What have you done to your XS today?

[5twins]

I loop my clutch cable up over the ignition switch and down inside the right headlight ear ......

Then it runs along the right side of the steering neck and along the frame, tucked under the gas tank puck holder .....

Yes, the Special clutch cable is a little longer, but only by an inch or so, and I'm pretty sure most aftermarket cables (like the Motion Pro we like to use) are that length.

 

[staf0s]

My bike is in a million pieces right now but today I was able to get the forks completely disassembled and some Hughs 3” drop spacers added. Fork lowers got shaved with a 10” hacksaw and a belt sander. Ready to send off to the polisher

 

[Oldfartaussie]

Got rid of the boyer ignition and installed the Tri-spark, far better backing plate on the pickup more accurate rotor and simple to install and set the timing.
Had to make a mount plate for the double coil much like the green monsters, a piece of 20mm flat bar with two holes in it ,very easy.
Set the crankshaft at full advance mark and line the rotor up to the pickup ,started it up and with the timing light it was spot on.
Time to take it for a ride and hopefully the head gasket leak is rectified.

 

[Lucky Phil]

Got rid of the boyer ignition and installed the Tri-spark, far better backing plate on the pickup more accurate rotor and simple to install and set the timing.
Had to make a mount plate for the double coil much like the green monsters, a piece of 20mm flat bar with two holes in it ,very easy.
Set the crankshaft at full advance mark and line the rotor up to the pickup ,started it up and with the timing light it was spot on.
Time to take it for a ride and hopefully the head gasket leak is rectified. View attachment 226739

Hi Oldfart
I have just installed the same Tri Spark set up on my 76C, not ready to run yet. I'm keen to know how yours runs, what plugs do you run? and any insights you may have like plug gaps, I have read you can run a greater gap due to higher voltage spark for better mix burn.

 

[Mailman]

Got rid of the boyer ignition and installed the Tri-spark, far better backing plate on the pickup more accurate rotor and simple to install and set the timing.
Had to make a mount plate for the double coil much like the green monsters, a piece of 20mm flat bar with two holes in it ,very easy.
Set the crankshaft at full advance mark and line the rotor up to the pickup ,started it up and with the timing light it was spot on.
Time to take it for a ride and hopefully the head gasket leak is rectified. View attachment 226739

Very nice looking installation, looks to be a well made unit.

 

[LTGTR]

Lucky Phil - you may find my Tri-Spark install, that I posted about 6 weeks ago, helpful.
Regards Ray.

 

[Lucky Phil]

Lucky Phil - you may find my Tri-Spark install, that I posted about 6 weeks ago, helpful.
Regards Ray.

Thanks heaps Ray, very informative, I'll be contacting the Trispark crew with the question of, do I need any part of the original advance mechanism?
Mine has a damage were the pin locates on the cam for the adv/ret mech to locate.
I'll post the answer

 

[Oldfartaussie]

Hi Oldfart
I have just installed the same Tri Spark set up on my 76C, not ready to run yet. I'm keen to know how yours runs, what plugs do you run? and any insights you may have like plug gaps, I have read you can run a greater gap due to higher voltage spark for better mix burn.

Lucky Phil - you may find my Tri-Spark install, that I posted about 6 weeks ago, helpful.
Regards Ray.

Thanks heaps Ray, very informative, I'll be contacting the Trispark crew with the question of, do I need any part of the original advance mechanism?
Mine has a damage were the pin locates on the cam for the adv/ret mech to locate.
I'll post the answer

Gday Lucky Phil, I'm using the iridium plugs but never new about the bigger gap set up. Haven't had a chance to do anything with it, just installed the Tri-spark and it started up. Took it for a short ride and it's a bit sluggish down low but more responsive at higher revs.
I am riding the beema to Phillip Island on Thursday morning for a two week trip to the moto gp so it'll be a while before I can finesse the timing properly. I think I have a couple of the advance mechanisms here if you need one.

