Yam_Tech314's official build thread

[G_YamTech_314]

On the low side carb leaking while on the sidestand "They all do that" or at least most of them. You notice a lot of 650 guys always put their bikes on the center stand. Just redid carbs on GreatbEar it's leaking like sieve F me. ordered some aftermarket float valves and gaskets we'll see Yamaha valves and gaskets for both carbs over $200 Shut off the fuel and wipe off the yellow now and then,
But yeah priorities, I got away from bikes completely for cough several years.

That's a good fix. Just shut the fuel off lol. I always store it on the center stand. It's the only stand I got. Which tells me something just ain't right. But yeah... Maybe just setting it up for long term storage is an option... Just not certain yet.

I'm gonna go shut the gas off now hahaha

 

[gggGary]

shut the fuel off

You MUST shut off manual petcocks at the end of every ride.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

Then this probably explains what's going on... Pure stupidity.

 

[gggGary]

Then this probably explains what's going on... Pure stupidity.

Nah you just aren't from that era.
If you don't know why old car/bike guys always had a matchbook around, you wouldn't know the petcocks off drill.

 

[Jim]

Pure stupidity.

Stupidity is intentionally doing dumb shit.
Ignorance is lack of knowledge.

Yours was ignorance. No harm no foul.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

Stupidity is intentionally doing dumb shit.
Ignorance is lack of knowledge.

Yours was ignorance. No harm no foul.

Make no mistake. I'm one dumb sumbitch sometimes. I have all kinds of stupidity rollin around in my brain. It's fun sometimes... Other times? Well, I don't gotta say it because everyone here is a dumbass sometimes hahaha.

The gas needing to be turned off to prevent leaking makes me feel way better about keeping the bike. I was feeling defeated. Like some shits just gonna keep going wrong no matter what and that the bike will constantly nickle and dime me (I know this is true to a degree but you all know what I'm saying...)

I think a smarter move might be to squeeze some bike wrenchin' into my budget. I mean shit... I'm saving $1200 back every month for a down payment on a house... I gotta enjoy my life a little too... I'd LOVE to get the two halfs of this Honda bottom end cleaned so it can go back together, then get a paint job slapped onto the Yamaha (even if it's just a temporary one) it'd look a lot better than primer gray, and that would likely make me feel a lot better too. Just gotta quit thinking it's all or nothing. Make sacrifices where it makes sense to, and not spend $100's on paint and equipment... A spray can job will suffice til I'm in my own shop and can do it right...

 

[willis]

I encourage you to prep it for long term storage. These bikes don’t bring a lot of money, so it may not make a significant difference in a down payment on a home. I’ve let a lot of bikes go over the years that I wish I hadn’t. You’ve put a lot of work in this and it’s not going to cost you any to park it. Just my two cents. Or at least keep the bike you like most.

 

[gggGary]

Yup get'r road worthy and ride even if it's just now then of an evening. Best weather of the year coming up. Hard to put a price on clearing your head with a fall ride (or 5;^).

 

[jetmechmarty]

Paying off debt, I applaud you! Putting up $10K, I applaud you more!
If the bike doesn’t bring you joy, sell it.
I pined for one of these XS650’s from about age 13. I bought a new one at age 25. 42 years later I’m no less enamored with it. I kept it through good times and bad. Marriage, a bunch of kids, divorce, more bad times, another marriage, moves and on. My first XS650 has remained tagged and insured the entire time. It’s gone through periods of disuse but it has always been available to go for a ride. Sometimes it wasn’t kept up as well as it is now, the the XS650 was always good to go.
If it’s really not your thing, I think you’ll be happier not worrying about it and let it go.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Make no mistake. I'm one dumb sumbitch sometimes

Don’t treat yourself like that!! How many people are smart enough to get out of debt and save for a rainy day? You’re NOT a dumb sumbitch!

 

[Jim]

I think you've put too much blood and sweat into this bike to let it go now.

 

[Wordman]

But... I like seeing people talk about things that don't matter!

Just kidding you guys

I wanna ramble a bit about something that DOES matter (at least to me)

I'm at a very bizarre point in ownership of my XS650... It still seems to leak a bit of fuel out of the left carb at the overflow nipple. I've triple and quadruple checked my float height and the seats and needles aren't that old and have also been cleaned and had miles and miles put on them with no issue.

