What have you done to your XS today?

[gunk]

Got the Instruments all back together after bulb replacement and painting the housings Satin black, pulled the frt. motor mount
painted it engine case silver masked off off a ton of the bike and touched up the frame scratches. repainted the headlight pot in
cast blast grey,Pulled the Ascot mufflers apart sprayed them in satin black while my son took the head pipes to work and powder coated them in High heat satin black to match. So the old girl gets a bit of a refresh after 10 years of faithful service. Here's a pic of it from back then. Have a drilled frt. disc now,Swiss cheesed the r. brake backing plate and a few other touches since then. Busy week.

 

[jetmechmarty]

XS650SH: I fixed the bent license plate bracket and license plate. I repaired my turn signal flasher. I also fixed the inoperative light in the speedometer. I think if I take it to Arkansas, it's still going to need fresh oil and a new front tire.

 

[lurch11]

Some progress on my brushed side covers. I’m a bit undecided on the level of “brushedness” but this looks pretty good next to my headers. This is 120 wet and dry followed by a maroon (very fine) scotchbrite.

I didn’t notice but the photo shows a few wayward brush lines so I’ll have to sort that.

 

[Its been a long time]

Some progress on my brushed side covers. I’m a bit undecided on the level of “brushedness” but this looks pretty good next to my headers. This is 120 wet and dry followed by a maroon (very fine) scotchbrite.

I didn’t notice but the photo shows a few wayward brush lines so I’ll have to sort that.

View attachment 346938

Looks really good.

 

[grouchie83]

Some progress on my brushed side covers. I’m a bit undecided on the level of “brushedness” but this looks pretty good next to my headers. This is 120 wet and dry followed by a maroon (very fine) scotchbrite.

I didn’t notice but the photo shows a few wayward brush lines so I’ll have to sort that.

View attachment 346938

Looks fine to me. I never really cared for chrome. Much prefer machining marks. Usually I run my mill pretty hard just to see the cutter marks.

 

[grouchie83]

Once again, I have failed to work on the XS. But I did replace a dead battery in my Speed Twin and then quickly realized crap I should have gotten gas last week.

 

[Pat D]

Got my front wheel and new tire back today so that finishes the front end. All in all, new fork seals/wipers, springs/oil, re-painted the headlight bucket and ears, installed re-chromed clamp covers, new stainless spokes, polished hub and dust covers. Still no word on my lower brake hose. Still working on the side cover paint, and will do the tank as well- had a few bubbles and scratches. I hope my spot putty holds- it's old. Finish the tins, pull and polish the right side cover and change the oil and we'll be done. The "hangarounds" show up every day around 1 to watch the goings on in the shop for an hour or so, group of 6-7.

 

[Grimly]

I also need to try and black out the green base gasket with a sharpie marker...that's going to drive me nuts. It was the only green gasket in my kit

Oh no. Not an Athena gasket kit was it?
The green base gasket is notorious for squeezing out of place.
While the engine is almost still apart, is the perfect time to throw that gasket in the bin.

 

[gggGary]

Some progress on my brushed side covers. I’m a bit undecided on the level of “brushedness” but this looks pretty good next to my headers. This is 120 wet and dry followed by a maroon (very fine) scotchbrite.

I didn’t notice but the photo shows a few wayward brush lines so I’ll have to sort that.

View attachment 346938

Try a bit of blue magic, cotton buff on your 120 grit brush finish. I think that makes a good looking easy to maintain finish, very similar to the factory look without the clearcoat.

 

[Adamc]

Opened out the hole to 25mm where the old iggy switch was situated on the frame to take the new ON / Off switch.

No pin out diagram came with this. I worked out the opposing left & right pins light the LED switch when connected to a battery.
The far top & bottom pins give continuity when in the depressed 'on' position.
The inner top & bottom pins don't seem to do owt? whatever position the switch is at. Any ideas?

 

[Its been a long time]

Opened out the hole to 25mm where the old iggy switch was situated on the frame to take the new ON / Off switch.

View attachment 346996 View attachment 346998

No pin out diagram came with this. I worked out the opposing left & right pins light the LED switch when connected to a battery.
The far top & bottom pins give continuity when in the depressed 'on' position.
The inner top & bottom pins don't seem to do owt? whatever position the switch is at. Any ideas?

Ground terminals?

Looks great. I hope it significantly improves the voltage drop you have between battery and ignition system.

 

[Resto_Paul]

Oh no. Not an Athena gasket kit was it?
The green base gasket is notorious for squeezing out of place.
While the engine is almost still apart, is the perfect time to throw that gasket in the bin.

The kit isn't an Athena but that particular gasket in the set is...not sure why. The bike will see a few hundred miles a year tops so hopefully I get several years out of it before having to replace it.

That being said....I have to split the cases back apart today! While cleaning up my workshop I found an old thrust washer stuck to my original 5th gear that I missed on reassembly. Needless to say I'm not a happy camper today.

 

[Its been a long time]

The kit isn't an Athena but that particular gasket in the set is...not sure why. The bike will see a few hundred miles a year tops so hopefully I get several years out of it before having to replace it.

That being said....I have to split the cases back apart today! While cleaning up my workshop I found an old thrust washer stuck to my original 5th gear that I missed on reassembly. Needless to say I'm not a happy camper today.

Always look on the bright side. How would you feel if you'd found the shim in three weeks time?

 

[Resto_Paul]

Always look on the bright side. How would you feel if you'd found the shim in three weeks time?

That's what I'm telling myself. Have a customer car being dropped at my shop this morning then pulling it back apart

 

[Lou_TX]

Nice work, Lou.

Awesome! It was nice meeting you and glad you mentioned you were from here.
And I was so surprised how many people know and recognize the 650 motor, it is so popular. Even in this bastardized version.

 

[HotDog650]

Worked on building hi pipes, 1 1/2 tubing, Emego short mufflers, Triumph heat shield, just getting ideas,

 

[jetmechmarty]

Worked on building hi pipes, 1 1/2 tubing, Emego short mufflers, Triumph heat shield, just getting ideas,

That’s awesome!

 

[Resto_Paul]

Managed to seperate the cases again yesterday, reinstall the forgotten thrust washer for 5th gear, and get it buttoned up again. Washer had been stuck to the old 5th gear with oil facing down on my workbench. I was surprised how easily the Yamabond cleaned off with lacquer thinner...maybe because it was so fresh.

 

[Raymond]

Managed to seperate the cases again yesterday, reinstall the forgotten thrust washer for 5th gear, and get it buttoned up again. Washer had been stuck to the old 5th gear with oil facing down on my workbench. I was surprised how easily the Yamabond cleaned off with lacquer thinner...maybe because it was so fresh.

Managed to do exact same, 1983, rebuilt an SR500 engine. Tipped out the petrol I had washed bits in, found a thin shim washer from the gearbox. Bugger.

Dismantled the engine, made a guess where the washer was from. Rebuilt the engine, road test, gear change was now nearly impossible. Double bugger.

Dismantled the engine again, moved the washer to the other possible place. Rebuilt the engine, road test, gear change back to normal.

 

[Resto_Paul]

Managed to do exact same, 1983, rebuilt an SR500 engine. Tipped out the petrol I had washed bits in, found a thin shim washer from the gearbox. Bugger.

Dismantled the engine, made a guess where the washer was from. Rebuilt the engine, road test, gear change was now nearly impossible. Double bugger.

Dismantled the engine again, moved the washer to the other possible place. Rebuilt the engine, road test, gear change back to normal.

Luckily I was able to identify it's definitive location so hopefully I have no shifting issues.