 

[Lucky Phil]

Gday Lucky Phil, I'm using the iridium plugs but never new about the bigger gap set up. Haven't had a chance to do anything with it, just installed the Tri-spark and it started up. Took it for a short ride and it's a bit sluggish down low but more responsive at higher revs.
I am riding the beema to Phillip Island on Thursday morning for a two week trip to the moto gp so it'll be a while before I can finesse the timing properly. I think I have a couple of the advance mechanisms here if you need one.

Hi OFA
I'll try and find the thread in hear about a larger plug gap let you know, BTW I hope the Phillip Island trip goes off, beware the weather, usually lots of wet and windy make it pretty cold.
Thanks also for the offer of the advance mechanism, unfortunately it's the hole in the cam wear the pin locates that's damaged, it's a second hand supplied from Heiden Tuning with a Shell #1 grind, so hoping I don't need the weight backing plate at all with the TriSpark system.
Cheers
Phil

 

[nighthog]

I just discovered why I was having such a problem routing the clutch cable with the Magura clutch lever - back in 2018 I bought '1 x XS650 Low Bar Clutch Cable (CLC041)' from Yambits and it's a full 18cm shorter than a Special cable:



Hasn't been a problem until now .... The Special cable is now being lubed and I'll fit it tomorrow, once I see oil dripping from the bottom of it.

 

[5twins]

Yes, 7" shorter could cause issues, lol. The slightly longer (than a Standard) Special cable reroutes nicely down along the right side of the frame and steering neck with lower bars .....

 

[jpdevol]

Not strictly XS work, but in that direction; moved some woodworking machinery into the trailer (until the garage addition is done) to make room for more builds. It's a sickness....

Did get the stand ready to pull a motor - maybe tomorrow

 

[atom4488]

Not strictly XS work, but in that direction; moved some woodworking machinery into the trailer (until the garage addition is done) to make room for more builds. It's a sickness....
View attachment 227113
View attachment 227114
Did get the stand ready to pull a motor - maybe tomorrow
View attachment 227115

Like your shop scene, JP. Looks similar to mine. Do we need to have a "show your shop" thread?

 

[Jim]

Do we need to have a "show your shop" thread?

Already exists.

 

[atom4488]

Already exists.

This one "https://www.xs650.com/threads/is-it-my-turn-anything-to-do-with-lathes-mills-and-other-shop-tools" or is there another one? The Search only gives me the "is it my turn" thread.

 

[Jim]

There's one just for shops/garages. Don't recall when or who... been a few yrs since I saw it.

Nothing sez you can't start another.

 

[LTGTR]

Lucky Phil - I dont know how to Quote so i copied and pasted:

"Thanks also for the offer of the advance mechanism, unfortunately it's the hole in the cam wear the pin locates that's damaged, it's a second hand supplied from Heiden Tuning with a Shell #1 grind, so hoping I don't need the weight backing plate at all with the TriSpark system.
Cheers
Phil"

Phil - you need to have a good look at my install post - it show that the advance weight backing plate is retained when installing a Tri-Spark. All thats missing from the right hand side is the 2 weights and their springs. All thats added is a spring washer.
Regards Ray.
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[Mikey]

Not strictly XS work, but in that direction; moved some woodworking machinery into the trailer (until the garage addition is done) to make room for more builds. It's a sickness....
View attachment 227113
View attachment 227114
Did get the stand ready to pull a motor - maybe tomorrow
View attachment 227115

Cheaper than sitting in a bar all day

 

[Adamc]

I just discovered why I was having such a problem routing the clutch cable with the Magura clutch lever - back in 2018 I bought '1 x XS650 Low Bar Clutch Cable (CLC041)' from Yambits and it's a full 18cm shorter than a Special cable:

View attachment 226963 View attachment 226962

Hasn't been a problem until now .... The Special cable is now being lubed and I'll fit it tomorrow, once I see oil dripping from the bottom of it.

I prefer to use Venhill cable kits, and make to length myself. Quality is excellent and very smooth running.

 

[5bikes]

I'm not much of a motorcycle fixer upper, but i did find a reasonable match for the red paint on my 1972 XS2. It's Duplicolor Chrysler Inferno Red Metallic and if you look at it hard enough it's not perfect, but it's pretty close, good enough for my side covers. The front cover is the 50 year old original paint and the cover in back is the Duplicolor.