dwilkin3
XS650 New Member
Hi everyone, looking for guidance to get an XS2back on the road.
Bought a pretty decent XS2 last month (paid $800) and have been going thru the stuff just for it to be safe on the road (maybe the Mailman level restoration will happen later in life).
It was a cool buy because its a one owner bike, and was last registered in 1984 (came with the original Texas plate and two 1978 inspection stickers still looking good on the tail).
Tanks is an issue, carbs were tarred up, but the biggest issue is the jammed up front end. I'm pretty sure the guy ran it into the back of something because both forks bind up and when disassembled show maybe 1/32" of runout (just guessing from rolling and checking on top of the tablesaw). So my question is, whats the best option to get it back on the road. Original 72 equipment is obviously the most desirable option, but also unfeasible unless something comes up.
I thought about trying to see if the fork tubes from MikesXS would at least be able to travel the full range in the lowers, but I'm going to guess the lowers are out of true to some degree. And my dampers are the 28mm diameter and those tubes are 26.5 mm bore, though I'm sure somewhere local could mill them for more than the tubes cost.
Another option is swapping in a newer/more available front end. I see @DogBunny has some 35mm fork sets plus some triple trees. What are the thoughts on going that route and what else would be involved to make it work on the 72 frame? I'm pretty sure i'd have to use that era brake caliper as well and don't really want to do dual disc front.
Any opinions/criticisms/rants are super welcome.
(pics are from before it started getting taken apart)
Bought a pretty decent XS2 last month (paid $800) and have been going thru the stuff just for it to be safe on the road (maybe the Mailman level restoration will happen later in life).
It was a cool buy because its a one owner bike, and was last registered in 1984 (came with the original Texas plate and two 1978 inspection stickers still looking good on the tail).
Tanks is an issue, carbs were tarred up, but the biggest issue is the jammed up front end. I'm pretty sure the guy ran it into the back of something because both forks bind up and when disassembled show maybe 1/32" of runout (just guessing from rolling and checking on top of the tablesaw). So my question is, whats the best option to get it back on the road. Original 72 equipment is obviously the most desirable option, but also unfeasible unless something comes up.
I thought about trying to see if the fork tubes from MikesXS would at least be able to travel the full range in the lowers, but I'm going to guess the lowers are out of true to some degree. And my dampers are the 28mm diameter and those tubes are 26.5 mm bore, though I'm sure somewhere local could mill them for more than the tubes cost.
Another option is swapping in a newer/more available front end. I see @DogBunny has some 35mm fork sets plus some triple trees. What are the thoughts on going that route and what else would be involved to make it work on the 72 frame? I'm pretty sure i'd have to use that era brake caliper as well and don't really want to do dual disc front.
Any opinions/criticisms/rants are super welcome.
(pics are from before it started getting taken apart)