UPDATE 8/5/18!!!
Well life happened and the project got put on hold for 6 years. We just moved to a new house and I've decided it's time to get this bike back together. I need to make room in the new garage and I'm tired of having parts stored everywhere. More picks added below. This is just a mockup, there is still a ton of work left.
Hi Guys,
I've been lurking here for about 5 months without posting, so I guess it's time. After a few years of working on my car, I finally have where I want it, now I'm project-less and going crazy. I picked up a XS650 that was in bad shape. It ran like crap and there were a ton of issues with it. No lighting, no key, no fuse box, no air filters, broken tac, harness hacked in the fuse box location and bare wires twisted together for hot wiring. It was in bad condition, the carb boots were cracked, so were the diaphragms. The only thing that really bothered me were the missing air filters, I'm not sure how long it was run like that. I checked the compression and got 150 on each cylinder, so it can't be that bad. This is going to be a long process, but that's ok, I'm addicted to projects. About the only time I can work on it are the weekends, when the 3 year old and the 5 month old are napping.
I decided to get the bike running so I could drive it around the neighborhood and see if there were any obvious issues I might have missed. Started by cleaning the carbs and jets and rebuilding with JBM Industries diaphragms and JBM carb holders. With new air filters, oil, carb holders and rebuilt carbs the bike started right up. It ran a little rough until it was warm, but seamed ok on my trip around my neighborhood. I've never worked on or even heard a running xs650 before, so I have nothing to compare it with. I sounds like the timing chain guide will need to be replaced. After I rode it for 15 minutes I began the tear down.
Well life happened and the project got put on hold for 6 years. We just moved to a new house and I've decided it's time to get this bike back together. I need to make room in the new garage and I'm tired of having parts stored everywhere. More picks added below. This is just a mockup, there is still a ton of work left.
Hi Guys,
I've been lurking here for about 5 months without posting, so I guess it's time. After a few years of working on my car, I finally have where I want it, now I'm project-less and going crazy. I picked up a XS650 that was in bad shape. It ran like crap and there were a ton of issues with it. No lighting, no key, no fuse box, no air filters, broken tac, harness hacked in the fuse box location and bare wires twisted together for hot wiring. It was in bad condition, the carb boots were cracked, so were the diaphragms. The only thing that really bothered me were the missing air filters, I'm not sure how long it was run like that. I checked the compression and got 150 on each cylinder, so it can't be that bad. This is going to be a long process, but that's ok, I'm addicted to projects. About the only time I can work on it are the weekends, when the 3 year old and the 5 month old are napping.
I decided to get the bike running so I could drive it around the neighborhood and see if there were any obvious issues I might have missed. Started by cleaning the carbs and jets and rebuilding with JBM Industries diaphragms and JBM carb holders. With new air filters, oil, carb holders and rebuilt carbs the bike started right up. It ran a little rough until it was warm, but seamed ok on my trip around my neighborhood. I've never worked on or even heard a running xs650 before, so I have nothing to compare it with. I sounds like the timing chain guide will need to be replaced. After I rode it for 15 minutes I began the tear down.