RFeng
XS650 Addict
I've gleaned so much information from this forum...Thank You! I've been stealing all your knowledge for years without adding anything back...I feel a little guilt finally de-lurking.
I picked up a '75 about 10 years ago - fixed it up a bit and have used it as a daily rider. but just recently realized I like maintaining it almost as much as riding...so a few weeks ago I began looking for another one just to wrench on.
I advertised for a basket case...but was offered a nice '79 Special that had not been ridden for at least 16 years - and had 7700 miles on it. There was half a tank of gas left in it - and the entire fuel system was gummed up. Sliders and throttle valve frozen in place. Tore apart and rebuilt the carbs, used electrolysis to remove massive rust from the inside of the tank (Science! Magic? It really worked better than I could have hoped) and put on new manual petcocks. (I'll rebuild the old vac. petcocks sometime during the long winter). I replaced the fuel lines and added in line filters, new plugs, oil and oil filters - most of what was needed normal maintainence would have prevented.
Anyway - after a couple weeks working on it I rode it for the first time this past weekend.
I also was given a really beat up rolling chassis (untitled) of what I think is a 78 special and a box of parts. That may be the next project - if I can figure out the process for re-titling it.
All this as an introduction - and just to say "Thanks" for the encouragement and information!
A couple of pics (If I can figure out the process) They are not perfect (anyone have a decent left side muffler for my 1975??) but they run Great!
-bruce
I picked up a '75 about 10 years ago - fixed it up a bit and have used it as a daily rider. but just recently realized I like maintaining it almost as much as riding...so a few weeks ago I began looking for another one just to wrench on.
I advertised for a basket case...but was offered a nice '79 Special that had not been ridden for at least 16 years - and had 7700 miles on it. There was half a tank of gas left in it - and the entire fuel system was gummed up. Sliders and throttle valve frozen in place. Tore apart and rebuilt the carbs, used electrolysis to remove massive rust from the inside of the tank (Science! Magic? It really worked better than I could have hoped) and put on new manual petcocks. (I'll rebuild the old vac. petcocks sometime during the long winter). I replaced the fuel lines and added in line filters, new plugs, oil and oil filters - most of what was needed normal maintainence would have prevented.
Anyway - after a couple weeks working on it I rode it for the first time this past weekend.
I also was given a really beat up rolling chassis (untitled) of what I think is a 78 special and a box of parts. That may be the next project - if I can figure out the process for re-titling it.
All this as an introduction - and just to say "Thanks" for the encouragement and information!
A couple of pics (If I can figure out the process) They are not perfect (anyone have a decent left side muffler for my 1975??) but they run Great!
-bruce
