XS650 Appresh

Or Just why???? :eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1



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OK... I'm no XS650 specialist or anything, so forgive my ignorance...

But how in the 7734 did they get the cam chain (or push rods, whatever it uses) run up the wrong side of the engine???
Is it center run??? Is the XS engine cams controlled from both sides???

That is seriously cool... if for no other reason than to baffle motorcycle lovers at every red-light and gas station you stop!!!

July 2010 feature bike in The Horse. Tells all about it in there.

My friend and I did 200+ miles yesterday on the yammys.
Me still with the 78 motor in my 77, near the end, I called out to JW at a stop that she was telling me...
"IT'S TIME", to do my engine swap and toss the waiting 81 motor in.

We had topped off the tanks and jumped on the freeway at 7:30 AM to beat the forcasted 100+ temp.
Busted ass up to the sierras where we made many scenic stops.
Lunch on the veranda of the historic Washington hotel overlooking the S fork of the Yuba.
Leading to the end of pavement, 40 plus miles of twisty and ridgetop dirt roads at speeds reaching 60MPH.
Even some jeep trails to access the river.

This was a really great ride! And as we decended back down to the valley using back country roads the feel of the air seemed to get hotter with each rounding of a turn until we reached the hot valley floor and split up to rest our weary butts and cool off in the pool.

You guys ready?




Many stops








At the lunch stop in Washington the bartender insisted we enjoy the view from the veranda as we had lunch...
not sure if she meant the scenic river or the scantly clad bathers, but we enjoyed both!




One of our last stops was at a wells fargo express, but I guess they were closed for the holiday weekend...


Not even an ATM...


Yamaha XS650's were appreatiated July 2nd 2011.
Places we stopped created attention. Can't tell ya how many times folks say, "I used to have one of those", or "just like that"...
I tell them they should have kept it!

Thanks for posting those photos, really neat riding country you went through, like to get over there and do some riding [on an XS650],
Anyone know the rules & regs of a tourist buying a bike over your way?
I'll win the lottery one day!
Cheers
Baza

There's much more varity than I've shown in any of my posts.
I generaly am always heading east from home to the western slope of the sierras in central California. The foothills, gold country, high mountain boreo...and back.
Beleive me there's much more!



Rules+regs?

unofficialy I'd think it doesn't matter who you are to buy a bike. Getting it home...
Many places rent bikes...but you're not gonna see and xs's!

saw this XS650 walking in my hood..
LOVE the look, IMO those off-road tires looks AWESOME !

That looks like one of them 400 twins.

"you...saw it walking?":eek1

Looks like XS500...

It looks great!

+1, sure isn't an XS650, my thoughts are TX500 [mid '70s], nice look though'
Note# oilcooler plumbed into back of the head, definately not an XS650!
Cheers
Baza

Its a XS 500!! Looks great to ride around Downtown NYC!!!!

Its a XS 500!! Looks great to ride around Downtown NYC!!!!:eek1:eek1:eek1

On those tyres? :eek1 or are the streets over there that rough?
Cheers
Baza

XS650 Appresher's...
I have combined and compiled pictures and video to share our July 2nd Yamaha ride with you.

<iframe width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sOLVx5v8NWQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Heading out of the neighborhood we gassed up at the local shell station at the edge of I80.
Jammed up the freeway into the Sierras doin' 70MPH. Stopped at Cisco Grove near the old relics for a break. Back down one ramp to the Eagle Lakes turn off and took some jeep trails for a bit. Once out of that, and back to the old highway 40 again, a stop at the bridge over the south fork of the Yuba River. Out to I80 again and down highway 20 where we took the Bowman Lake road to Emerald Pools at Lang Crossing. Then north a little further to Fuller Lake where we enjoyed the picnic area.
Next, out the Bowman Lake Road and crossing paths with the "Gold Country Dual Sport Riders" on their July 2nd ride.
Hitting highway 20 again past the "Trail Bike Sportsman's Association" sign designating their July outing.
But we didn't stop there as we were getting hungry and went down the Washington Road to have lunch at the historic hotel.

After lunch across the river and onto the climb up Gaston road where we turned left on the Meadow Lake road. Through the sleepy town of Graniteville and hauling ass down, down, down, including the N Bloomfield/Graniteville Road. Taking us through Snow Tent Springs, onto Cruzon Grade, and through North Columbia on Tyler Foote Road.
We hung a right on Oak Tree lane at mother truckers to divert to North San Jaun where we filled both Yamahas for 16 bucks.
South on 49 for a bit and right on Pleasant Valley Road at Peterson's Corners.
A stop at the wells fargo bank at French Corral and zoomed right through bridgeport.
It was so hot down there at 1,500 foot, we didn't even stop at the river. Up the other side to the Bitney Springs Road.
Back up out of the Yuba river canyon and to Nevada City via the old Rough And Ready Highway. We had a rest and cool down at a friend's house in Grass Valley, but from there zoomed on home Via highway 49, I80 and off at Sierra College BLVD.
So hot...over 100!
Next was the comforts of the swimming pool's cool water.
Great ride...
Although we didn't completely "beat the heat", we were back in town by 3 o'clock to escape the worst part of it.

not a laughing mater.. YES they are..


even driving my truck with 33" tires NYC streets SUCKKKKK!!!!!

Good for running over trash in the street!!:eek1

my question would be: are the tires/wheels of similar size? They look like it.

Yep, they look like 18" front & rear, think the 500's ran an 18" front as standard [correct me if I'm wrong!], not a TX/XS500 type of person, they had overheating issues out in Aus.
XS650's run a 19" front & 18" rear, up to '78/'79?, then the Specials had a 16" rear mags '82? [in Aus], not sure if they interchange between the 500 & the 650's, got an idea axle diameters are smaller on the 500's.
Cheers
Baza

You never cease to amaze me with these great photos & video clips, really top stuff,
I'll really have to get back to some serious photo work, been looking @ trying out some of these helmet cam set-ups.
Good stuff, gotta make time to play!
Cheers
Baza