The XT550 Thread: Info, Stories and Mods Inside!

1983 XT550K. I bought it last year for $750. Had 6,600 miles and was somewhat beat up. Runs well and the carburetor is right on the money. I love it!

I added a little fairing, some wind deflectors, and some mirrors today.



Before...

After...

Looks good , where did you get it? thumpthump

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the short story, I need a copy of the <NOBR>owners manual</NOBR> for my '82 XT 550,
and help starting it.

The long story,
I just picked up a "82 XT 550 from a friend. He needed money, I needed a project.
I got it started at his place, but it was hard to keep it running. I felt I could fix it. At my house, I got it started to diagnose the problem. I felt it was clogged low speed jutting. I disassembled the carbs. found varnish on the jets, so cleaned everything up. reassembled everything, pulled the enrichner out and gave it three kicks. Turned the <NOBR>ignition</NOBR> on and at the second kick it was happily ideling along. Had great responce the whacking the throtle.
Turned it off to finish a few chores and have dinner. Anxious to hear my success again, I went down to the shop and turned on the ignotion and gave her a kick, and then another kick, and on and on......all it would do was backfire through the pipe. Added enrichner again, same thing.
No problem there is a nice quater mile down hill just outside my dreveway. Off I go....not a pop or sputter.....five miutes later my wife shows up to give me a tow back to the house.
Removed the plug, it was wet, the spark was enough to weld with.
The decompression cable is set to the shop manual specks.

Any ideas or <NOBR>web leads</NOBR> would be greatly appreciated.

Lynn King
Anacortes WA
PM's welcome
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There is a link posted for the owners manual on the very first page.:huh

Here is another: http://ebookbrowse.com/yamaha-xt550-service-manual-ocr-small-pdf-d307157172

Search is your friend.

Check your float needle seat , your float my be stuck and flooded your engine. Kick it over with the plug out and see if it spits gas. Had the same thing happen and found trash on the float needle seat . Rubber from the fuel line after reinstalling the carb. The gas flowed into the cylinder and the overflow did not leak any gas. thumpthump

It is a Cruciata fairing I bought online from a guy in Italy.

Sold my XT550 to another ADV member and we've been working on it together in my garage.. I bought it back in '05ish I heard it run when I bought it and has been sitting since with nothing really done to it. Freshened it up a bit and runs great!


<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=545374105501165" width="568" height="320" frameborder="0"></iframe>

I'm having issues with things like weeds and a small trees getting stuck in between my brake actuator/rear set and skidplate. Things will get jammed and then pull on my brakes forcing the bike to a stop when riding through thick brush.

Anyone have a solution for this?

Well now the bike won't get spark? I don't get it?? Ay help would be awesome I am hoping I can get a new coil and that will be good. Any clue on what could cause it from sparking to not sparking?

First place to start is always the kick stand switch.

Seriously there is a kick stand safety switch??? Thanks!

Yup. Disconnect it and then kick her over. Got spark your good to go, then throw the friggin switch in the garbage.

Hey p0wn, You run a piece of cable from the frame or the skid plate to the brake pedal . You drill a small hole or use a loop. Do the same on the shifter. You can make them or buy them from parts unlimited. This is old school and was standard practice when I was a kid in the 70s. My 86 tx600 is set up this way for the same reason. Mount it to the frame or skid plate further forward than the lever so stuff will tend to slide by. Be sure not to restrict the full movement of your brake pedal. thumpthump

Thanks, this sounds good.

The 1983 Yamaha XT550/1983 Husqvarna 250XC is ALIVE.<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid1306.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fs573%2Fsharkeysmachines%2FXT550fireup_zps5bf66889.mp4">

The video won't play for me.

I uploaded it to YouTube

http://youtu.be/Gpv075Biz2g

Its short (my son hit the pause a bit quick). I took it for a ride today (rain yesterday) and the single carb offers a TON. Made two burn-out marks in the Garage! 1st kick every time - no exaggeration.

I had an 82 and the sidestand left me in the middle of nowhere one day. Just cut the wires and reconnected them and it worked fine...last long time! ;-D

It really was one of the best bikes I've ever owned. I used to commute from Bakersfield to San Diego on it.

BG

That is one unique motorcycle. Looking forward to more pics/videos.