XS650 Appresh

[chucker]

1977 Yamaha XS 650, bought it for $100 and came with a spare motor. hadn't turned a wheel since 1988.


Progress so far...
Pamco ignition
rebuilt carbs
XS Direct tank, cap and petcocks
old stock DR 650 bars
Omar's dirt track seat and tailpeice/light
seat pan fabbed and frame de-tabbing begun
Shinko 705 tires received by not yet installed




More to come as things progress...

[hunter_greyghost]

Good score, what's the motor like?
Cheers
Baza

[2manyrides]

Originally Posted by hunter_greyghost

You can always find water to wash the mud off!

Cheers
Baza

Not so much the mud, it's the 465LBS!

From left to right...
My 77D, my 77D 50 dollar test bed with the 81 motor in it, the 78 I sold for 150+a compressor. Together now, but was completely disassembled.



Below...
Not mine, but when my buddy got interested, we found a 78 for him...$450.
Yamaha pipes tend to rust from the inside out. From condensation I presume. I, myself am on my 3rd set of stock pipes for STD's.
That'll probaly be the last set of STD's I'll ever run due to the chopper/bobber craze, and the price/availability of decent junkers.





The above repair was solid for a few months, then the muffler darn near finished it's seperation.

Speaking of mufflers...
Great sound of the bates cocktail shakers can be heard in a previous post...
But I want to tell ya, it aint easy to get them packed!
Fiberglass, tightly wrapped, WD40, a rubber mallet...
I don't know that I'll ever get the baffles out again.

[hunter_greyghost]

Nice, lots of fun to be had with that lot, plenty build potential, what plans?
My next project is '74, frame/swingarm powder-coated already, motor mostly built, many internal mods - debating on external trimmings at the moment, might go with 'Adventure' style again, just need more time, ain't it always the way?
Cheers
Baza

[JRyland]

Originally Posted by buffaloborn

Hi everyone. I'm sitting here in cold Buffalo, NY right now waiting until I can take my 1983 XS650 out on the road once again. Does anyone own an XS on this board? I've been lurking for a real long time, and am curious to see what everyone else has got. I don't have any photos of mine yet, but will once it gets warmer out. This is something I'd like my XS to look like eventually.

Hey! I just joined and saw this. I built that bike!

There's some more on it here:

http://johnryland.posterous.com/1982...ritage-special

And while we're at it, here's another XS I built with and for my friend Cindy in Richmond, VA.



More on that one here:

http://johnryland.posterous.com/left...ses-for-camera

I think i'm going to like this place.

JR

[BIG ED XT FAN]

I am down the road from you, Lima, right on RT 5 & 20. I have 2 650s, my friend has 3 XS 650s, i ride with a guy who has a Norton 750. Welcome!

[Drilldogger]

Very nice work JRyland. I would love to know more about the seats - it's the most frustrating part for me.

[JRyland]

Thanks, fellas! Big Ed: I bet we've been at the same Poe's Pub events before. I've seen a couple of Nortons there (blue one and a red one). Wonder if that's the one you mentioned... If you don't know about it, search RVA Cafe Moto on Facebook. Good group of like-minded locals. I'll be seeing you around I'm sure. JR

[hunter_greyghost]

I know it's been asked before BUT can I get an opinion on wear rates on the camchain on XS650's, any experiences out there - good or bad - mileage [kilometres?] life of camchain?
My '81SH Special starting to be a bit noisey @ 40,000 KMS [24,000 MLS], had a look [motor out & lift the lid but no obvious problems found], any opinions from the dedicated & crazy congregation of XS650 riders out there? I've changed them from 25,000ml to 75,000mls [I think?] but would like some thinktank action on this one!
Cheers
Baza

[buffaloborn]

Originally Posted by JRyland

Hey! I just joined and saw this. I built that bike!

There's some more on it here:

http://johnryland.posterous.com/1982...ritage-special

And while we're at it, here's another XS I built with and for my friend Cindy in Richmond, VA.



More on that one here:

http://johnryland.posterous.com/left...ses-for-camera

I think i'm going to like this place.

