78 xs650 ~ To the Ton we go.

taggat

Coast to Coast
Got this in trade this past summer, slowly getting to it.

You know all the standard things, adjusting valves, carb cleaning, battery, plugs and wires have been done.

Upgrades;
Dual Disc
Ascot drag baffled drag pipes
I like them pretty white walls before you start clowin
Air, Breather and Fuel Filters
xs performance wires
ngk plugs
chain
slightly less abused rear sprocket
Turns that work
new clutch and throttle cables

Frankenbits-Custom work;
Dual piston calibers all around (84 interceptor donors)
Clip-Ons (84 interceptor, shimmed with beer cans)
Brake Light (85 interceptor)
Seat (85 interceptor)
Rear Sets (94 cbr 900 rr)

Hit 90 yesterday, still isnt fast enough, need some more tuning.

Things Im wanting to do to it still is;
Lower it another 2 in., shorten the fork springs, rear gas shocks, alum swingarm swap, remove the starter, speed holes in the mags, pma swap, new paint, swap battery for a ballistic evo 4 (120cca's but Im kicking so...?), tuck all the electronic bits into a bottom pan under the seat, get the damn thing to hit neutral while running with the weight on and to hit the TON before next spring. Thats not asking to much right?

Let me know what you guys think, I like it cheap but ya know.
 

Attachments

  • 5L25I35Jd3E73G13J6c7vec5c94a65bfb1567.jpg
    5L25I35Jd3E73G13J6c7vec5c94a65bfb1567.jpg
    38.4 KB · Views: 1,144
  • imagejpeg_11.jpg
    imagejpeg_11.jpg
    54.4 KB · Views: 1,165
  • imagejpeg_8.jpg
    imagejpeg_8.jpg
    100.5 KB · Views: 1,150
  • imagejpeg_10.jpg
    imagejpeg_10.jpg
    102.2 KB · Views: 1,189
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Good luck with your project. You have probably heard that lowering a bike does not improve handling yes? In fact, the lower the center of gravity, the further it needs to be leaned over to corner and that's when things drag and the bike runs out of rubber.

And that brings me to poxy white walls. They have no place on a performance motorcycle because AFAIK none of them are manufactured with performance rubber compounds or carcass. As long as you understand the risks and that you are making the bike less functional than stock, then that's your choice.

Not all bikes are built to go round corners very fast and that's fine.
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.


Well I know if I dont effect the rake and trail to much out of the 4-6in. range that the handling will not be adversly affected right?
I want it lower for comfort reasons and Im not going to be truly racing this bike but I do want it to hit the TON easily.
Its obviously not built for corners at high speeds and Im guessing I would be uncomfortable racing a 35yr old bike that way.
I have to agree the tires are not the ideal rubber to be burning, but they were cheap which is in my price range at the moment.

This is where Im at with it now and hoping to get some good advice, tips and inspiration.

Which brings me to your comment "making the bike less functional than stock", you seem to know what your talking about feel free to educate the young.

Or was that just aimed at the tires?
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

You shouldn't need to do much aside from tuning it to get it to 100.

What sprocket sizes are you running?
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Pretty sure they are stock.
34 tooth in the rear and a 17 in the front.
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

For even more info/tips on your 650 try the 650 garage site,

http://xs650temp.proboards.com/index.cgi

As for your bike, good start, but the previous point is to have form follow function. In my opinion the entire point of a cafe racer is to improve the bikes road going performance in the emmulation of the racers of the day. In other words make it go-stop-turn better before worrying too much about how it looks. As for hitting the ton- a well tuned xs650 should do it easily, I know mine does ;).

Matt
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Thanks for the link.

Anyone know the stock assembled lenght from axle to top of fork tube?
Mine are 34" from axle to top of fork.
Wonering if the tubes are not actually over.
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Looks like stock forks would be 29 - 29.75, anyone want to trade some 4 overs for stocker forks?

No wonder the damn thing sits so high, I have the forks slid up 3+ in. past the top triple.
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

anyone ever see a tail light like this?
 

Attachments

  • 0_3080.jpg
    0_3080.jpg
    202.2 KB · Views: 963
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Don't need no stinkin battery....
 

Attachments

  • hughpma.jpg
    hughpma.jpg
    93.6 KB · Views: 1,066
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

taggat said:
Which brings me to your comment "making the bike less functional than stock", you seem to know what your talking about feel free to educate the young.

The point I was trying to make is that the combination of those tires and lowered bike will make it handle less well that stock. Tires are likely to be a factor but at moderate loads you will probably be OK. I don't race on the street so I don't fit race tires on our street bikes, but I like to have a margin of safety for teh times that I find myself going faster than I intended or something happens that I have to avoid.

So I tend to fit good street rubber like say Avon Roadriders or Bridgestone BT45s. I doubt I'll ever need the extra grip but it's nice to know that if I have to swerve or brake hard, that they will probably save my sorry ass. No guarantees in life, but cheap insurance.

Lowering a bike is always a gamble until you measure and try it. Fortunately most old bikes had pretty conservative geometry so there's some scope to adjust that - within reason of course.

I like that modern alternator set up. Where did that one come from?
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

I probably should get some new tires but for now, its going to have to do.

