Hi, I'm Lama

Lama

XS650 Member
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Location
Bristol, England
Hello fellow enthusiasts. I have finally got around to joining this excellent forum and thought I should introduce myself.

I am known as Lama, live in Bristol, England and have owned my 1981 XS650 roadster for 30 years. It was my first big bike after passing my motorbike test and still pretty much looks like it did when it left the factory.

It hasn’t been a trouble free experience, I’ve learnt a lot along the way but I put it to one side about 12 years ago and for years have been saying that this year will be the year that I get it back on the road again!

I have had a lot of good times riding the XS, I was a member of the UK XS650 Owners Club in the late 1990s and went on a few rallies with them, including to a Belgium XS650 Club rally. I am looking forward to chatting with some of you on this forum, and to having a much rawer biking experience that the modern bikes offer.



I will ask for advice on its various problems in separate posts, but just briefly I would really like to know why the gearbox input shaft bearing that is nearest the clutch has broken up twice, I need to sort the carburation out (it had been big bored to about 710cc, 10:1 compression ratio , I am trying to get second hand GPZ500S carb’s to work with it (EX500 in USA) and I think the back (drum) brake was occasionally jamming on. Plus of course it needs a through going over after having been out of action for so long,



More later, lets see if I can post a picture of my 1U3
 

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Welcome, Lovely bike. Sorry cant help with the bearing it is not a problem I have heard of before.
 
Hey Lama!
Does the clutch still have the damper springs in the hub or has someone installed a spring replacement kit?

Since the same bearing has gone twice, I'd be looking into the lineup of parts on that shaft for something being too thick and putting stress on the bearing?
 
Hey Lama!
Does the clutch still have the damper springs in the hub or has someone installed a spring replacement kit?

Since the same bearing has gone twice, I'd be looking into the lineup of parts on that shaft for something being too thick and putting stress on the bearing?
Hi Gary, thanks for your thoughts on my clutch bearing issue. I will start a new post on that topic soon and give some more detail.
Thanks
 
Hi Lama, welcome to the forum. I'm not too sure your bike is a 1981 - looks like possibly 1978? There are plenty of experts on here who know the different models. Of course, it might not have been registered until 1981 and would have that on the V5. Lovely bike though, cheers, Raymond
 
Hi Raymond,
That is an interesting thought. I have always considered it a 1970s bike, it wove nice if it was.
It came to me with points ignition (I fitted Boyer Branson electronic ignition years ago), electro-mechanical voltage regulator and separate rectifier (also since replaced) and the twin front brake disc and a sealed beam headlight unit that dipped to the left, so I am fairly sure it is a UK model.
And it came with these clocks and console.
Does this help date it?

Thanks
 

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Hello fellow enthusiasts. I have finally got around to joining this excellent forum and thought I should introduce myself.

I am known as Lama, live in Bristol, England and have owned my 1981 XS650 roadster for 30 years. It was my first big bike after passing my motorbike test and still pretty much looks like it did when it left the factory.

It hasn’t been a trouble free experience, I’ve learnt a lot along the way but I put it to one side about 12 years ago and for years have been saying that this year will be the year that I get it back on the road again!

I have had a lot of good times riding the XS, I was a member of the UK XS650 Owners Club in the late 1990s and went on a few rallies with them, including to a Belgium XS650 Club rally. I am looking forward to chatting with some of you on this forum, and to having a much rawer biking experience that the modern bikes offer.



I will ask for advice on its various problems in separate posts, but just briefly I would really like to know why the gearbox input shaft bearing that is nearest the clutch has broken up twice, I need to sort the carburation out (it had been big bored to about 710cc, 10:1 compression ratio , I am trying to get second hand GPZ500S carb’s to work with it (EX500 in USA) and I think the back (drum) brake was occasionally jamming on. Plus of course it needs a through going over after having been out of action for so long,



More later, lets see if I can post a picture of my 1U3
A welcome from Wales too.
I live just over the Seven Bridge from you (Newport) but I'm based in Cardiff with my business.
Feel free to get in touch.
Regards
Adam
 
Hi Adam,
I lied in Bristol and communicated to Newport on my XS for a few years, final part was through the marshes to Queensway Meadows.

It would be nice to meet up some time later in the year, be amazing if I was on my XS!
 
Tach and Speedo are from an early Special, speaking Stateside here. Background illumination is yellow as opposed to green in the Standard clocks. The orange dial indicator is a tell. Standards were black and white.
Bike looks Standard.
Nice!
 
Tach and Speedo are from an early Special, speaking Stateside here. Background illumination is yellow as opposed to green in the Standard clocks. The orange dial indicator is a tell. Standards were black and white.
Bike looks Standard.
Nice!
1676661493200.png

The Pilot Box is NOT something from a US Special. It looks just like the one on my 1978 XS650E.
 
Hi Adam,
I lied in Bristol and communicated to Newport on my XS for a few years, final part was through the marshes to Queensway Meadows.

It would be nice to meet up some time later in the year, be amazing if I was on my XS!
Hi @Lama
I would be happy to meet up and talk bikes and music, or any other stuff.
I will PM you with contact details.
I live about two miles from QW Meadows.
Cheers
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