Can anyone tell me about rephasing an XS650?

[Snickare]

I bought a great little xs650 Special just a few days ago. It's in the perfect shape for a whole custom build. I've read about the rephasing of this motor, and I love the idea of doing a 277 rephasing.

The motor has sat for 23 years, but it only has 10,000 miles on it. I'm thinking I may just build the bike up without doing much to the motor, but the rephasing sticks in my mind as a really good thing to do now, before I get too vested into painting and polishing the motor.

I've read the DIY's on how to do it, and can understand the principle, but I'd like input from people that know more about it. Are there any shops that offer the complete service of doing a rephase if I were to take the motor into the shop? I'd rather not do the internal work on the motor myself. My workshop isn't set up for that.

Does anyone know a shop in the SF Bay Area that can handle this job? Any guesses as to how much a job like that may cost?

Thanks for the input.

 

[canyoncarver]

Ask Tim, he runs this place and has a re-phased 650. Also check out Hugh's Handbuilt. http://hughshandbuilt.com/products-services/engine-building-services/

 

[kopcicle]

And over on this coast I have a local machinist that can get the crank apart and together that also happens to be the local Wiseco dealer . It's almost one stop shopping . They build wheels , bore cylinders , sell pistons and rod kits all in one shop .

I have one on the bench atm pics to follow in a few days .

~kop

 

[Snickare]

Hughs looks like just what I am looking for. Does anyone know a shop in California that will do that kind of service? I'd like to deliver my motor and have it done for me. Otherwise I may wait to get the service done, if done by a shop that I have to send my parts out to.

 

[Snickare]

Dennis,

Thanks for the wealth of info. Based on what we discussed, I believe I will leave the motor as is. Unless, you know of a shop locally that can do the work for me, including the tear down and rebuild, while using the original parts. I don't want to get into it so much as to replace the rods, pistons, valves, and bearings.... The last thing to sway my decision would be the labor cost. Since the motor should run fine as it is now; Unless it's a reasonable price, I think I'll leave it stock and wait until a later date when a rebuild would be more of a necessity.

Please let me know what you find.

Thanks again.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

Looking at Hughes, the rebuild and rephase runs in the $2k range, plus shipping and and crating. Probably $3K total for everything.

That's a bit for some relatively small performance gain, IMO.

The 650 is a nice engine and bike, changes like that are for the crazier fans. I have nearly 3k in my bike just fixing it up. Add another 3K and I have a really expensive old bike.

If I could do it myself, like during an engine rebuld, and add about $500 to the cost, then it might be interesting.

 

[Snickare]

Yeah unless there's a local shop that is adept at the rephase and they have good labor rates, it's not something I'll be getting into. I do think rephasing the motor is a pretty great idea otherwise.