Waking up dad's TX650 in Colorado

[Leadville Bill]

Welcome LVB.
Take a good look at the tech section,
especially properly storing a bike.
Go forwards then backwards, they're fairly easy bikes to work on
with standard tools if you don't have to get crazy with it.
You Tube has videos on what to look for purchasing a 650.
that will show you more things to look over.
New / really good battery, fresh gas, full oil, clean gas tank, open the petcocks and drain the carbs, new or cleaned plugs,
kick her over easy or use the electric for a bit to get the oil flowing,
compression check.
If she goes run her easy till fully up to temp, if you ride oil the chain, fill the tires,
up to temp then home, drain the oil and look for any contaminates, check plugs.
Post you're results
Everyone here loves to see a bike brought back to life. Plenty of support here.
I'm sure I've missed things and others will chime in but waking up a bike is a
gentle thing and done correctly can save you a lot time cash and grief.
She's pretty. Best of luck!

Johndaddy- I haven't done a deep dive on YT but I'll see what's there. I'll have to see what info is on here about checking the electric start. My brother thought my dad had said he was having trouble with the electric starter but maybe something was up with the battery after all.

 

[Leadville Bill]

Take a look through the tech menu in the header for info, threads about everything XS.
Lots of good reading while you wait for the bike to arrive.
here's one to start with
https://www.xs650.com/threads/guide...checklist-for-the-condition-of-your-find.367/
Use this thread as a build follow along thread like mine posted above?
A build thread makes for a great reference (Pictures, can't have too many pictures!) For you and having others following along helps encourage, "guide" you through hard spots and lulls in working on it. This thread is a great start. Maybe edit the thread name so it's easier to find and more descriptive of what's inside "Waking up dad's TX650 in Colorado". sump'n like dat.

I can definitely do that. Your title sounds pretty good to me. I didn't see where there was an option to edit the thread title. How do I go about that?

 

[JOHNDADDY]

I had rust in my tank years ago and used 36 cal lead shot,
shook it like a Moricca to break it loose. Might be a good
start before a chem clean.

 

[Leadville Bill]

I've towed my Dad's bike he gave me from Phoenix to halfway between Fresno CA and Los Angeles. About a 400 mile trip. I rented a motorcycle trailer from Uhaul and hooked it up to my MINI Cooper and somehow managed to not blow anything up going thru the steep grades of the Sierra Nevadas.

When I moved from (roughly) Los Angeles to (roughly) Chicago I did the same thing, but used a box truck to haul the rest of my crap.

I do remember parking the box truck right underneath the lights in the hotel parking lot, and I also ran a big ass chain between the frame of the bike and the uhaul trailer because I was paranoid someone was going to steal my Dad's former and now my bike.

So yeah, towing a bike a thousand miles is doable, easy.

As much as I would love to drive over and pick it up in the bed of my F-150, a back of the envelope calculation tells me it's probably not going to save me much, if any, over shipping by the time I factor in hotel, gas and food to get there and back. That doesn't include my time off work and depreciation on 2400 plus miles on said truck. I hadn't thought about flying out and renting a vehicle to haul it back but I'll have to give that a look.

I like your chain method. I was trying to figure the best way to keep thieves from making off with the bike at the hotel stops.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

Johndaddy- I haven't done a deep dive on YT but I'll see what's there. I'll have to see what info is on here about checking the electric start. My brother thought my dad had said he was having trouble with the electric starter but maybe something was up with the battery after all.

A well tuned 650 is an easy kick start, don't be afraid of kickin it,
when you know what to feel- hear it'll tell you a lot more than electric will.
I guess a tired leg wakes up a sleeping brain, for me anyway.

 

[Leadville Bill]

Welcome to the group! The ‘73 TX650 is among the most desirable XS650s to collectors. It was nice of your dad to leave you such a fine specimen. I’d probably want to insure it for $3 to 5K.

You may find the factory service manual in the following link.
https://thexscafedotcom.wordpress.com/

Yours has a 256 engine. ‘73 was the last year for that.

Interesting. What's the specific appeal for the this year/model? I didn't get the impression they were any less common among the models. If anything I thought the post 74's would be more attractive due to the various improvements. Regardless, I agree- it's a great bike to be given.

Thanks for the link. I found an extremely worn copy in a plastic bag under the seat (see photo) but I left it there. The one on this website appears to be the same one, but in much better shape to read.

Any knowledge to share on the 256 engine?

 

[Leadville Bill]

SERVICE MANUAL:
https://thexscafedotcom.wordpress.c...s1-xs2-tx650-tx650a-service-manual-1970-1974/

Print it and put it in a binder is what I did.

I must be on the right track because that's exactly what I did!

 

[Leadville Bill]

I had rust in my tank years ago and used 36 cal lead shot,
shook it like a Moricca to break it loose. Might be a good
start before a chem clean.

