What could possibly go wrong?
Discussion
Hi, it's been quite a while since I posted on Pistonheads. (I have been lurking rather a lot lately though).
I have a wee tale to tell you good people if you would be so good as to spare me a bit of your time. A bit of background first...
(Apologies, I reckon this post is gonna end up being pretty long).
For the last couple of years or so I've been riding around on this, ahem 'enchanted' beastie.
A Yamaha XS750 triple 'Cafe Chop-Fighter'.
It's that classic tale of letting one's heart rule their head when it comes to purchasing 'classic' vehicles. I absolutely adore this bike but I dread to think how much money I've spent on repairs.
I've tried my best with her, I really have. It was clear that she'd been horrifically abused and mistreated by past owners, (thirteen of them before me!) and I've always had this problem of feeling sorry for old cars and bikes that have endured hard lives. I thought if I just kept spending money replacing parts as they (frequently) broke and lavished plenty of attention and love then eventually I'd have myself a reliable(ish) bike. Yeah, I know...
Naturally it didn't really work out like that and I was getting increasingly very tired of being left by the side of the road on many an occasion due to various mechanical maladies.
The final straw came last time I was out on a hoon when I noticed Cheech and Chong levels of smoke pouring out the 'zorst. And the oil breather. And the carbs. And this is after she's already had an engine rebuild.
Well bugger. This is about where I eventually decided I was gonna throw in the towel...
...She ain't getting sold for now though (well unless someone makes me a decent offer, but that seems unlikely somehow). She'll be stored in the shed to be rebuilt another day. Which suddenly leaves a bike-shaped hole in my life once again.
So, what bike should I buy to replace a shonky old seventies Yamaha?
Why... Another shonky old seventies Yamaha of course, but this time one that's been sat in a shed for fourteen years! I've always been a well-rounded rational and sensible chap I have.
(Well, this 'seventies Yamaha' is actually from the early eighties. Close enough).
An XS650 twin this time. I've always loved these things. It came about when I was round a mate's moaning to him about my aforementioned P.I.T.A. triple and he happened to mention he had this. And also that his missus has been moaning about how he needs to get rid of some of his bikes (he has about nine in various states of disrepair). I think you can probably see where this is going....
...so yeah. An afternoon was spent changing the oil, setting the valve clearances, putting some petrol in and, er, that's about it actually.
After a few kicks she roared into life with a glorious cackle, like an old Meriden Triumph twin with the bass turned up. And a quick spin round the block confirmed that she steers and stops too. She's even got fully functional lights and indicators. Shame about the massive oil leak from the sump gasket (spot the oil tray underneath) but if that's apparently the only issue that's arisen so far than I consider that a result!
So, yeah. The plan now is replace the gasket, new tyres, MOT, tax and all that gubbins and I'll be on the road once more. Just in time for Winter. What could possibly go wrong?
I probably should have learnt my lesson by now, but hey ho....
I have a wee tale to tell you good people if you would be so good as to spare me a bit of your time. A bit of background first...
(Apologies, I reckon this post is gonna end up being pretty long).
For the last couple of years or so I've been riding around on this, ahem 'enchanted' beastie.
A Yamaha XS750 triple 'Cafe Chop-Fighter'.
It's that classic tale of letting one's heart rule their head when it comes to purchasing 'classic' vehicles. I absolutely adore this bike but I dread to think how much money I've spent on repairs.
I've tried my best with her, I really have. It was clear that she'd been horrifically abused and mistreated by past owners, (thirteen of them before me!) and I've always had this problem of feeling sorry for old cars and bikes that have endured hard lives. I thought if I just kept spending money replacing parts as they (frequently) broke and lavished plenty of attention and love then eventually I'd have myself a reliable(ish) bike. Yeah, I know...
Naturally it didn't really work out like that and I was getting increasingly very tired of being left by the side of the road on many an occasion due to various mechanical maladies.
The final straw came last time I was out on a hoon when I noticed Cheech and Chong levels of smoke pouring out the 'zorst. And the oil breather. And the carbs. And this is after she's already had an engine rebuild.
Well bugger. This is about where I eventually decided I was gonna throw in the towel...
...She ain't getting sold for now though (well unless someone makes me a decent offer, but that seems unlikely somehow). She'll be stored in the shed to be rebuilt another day. Which suddenly leaves a bike-shaped hole in my life once again.
