel/forks), and a set of pics on the 77-79 Euro models



On the hub, the side without the rotor, there is a cover covering the rotor holes. On the 77D that cover is plastic .............. earlier on the 74-76 hub it is a, chrome on steel, cover...............yours looks like a plastic one.

Carbs have a single throttle cable which means the carbs are linked so at the earliest they are 76/77 carbs. Have to take off the airbox/filters to look at the intake to bell to properly identify the year. The BS38 carbs from 74-79 had a run of 2 years then they were changed.............74/75 - 76/77 - 78/79

Front Rotor and caliper have been swapped to the left side of the hub..........On the Us models they are on the right side

fork ears for the headlight are chrome..........chrome started in 77 and the headlight bucket is black which also started in 77........... Earlier models the headlight bucket and ears were the same colour as the tank

Front brake reservoir is also from a 77 and later model

Us 77D gauges have a headlight fail warning light between the indicator lights

IMG_1096 copy.jpg




Euro 77D gauges..........no headlight fail warning light between the Indicator lights

Your gauges look to be the Euro 77/78 gauges

b 5Yamaha XS650 77  1.jpg


78E Euro gauges also don't have the headlight fail warning light between the Indicator lights

Yamaha XS650 78  1.jpg


Although the forks are still 76 there is a possibility the rest of the front being a 77D could have been swapped in if it had an accident.

Then again if the motor and frame are definatly from a 74 then it could be just a bitsa made up from a 74/76/77
 
Last edited:
That's great thanks.
There is no headlamp fail warning light so they must be Euro gauges, so as its an import they must have been changed.
The carbs are definitely later as I've had to change some of the internals and a float bowl, and the throttle housing only takes 1 cable.
The hub cover is plastic.

So basically, I probably have a TX650 based on the chassis number etc with the C model forks, but a D model wheel and Euro clocks with the early disc on the wrong side.

I'll check the numbers on the frame and motor later and get them exactly as they're stamped.
 
Last edited:
Looks like you've got a TX650A from the frame number - they were never sold here in the UK.
We missed out completely on the drum brake bikes, the UK got the XS2 for 1972, but we got it for the '73 and '74 season also, Yamaha must have had a warehouse full of them.
Then we went from XS2 straight to XS650B in 1975.
I suppose you could spend a lot of time and money returning it to the original spec, but what you have there is a nice enough bike as it stands.
 
Looks like you've got a TX650A from the frame number - they were never sold here in the UK.
We missed out completely on the drum brake bikes, the UK got the XS2 for 1972, but we got it for the '73 and '74 season also, Yamaha must have had a warehouse full of them.
Then we went from XS2 straight to XS650B in 1975.
I suppose you could spend a lot of time and money returning it to the original spec, but what you have there is a nice enough bike as it stands.

I was pretty sue you guys got the XS1F..........
 
Its dog rough really but I'm not too bothered about originality. I'm going to use it and do a bit of a rolling restoration as I go along. Hopefully should have it up and running on the road next week. I just wanted to know what it actually was as I had a D model previously and I knew it wasn't the same as that.
 
So basically, I probably have a TX650 based on the chassis number etc with the C model forks, but a D model wheel and Euro clocks with the early disc on the wrong side.
73 TX650 is a completly different bike to a 74 TX650A,(The A distinction is important)...........motor internals, frame, Triple tree, seat and tins. Bout the only thing the same is the front forks/hub/rotor/caliper
 
I was pretty sue you guys got the XS1F..........
AFAIK Continental Europe got the XS1F, but the UK had to wait for the XS2 launched for the 1972 season.
I was riding UK roads from 1976 onwards, a few XS2's were about, but you never saw a XS1 or TX650 until the grey imports started in the 1980's
 
Just out of curiousity, can anyone identify the origin of that hideous front mudguard ?
The bridge piece seems to be the factory original with the blade pop-rivetted on.
Just removing it and skipping it will add £100 to the value of that bike
 
Just out of curiousity, can anyone identify the origin of that hideous front mudguard ?
The bridge piece seems to be the factory original with the blade pop-rivetted on.
Just removing it and skipping it will add £100 to the value of that bike
The hideous front mudguard is gone and went in the skip, as did the bent bars, bent indicators and battered headlamp bucket.
 
Well, it just goes to show you can't rely on documentation to get information from.
I've cleaned the frame and engine numbers and it's not matching.
Frame is 447 - 709121.
So the reg documentation has the first digit missing.
The engine number is 447 - 700462.
 
Back
Top