I like that ideal I have some #6 somebody gave me since they knew I reload shotshells. May be a bit small but worth a.....shot (sorry, couldn't pass up the chance at a Dad Joke).

 

[Leadville Bill]

A well tuned 650 is an easy kick start, don't be afraid of kickin it,
when you know what to feel- hear it'll tell you a lot more than electric will.
I guess a tired leg wakes up a sleeping brain, for me anyway.

Good to know. I don't have much experience with a kick starting bike. Again, got spoiled with my Ninja.

 

[gggGary]

I can definitely do that. Your title sounds pretty good to me. I didn't see where there was an option to edit the thread title. How do I go about that?

or let me know if you need it done.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I think that was the "owners manual" that you found under the seat, it might give you info on some adjustments but nothing in depth like a "service manual".

 

[jetmechmarty]

I think that was the "owners manual" that you found under the seat, it might give you info on some adjustments but nothing in depth like a "service manual".

Post #27. We have the factory service manual.

 

[gggGary]

I like 1 1/4" hex head #12 sheet metal screws for tank shaking.
cuz they are sharp n pointy all over and you can get them out with a magnet on a wire.

The tank on your bike is a factory Service Campaign replacement tank, that ALSO leaked at the rear seam and was brazed? This is REAL common on 73's but no other year.

The original tank had emblems, the replacement tanks had decals.

 

[Leadville Bill]

View attachment 348206or let me know if you need it done.

I logged on this morning to fix this and it looks like you or someone took care of it for me. Thanks.

 

[Leadville Bill]

I like 1 1/4" hex head #12 sheet metal screws for tank shaking.
cuz they are sharp n pointy all over and you can get them out with a magnet on a wire.
View attachment 348209
The tank on your bike is a factory Service Campaign replacement tank, that ALSO leaked at the rear seam and was brazed? This is REAL common on 73's but no other year.
View attachment 348210
The original tank had emblems, the replacement tanks had decals.
View attachment 348211

View attachment 348212

View attachment 348213

View attachment 348214

Seems like a good approach. I like your setup for rotating the tank. It reminds me of a wet tumbler for cartridge brass. I assume you tumble dry?

The tank in that photo looks pretty bad. How'd the restoration turn out?

I had wondered if the tank on my dad's bike was in fact a replacement since it had the decals and not the raised badges. Makes sense now.

 

[gggGary]

The tank in that photo looks pretty bad. How'd the restoration turn out?

You'll learn, Don't encourage me.
It's a process. That tank had a failed liner that dissolved with acetone. (anyone need two gallons of acetone with dissolved tank liner in it?)
then rounds of screws and the cement mixer (reduced speed with a VFD drive) and fill! with evaporust, heat to 100F, repeat till the inside is clean steel. A final rinse with acetone then tank liner. Also heated and dried. It's pretty inside now.

I'm kind of OK with riding survivor bikes...

'til I can convince an incredibly talented painter @Jim that yet another of my projects need his love.
Don't put in a tank liner unless you are willing to do the clean up work. Nothing worse than a tank with a non-disolvable tank liner put in a dirty tank. Seriously clean it up as good as you can and run it without a liner. A couple of float bowl drainings later it'll be fine in a dry climate. I run LOTS of 40-50 year old tanks without liners. Last summer was a highmark for me, I did three or four tank cleaning/liners, That was a lot of work. And there's more that need it. I suggest POR15 tank liner, $26 a pint at o'reilly's, a pint will do two tanks.

 

[Leadville Bill]

Wow- that cleaned up nice! I take it popping out a tank dent is avoided due to the thickness of the tank wall?

 

[Raymond]

Good advice from gggGary - at one time, people thought putting some lining fluid in an old tank would solve the problem. In some cases, that is true and from what I've seen a well-prepared tank treated correctly with a quality liner compound works very well. But there are just so many horror stories on this forum - liners that crack and break up, tank liners that dissolve in petrol OR in alcohol. My inclination would be to clean the tank and either clear any residual rust from the float bowls or fit an in-line filter.

 

[gggGary]

Wow- that cleaned up nice! I take it popping out a tank dent is avoided due to the thickness of the tank wall?

Yes it's hard to pop dents because these tanks are thick. Until you're commited to a repaint the dents mostly stay. But Dogbunny has some dent removal threads. https://www.xs650.com/threads/another-successful-dent-removal.65173/
I sent that Honda tank to a paintless dent guy, he couldn't pop that one.
If you commit to a repaint, cleaning can be MUCH more aggressive. Trying to save original paint means lots of tiptoeing to avoid damage to the outside.

 

[jetmechmarty]

.
If you commit to a repaint, cleaning can be MUCH more aggressive. Trying to save original paint means lots of tiptoeing to avoid damage to the outside.

I have a roll of Saran Wrap and a roll of metal duct tape. I have a nearly perfect tank with RedKote in it. I think I need to get it out.

I had a thread on the XS650 Garage site when I went through this before. I believe it’s gone. Wrecking the paint is worrisome.