XS650 test ride and further,,,,, or Not

[richard]

So the weather here has finally turned nice. After changing the oil, setting the valves and replacing the old tires with BT45s, I decided it's time to make a test ride to see how it's all working. I have a 32 rear sprocket which was a little tall so the new rear tire I put on was an 80 series which has less circumference and put the RPMs at 60 right in the sweat spot for my bike. 60 is 3700 RPM and 55 is about 3400 RPM. On this day the more I ride the more I want to continue riding. I rode to the park gate, but instead of turning around there as I always do, time and all that, I paid the fee and kept on going. About half way up I stopped at the overlook and a Japanese guy offered to take my picture with my iphone. and then I took one of my bike. For some reason I had the iphone and my Cannon Elf, but I used the iphone because I figured to send it later.

Here's me



And one of my bike



I road over the crest and stopped at one of the overlook points that was at about 7000 feet. It was about 65 degrees, and the bike was running perfect. It sounded like a new bike. For some reason my XS650 runs best the colder the air is and higher in elevation you get. When I set the valves I looked at the plugs and they looked great. I'm getting about 60 mpg on the last three tanks. I just figured that was close enough.

Here's the midpoint overlook



and the bike taken there.



I proceeded on and at about 70 miles on the odometer, I started thinking about buying gas and going a lot further. The sun was still high in the sky, so I stopped and bought gas for $4.40 a gallon. It took $5.00 at 77 miles and since it was full, I zeroed the trip meter



I decided to go to Hume lake and eat there. Then maybe go to kings canyon if there was time. This is the lake at about 6000 feet elevation. The old logging flume source lake for the converse basin.



and this is the peaks of Kings Canyon behind it.



After eating a $4.50 sandwich and drinking a $2.50 coke, I started thinking about touring with an XS650. I had just gone about 100 miles and the gel seat I made was sill quite comfortable. I figured on the way out of Hume, I would take a look at the Kings and decide there if I had time to ride to the bottom. I pulled off to look



and to see if the store half way down was open.



It looked like it was, but I figured I would check the time at the turn off which was five miles away to see if there was time. I started thinking there wasn't and at the turn it was 3:30 pm. which would put me home right about 5:30 or just before dark. So I turned left instead of right and headed home. On the ride home I still wasn't tired or sore from riding and the vibration of the bike seemed insignificant as I carved me way down the hill past the towns of Pinehurst and Badger. As I passed through badger, I started considering taking the my XS1b and a half to Alaska. It sure seemed like it would make it and with the new gel seat I made and the dead on timing it wasn't half bad. Yeah, I could make it to Alaska. I didn't need a touring bike, I could just ride my bike or even the silver 1980 XS650, that one would surly make it. Then I hit a bump in the road. Not a big bump, just an everyday bump you go over all the time only this time my right front turn signal fell off and was hanging by the wires. I pulled in the clutch and coasted for a few hundred feet looking at the turn signal, searching my mind about putting it on the bike when I restored it. It looked fine at the time. Just as the bike looks and sounds and shifts just fine now. I pulled over and used a Bungi cord to fasten my turn signal to the handle bars . It still worked and I checked the tank for scratches, which there were none. With everything secure, I fired her back up and headed home. The last stretch was highway where I was doing 70 mph for about 30 minutes and then a few short two lane stretches at 55 and I was home. Alaska might be pushing it on an xs650, there a lot more bumps along the way.



Total trip 143 miles and I bought a new NOS stay off ebay this evening

That hose clamp is a holding a temporary volt meter I was using to check my regulator voltage range. Temporary going on months now. Funny how that happens. I'm going it build a proper smaller meter for it, but haven had the time. So there it stays

Here's what broke. I have replaced it with a NOS part from ebay

[G Man]

Great ride report Richard!!

Sounds like a great afternoon.

Alaska sure would have its challenges, but nice to think about on the XS!!

The weather hasn't even allowed me to take a bike out yet...

