hotshoe
XS650 Enthusiast
A bit about me and my XS. I bought a 1979 XS650 special in 1981 from a dealer that had repossessed it after the PO had seized the engine and quit paying for it. The mechanics got it running and said I would need to replace a piston soon. The bike was in a silent auction and I got it for $350.00. (Best money I ever spent) I rode the bike for 3 years. One day on the way home from work in 1984 a girl that had only received her license about an hour and a half earlier ran a stop sign and t-boned me. I was sore and had only 1 cut from landing on her windshield but the bike was totaled. I got it home and called the dealer who had sold it to me and he said if I wanted to fix it he would tell me where to send the frame for straightening and would sell me all the parts I would need at his cost. ( I have known this dealer since we were in 5th grade together so it paid to still be friends) Bought it from the insurance company and fixed it back up. Rode it for about 2 more years when my brother ran into hard times and needed some transportation so I loaned it to him. Mistake. He never crashed it or anything just had no place to put it so it was always outside in the elements. After a little more than 2 yrs. I got it back from him and started cleaning it up as best as I could. I kept riding it on and off until about 2009. Changing oil and tires and batteries when needed. Then put it on the trailer trying to decide what to do with it. I love the bike and can't get rid of it. There is nothing like the sound of an XS rolling down the highway at full song. Well about 2 months ago I decided I needed a street tracker. I pulled the bike off the trailer, pumped up the tires, charged the battery (it would get up to about 12.3 volts but wouldn't hold it long), anyway tried kicking it over without spark plugs in it, found I had spark, so put them back in, opened the gas tank cap and it didn't smell fresh but I have smelled worse, kicked it over and it started on the first kick. I was amazed and happy. I guess I must have drained the carburetors when I parked but I can't remember doing it. Anyway I rode it around for about 3 weeks until I needed to put some gas in it and decided to get started. I have purchased the tank, seat, headlight, and 1/2 mile pipes from O'mars. Bought the swing arm bushings and steering head bearings also. ( I read a lot off posts about trouble getting the swing arm plastic bushings out but I had changed mine a couple of times over the years so mine were easy) I have purchased another 19" mag wheel from some one on this forum and machined up the complete rear wheel adapter kit. The frame is just about ready to go to the powder coaters. I was really inspired by Pregrids posting of his build. I'm going in that direction. I'm sure I will have a lot of questions along the way but I have seen there are amazing people on this forum and I think I will get help with whatever I need. I'm sure I will need some help doing the motor. After 33,000 miles I guess I should replace that piston. Thanks for reading this and having this forum.
Hotshoe
Hotshoe
