xs650 build/entry : part 3

Well we did the whole DMV dance last week and made Purple Rain legal for the road. The last time this bike had any road duty was 1986. I wanted to do a few hundred miles on it to make sure it will stay running and together on the Ozark Mountain Scramble. I did 250 miles over the weekend on country roads with many different elevations and terrain. The sample roads ranged from small village 30 mph streets to 5 mile long uphill pulls and hills with 70 mile per hour down hill sweepers.

What we found out is the engineers that designed and built this motor knew how to build the reliability in. Once I worked out the fuel issues with leaking petcocks and dry rotted fuel lines we were able to keep the motor running on 2 cylinders. Knock on wood the electrical is all stock and has never been played around with. Everything electrical works with the exception of the horn and the back light for the tachometer.

We need to address a few item that are not show stoppers but in the name of safety should be repaired. The list is as follows:

1) Replace the rear swing arm bushings. When you apply the rear brake it shifts the swingarm and changes the direction you are traveling.

2) Replace the fork seals as they are weeping and spraying down the front of the bike with oil.

3) Replace the front brake pads as they were oil soaked at one time and it takes a country mile to stop. I have ridden drum brake bikes with more front brake stopping power than this bike.

4) Replace the high-low beam switch on the handlebars I looked down one moment it was there then the next moment is was gone.

5) Wash it up and get it ready for the 1100 mile truck ride From NY to Arkansas.

Tim