Forum Yamaha XS650 Forum

Chris Boden; https://www.youtube.com/@Physicsduck/shorts noted for interesting and off beat yootoob tech shorts has been pumping up Mesh networking an an off grid fully encrypted messaging network that is independent of big tech's, or government's tentacles. So use your phone or puter, put up a small solar/battery transceiver somewhere high on your property to access and expand the network and go. Just enough interested to start looking, and being "just a touch... Read more

Finally I'm starting a thread I should have started when I joined this forum in Feb. 2020. I'll post a bunch of photos as I know we all like photos and I've learned it didn't happen unless there is a photo! Much of this will be in the past as rather than current as of course it already happened, and back then I was hijacking other threads rather than starting a new thread - sorry for the bad etiquette! I got hooked on these bikes back in the spring of 2019 when by buddy let me ride his... Read more

All the way back in 2012 I picked up this bike. It belonged to the guys dad who had recently passed away. He knew nothing about it and just wanted it gone. $100 later and it was mine. All that's left of it is the engine. Everything else except for the wheels and brakes has been sold off over the years. This thread will document the teardown, inspection and buildup of the engine. Kinda lazy on the pics, but it was a nasty, grody mess on the outside and it was locked up... Read more

I got some mid controls going. Brackets from monster craftsman for 30 plus shipping. 3/8 fine thread bolts and washers 5.00 and Amazon pegs for 8.50. I got some fold up pegs too but didn't use them because thought they might turn upside down on me or twist since there's just one bolt. I thought about epoxying them on but just going with static pegs. Here's a pic of my roller. So far had to grind off the rear brake pivot because it was too small for stock Yamaha brake shaft. Don't know... Read more

late last year I sat on my couch, I was a tiny bit annoyed since someone else had just bought the xs 750 I thought I was supposed to buy as my winter project. So there I sat, annoyed at myself for not have been quicker out the door, quietly scrolling through different online marketplaces until I stumbled upon an add, it was an XS 650 from 1972 with no pictures in the add and not a very descriptive text. This time I thought to myself that I had to be quicker out the door, even if I wasn't... Read more

50+ year old garden tractor and I can download OEM operator and parts manuals. Briggs carb on said tractor, not only can I download the parts list, I CAN ORDER THE FREAKIN' PART ON EBAY!

Double tonight

I've been to this thing at least 19 times, just not in the last five years. I'm considering gathering at this milestone rally. It's still well attended. Here's a short video of the Yamaha 650 Society at the VYR. I think we can get more XS650's than this if we make an effort. Let's talk it up!

I have 75 xs 650 bobber with xs charge ignition and pma. It is kick start only with a small battery. I had a capacitor before but had same problem. I have a voltage gauge on the bike and the voltage jumps all over the place from 5 to 13 to 9 to 15 just goes all over. It has an electronic ignition so it doesn't run right with crazy voltage. I have replaced reg/rec multiple times with no help. I checked grounds and connection but don't see anything. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

hello again - trying to wrap up this bike before it gets too cold...quick timing mark question. looks like the PO tried to etch in the mark on the rotor? looks a little offcenter. assuming it should be centered? Thanks in advance!

The bike is running good. Compression is strong on the kick pedal. All systems seem to be OK. Except for the smoke out the right side exhaust and a bit less out the left side. At Idle all looks good, crack the throttle and white smoke comes out on the de-cell. Read that Re-torqueing the heads hoping it was a leaking gasket would help. Nope. Now it's time to pull the motor out of the frame, and do a top end. Which is sort of freaking me out. All this data on this site regarding the cam... Read more

Have I made a terrible mistake? Part-exchanged the Honda NX250 for this: (ignore the dates on the pictures, obviously) I don't even know what it is yet. Apart from it's a pre-unit, old-school, single cylinder 500 made in Madras. Which we must remember to call Chennai now. Bullet 500, supposedly Deluxe and said to be a 2003 bike. 4-speed, r/h change, iron barrel. But such notable authorities as MCN (Ha!) clearly state that electric start didn't... Read more