I started seeing yellow varnish streaks down my side cover and put two and two together to find the leak... This upsets me because I'm currently at a point in my life where I can no longer afford the time or money to dump into it. (This is even true for the CB900 I JUST tore the transmission out of...)

I always use this forum as kind of a backboard for my thoughts so if you don't prefer to hear em sorry (at least I'm moping around on my own thread?)

The bikes are either going to sit again for a LONG time, or I'm gonna sell em...

I made a list of 10 goals for the year of 2025 and one of those goals was to completely finish the bike OR sell it and the years end is drifting closer and closer.

My other goals were mostly financially driven...

Get out of debt (I did... Close to $15k paid off since January.)

Save $10k by end of year (I'm gonna hit that goal too)

I don't make a shit load of money... So that's HUGE for one dude... Over half my salary went to savings and debt repayment and the year isn't even over yet...

And now my focus is shifting to the 2026 year with trying to buy a home (with a garage that can have a shop in it finally...)

With my goals being what they are, I'm not sure the Yamaha fits into my life anymore (at least not right now)

I'm not certain I'll be selling it... But I probably will... The faster I can come up with money for a house the better... Especially with an ever inflating market.

I have a lot of thinking to do but the project may never fully get finished after all.

I've got 600 miles on it. I can say I've ridden my first motorcycle after being completely torn down and rebuilt all by myself.

It hasn't ever looked GREAT since I've owned it but looks didn't matter to me when I was tearing up the streets on it lol.

Like I said, it's not a certain decision yet, but I think it's the closest I've ever been to parting with the ole girl.

I want some insight from all the guys here that have gone through this... Is there a bike in your life you'll always regret getting rid of? Or am I doing the "responsible" thing by putting needs first and toys second..?

Great job on acing the debt! Been there, done that, it ain't easy.

As for selling...

In the last 24 years (we just had our anniversary), my wife and I went from being the average, debt laden couple to having a mortgage and nothing else. We pay our credit cards off every month and put as much as we can into retirement.

Throughout that 24 years, I have nearly always had a ridable bike. In fact, ever since I was 18 or 19, I've always had a ridable bike.

I agree toys should be second, but you've likely already spent far more than you can recoup by selling it. Upkeep is minimal, you can always park it for a while if something more expensive needs to be done, and it makes a great, inexpensive way to have a bit of fun.

Further, replacing it in 5 or 10 years will likely cost you far more than what you have in it.

So, if it were me, I'd keep one bike. I'd sell the other bike, and put the proceeds in a "just in case the Yamaha breaks" fund.

P.S. I hope that made sense... It was a massive tension headache/muscle relaxant/hydrocodone kind of day, so my otherwise not-so-brilliant mind is more likely to simply be dazed and confuzzled.

With all due respect, I do not agree but I do not wish to continue this pointless conversation.

Well, thank you for the conversation. Seriously.

I do think we must be talking past each other somewhere. Just to clarify, from what you've written, it seems to me you're saying that, if the rear wheel is floating during braking, it means any more pressure on the front brake handle will cause the tire to necessarily lose traction (skid). While I'm saying that while it might be the case it will lose traction, it could just as easily mean the rear wheel will lift higher before you reach the point where the front wheel will lose traction. Am I understanding you correctly?

In any case, so long as you keep the shiny side up...

 

[AUTOMAN]

Make no mistake. I'm one dumb sumbitch sometimes. I have all kinds of stupidity rollin around in my brain. It's fun sometimes... Other times? Well, I don't gotta say it because everyone here is a dumbass sometimes hahaha.

The gas needing to be turned off to prevent leaking makes me feel way better about keeping the bike. I was feeling defeated. Like some shits just gonna keep going wrong no matter what and that the bike will constantly nickle and dime me (I know this is true to a degree but you all know what I'm saying...)

I think a smarter move might be to squeeze some bike wrenchin' into my budget. I mean shit... I'm saving $1200 back every month for a down payment on a house... I gotta enjoy my life a little too... I'd LOVE to get the two halfs of this Honda bottom end cleaned so it can go back together, then get a paint job slapped onto the Yamaha (even if it's just a temporary one) it'd look a lot better than primer gray, and that would likely make me feel a lot better too. Just gotta quit thinking it's all or nothing. Make sacrifices where it makes sense to, and not spend $100's on paint and equipment... A spray can job will suffice til I'm in my own shop and can do it right...

