'77 XS750, First Build.

K

Khaameleon

New Member
Hey guys, I've been lurking here for a while, but this is my first time posting. I first want to give big props to all of you for all of the awesome work you do, both with your bikes and helping others. You rock. Seriously.

I recently got into riding, and while I already have a bike ('11 Kawi 650R), I have been thinking more and more about wanting to start a "classic" project bike. Something I can spend time on; learning mechanics, crafting, and ultimately having something I can really be proud of and call my own in the end. My major concerns are ones I have seen mentioned by a few other members here on their worklogs:
  • I have limited mechanical experience, which extends about as far as the maintenance I have done on my various sh!tbox cars over the years. (Though I have a willing friend who has worked on dirtbike engines before).
  • Noting the bullet point above, I know very little about picking out a good bike to start with. Most of what I do know I have learned here or on similar forums.
  • Like many people, I'm not exactly swimming in money. Being only a few years out of college means lots of bills to pay with a very small nest egg. I live comfortably and though I would not call myself cheap, I still don't want to end up spending more than a few thousand dollars, even spread out over time.
I am mostly looking forward to using this as a way to learn the in's and outs of small engine mechanics, with the great added bonus of (hopefully) having a beautiful, functioning bike at the end. I'm currently looking at getting a '77 Yamaha XS 750 that has recently been listed in my area for pretty cheap($500). So, I come seeking your collective advice.

First, what do you think of the particular model? I have done some research online and have seen some really gorgeous custom cafes and bobbers others have done using the XS as a base, but are there any common model specific issues I should know about before I decide on this one?

Second, here is what I know about this particular bike, though I have not gone to check it out yet:
  • It starts, and reportedly runs (though it needs a new button for the electric start, it is currently rigged with a pen cap. So I'm told.)
  • The engine has just over 17k original miles on it.
  • It is missing a horn, but has a new battery.
  • Some of the electrical work has been redone recently.
  • The tires are in fair shape (not a major concern to me as I would be replacing them anyway)
  • The frame has some rust (I have yet to determine how much, and will investigate in person.)
  • The tank is in reportedly good condition.
Are there other things I should be looking for when I do go to look at it this weekend? Does the price sound fair? I was thinking of offering $375ish and seeing if he would go for it. Does this sound like a reasonable project or do you think I would be getting in over my head?

Sorry for asking so many questions, I appreciate any insight you can share!

*edit: I hope I posted this in the right spot!
 
I'm by no means a mechanic myself, but have recently been trying to get a yamaha xs650 up and running.
Just by reading through what you've said, I'd say it's a pretty decent price, assuming there's a clean title involved and the rust on the frame isn't that extensive.
The part that does worry me is "some of the electrical work has been redone recently". I've seen some really terrible electrical "fixing" before. That being said, if you take your time and do stuff right, it's not an expensive thing to work on if you do have problems show up eventually.
I will say in my opinion, the XS's are great bikes. They aren't really hard to work on, and there is limitless information about them online. Any issues you have, have probably already been worked out, and the answers are probably posted somewhere online.
 
Check out yamaha-triples.org for the best information on this bike. I have a 77 in the cafe transformation stage right now. There are also a few builders in the same state as me. KOKONUT, and I seem to both be plugging along at the same rate. There are a few other build here but are going a little slower. I have learned a lot and have a lot of pics if you want them.

- The electrical on these bikes is ok but not great.
- Parts are widely available on ebay and a few other sites. ( I have lists of sites for you)
- They are pretty easy to work on and don't require too many specialized tools.
- If you have any questions the forum will help and I can also give you a lot of good info.

Check out my build thread to see what you could be getting yourself into.
 
Thanks for all the information guys. I'll be sure to take a solid look at the electrical on the bike. I really appreciate all the guidance. I'm going to look at it this weekend, if its all on the level you might see a build thread out of me within the next week or so.

If so, Juggs, I might be hitting you up for some more info as I work through the inevitable snags. I checked out your thread, your build is looking great!
 
Yeah, id def look at the triples site and look at the "so you just aquired a triple" page. Here's the link http://www.yamaha-triples.org/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1365&posts=25&start=1 Has a lot of info on what to do as soon as you get the bike (eg. Don't ride it home! Trailer it or load it into a truck). I would check the oil in it as soon as you look at it and make sure itsrelatively clean and free of gas. These bike are notorious for the 'gasoil' problem. Basically, the stock petcocks leak gas into the crankcase, diluting the oil and frying all the bearings. So that's a start, rust shouldn't be a problem if it hasn't eaten through a wall of the tubing, sandblasting and corrosion treatment should fix that, then paint/powdercoat.
 
Wow, thanks for the link Koconut. That thread is exactly what I was hoping to find in terms of how to get started. Looks like that forum will be a gold mine of information for me.


As far as checking for gas in the oil, is there some obvious way I should be able to tell if it's leaking? I'm assuming that if I drain the oil into a pan the gas will sit on top of the oil?
 
Khaameleon said:
Wow, thanks for the link Koconut. That thread is exactly what I was hoping to find in terms of how to get started. Looks like that forum will be a gold mine of information for me.


As far as checking for gas in the oil, is there some obvious way I should be able to tell if it's leaking? I'm assuming that if I drain the oil into a pan the gas will sit on top of the oil?
Click to expand...

For gas oil. The oil just seems a lot thinner than normal oil. Sometimes you can smell it. The best way to check is to turn the petcocks to PRI and if fuel leaks out they are worn and should be rebuilt or replaced with manual petcocks.
 
Okay, well I did it. Managed to talk the guy down to $300, including delivery. She's got some rust for sure, but the frame is in good shape. My major concern right now is that when I peeked in the gas tank, I did see some rust. I'm looking around online at recommended solutions to remove tank rust, but I'm suspicious as to how well some of them work. Anyone know if any of the techniques listed here are legit? The outside of the tank doesn't look rusted through, and I don't notice any leaks.

In any regard, I plan on going through the list of instructions from the thread that Koconut linked as soon as I can. Also, I suppose I'll start a build log too. I'll toss a link to it up here as soon as i get it started.

Thanks for all the help, and roll on brothas!
 
Here's a link to my build thread I just posted:
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=26634.0

I'm going to order some acid to clean up the tank and re-seal it, but now I'm trying to figure out what might be causing it to not idle properly. It starts and runs as long as you lightly feather the throttle. I assumed it would be the carbs and took them off to get a look at them, they look like they could stand a good cleaning.

UsdoQl.jpg


Thoughts?
 
You could have a leak in thhe airbox or carb holders. Prob have leaking butterfly shaft seals as well but mostly a combination of all 3. You should rebuild the carbs, get some rebuild kits and some shaft seals from mikes xs. Also check out the pinesol dunk on the triples site. I'm about to do the same thing to mine
 
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