Aluminium downgrades, I'd say.
I suppose it depends how much you want your tooth fillings to stay in place
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I just got a 1978 XS650 Special
- Thread starter thepaulmcbride
- Start date
I suppose it depends how much you want your tooth fillings to stay in place
thepaulmcbride
XS650 Member
Good to know!
Yes, be careful. Quite a few of the supposed "upgrades" out there really aren't worth thinking about. Kind of like solutions to problems that don't really exist.
Option 3: Fender washers top and bottom of the rubber. As many as it takes.
The aluminum ones are great (with o’rings) but you had better be really good at tuning that bike or your hands will go numb.
Again, it's one reason they ride better with lower, flatter bars. Sometimes referred to as Euro bars. You still need some kind of isolation such as rubber mounts, but because the bars are shorter there's less leverage for you to upset the steering, plus you're not sitting up so much in the breeze getting blown around. So the steering feels more planted.
Other opinions are of course available.
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Welcome,
Nice bike, a wash and polish it looks like it will come up looking real good, colour is the uncommon blue 78, reasonably rare.
These bikes have rubber dampers all over them for a reason,, if they are worn, most if not all can b replaced, some suppliers have better quality rubber so best to ask where to buy before purchasing. That goes for any thing that needs replacing, sometimes that might mean spending a little more, (some aftermarket parts are crap, get what you pay for), or there may be an alternative cheap reliable way to replace, (this comment revolves around the charging system mainly).
Before starting the bike again I would, make sure there is no rust in the tank, give the carbs a going over.
Test the rotor, plenty of threads on this and the manual will tell you. Chances are it will be kaput, due to age, if not, chances are It will not b long before it fails.
There is a good cheap system to get the charging system reliable again and that doesn't require a PMA, just a rewound rotor and an automotive regulater with a bridge rectifier.
Any problems can't b overcome, the help on here is second to none and the most important thing is to ask before getting anything or if any probs you run into or don't know what to do.
No question is silly, get a manual to help you along with answers here and you will receive the XS650 university diploma in no time.
I went with solid aluminum from Hugh’s Hand Built, he also did the rephrasing.
thepaulmcbride
XS650 Member
What is the consensus on Mikes XS? Seems to be a pretty good one stop shop but I've read to avoid for rubber parts. Is it just rubber parts? Where are you fine folks getting parts?
There are good and bad from Revival Parts Group. That includes MikesXS, Z1 Enterprises, Randakks, and Dime City.
Some stuff is unusable crap that they never take off the shelf. You will get absolutely no use out of it. Other stuff is marginal. Some parts are OK. Some good, and even great parts.
Ask here before you buy any parts from MikesXS or the other names in that group. They are all under one roof.
yamahaxs650.com is the founder of MikesXS. He is a better choice.
650 Central is good. You have to call him. He’s west coast.
There are many good parts available, and it depends on what you need. Ask here.
MikesXS is a stop of last resort. Mostly junk with a few good parts scattered in there. The only time I buy from Mikes is when I can't find it anywhere else.
