made some brackets to secure my headers
https://www.xs650.com/threads/brackets-for-1-75-stainless-steel-headers.69513/#post-903939
https://www.xs650.com/threads/brackets-for-1-75-stainless-steel-headers.69513/#post-903939
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- Tags
- maintenance
r3sc
XS650 Enthusiast
Today I’ve had the 73 TX in bits, I’ve replaced the sump mesh filter as the mesh was split and I’ve fitted a Heiden oil filter conversion.
Also, adjusted the cam chain, checked the valve clearances and lubed the throttle cables etc. Just a general mini service and check over to get ready for the springtime!
Also, adjusted the cam chain, checked the valve clearances and lubed the throttle cables etc. Just a general mini service and check over to get ready for the springtime!
Attachments
Beaut!
A couple of inches of snow here and as low as -5 Celsius so nothing happening on the 650. Gave the battery a charge, it's indoors now until the spring and gets a charge when the voltage drops a bit.
really like that paint job
r3sc
XS650 Enthusiast
Hi Myuncles650,
Thanks for that. I know it’s hard to believe but I’ve not had the TX painted, all the paint is original from 1973!
When I got the bike back in early 2020 it was in a terrible state and had been sat untouched, probably somewhere dry over there with you in the US.
It had suffered from a battery failure and all the frame and running gear was very poor, exhausts were also rotted through.
However the paint looked very good, right until I discovered that the original tank had rotted through from the inside and was beyond repair. So the search began for another tank and this search led me once again to the US where I found this tank, squeaky clean on the inside and still on its original paint. It’s not perfect as it has a couple of very small areas where the paint lifted around the filler neck but it’s far too nice to repaint. So, everything painted blue on the bike is original 1973 paint made by Mr Yamaha!
Nowadays it only comes out on dry sunny days and of all the bikes I have, it’s probably my favourite!
Thanks for that. I know it’s hard to believe but I’ve not had the TX painted, all the paint is original from 1973!
When I got the bike back in early 2020 it was in a terrible state and had been sat untouched, probably somewhere dry over there with you in the US.
It had suffered from a battery failure and all the frame and running gear was very poor, exhausts were also rotted through.
However the paint looked very good, right until I discovered that the original tank had rotted through from the inside and was beyond repair. So the search began for another tank and this search led me once again to the US where I found this tank, squeaky clean on the inside and still on its original paint. It’s not perfect as it has a couple of very small areas where the paint lifted around the filler neck but it’s far too nice to repaint. So, everything painted blue on the bike is original 1973 paint made by Mr Yamaha!
Nowadays it only comes out on dry sunny days and of all the bikes I have, it’s probably my favourite!
Sold my '77 Calendar Girl Today
It's going down the road to near Toronto to an enthusiat who likes the factory look.
(Still have my BBK 750 to keep me smiling)
To me, selling a bike is the definition of mixed feelings.
I think the only bike I sold where I felt instant remorse was my 250 Beamish Suzuki. It was a lovely example. I couldn't resist flipping it to near double my money in six months. But I felt instant sellers remorse as the guy drove away with the bike on his trailer.
Of course we all have bikes that we feel nostalgic about years or decades later. But that was the only time I had instant sellers remorse!
There's been times I've decided to sell a bike, know it's the right thing to do, advertise, wait, field all the silly responses, then eventually a deal is done, at last, the bike is collected, have the money in hand (or in bank) so should be a happy occasion, but as the bike/trailer/van heads off down the road there's always a funny feeling. A tinge of loss.
Bob Wegman
XS650 Addict
So, I like to ride some in the winter months. The big downside for me is what the salt does to the motorcycle. Eats it alive. Result, pitted fork tubes causing oil leaks, which find their way to my front brake caliper. To remedy the pitting in the fork tubes, without buying new tubes, is to repair the pitting, Today, I picked out of the parts stash a pair of pitted forks, cleaned them up pretty good and smeared at thin coating of JB weld over the pitted section. Then, when it had cured I sanded it smooth and It filled the pits very nicely,. My plan is to use these in the winter months and in the nice weather months use the unpitted forks. If the JB weld application works I thing I will also install a pair of gaiters too.
Let us know how that works for you.
There's progress but it's scattergun and patchy with interruptions....
A $100 Amazon hone that easily covers the XS650 range of cylinder bores from stock 75 out to 81mm, 4 sets of stones from 120 to 320. After some mucking around, Battery VSR hand drill works better than the mill. There'll be a thread on this process. Cylinder view is a before pic.
Not pictured, the Nesco boiling top end parts to remove the oil and dirt of decades.
The honda got 60 miles and I'm sure a fine salt sand bath. When you see a cop going the other way suddenly pull off and flip on his lightbar in your mirrors does that mean he was happy to see a motorcycle out enjoying the day? I didn't hang around to chat. Then I found myself on a snow/ice encrusted back road The honda Traction Control works well.........
A $100 Amazon hone that easily covers the XS650 range of cylinder bores from stock 75 out to 81mm, 4 sets of stones from 120 to 320. After some mucking around, Battery VSR hand drill works better than the mill. There'll be a thread on this process. Cylinder view is a before pic.
Not pictured, the Nesco boiling top end parts to remove the oil and dirt of decades.
The honda got 60 miles and I'm sure a fine salt sand bath. When you see a cop going the other way suddenly pull off and flip on his lightbar in your mirrors does that mean he was happy to see a motorcycle out enjoying the day? I didn't hang around to chat. Then I found myself on a snow/ice encrusted back road The honda Traction Control works well.........
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I’ve done that trick too. I’ve also done it on wheels to fill the pits in the bead area.
Iirc, @YamadudeXS650C also did the same to the forks on his little DT a few yrs ago. He was gonna report on how well it held up... but I think I missed it.
Jeff?
Took the rods from my forks over to a machine shop with a lathe today. Need the top cut down to fit racetech emulators in. Tomorrow is a planned scotchbrightapalooza day on engine.
Yup, I had the DT3 250 hoisted up in the air in December to do a full maintenance, check the fork tubes and mount a bash panel. The JB Weld has held up just fine on the tubes.
Here is the thread: https://www.xs650.com/threads/repairing-pitted-fork-tubes.61159/
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Attachments
Hipster heaven 
. Just kidding. A great setup. Love the vinyl collection.
. Just kidding. A great setup. Love the vinyl collection.
Hipster heaven
It’s my warm winter workshop where I bring each of the five bikes in one by one during the cold months and give them a thorough maintenance.
And this one, the '83, got a new exhaust system this winter.
