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Little update here. The clutch cover has been bothering me for obvious reasons. That gold vinyl is an insult to xs650's everywhere, and that was some of the stickiest shit I have ever dealt with in my entire life. Anyway, I trimmed down the cover a bit so it doesn't look like it should still mate up to a swingy frame, then stripped the paint, sanded and polished.
I had to push this bike out of my shop for a while. I've got a kz650 I have to rake and hardtail but hopefully I can knock that out quickly and be back on the xs.
I installed the hardware of the Pamco E-Advancer and shot a little ether, it fired right up. Now I just need to wire in the electric part of it so it will actually advance. I found a wiring diagram for that, I'll post it up in case anyone else needs it.
This is great news because the po told me it had a blown head gasket, but after finding the mech advance broken I suspected that was the only problem. Now I know that to be the truth.
After that I plugged the two vacuum ports on the carbs, something I forgot to do for the first start, and it ran way better. It will most likely need cleaning and rejetting of the carbs but at least it runs.
I worked on getting my front wheel on today. Had to turn down the axle then turn a spacer to flesh it back out inside the fork leg. I got it mounted up. I just need to turn the spacer for the other side yet..
Ya I got this one off a good dude on chopcult. He gave me a screaming deal. Wheel cleaned up really nice too. I'll have to make my own brake pull arm because it's missing but that's the only thing wrong with this wheel...
I got my rear wheel and a new tire. I can't seem to find anything wider than a 4.00-18 and I didn't get the tread I wanted so I'm not real tickled with the result. I need a different fender too.
I turned some solid riser bushings and the start to my riserless handlebars.
I received my new pipes from Jumpstreet Customs (livingdeadmc) and got them installed along with the mufflers.
I cut up two xs650 front fenders and mated the rear parts of both to make my new rear fender. I'm having a bit of a block coming up with a nice mounting solution so I haven't mounted it yet...
And don't trouble yourself too much over the awful lines on that TC Bros hardtail. I've got a game plan there....
I got the last cross bar coped and tacked in and pulled the motor. It's ready to come out of the jig now, but I decided to build my foot controls while it was still in the jig and level, so that's next on the list.
Coker makes a replica firestone 4.5x18 tire, Just a FYI. The fact that they list those tires as "for restoration use only" and don't like to advertise a speed rating kept me away though. Not that I expect my XS to be a firebreather, but it is a piece of mind I like to have when riding around.
Bike looks good, I kindof wish you kept the old tire size, as the bike being so narrow gave it a artificially wide look.