1975 Yamaha XS650

Powderfinger

Been Around the Block
I bought this 75 XS650B in early September, it came out of a barn near Somerset PA. The previous owner owned it for 23 years and said he had ridden it a little in 2010 and had put new tires on it in 2012 and started it but never took it out. I paid $650 for it. It looks a little better in the picture than it was, there was a lot of rust and grime and mud wasp nests on it.


Brought it home and set to cleaning it up. I pretty much had it all apart other than taking the motor out. In addition to a lot of cleaning and polishing I replaced the petcock seals, battery boot, battery, grips, fork seals/boots, master cylinder, flasher relay, oil/filter. Found a better right side cover. Probably some other stuff I am forgetting.

Carbs were thoroughly cleaned and new fuel lines and inline filters, I put the gas tank in a drum tumbler, the outside of the tank was wrapped in foam to protect the paint, the inside had ceramic tumbling media and simple green/water. The tank wasn't horrible but the tumbler did a real nice job on it. Airbox and filters were thoroughly cleaned.

The forks were cleaned and rebuilt, the chain and sprockets were in good shape so they were cleaned and reused.

Anyhow this is what I ended up with

I have had it out on some short rides and it runs and rides great. I see why these bikes are so popular. There are still some little things to do like new cables and such but it's back on the road. And it sounds great with those mufflers, yes there are baffles in them, not to quiet, not to loud.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20140910-00862.jpg
    IMG-20140910-00862.jpg
    249.5 KB · Views: 422
  • IMG-20140910-00861.jpg
    IMG-20140910-00861.jpg
    243.1 KB · Views: 430
  • IMG-20141111-00957.jpg
    IMG-20141111-00957.jpg
    180.5 KB · Views: 414
  • IMG-20141111-00956.jpg
    IMG-20141111-00956.jpg
    203.4 KB · Views: 412
That was a very solid score at $1/cc. Nice find. Don't cut it up :)
 
Yeah, I knew I had to move fast when I saw the ad. $650 was the asking price and there was no negotiating, the guy said 15 other guys had contacted him, This was in half of a day. I was pretty close by and able to make it over that afternoon so it worked out for me.

No plans on cutting or modifying. Hopefully I saved it from someone that would have chopped it up:)
 
That turned out great you should be proud I wish you would've sold it to me haha just kidding
 
Thanks guys, yeah they are cool bikes. Fun to ride, easy to work on.


Brad, I am finally starting on that T500. I bought another one last week w/o a title but should have enough parts now to build a stock and a custom. I just stripped the first one down to the bare frame and cases.
 
Put the center braces in the one you are building
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 399
Hey real nice builds. love your KZ and CB especially. i have a stock 79-CB750F but the engine needs some serious TLC. yours buffed right up what process /materials did you use to clean up your engines? do it by hand or use a power drill buffer? thanks
 
Thanks KSwiss, Those motors were done with mainly wet sanding by hand. Start with about 150 or 220 grit and sand through all oxidation and defects then use 320, 400, 600, etc. until you get it to the shine you want then buff depending on desired finish.

The first step with the coarse paper is the time consuming part, the rest of it goes pretty fast.
 
thanks man. most forums say start with 80? seems a bit like i'd gouge out some ruts if i used that grit. going to follow your advice and also try and sand wet with soap per other legit sounding users advice. Others have suggested starting with a brass wire brush for the heavy lifting in the beggining but Home depot didn't have any brass drill mount rotating wire brushes just steel? the Brass wire grill brush i have won't do much i don't think, its too weak in the bristles and i have the same "cow" look effect with dark blotches all across the engine. So sand by Hand it is. H.Depot also didn't have sand paper past 320 grit??!? so thats all i have right now will have to seek out the 400-600 grit range online probably. Want her looking super shiny and new lookin. i do have a cloth/ cotton drill attachment marketed as a polish buffer i think i could try that too after the sanding if i get it down to a shine that i like and see if it takes it to another level:

current pic:
https://photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipOncJS6EYAYypQV_KxdV6y4NVfDXysY0EechKmf

_________
1979 CB-750F SuperSport
 
You can use 80 on flat, easy to sand areas and it will save time but in harder to sand areas like pockets around bolt heads and such it is easy to make scratches that are hard to get out. Forget Home Depot for sand paper, go to an auto parts store or body supply shop and get 3m paper made for body work. It will last longer and cut better. Buy some of every grit up to where you want to finish, don't skip a grit. You will need more of the coarser grits though.

I use a die grinder to buff with, I don't know if a drill will go fast enough. It takes some heat made by friction to buff aluminum.

As far as what you want to do with the wire wheel 3m makes little pads green, red and gray that thread onto an arbor that they also sell. This works well on a drill for some initial work, spray some water or simple green or WD40 then hit with the pad.
 
Really good score on the XS! Same year and model as the one I gave to my son a couple of years ago...I had purchased it in 1979 with only 3500 miles on the odometer, just like new. Over the ensuing years it was the platform for every stupid thing I ever did to a motorcycle...although it is almost back in standard form, I wish I had left it stock and found something else to tinker with instead. In any case he still owns it and it is still running like a new machine. I'm glad you are not going to hack yours up, it's just way too good for that! :D
 
Back
Top Bottom