What have you done to your XS today?

Well, today was a big day at the new country estate: I dug out those snazzy newly painted '78E green tins and got them onto my 1978 XS650E Standard....the lovely and talented Betty - in preparation for the big CVMG Paris National Rally which begins next Friday June 16/2022!

There were a couple of minor bumps along the way (all related to our house move last fall and the fact that my workshop has not yet been built (more on that topic to follow):

1) I cannot find my sets of late-model non-vacuum petcocks - so I am using a pair of NOS petcocks that I got years ago but without the vacuum line as for some reason, the carb boots on this bike do not have the balancing port barbs. The result of this is that I may not have a "reserve" setting - I haven't fully explored the fluidics of the situation just yet;

2) I also cannot find my nice snazzy new sidecover retaining latches - so I had to use a slightly grotty pair that had in my parts bin - but at least I have a nice new pair of the isolator grommets;

3) I dug around and found the original gold tank emblems for the '78E tank but there were only three of the tiny little screws (each emblem requires two screws) - so I can only attach one of the emblems (I won't risk loosing the other one by using only one screw). My friendly local Yamaha dealer has a packet of five new screws on order for the princely sum of about $5.04 - but they may not arrive until after I leave for Paris next week. Soooo, I have asked my good friend @lakeview if he would spot me a screw until then - and he happens to have one in stock, so I'll be good to go!

BTW - there is a lesson in this story. How, you may ask, was I able to order tank emblem screws for a 44 year old motorcycle so easily?

The fact is that these tiny little M3 screws (Yamaha p/n 90152-04006-00) are still a current part used on 2022 models. The Yamaha dealer was able to look them up and source a packet of five screws at $0.75 each - and should have them next week.

OK then - how did I find that part number? Well, I just went to the Partzilla website and selected Yamaha Motorcycle parts - and went to 1978 XS650E fuel tank - and there they are, complete with part number and an indication that they are a current part and can therefore still be ordered.

Having the OEM part number is golden information. In fact, if you simply type "90152-04006-00" (only the numbers and dashes - no words or other descriptors) into your Google search window, you will find what the part is and who might have it for sale anywhere in the world.

Here endeth the lesson.

All I need to do now is give Betty a good cleaning and go over all the nuts and bolts and she'll be ready for the bike show! After I got the tins on, I took her for a ride this afternoon and put on 60-70 km and she runs like a new bike - and aren't those tins beautiful?

Thank you so much to @Jim for the fabulous paint job and @Gordon-in-NC for loaning me his NOS green '78E sidecover so that I could get the paint colour-matched at my local body shop supply place. What a great community of kind, talented and generous people we have here.

Here are some photos from earlier this afternoon (I will post more when she's all duded-up and clean):
View attachment 216174

View attachment 216175

View attachment 216177

Lookin' right snazzy there.... Peter my man. Pretty sure Robin would approve. :cheers:
 
Well, today was a big day at the new country estate: I dug out those snazzy newly painted '78E green tins and got them onto my 1978 XS650E Standard

Hoo Boy , Pete! That looks great! I know it’s been a long wait for you to get to enjoy that bike, I can’t wait to see you out on the road with it! 😃
 
Well, today was a big day at the new country estate: I dug out those snazzy newly painted '78E green tins and got them onto my 1978 XS650E Standard....the lovely and talented Betty - in preparation for the big CVMG Paris National Rally which begins next Friday June 16/2022!

There were a couple of minor bumps along the way (all related to our house move last fall and the fact that my workshop has not yet been built (more on that topic to follow):

1) I cannot find my sets of late-model non-vacuum petcocks - so I am using a pair of NOS petcocks that I got years ago but without the vacuum line as for some reason, the carb boots on this bike do not have the balancing port barbs. The result of this is that I may not have a "reserve" setting - I haven't fully explored the fluidics of the situation just yet;

2) I also cannot find my nice snazzy new sidecover retaining latches - so I had to use a slightly grotty pair that had in my parts bin - but at least I have a nice new pair of the isolator grommets;

3) I dug around and found the original gold tank emblems for the '78E tank but there were only three of the tiny little screws (each emblem requires two screws) - so I can only attach one of the emblems (I won't risk loosing the other one by using only one screw). My friendly local Yamaha dealer has a packet of five new screws on order for the princely sum of about $5.04 - but they may not arrive until after I leave for Paris next week. Soooo, I have asked my good friend @lakeview if he would spot me a screw until then - and he happens to have one in stock, so I'll be good to go!

