XS650 Appresh

[fleshpiston]

From where I'm sitting right now, I can hear it plotting... and I really want to go push my luck, one more time.

If you love it, stick with it and work out the little things....sounds like the problems you're having are part of her "charm"

[1f2frfbf]

If you love it, stick with it and work out the little things....

I got no choice, I got to fix it, no one else would buy a bike that does such things, and no one but me would put up with her quirks.

Dammit, now I think I know how my girlfriend feels about me...

[markjenn]

In this month's Cycle World, the editor has a good story about his relationship with a Velocette he's been battling to keep running over the years. Good description of the love-hate relationship one tends to develop when you really use a machine to its limits.

- Mark

[Doug Matson]

Here is my 72' XS2 I traded it for a KLR, tried to get it back but the guy would not let me have it back.

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by JRyland

little bit more of a handlebar I'd give a blank check for that...

[Houseoffubar]

Originally Posted by Doug Matson

Here is my 72' XS2 I traded it for a KLR, tried to get it back but the guy would not let me have it back.

Sorry to rub salt into your wounds, but yeah, you f'ed up, that bike is beautiful!!!

[eric123]

That XS2 is beautiful...The earliest XS I ever owned was a '73 TX650, but there was just something about the XS1/2

[twinsarehot]

Here is my 82ish 650, it's a bit of a frankenbike...



Ignore my butchered levers; they are being replaced. Working on turn signals which I just got and some other things; can't wait for the first trip in Spring.

How I got her...

[east high]

I've been admiring the XS for a while now. They look like so much fun. How do the other variants stack up against the 650 such as the 400s and 750s? Is it just a displacement thing?

[twinsarehot]

They are all very different bikes, 250's, 350's/60's, 400's and 650's are twins, 750's are triples, and the 1100 is first Yammie 4banger.

The smaller bikes feel about the same, 650 shakes like a sonofagun, 1100's are FAST and can basically only go in a straight line; I never ridden the 750.

I'm pretty sure they have almost no interchangeable parts. However, the 650 feels perfect and well rounded. Torque and maneuverable make up for it's slowness, though they have same drag times as the Bonneville of it's time. However, XS's don't leak or die really.

[east high]

Originally Posted by twinsarehot

They are all very different bikes, 250's, 350's/60's, 400's and 650's are twins, 750's are triples, and the 1100 is first Yammie 4banger.

The smaller bikes feel about the same, 650 shakes like a sonofagun, 1100's are FAST and can basically only go in a straight line; I never ridden the 750.

I'm pretty sure they have almost no interchangeable parts. However, the 650 feels perfect. Nimble and maneuverable for a heavy bike, doesn't go too fast about the same drag times as the Bonneville of it's time. Except XS's don't leak and never die.

Same frames for the twins I'm guessing? If I were to find a cheap 400 I could swap in a 650 lump later on?

[twinsarehot]

Originally Posted by east high

Same frames for the twins I'm guessing? If I were to find a cheap 400 I could swap in a 650 lump later on?

I don't believe so, not without some major frame work...650 frames are way cooler anyhow. The engine cases between the two are about the same, but the 650 engine is about 3 inches taller, probably wider and waay heavier...

[eric123]

Originally Posted by east high

Same frames for the twins I'm guessing? If I were to find a cheap 400 I could swap in a 650 lump later on?

No...Totally different. I own 5 XS650's and 2 XS400's BTW and very little interchanges.

[east high]

Originally Posted by eric123

No...Totally different. I own 5 XS650's and 2 XS400's BTW and very little interchanges.

5? Hmmm, you should sell me one

[Powershouse]

They're cheap, readily available parts, not too complicated, and provide a great canvass for creativity.

From My Pictures

I tore a 77D down and rebuilt it as a cafe bike. Rebuilt the engine on the dining room table over a winter. Rebuilt most every other assembly on the bike. After several attempt at cobbling with the existing wiring harness I threw the whole works out and re-wired the entire bike from scratch, using a small battery for the see-through look (no more electric start) and incorporating a PAMCO ignition.

**** By the way, PAMCO Pete is a top notch guy. I can't say enough good things about his product and the way he stands behind it and supports users. *****

I went threw three clutch rod seals before I was finally able to seat one properly and stop the oil from leaking. Now I have to manually lubricate my chain.

Anyhow, when my son had his Nighthawk ripped off I offered the XS to him. He replaced the dented blue tank with a shinier red one, and replaced the cafe seat with a skateboard.

From Drop Box

Anyone who is familiar with the vibes that come off that engine can imagine the butt massage that a hard wooden skateboard transmitted. That lasted about a week, till he showed it around to his skater friends, then he padded and upholstered it.

Now he's moved off to Colorado and exploring the Rockies with it.