I guess I've joined your club now...

[michaelpthompson]

I think you're going to want some new plugs, lol. Those look like the standard "B" type and are probably B-8's to boot. That's probably why the electrodes are so black. The plug spec for these was revised to the next hotter 7 and to the projected tip "BP" style. Get some BP7ES plugs. You can get them right at an auto parts store now. The same plug will cost you nearly twice as much if you buy it at a motorcycle shop. Buy a 4 pack so you have a couple spares.

Thanks, I will pick some up.

 

[5twins]

You will need to gap the new plugs before using them. They come with rather large gaps for car use, usually something like .035" to .040". Your bike's ignition, if stock, won't fire plug gaps that big. Set them to .028"

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I don't have a cat, but one of the neighborhood cats hangs about my back patio. Hope that will work.

That'll be fine.
Mine run in shifts, pass the job around.

One of them specializes in upholstery.

 

[michaelpthompson]

Finally got the center stand on. As mrtwowheel postulated, the aftermarket exhaust interfered with the stand bolts, but I managed to make it work.

Not entirely easy to see, but the exhaust sits right against the stand bracket.

So I loosened up the exhaust and managed to get the stand bolted on. Took a bit of fiddling to get all the exhaust bolts back in, but I managed it. I wonder if the OP had taken the stand off to install the exhaust and then just didn't want to mess with trying to get it back on. It wasn't really all that hard. Or maybe he just didn't see the value in a center stand.

And here's the bike, sitting on the center stand. I put plenty of grease on the bolts. The spring was the hardest part. Thanks to Spockwerks for the suggestion of putting quarters in the spring to space it out, and to my big, strong son for providing the hand power.

Once I got that done, it was time for the spark plugs. 5Twins was right, the old ones were B8ES.

I replacee them with BP7ES, gapped at 0.28"

Tomorrow, it's on to the sump filter and bleeding the front master cylinder. Thanks so much to all my new friends at XS650.com. You've been way more than helpful.

 

[5twins]

You may need to fab up a stop bracket for the centerstand when it's in the up position. Originally, it rested against a rubber bumper on the bottom of the left muffler. You don't have a left muffler anymore. The stand may go up too high and flop loosely around, or may even hit the chain. A simple "L" bracket attached to the left passenger footpeg will do, like so .....

In fact, many of the aftermarket 2, 3, and 4 into 1 pipes included a bracket like this for this very purpose.

 

[michaelpthompson]

Thanks 5Twins, I'll check that out. Could be why the PO left the stand off.

 

[richardthemotorcycle1]

Made mine from the extra bracket that came with my mufflers.

 

[richardthemotorcycle1]

Here is what I made, from extra bracket.

 

[fredintoon]

- - - So I loosened up the exhaust and managed to get the stand bolted on. Took a bit of fiddling to get all the exhaust bolts back in, but I managed it. - - - The spring was the hardest part. Thanks to Spockwerks for the suggestion of putting quarters in the spring to space it out, and to my big, strong son for providing the hand power.

Hi Michael,
the XS650 center stand spring's strength is certainly an extreme challenge.
Spockwerk's insert the quarters trick works as does having a big strong son to help.
There is another way that'll work if you don't have a helper at hand &/or enough pocket change.
Put the spring onto the frame and stand connections FIRST.
THEN reef the stand into place to align the pivot bolt holes so that the bolts can be inserted.
A tapered alignment pin will help to get the holes in line.

 

[michaelpthompson]

As it turns out, I didn't have to make a bracket or anything. The right side of the stand hits the muffler on that side:

So that the left side stays quite clear of the chain:

So that turns out not to be a problem after all, which suits me just fine. Now if I can just master the technique of putting the bike on the center stand without needing my giant strong son, that will be great.

 

[Brassneck]

I don't think I'd want the center stand to be hitting the muffler's directly...not sure if it will rub a hole but likely rattle at the very least...

 

[michaelpthompson]

At least it doesn't hit the chain. I'll see how it works on the muffler.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I don't think I'd want the center stand to be hitting the muffler's directly...not sure if it will rub a hole but likely rattle at the very least...

Ditto............

 

[weekendrider]

When you push off the center stand you will want to hold the tang with your foot.
The unrestricted "bang" will dent your pipes a little at a time. If, no when you follow 5twins advice the bracket needs to be thicker than the strap brackets supplied with muffler
packages.

 

[5twins]

It's standard practice to pad the side and centerstands with rubber where they contact frame or muffler in the up position. All the manufacturers do it. I use heater hose on the tang of my centerstand, fuel line on the side stand .....

 

[michaelpthompson]

I'll look at putting a pad of some sort on there. It only touches on the right hand side, as there is no muffler on the left side.

Meanwhile, I worked on bleeding the front brakes.Got a hose on the fitting, put it through a hole in the lid of a peanut butter jar, discovered I don't have a wrench the right size for the fitting. Back to the store tomorrow. Anybody know what size wrench this takes?

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Michael,
bleed nipple is 8mm a/f. Use a short box end wrench. An open jaw wrench will knock the corners off the nipple's hexagon and a long wrench will snap it off like a carrot.

 

[michaelpthompson]

Sounds good Fred, I didn't have one that small, so I guess it's a trip to the store for me. Remember Tim Allen's wisdom, "Every project is an excuse for a new tool."

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Michael,
got a 5/16"? It's only 0.063mm smaller and might just fit.

 

[michaelpthompson]

I don't think so, but I'll look when I get home.