Everything Old is New Again

Well the XS carbs are clean and all the bits and pieces that needed replacin’ have been replaced. I procured a can of Gunk CC3K carburetor and parts cleaner to do the dirty work. If your about to rebuild your carbs, I highly recommend this stuff. It makes you parts look like new. I suggest that you remove all your silicone and rubber pieces before your carbs take a bath. I left my parts to soak overnight and in the morning they were as clean as the day they were born.You need to neutralize the cleaner with some hot soapy water after they soak. Don’t forget your gloves either, this stuff will stay with you all day, and the scent it cast is hard to get off your skin. Plus this stuff is pretty nasty and one should not absorb it though one’s skin if it can be avoided.A word of caution if any of you are about to do a rebuild of your XS650 carbs. Be very carful with your BUTTERFLY SHAFT SEALS. Mike’s XS and 650 Central are fresh out of these puppies and as far as I can tell, you will need to purchase the whole butterfly assembly if you need to replace them. Mine were in fine condition, but I wanted to replace them anyway because of their age. I could not find a set anywhere, if someone knows where to find a set without buying a whole butterfly assembly or set of carbs, drop me a line and I will share the info here.
I still have a bit of work to do before putting the carbs back on the bike. Mainly just cleaning up some bits and pieces of the bike, like the air box, battery cage, chain guard and some nicks and scratches here and there an she will be road worthy . I can hardly wait.


Till Next Time........................

Time for a Little Spring Cleaning

I have decided to keep the XS stock. It was a pretty unmolested bike when I purchased her last fall. And I am having some issues with taking a thirty three year old bike and chopping it up. I know, I know, these bikes do not carry a high collectible value, but they do have a very large and faithful following. So I am going to get this bike in pristine condition and look for a snot rag to build a street tracker out of. I have accumulated most of the pieces for the conversion, so I am half way there. It will not take a whole lot of trouble once I find a suitable donor bike.
The weather around here has been improving at a rapid pace and has allowed me to work comfortably out it the garage. So I went to work pulling the bike apart, much to my dismay, when I popped the carbs off, they where dirtier than one of Larry Flynt’s Hustler Clubs. Well a different type of dirty anyway. I am really surprised how well this bike ran at the end of the year with the carbs in this state. I guess this is a testament to the bullet proof reputation of the XS650.

Apart from the carbs, the rest of the bike is in pretty nice condition. It won’t take a whole lot of effort to get her to showroom shape. Thanks in large part to this being a two owner bike and spending it’s down time in a garage. All that needs looking after are some odds and ends like the battery holder, air box, cleaning the frame up, and the chain guard. I like my bikes to run like a Swiss Watch, and with older bikes this means keeping all you maintenance and adjustments up to date. All you youngsters out there with your new fangled machinery are missing out on this time honored tradition. (A lot of you anyway, I know there are a few youngins who like pulling your own maintenance) She will need a new pair of shocks, fork springs and oil, new brake pads, etc, etc, etc, I have to get a move on, because I would like to have her on the road by the end of the month. Sitting here and typing this post is not getting anything done faster. So it’s back out to the garage for me, listening to Deep Tracks on the old XM and maybe enjoying a tall cool Budweiser or two.


Till Next Time......................................

New Helmet?

I was thinking of buying a new helmet. I like this model but I think I may have visibility problems while wearing it.