The lowering was due to the 4 over forks that came with it.
At the time I didnt realize they were "over" until I started quizing a few people that were sure of there stock bikes.
Even then I had to average the answers together to confirm, guessing different pressure loadings.
It really was sitting high, like they did in the 70's chopper times.

The alternator is Hugh's Pma, 200watts, its going to be sweet considering I had the low rpm charging issue anyway one problem is now eliminated.
I started to "patch" the new alternator in and I had a few connectors crumble in my hands so, its getting new wire before spring now too.

Heres the draft of the wiring diagram seems like it should work, everything switched, multiple switches to stump would be theives etc...
(two guru's from the xs650 forums helped me figure it out.)
 

Attachments

  • wiring all switched.jpg
    wiring all switched.jpg
    129 KB · Views: 238
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

still not done by any means but man is hughs pma and pamco awesome.
was nice to get out in ride her.
 

Attachments

  • xs650-1 (2).jpg
    xs650-1 (2).jpg
    104.5 KB · Views: 686
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

I got it to the ton the other day and it took everything it had. haha
Gets there pretty quick really for a 78, was keeping up with the stock 750 guys for a while.

Teazer, thanks for warning me about the tires.
I had know idea had bad they really were until Im pushing 50 in a tight turn on wetish pavement and the damn thing started doin wiggle that then cause my butthole to pucker. Scary. Ill get those replaced soon.

The seat is pretty uncomfortable.
The clip ons/rear sets are uncomfortable, I hear minor adjustments change all that, but Im 6-2.
Thinking super bike bars, stock forks and going back to mids but eh. I dunno.
Gp shifting is actually not bad.
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Well Im pretty happy with the bike so far.
Of course I cant just leave well enough alone.

Things Im changing;

The seat, more to come, the old interceptor seat strapped on with ss hose clamps allowed it to move to much, grounding out on switches and blowing a fuse. So its getting a true solo race seat, hopefully bent out of 16 gauge. I scored an old fiberglass cafe seat off a rd400 but its to short in width and length. Might have a buddy make a mold as he works out of a foundry here in town and possibly lenghten it to fit properly. I like the little solos, but I dont want to hack the frame I guess well see.

The tires, these hard compound tires suck in the rain. Too much wiggle in the rear coming out of the turns. Suggestions on what rubber you prefer?

The Exhaust, I need to get it finished Ive just shoved the yz450 muffler into the collector.

Contemplating changing the stock wheel setup 19/16 to a 19/19 or a 18/18.
If I went with the 19 rear, Ill need to replace the bearings and upgrade the shocks.

If I go with the 18/18, Ill need to replace all the bearings, make some spacers (RD400). Then Im back down to single disc up front, unless I get the mag reworked to accept dual disc (xs400).

Depending on what I do with the rims, will determine what to do about the rotors. Theyre really heavy and Im not even using all of the braking surface.

Feel free to lash me!
 
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

18/18 kinda dig the smaller lower profile.
 

Attachments

  • 12819.jpg
    12819.jpg
    82.6 KB · Views: 618
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

19/19 going to need some tougher shocks in the rear for sure.
 

Attachments

  • 12820.jpg
    12820.jpg
    77 KB · Views: 625
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

honda magna tank, fits pretty nice with no major modification yet.
 

Attachments

  • 13755.jpg
    13755.jpg
    81.5 KB · Views: 409
  • 13756.jpg
    13756.jpg
    67.4 KB · Views: 420
Re: 78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

Just put some newer used triumph scrambler shocks on there that around about 1.5" or so longer forcing me to use a 1/2 osb scrap to prop it up on the centerstand. Then I spent the night hanging with a friend drinking high life and talking bikes, life, etc..

Hes got a 80's xs650 that well be swapping the motor on here shortly, its quite a the franken bike and has 75 wheels on it. He educated me about the swap from mags to wires. Guess ill be selling the mags and swapping for these high shouldered alu rims. Still get to keep my dual disc up front as long as I reuse the late model rotors. Should just be bolt on and go. Im stoked. 19/18 yeah!

The donor rims a 75 thats locked up with no title.
Im only concern is not ill have disc up front with a drum in the rear..
Thought I seen something on here about a drum to disc conversion.
Heres to more research.
 

Attachments

  • 14252.jpg
    14252.jpg
    97.7 KB · Views: 686
  • 14255.jpg
    14255.jpg
    86.4 KB · Views: 697
  • 14256.jpg
    14256.jpg
    85.9 KB · Views: 730
Re: 78 xs650' ~ To the Ton we go.

Finally got some work done on my own bike.

Newer Triumph Scrambler shocks and look at these nice new knock off dunstalls. The fit the chopper header pipes I got awhile back perfectly. And I got the old 4 over forks sold and some new to me stock forks put on. The bikes always look so sad in this stage. Going back to the stock peg position and tracker bars now that Ive got risers.
 

Attachments

  • 15006.jpg
    15006.jpg
    75.2 KB · Views: 552
  • 15007.jpg
    15007.jpg
    73.9 KB · Views: 543
  • 15009.jpg
    15009.jpg
    86.8 KB · Views: 573
  • 15008.jpg
    15008.jpg
    86.5 KB · Views: 567
Back
Top Bottom