BTW - there is a lesson in this story. How, you may ask, was I able to order tank emblem screws for a 44 year old motorcycle so easily?

The fact is that these tiny little M3 screws (Yamaha p/n 90152-04006-00) are still a current part used on 2022 models. The Yamaha dealer was able to look them up and source a packet of five screws at $0.75 each - and should have them next week.

OK then - how did I find that part number? Well, I just went to the Partzilla website and selected Yamaha Motorcycle parts - and went to 1978 XS650E fuel tank - and there they are, complete with part number and an indication that they are a current part and can therefore still be ordered.

Having the OEM part number is golden information. In fact, if you simply type "90152-04006-00" (only the numbers and dashes - no words or other descriptors) into your Google search window, you will find what the part is and who might have it for sale anywhere in the world.

Here endeth the lesson.

All I need to do now is give Betty a good cleaning and go over all the nuts and bolts and she'll be ready for the bike show! After I got the tins on, I took her for a ride this afternoon and put on 60-70 km and she runs like a new bike - and aren't those tins beautiful?

Thank you so much to @Jim for the fabulous paint job and @Gordon-in-NC for loaning me his NOS green '78E sidecover so that I could get the paint colour-matched at my local body shop supply place. What a great community of kind, talented and generous people we have here.

Here are some photos from earlier this afternoon (I will post more when she's all duded-up and clean):
View attachment 216174

View attachment 216175
Beauty Eh!
 
I am dealing with a modified bike. I have added modifications. Finding bars and then risers to fit me/my style I built on what was there. Some comments in these forums about "those solid mount bars might be buzzy" got me thinking about 2 things. 1, I had forgotten that stock bikes have rubber bushings. And, 2, why are my hands always numb? :) I assembled the parts including the @gggGary turned down coupling nuts and started the trial fit. The old hardware came out as shown, the new hardware test fitted. We will see how the hands like this.
16548670120022733432857298766662.jpg
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16548676838414839903862070132533.jpg
 
Well, today was a big day at the new country estate: I dug out those snazzy newly painted '78E green tins and got them onto my 1978 XS650E Standard....the lovely and talented Betty - in preparation for the big CVMG Paris National Rally which begins next Friday June 16/2022!

There were a couple of minor bumps along the way (all related to our house move last fall and the fact that my workshop has not yet been built (more on that topic to follow):

1) I cannot find my sets of late-model non-vacuum petcocks - so I am using a pair of NOS petcocks that I got years ago but without the vacuum line as for some reason, the carb boots on this bike do not have the balancing port barbs. The result of this is that I may not have a "reserve" setting - I haven't fully explored the fluidics of the situation just yet;

2) I also cannot find my nice snazzy new sidecover retaining latches - so I had to use a slightly grotty pair that had in my parts bin - but at least I have a nice new pair of the isolator grommets;

3) I dug around and found the original gold tank emblems for the '78E tank but there were only three of the tiny little screws (each emblem requires two screws) - so I can only attach one of the emblems (I won't risk loosing the other one by using only one screw). My friendly local Yamaha dealer has a packet of five new screws on order for the princely sum of about $5.04 - but they may not arrive until after I leave for Paris next week. Soooo, I have asked my good friend @lakeview if he would spot me a screw until then - and he happens to have one in stock, so I'll be good to go!

BTW - there is a lesson in this story. How, you may ask, was I able to order tank emblem screws for a 44 year old motorcycle so easily?

The fact is that these tiny little M3 screws (Yamaha p/n 90152-04006-00) are still a current part used on 2022 models. The Yamaha dealer was able to look them up and source a packet of five screws at $0.75 each - and should have them next week.

OK then - how did I find that part number? Well, I just went to the Partzilla website and selected Yamaha Motorcycle parts - and went to 1978 XS650E fuel tank - and there they are, complete with part number and an indication that they are a current part and can therefore still be ordered.

Having the OEM part number is golden information. In fact, if you simply type "90152-04006-00" (only the numbers and dashes - no words or other descriptors) into your Google search window, you will find what the part is and who might have it for sale anywhere in the world.