Take care,
G Man

[richard]

Thanks G Man, The weather has been really strange this year, but I'm sure there will be a spring for you guys eventually. In two days we are supposed to have 100 deg and then three days later back down to 70 deg. That's just plain weird for here. I ride on the good days when I can get them.

[headcase]

I envy you, Fine Sir. A gorgeous ride on a gorgeous bike. I wish I could make it more than an hour on mine before having to stop and snap the neck back into place, but only after letting the buzzy numbness leave the hands and backside. One of these days.....

[richard]

It has taken me a while to get that bike where I like it. Tuning that timing dead on makes all the difference in the world on vibration. The 32 rear sprocket and then fine tuning with the tire profile. It's been over a year messing with it trying to sort it out, but it sure is nice now. I can see why so many people like these bikes so much. In all honesty I'm not sure it would make a touring bike, but for just a fun ride in the <200 mile range, which is 90 percent of my rides, it is a joy to ride. That little wind shield helps. I still have the top of my head in the wind but it is halved, maybe you should try one. I also have weighted bar ends. I'm waiting on the turn signal stay replacement part and then I'm riding back to the end of Kings Canyon and then Yosemite after that, weather permitting. Yosemite is an overnight because there and back puts me home after midnight. I try not to ride after dark these days. I figure what the heck, nothing vintage is fetching that much these days so I might as well ride it, and everyday you don't ride when you could is one more day you'll never get back. A month ago I rode it where there was snow on the sides of the road. Never done that before, but it was a fun adventure, and I made it back with no harm done

[headcase]

Ditto the sprocket and weighted bars. A veteran Harley pilot suggested filling the bars with silicone to help with the vibes. I thought it was odd, but decided 'why not'. Seems to have helped a bit along with foam grips and gel gloves and in the seat too. Even made a custom-bent carb balance screw adjuster that gets used regularly. It's been a while since a long ride, and while it does seem a lot better buzz-wise the wind is probably the next biggest issue for me. I seem to still be just a tad too tall/long legged to fit properly, even with a medium-size shield. It finally occurred to me that the air that turns my helmet into a paint-can-mixer at speed is coming from below, not above. Hold the knees to the tank, and it's smooth as glass. That lasts for all of 2 minutes at a time. Even considered bunji-cording my knees together Any suggestions there?
By last fall I finally managed to get the thing happy as a clam at 50. Aside from the air issue, the revs are about perfect and just seems so content to growl along all day. Although I think a ride to the canyon or Yellowstone from Michigan is probably still wishful thinking.

[richard]

"Although I think a ride to the canyon or Yellowstone from Michigan is probably still wishful thinking"

LOL yeah I know what you mean. I think 200 miles a day is doable if you take an occasional break. I'm running Pamco Petes ignition that helped with vibration too. I'm probably smaller than you so it's not so cramped for me. I have my knees next to the tank out of habit. Over the years I tend to favor cold weather. Summer here brings me to a stop. They have secondary wind deflectors that go on the top of the windshield. I understand that they work, but I have yet to use one.

[wideload]

I noted that headcase made a custom-bent carb balance screw adjuster. I'd sync my carbs more frequently if I could do it with the tank on the bike. Does anyone have a picture or sketch of a tool like this?

[richard]

remember those flexible points adjusters we used to use to set mechanical points on cars? I wonder if one of those could be snapped on to the screw and used to sink them with the tank on.

[headcase]

I changed about as many screws/nuts/bolts as I could over to stainless hex-head capscrews (allen bolts). The carb balance screw too. I bought a long t-handle ball end driver to fit, then applied the hot-wrench to it about 2 inches up from the ball and bent an angle into it. It's not perfect, and I can only turn about 1/6th at a time, but it reaches it fine with the tank on and running.

[richard]

That is a great Idea! I may have to do the same next time I have mine apart. I've been riding the 82 special more lately because I'm trying to keep from racking up too many miles on my 71. My 82 has that same type of sink adjustment on it. I like your idea.