new xs650 owner and new to this forum

[sbaugz]

new xs650 owner - build started

This is my first post here. I have previously been a frequent user of dotheton.com while I was restoring and modifying my cb200 and cb360. Now I am the proud owner of an XS650- figured I should join the best XS650 forum around, so here I am!

Anyways, I wanted to start out by asking some opinions on this bike that i purchased. Its a 1981 XS650 special. It was purchased for $200 and it included title. The owner didn't really know what he had. He placed it on craigslist and I literally saw the ad within 10 minutes and purchased it immediately. During the course of the first day, he had 30 texts and calls about it. He was actually about ready to simply drag it to the dump and give it away.

Anyways, he said the bike was running fine last year. He put about 20 miles on it and then basically parked it in the garage and didn't ride for a year. The mileage is 4600 and he claims its original. The tires were both flat and cracked. Two turn signals were broken off. The bike had been painted and they did a terrible job. It looks like they painted the engine with it in the frame. Its all peeling off. The battery was toast and there was still gas in the tank.

I dragged it home. I put in one of my other batteries and the lights work, as does the horn. The starter turned over very sluggishly, but I suspect my battery might have been partially drained. It easily goes into neutral and thru all the gears. After this cursory check, I then proceeded to completely take the bike apart and pulled engine.

So, after this long, drawn-out ramble, I get to my question: How do I know if should rebuild the bike if I haven't started it? I considered trying to start it, but I wanted to rebuild carbs because they had been sitting for so long. Maybe I should have cleaned carbs, left bike together and gotten it running first but its too late for that. I did a compression check with the engine cold and the carbs off. I got 160 PSI on both cylinders. I drained the oil and it looked very clean without any metallic particles in it. Seems like it should run fine. My plan is to strip the old paint off the motor and polish it. Do you think I should just leave motor as is and not rebuild it? How else can I determine whether or not a rebuild is necessary? Obviously for the sake of cost and time saving, I would prefer to not have to rebuild the motor. My end-game plan for the bike is a brat style, sort of like deus/ wrenchmonkey type.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Reid]

Sounds to me like its in pretty good shape to me. I would leave it alone and focus on the other stuff. I would do the carbs, tanks, PAMCO, and the cosmetic stuff

 

[ippytattoo]

You should pull the sump plate off and look for any of the tell tale bits of black plastic in the sump screen, which indicates a front cam chain guide going south, and to check the screen for the all to common tears. If there is no black plastic in the screen then you should be able to just do an outside cleaning and get it running.

 

[sbaugz]

thanks for the info.
So I was reading a little about the PAMCO. What advantage would I have to use the PAMCO over the stock electronic ignition? Doesn't it function the same way?

 

[gggGary]

A low miles 81 from the great state of Wisconsin. I'd stick with the TCI for a while. They hold up pretty decent for 30 year old electronics. Sounds like a good snag and yeah check the sump filter and run it. Retorque the head bolts, look up the thread, set cam chain and valves, read the carb guide found in tech. I always like to shim the needle jets a bit on BS34s

 

[blue900]

the Stock ignition on my 81 daily driver works great. As well as the charging system. I have added a LED tail light. I even have hand warmers for colder weather.
I but 5 to 6 thousand Idaho miles a year on it for the last 5 years. Get her running and ride it.
I have also added a relay for the stock coil to get 12volts-plus a short cut to it, that helps it run even better than ever.
Its easy to spend way to much money on these things fast, so go easy.
On July 10th did a quick group ride though Yellowstone park. Ran great and never missed a beat.

 

[nj1639]

Congrats on the score and welcome aboard! Lots of good info around here and always something new.....examples below.

Gary said...."I always like to shim the needle jets a bit on BS34s."

Blue said.... "I have also added a relay for the stock coil to get 12volts-plus a short cut to it, that helps it run even better than ever."

Wish to elaborate here fellas? Curious minds ya know.....

 

[weekendrider]

Gary is shimming like John did. May even be using the same size washer shims.
John later was using his home brewed tool to ream out the pilot and did away with the shim. IIRC.

Second call blue900. Tell us more.

 

[gggGary]

Yup couple of small washers to raise the needle jet. about like moving it up one clip position except the US BS34s didn't have clip positions seems to clean up a, just off idle, hesitation the Bs34s often showed. Used to be able to get em at Radio Shack but they dropped the part number, bought a hundred at Mc-Master Carr with other o-rings n stuff.

 

[blue900]

I cant take credit for this, some body some where posted a link to it.
http://www.wgcarbs.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
Made sense to me so I did the voltage test and found it lacking.
Here's a copy of my notes and a diagram.
I like Buying new stuff as much as the next guy, I have found 2 problems with that, these day
1.many of the things I buy are not as good as the original. (need to make that list) so I try and be very careful what I buy.
2. I just don't have that much money. I now know Wasted Several Hundred dollars on parts when I first got this thing.

Also I learned If I wanted to replace all the parts I should just get a new bike.
I really appreciate this forum and others like it. Its very cool we can all share our knowledge and experience + it saves me Thousands of Dollars with all the good Ideas.

Here's a copy of my notes and a diagram

 

[blue900]

I haven't bought any relays (used one off a parts car). Went to the auto parts store and asked they had no clue.
This looks like a good place to get them http://www.delcity.net/store/Relays-&-Power-Distribution/
Doing Pamcopete's Head light relay to neutral is on my list.

I don't mind working on the bike, but I really just want to ride it.

Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake

 

[weekendrider]

Thanks blue, did you put the relay under the tank?
That is beautiful country side for riding, or sitting and looking.
In the group photo down the line abit, what is hiding under the white fairing?
Another vintage bike?

 

[sbaugz]

got the bike and my helper and I started the teardown.
This is only my third bike rebuild (first two were honda CBs) and its still amazing how quickly a tear-down is. In literally 45 minutes, by myself, I had the entire bike reduced to a motor and frame. Another 5 minutes and the motor is out. Only wish it went back together as quickly.

 

[sbaugz]

my plan for the build is likely going to involve a monstercraftsman brat kit. I really like the look of it, and like the idea of being able to keep rear shocks.
I was going to try to use stock tank and clip-ons for a cafe style brat if that's a real thing. Not sure the stock tank will work (too long?) and not sure the clip-ons will work (too low?).

 

[sbaugz]

more pics. plan is to probably paint or powder coat most parts seen below black, except tank.
tank is pretty nice. No dents and inside is perfect. Plan would be to strip the paint off and repaint or powder coat

some misc covers removed, paint stripped, and cleaned. I will have to address the gouge in the stator cover.

more parts that were stripped and cleaned. I shaved the extra left side fork caliper tabs off. Don't be intimidated by this. It literally took me about 20 minutes to do this. Only tools used were a 4.5" cutoff wheel, a grinder wheel, and some sandpaper. Granted its not perfect but a little more sanding and powder coating will hide all the imperfections. Its funny because the right side fork lower (the side I didn't even touch) has more imperfections than the side that I modded.