Shelby
XS650 Addict
Stopped by Busted Knuckles today today to visit Rusty. Good news! She's running, the carb rebuild's complete, the carbs (and air boxes) are back in, and the electrical system's showing a good solid 13. All that's left are the shocks and forks (Lowering her about 2" or so) and and replacing the clutch cable. Small local shop, the mechanic who knew XS650s moved out west mid-project. Told the owner if he needed to work on something else to prevent a customer meltdown I was OK with that long as I get her back before spring thaw. Not cleared to ride yet, and it's been in the 20s and30s here of late.
For anyone who's curious and missed the initial explanation, Rusty (83' XS650 Heritage Special, so named for the color of my nosebleed on her frame when I forgot to grab the impact wrench) went into the shop in April or so because having done a carb rebuild on a '82 XS650 Special 'bout three decades ago, I refused to do it again. In the mid 90s I couldn't afford to pay anyone to do stuff like that. Now I'm as much older as the bike is, and I like my hands in working order.
The electrical system was a real worry for me, since she wasn't running enough to test it at the time. I loved the '82, but we were knee deep in a recession, trying to keep our business afloat, I wasn't riding her at the time, and I sold her to an employee (on payments, which he never made). He got her on the road and kept going. Showed back up close to a year later -- when the plates he'd never replaced ran out -- and gave her back to me. Mean time he'd hooked up a battery charger with the polarity reversed. I spent months doing a frame off rewire, checking every connection, and eventually did a frame off wiring harness replacement, along with a rotor replacement and a stator test, and still couldn't ever get her to charge right again. Also why I didn't do the clutch cable myself -- one f the leads got crushed between the side cover and the stator housing and made the charging system drain even worse after that. Don't know if I did it or the shop that checked the charging system for me (they couldn't find the drain on the system, either). I've half a mind to try to find her VIN and see if she's still around somewhere... sold her to a friend who was going to try the whole electrical system redo over again.
At any rate, I do actually own a currently running, charging, and rideable XS650, and by the time I'm medically cleared to ride her, her first trip will be HOME. Sorry no new pictures, I didn't take my phone in with me. Was kinda depressed and not thinking about a photo opp. This is her with the new seat right before she left for the carb rebuild. And I don't have that Ford anymore. Recalled for bad door hinges -- doors could fall off -- parts on back order.
For anyone who's curious and missed the initial explanation, Rusty (83' XS650 Heritage Special, so named for the color of my nosebleed on her frame when I forgot to grab the impact wrench) went into the shop in April or so because having done a carb rebuild on a '82 XS650 Special 'bout three decades ago, I refused to do it again. In the mid 90s I couldn't afford to pay anyone to do stuff like that. Now I'm as much older as the bike is, and I like my hands in working order.
The electrical system was a real worry for me, since she wasn't running enough to test it at the time. I loved the '82, but we were knee deep in a recession, trying to keep our business afloat, I wasn't riding her at the time, and I sold her to an employee (on payments, which he never made). He got her on the road and kept going. Showed back up close to a year later -- when the plates he'd never replaced ran out -- and gave her back to me. Mean time he'd hooked up a battery charger with the polarity reversed. I spent months doing a frame off rewire, checking every connection, and eventually did a frame off wiring harness replacement, along with a rotor replacement and a stator test, and still couldn't ever get her to charge right again. Also why I didn't do the clutch cable myself -- one f the leads got crushed between the side cover and the stator housing and made the charging system drain even worse after that. Don't know if I did it or the shop that checked the charging system for me (they couldn't find the drain on the system, either). I've half a mind to try to find her VIN and see if she's still around somewhere... sold her to a friend who was going to try the whole electrical system redo over again.
At any rate, I do actually own a currently running, charging, and rideable XS650, and by the time I'm medically cleared to ride her, her first trip will be HOME. Sorry no new pictures, I didn't take my phone in with me. Was kinda depressed and not thinking about a photo opp. This is her with the new seat right before she left for the carb rebuild. And I don't have that Ford anymore. Recalled for bad door hinges -- doors could fall off -- parts on back order.