Split overflow tube pressed into carb bowl.
That little brass tube stand-off may be split or leaking at the press fit.

 

[Raymond]

Well, thank you for the conversation. Seriously.

I do think we must be talking past each other somewhere. Just to clarify, from what you've written, it seems to me you're saying that, if the rear wheel is floating during braking, it means any more pressure on the front brake handle will cause the tire to necessarily lose traction (skid). While I'm saying that while it might be the case it will lose traction, it could just as easily mean the rear wheel will lift higher before you reach the point where the front wheel will lose traction. Am I understanding you correctly?

In any case, so long as you keep the shiny side up...

I really don't have much to add. It has been my experience that at the extreme end of braking, long bikes with low CG like HD Super Glides tend to lock and push the front wheel but short bikes with high CG like KTM SMCs will do stoppies. And you get incredible stopping. But I would never claim the skill to pin it right to the very edge of adhesion.

But as you say, best to avoid going past the limit and thank you for keeping the conversation respectful.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

Split overflow tube pressed into carb bowl.
That little brass tube stand-off may be split or leaking at the press fit.

I did wonder this last time I had it apart. I checked both very closely, as I've seen that once before in a carb for my 78 IT400.

There doesn't appear to be any splitting or pitting. I think it's a needle and seat issue. As mentioned above though, I also need to make sure I'm turning the fuel petcocks off after each ride. Surely that will help.

I really don't have much to add. It has been my experience that at the extreme end of braking, long bikes with low CG like HD Super Glides tend to lock and push the front wheel but short bikes with high CG like KTM SMCs will do stoppies. And you get incredible stopping. But I would never claim the skill to pin it right to the very edge of adhesion.

But as you say, best to avoid going past the limit and thank you for keeping the conversation respectful.

I do enjoy a respectful debate. Frankly, I agree with @Raymond in the sense that a wheel way out in front of a bike will slide before letting the bike enter stoppie mode.

The weight of the bike is much further behind the wheel causing a "pushing" force more than a "rolling" over the center of the front wheel.

SPEAKING of braking. I did a BUNCH of hard stops on my way to work this morning (the bike ran wonderfully) and I can now say that I have cause a front tire to squeal while braking. I've noticed you can stop MUCH faster from 55mph than from 65mph. I know the math on it. But knowing it and experiencing it are two totally different worlds. This tells me that I was likely speeding when that car stopped in my lane and I'm just being a fool for not going 55mph or under. I feel better about the brake performance. Now I just need to find shims for the pads to try to get the squeaking to go away.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

I'm letting my inner child make some big boy decisions this weekend. I've impulsively decided that I'm painting the tank and side covers this weekend.

I'll need to do a bit of body filler and whatnot before I can prime and paint but there's a decent local automotive paint shop near my parents house, and my dad already agreed to help. I'm hoping they have a way to make up some rattle cans but if not, my cousin has a spray gun set up that I'll borrow. I'm tired of waiting, and some guys at work told me if I'm gonna park my bike near theirs I gotta have a decent paint job so I don't bring down their curb appeal (they were kidding of course)

But it made me realize, I can probably get it all done in a weekend... And if it turns out like crap, it'll still likely look nicer than the primer gray and blue mashup I have going on at the moment...

Any advice before I dive in?

 

[Raymond]

It's all in the prep.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

It's all in the prep.

I'm really going to try and take my time (but work efficiently) I know my color scheme that I want. Unsure of the stripe design still... I've got a good idea but I'll solidify that when I have the tape and mark everything out. I might mangle it, I might not! Time will tell hahaha

 

[gggGary]

If I remember correctly Menards has rattle paint that's a good match for your 76 side covers.
Not having to mess around with custom colors will make it go a lot easier. (cheaper too)
Big advantage to 76 is no metallic in the paint.

 

[G_YamTech_314]

There's a local company that mixes paint into aerosol cans near my current location that my uncle has used for decades. I'm gonna give em a shot and see what happens.

I've decided to shy away from the factory color scheme. It'll either be a REALLY GOOD idea, or a mistake.