So, what bike should I buy to replace a shonky old seventies Yamaha?
Why... Another shonky old seventies Yamaha of course, but this time one that's been sat in a shed for fourteen years! I've always been a well-rounded rational and sensible chap I have.
(Well, this 'seventies Yamaha' is actually from the early eighties. Close enough).
An XS650 twin this time. I've always loved these things. It came about when I was round a mate's moaning to him about my aforementioned P.I.T.A. triple and he happened to mention he had this. And also that his missus has been moaning about how he needs to get rid of some of his bikes (he has about nine in various states of disrepair). I think you can probably see where this is going....
...so yeah. An afternoon was spent changing the oil, setting the valve clearances, putting some petrol in and, er, that's about it actually.
After a few kicks she roared into life with a glorious cackle, like an old Meriden Triumph twin with the bass turned up. And a quick spin round the block confirmed that she steers and stops too. She's even got fully functional lights and indicators. Shame about the massive oil leak from the sump gasket (spot the oil tray underneath) but if that's apparently the only issue that's arisen so far than I consider that a result!
So, yeah. The plan now is replace the gasket, new tyres, MOT, tax and all that gubbins and I'll be on the road once more. Just in time for Winter. What could possibly go wrong?
I probably should have learnt my lesson by now, but hey ho....
This was my old XS750 econo/chop/fighter thingy - the "Weed Triple", came about as I chopped the back off it to build a trike then realised I had no suitable bike for a Euro' trip a week or so away.... threw it back together with whatever was to hand - electrical trunking lid for the tailpiece, camping mat for the seat foam, headlining from an invalid carriage as a seat cover etc. - was stunningly reliable for an old Yam' 'til a mate seized it through lack of oil on the M4, just short of Wales on his way back from Bonn. The polar opposite of the previous triple which had masses of money spent on it until I finally abandoned it down the pub one night and sold it to a fellow local for a pittance; he spent shed loads on it and sold it for a pittance to a mate who took pity then spent shed loads on it until he in turn sold it for a pittance to a mate who..........
Best of luck with the 650 - could be a case of rinse and repeat but I hope for your sake it's not...
Best of luck with the 650 - could be a case of rinse and repeat but I hope for your sake it's not...
Andy XRV said:
I love the old Yamaha's This is my 1972 TX500 which was the forerunner to the XS650. Most went to the states but somehow this one found it's way here.
Weren't they totally different to the XS650, but the TX being the forerunner to the XS500 we got in the UK, 8 valve head or twin cam iirc, neither found their way onto the XS650.
bimsb6 said:
graham22 said:
Weren't they totally different to the XS650, but the TX being the forerunner to the XS500 we got in the UK, 8 valve head or twin cam iirc, neither found their way onto the XS650.
Yup Good engine with two major design flaws :
Clutch pushrod all the way through the engine, clutch cable goes into left side cover,
clutch pushrod seal there tends to leak because next to gunky sprocket,
also watch out for bent pushrod because of chain failiure.
Ignition Points under left head cover, then another axle straight through the hollow cam
to the mechanical advancer located under right side head cover, mechanism always has play in it
so ignition wanders a bit.
I would remommend electronic ignition conversion, there are kits about,
and a hydraulic pull-type clutch cylinder welded to clutch cover (there are no kits about).
Once clutch problems are sorted get an 800cc conversion for stump-pulling torque.
Clutch pushrod all the way through the engine, clutch cable goes into left side cover,
clutch pushrod seal there tends to leak because next to gunky sprocket,
also watch out for bent pushrod because of chain failiure.
Ignition Points under left head cover, then another axle straight through the hollow cam
to the mechanical advancer located under right side head cover, mechanism always has play in it
so ignition wanders a bit.
I would remommend electronic ignition conversion, there are kits about,
and a hydraulic pull-type clutch cylinder welded to clutch cover (there are no kits about).
Once clutch problems are sorted get an 800cc conversion for stump-pulling torque.
graham22 said:
Weren't they totally different to the XS650, but the TX being the forerunner to the XS500 we got in the UK, 8 valve head or twin cam iirc, neither found their way onto the XS650.
And the XS goes back to 1968.A mate of mine bought an XS650 new in the late '70s - the UK model that had the frame braced with input from Percy Tait. I rather liked it.
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