JR

Any details on the seat? Any photos of the construction?
Thanks!

[Garbln]

Originally Posted by hunter_greyghost

I know it's been asked before BUT can I get an opinion on wear rates on the camchain on XS650's, any experiences out there - good or bad - mileage [kilometres?] life of camchain?
My '81SH Special starting to be a bit noisey @ 40,000 KMS [24,000 MLS], had a look [motor out & lift the lid but no obvious problems found], any opinions from the dedicated & crazy congregation of XS650 riders out there? I've changed them from 25,000ml to 75,000mls [I think?] but would like some thinktank action on this one!
Cheers
Baza

Have you adjusted the cam chain tensioner? If not try that first. The problem isn't usualy the cam chain but the chain guides. The plastic on the guides wears away and the chain starts to wear on the aluminum. When changing the oil look for bits of black plastic in the oil and on the oil filter screen, thats a sign the guides are wearing away. Replacements are available from Mikes XS. Hope that helps.

[hunter_greyghost]

Originally Posted by Garbln

Have you adjusted the cam chain tensioner? If not try that first. The problem isn't usualy the cam chain but the chain guides. The plastic on the guides wears away and the chain starts to wear on the aluminum. When changing the oil look for bits of black plastic in the oil and on the oil filter screen, thats a sign the guides are wearing away. Replacements are available from Mikes XS. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the reply, no nasties in the sump, & yes I've done the adjustments, just a bit of a mystery noise, one of those irritating ones!
Once I get a chance I'll rip the motor out & have serious look inside, maybe even pull the camchain out & compare it to a new one for stretch marks, etc.
Cheers
Baza

[2manyrides]

One of the coolest ideas I have seen was the method that punkskalar took on his handle bars.
Interesting build here;
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=719041

[1f2frfbf]

Not the best photo of my Johnny Cash Special (it's a 78, 79, 80, 81 Yamahondasakamha), but if I get any closer you can still see the primer and leaks:

Fun upgrades include: bronze bushings, stiffer rear shocks, properly sorted carbs, Pamco ignition, permanent magnet alternator, a seat that fits a 6'4" fella, a tank off a XS750, and other random gentle engine tweaks recommended by the mad geniuses over at 650Garage.

I love it, but it does its level best to not love me back. It vibrated off the side cover on the highway recently, and has an evil habit of losing the vacuum plugs for the carb holders, usually in the middle of nowhere causing it to suddenly start running really well (ie: lean) at highway speeds, but sputter like a dog at every stop light. The wiring diagram conforms to no known standard, after a succession of foolish owners (of which I am only the latest) have done their versions of mystic lunatic engineering. Still, it hasn't stranded me too far away from home... yet. From where I'm sitting right now, I can hear it plotting... and I really want to go push my luck, one more time.

[hunter_greyghost]

Originally Posted by 1f2frfbf

Not the best photo of my Johnny Cash Special (it's a 78, 79, 80, 81 Yamahondasakamha), but if I get any closer you can still see the primer and leaks:

Fun upgrades include: bronze bushings, stiffer rear shocks, properly sorted carbs, Pamco ignition, permanent magnet alternator, a seat that fits a 6'4" fella, a tank off a XS750, and other random gentle engine tweaks recommended by the mad geniuses over at 650Garage.

I love it, but it does its level best to not love me back. It vibrated off the side cover on the highway recently, and has an evil habit of losing the vacuum plugs for the carb holders, usually in the middle of nowhere causing it to suddenly start running really well (ie: lean) at highway speeds, but sputter like a dog at every stop light. The wiring diagram conforms to no known standard, after a succession of foolish owners (of which I am only the latest) have done their versions of mystic lunatic engineering. Still, it hasn't stranded me too far away from home... yet. From where I'm sitting right now, I can hear it plotting... and I really want to go push my luck, one more time.

Isn't it always the way with these old beasts but ya wouldn't trade 'em for quids [as we say out in the country here]
I'll do a sortie on my bikes' specs sometime.
Cheers
Baza