Here endeth the lesson.

All I need to do now is give Betty a good cleaning and go over all the nuts and bolts and she'll be ready for the bike show! After I got the tins on, I took her for a ride this afternoon and put on 60-70 km and she runs like a new bike - and aren't those tins beautiful?

Thank you so much to @Jim for the fabulous paint job and @Gordon-in-NC for loaning me his NOS green '78E sidecover so that I could get the paint colour-matched at my local body shop supply place. What a great community of kind, talented and generous people we have here.

Here are some photos from earlier this afternoon (I will post more when she's all duded-up and clean):
View attachment 216174

View attachment 216175

View attachment 216177
A fine ride Pete, well done.
 
THE WELSH FLAT TRACKER.....

Well shopping for groceries on Friday (Thanks for the day of your Majesty); last week I caught COVID........Aaaarrgh!
As the very vulnerable person I am, I went to great pains to avoid it since the outbreak; especially as my wife has a highly compromised immune system too.
Laid up for 4 days really unwell..........Feeling better today and after two negative lateral flow tests decided to get back to it.

Some new kit arrived today after a bit of a wait:
NEW CLOCK.JPEG

MOTOGADGET SPEEDO/TACHO
Exquisite piece of kit; built like a Swiss watch... only nicer!
This is the final item for the rewire project which I'm starting today.

OLD CLOCK.JPEG

Here is the old Vapor unit.....Which do you prefer?

Also ordered these:
DOMINO THROTTLE.GRIPS.PNG

DOMINO throttle assembly & black grips as used on Ducati etc....
As I'm using REVIVAL momentary switches the old controls are redundant.
Some new Venhill Cables will come in too.

Write up will begin this weekend on The Welsh Flat Tracker thread.
Ads.:devil:
 
THE WELSH FLAT TRACKER.....

Well shopping for groceries on Friday (Thanks for the day of your Majesty); last week I caught COVID........Aaaarrgh!
As the very vulnerable person I am, I went to great pains to avoid it since the outbreak; especially as my wife has a highly compromised immune system too.
Laid up for 4 days really unwell..........Feeling better today and after two negative lateral flow tests decided to get back to it.

Some new kit arrived today after a bit of a wait:
View attachment 216204
MOTOGADGET SPEEDO/TACHO
Exquisite piece of kit; built like a Swiss watch... only nicer!
This is the final item for the rewire project which I'm starting today.

View attachment 216207
Here is the old Vapor unit.....Which do you prefer?

Also ordered these:
View attachment 216208
DOMINO throttle assembly & black grips as used on Ducati etc....
As I'm using REVIVAL momentary switches the old controls are redundant.
Some new Venhill Cables will come in too.

Write up will begin this weekend on The Welsh Flat Tracker thread.
Ads.:devil:
I feel like we are using a lot of the same products haha. Let me know how that throttle works out for you, it’s currently in my cart..
 
THE WELSH FLAT TRACKER.....

Well shopping for groceries on Friday (Thanks for the day of your Majesty); last week I caught COVID........Aaaarrgh!
As the very vulnerable person I am, I went to great pains to avoid it since the outbreak; especially as my wife has a highly compromised immune system too.
Laid up for 4 days really unwell..........Feeling better today and after two negative lateral flow tests decided to get back to it.

Some new kit arrived today after a bit of a wait:
View attachment 216204
MOTOGADGET SPEEDO/TACHO
Exquisite piece of kit; built like a Swiss watch... only nicer!
This is the final item for the rewire project which I'm starting today.

View attachment 216207
Here is the old Vapor unit.....Which do you prefer?

Also ordered these:
View attachment 216208
DOMINO throttle assembly & black grips as used on Ducati etc....
As I'm using REVIVAL momentary switches the old controls are redundant.
Some new Venhill Cables will come in too.

Write up will begin this weekend on The Welsh Flat Tracker thread.
Ads.:devil:
Wishing you and your bride a speedy recovery.
 
Nice looking hardware Adam!

Pete
Thanks Pete.
I have been quite selective in buying top quality items for this rewire / rebuild.
Mostly Motogadget; plus Cognito and Revival kit from America.
JesseeS is buying similar stuff so between us we might Errrrrr.... Get the job done!
 
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