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Sourcing parts for my winter project bike (1977 XS 650)
- Thread starter Big_Ed
- Start date
Aye, the rarer red version of the '77, nice!
Honestly, rebuild kits aren't needed for that stuff. Most are aftermarket anyway and the quality can be bad. For the carbs, the original gaskets are very good and can usually be saved and re-used. You needn't even remove the choke housings so those gaskets won't be disturbed. Just pull the choke plunger out of the top. For the petcocks, aftermarket rebuild kits are hit and miss on quality. If you need any parts, like the 4 holed rubber disc behind the lever, best you get them right from Yamaha. Brakes will be the same. I've renovated several stock MCs and calipers and never needed any replacement parts. I just thoroughly cleaned them out and re-used everything. About the only replacement part in the forks are the seals and you can get them about anywhere. Aftermarket seems OK for them.
You will want a new front brake line. Most of us switch from the stock 2 part set-up to one long line. Stainless ones are all over eBay now for $10 or less.
You will want a new front brake line. Most of us switch from the stock 2 part set-up to one long line. Stainless ones are all over eBay now for $10 or less.
That bike should clean up nicely. You have one of the most desirable 650 models there. I hope you don't plan on cutting and hacking it all up. Just fix it up, do what we call a "resto-mod". I've had my '78 for many years and that's what it got. Improved suspension, new exhaust, and lower bars. Other than that, it still looks very stock, but it's much improved .....
I like to get my K&L stuff from www.georgefixs.com
They’re very fast. They have brake kits, bowl gaskets or carb kits, petcock kits, intakes, etc.
For hard carburetor parts, I’m in the OE camp. Niche Cycle or Jets-R-Us
www.partzilla.com
www.mikesxs.com
www.hoosracing.com
www.nichecycle.com
www.yamahaxs650.com
www.cruzinimage.net
Are all good sources for XS650 parts. What do you mean by "forks" are you looking for a whole set of forks or just to rebuild the existing forks? The seals are really the only consumable parts in the forks, but the fork tubes themselves can be replaced if they're pitted or bent but they are $$$.
www.mikesxs.com
www.hoosracing.com
www.nichecycle.com
www.yamahaxs650.com
www.cruzinimage.net
Are all good sources for XS650 parts. What do you mean by "forks" are you looking for a whole set of forks or just to rebuild the existing forks? The seals are really the only consumable parts in the forks, but the fork tubes themselves can be replaced if they're pitted or bent but they are $$$.
Aftermarket, performance, dress up, XS specific chopper parts can also be sourced from but not limited to.
https://www.heidentuning.com/
www.tcbroschoppers.com
www.hoosracing.com
https://www.motolanna.com/
https://www.hughshandbuilt.com/
A good source for rubber parts is.
https://sumorubber.com/
https://www.heidentuning.com/
www.tcbroschoppers.com
www.hoosracing.com
https://www.motolanna.com/
https://www.hughshandbuilt.com/
A good source for rubber parts is.
https://sumorubber.com/
Big_Ed
XS650 Member
Wow- great info!! So my son-in-law called me one night last month; he was cleaning out his Grandfathers barn and found this 650 under a tarp in a shed by the tractors, apparently Grandpa was rider back in the day and the bike still had 1984 tags on the back. He asked if I wanted the bike and I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough! So it’s my garage now and I plan a full restore, back to stock, as much as possible. But many, many thanks for the pointers and advice.
Attachments
Yep, considered the apex year by many before safety features were added to try and idiot proof the bike.
Makes me wonder if '77 was the last best year for other things, considering the amount of idiots out there, but I digress.
How many miles on the clock?
Makes me wonder if '77 was the last best year for other things, considering the amount of idiots out there, but I digress.
How many miles on the clock?
That is such a nice find, these old bikes are getting harder to find like this. Its like an old gem in the dirt, not touched in ages. That is a good year, its the old standard. Spray it off with water and in my city it would fetch $1k - $1.5k. You should consider paying someone for it as a thanks, even if you did get it for free.
