New to me XS 650...

I was set to examine needle jets today but I missed some good advice 2 pages ago. I will need to obtain some small diameter dowels to tap the needle jets out. In the mean time I removed the too wide bars and risers to replace with Virago risers and narrower bars. The Virago risers base diameter is too small to directly adapt to the XS TT.
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I will have a friend cut/mill/turn the stock base down to a flat surface for the Virago riser.
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This with a little more pull back and a few inches narrower should give me a satisfying stance.
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The shiny bar has 1 or 2 inches more pull back and is 3 inches narrower. Given the 1/2" to 1" longer upper straight section, I can still cut 1/2" to 1" off each end.
 
Team Wicked - my experience with the o rings that seal the needle jets has been my worst problem on my 77. I purchased 6 from 650direct (so not oem) and went through the whole 6 and still have a bit of petrol wicking its way into the throat. My wife was holding the torch and me a magnifying glass to try and get them to go down the hole with the needle jet and seat properly. I tried all sorts of lubes and tiny instruments to get those little fuckers to go down. In the end you can just force the needle jet to squash them in there but you know its not right and they are probably pinched or torn. In the end I just left it that way with a bit of petrol wicking/seeping into the throats. In the meantime I have ordered oem yamaha ones from Partzilla at $6.90 US and am still waiting on delivery. On my second 77D I just didnt disturb the needle jets (to scared to) and they also wick/seep a bit into the throat. On my next round to fix this problem I will use the OEM ones when they come, if that doesnt work I will experiment with sealing/fixing the needle jet into position with something that is tolerant of petrol like Holamar - and not use a o ring. Desperate measure maybe.
Regards Ray.
P.s. my fuel heights all check out multiple times - I could see the wicking/seeping when the carbs were set up on a bench.
 
Thanks for encouraging words. This is not a mainstream XS but I decided I want a "not mainstream" bike. As you may have read, the motor is a riot on throttle but rich for the riding I do mostly. I am in my haphazard way trying to correct that while learning so many other things from the denizens here.
 
After seeing the current BBK thread I got to wondering, Sure enough, my cylinder casting is stamped 653cc at the base facing forward with no other visible stampings. Is that the standard XS650 barrels? If so, I am not hugely irritated but can move forward with my jetting anomolies based on stock motor with pipes and pods.
 
teamWicked said:
After seeing the current BBK thread I got to wondering, Sure enough, my cylinder casting is stamped 653cc at the base facing forward with no other visible stampings. Is that the standard XS650 barrels? If so, I am not hugely irritated but can move forward with my jetting anomolies based on stock motor with pipes and pods.
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Yes, that would be the standard cylinders. The kit isn't the only way to get to 750cc's though. A cylinder bore and 750 pistons/rings will get you there also.


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Jim said:
Yes, that would be the standard cylinders. The kit isn't the only way to get to 750cc's though. A cylinder bore and 750 pistons/rings will get you there also.


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Then I guess I will never know. :) I was under the impression that there was not enough meat in the stock castings to go 80mm.
 
Contact with PO suggests he doesn't know alot about the bike. He may or may not have been given a bill of good from the guy he got it from. None the less, details shmeetails. Doesn't matter. I'll work on getting it jetted right, get new risers and bars on, polish up some bits and look forward to spring riding.
 
Honestly, there's not much difference between the jetting required for a 650 vs. a 750. If you look up the jetting specs for the old TX750 twin Yamaha made in '73-'74, you'll find they're pretty much the same as the 650 used at that time. What you're jetting for mostly is the change in the exhaust (freer flowing) and the intake (letting more air in), not so much for the 100cc difference.
 
So I think I have a front fender showing up soon. Pulled a bolt out of the front brake line bracket and went of the the True Value hardware store. Came home with 4 8x1.5x20 stainless bolts and lock washers. The original bolt heads are 12mm. These are 13 and I wanted all the fender bolts the same size, no mix and match. I first did a fit check. The threads are not weinered up,, good.
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Next, because I might paint the fender black if the chrome isn't real good I took a cue from the polishing thread to make sure these look decent against black paint. A few minutes with white Rouge on a $5 B&D drill with a 4inch cotton wheel. The left one looks so much better.
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Maybe next year! But, that gives me an excuse to get a mini grinder. ;)
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My riser bases are due back from the machinist tomorrow.The nipples are getting milled down flat. The picture was for my machinist friend, to give him scale of the job. I lose ~1/2 inch of lift but the installation will look clean. I want to start fitting handlebars to see where I am at. Now the controls and switch gear are hanging/dangling and I want to correct that.
 
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Something you should be aware of - the ground for the starter button travels through the handlebars from the left hand switch assembly. When installing painted handlebars, the signal is sometimes blocked by the paint and the starter doesn't work. You need to clean a little of the paint off the bars on each side where that metal clip in the control assembly makes contact .....

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It is these tid bits that save us hours of swearing and frustration, thanks. I did have these bars mounted previously without issue so maybe I rotated them while snug just enough to scratch in a connection.
 
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