78 xs650 cafe' ~ To the Ton we go.

[taggat]

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.

 

[teazer]

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.

[taggat]

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?

[Tim]

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

What sprocket sizes are you running?

[taggat]

Pretty sure they are stock.
34 tooth in the rear and a 17 in the front.

[Wahoo650]

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

[taggat]

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.

[taggat]

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.

[taggat]

anyone ever see a tail light like this?

[taggat]

Don't need no stinkin battery....

[teazer]

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?

[taggat]

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.)

[taggat]

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