XS PROJECT

Just bought a 1976 XS 500, yes, the one with 4 valves per jug & a tendency to crack heads.
This one will end up black & gold, Mrs Wiz is sick of blue (

 

i think it was fixed by that year. the 73-74's were the junk bikes

 

gee wiz. i envy you

 

Well, it's a complete change, Schooter...........

 

I bought a '78 model still in the crate in '79 - -black with gold pinstripes, and tiny gold flecks in the paint ! It ran flawlessly, and due to counterbalancing, a very smooth motor.

 

That's encouraging, Time, do you have any pictures? Wiz...........

 

tell Mrs Wiz i said "thank you"

 

I have 2 pictures of used bikes (black/gold) off the net I can send to Schooter to post here, but none of my bike. We have very few pics of our bikes from the '70's and '80's.

Does your bike have rear disc and the little tail cowl?? Mine also had a little round grab bar back there.

I fitted mine out with a large smoke windscreen and a rack. I built a wood box and small wind deflectors under the windscreen that really helped out.

 

Yeh, rear disc & twin front discs, grab bars under the seat forward of the indicators & a boxy looking rear cowl.
Give the Schoot' the pics, that would be good. Wiz...........

 

It should end up looking like this............

 

I guess the USA model had single front disc and chrome fenders.
The pics coming soon are EXACTLY my naked bike.
Notice the ultra long mufflers !!

 

Well well well, and th only bidder too. Now you'll have other forums to play in......Gee... I think I'm jealous now. :>
Hope y have fun with it. How's th tank?

 

Actually, I was the second bidder......
I only know what you can see in the picture, exciting isn't it.........

 

Dad also bought a '73-'74 just to get the crash bar off it for my bike, and it was going cheap. It was a wet rag compared to my new bike.

He bought a new one in '75 and we went on camping trips to Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada. It was fitted out with a Windjammer on 2" wooden spacers, 'cause we're tall. (I'm from Ohio).

My black bike did have 2 problems in 25,000 miles- - a fuse blew due to a wiring short to frame, and the rear caliper wouldn't release once.
To get home, I smeared grease on the rotor that I grabbed from under some car's tie rod boot.

Where's those pics Schooter !!

 

kk well my friend is at work so i have time to use his laptop:

one like Time had when he was 16, but he noted that there are aftermarket pipes on it unlike the really long stockers


and time was going to bid on this bike:

 

Got the old girl home today, if the 25k kilometors on the clock is right there might be hope.
This fuse box must take the prize.
Whipped the plugs out to get an idea of what the motor was doing when it went into retirement 15 years ago.
It has 2 cv carbs, can't see what make yet.
I have got the side panels, just put them in the truck, so they didn't blow away.
Bike has no keys, which is a pain...
I am supprised how big this bike is & the motor is huge for a 500 twin.
First job, I will take off the valve cover & see what is working in there.

 

See? Ciggy paper will get you home EVERY time :lol:

 

The motor is completely siezed & I had to cut the chain off with bolt cutters (

 

so far so good, the center stand works !

 

Wiz, I hate to say this but that one may be a goner?

 

No- it's just a test for that "mouse milk" stuff that frees up rings.

Are all non running bikes in Australia parked within 15 miles of the Ocean ??
Everything you've found is covered in rust !!

 

That's not rust, it's kangaroo poop. ;o)

 

Now for some good news, the motor was solid on the kick start because the 2 exhaust valves on #2 are stuck open, I removed the left crank cover & rotated the motor counter clock wise at the rotor, the pistons move freely in the bores.
I'm pleased because I didn't know how I was going to get the head off if I couldn't rotate the cam chain to the removeable link.
Note in pic 2 they used the same starter clutch set up as the XJ, but in a more accessable possition, so maybe not all progress is good. :roll:

 

^^^

sounds like my cb750 motor... thought it was seized until i could turn it backwards..... thoght i may have been freeing it up so ikept going back and forth... until it wouldnt move... i think somethings wrong with the timing... but i may have messed it up.... and so its sat in my barn....


but good luck wiz, i know you'll have this like new within a week!

 

Mikuni BS 538.
If anyone knows where the vac gauge goes to sync' these babes I would be grateful for the input.

 

On the manifolds or the head??

 

Looks a little bit better than the Norton I paid $1200 for. Actually the money don't count when you're buying what you want.

 

For the vac look on the manifolds, that's where they are for my BS34's

 

Found where the vac sync' adaptors go, just have to make the adaptors (
& can I sinc' these with 1 gauge?

 

If those openings are 5mm or 6mm, then you can order adapters for the Morgan Carbtune. Here's a link (if the link doesn't show the adapters, then go to the accessories page):

Carbtune adapters

 

Sure can :wink:

http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp

 

Nice one Hillsy

 

Here's a picture of the culprits.
This is a good sign, the oil I put down the plug holes is still sitting there ;O)

 

A friend of mine had one of these in the 80's. It was a bit clattery (But then his idea of maintenance was filling it up with petrol occasionally)! It was a red model with white graphics.

He lived near Newmarket and the horses didn't like his loud exhaust!

 

Confucius he say "a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"
so I have finished the sprocket.
I will post another picture after the mill & wheels have been soda blasted.

 

That is going to be a nice bike when you are done. I like it.

 

wow those wheels look alot dirtier than in the first pic... so does the motor...

what is the material that the soda blaster uses? just baking soda?

good luck

 

Yeh, it's just regular soda, but under high pressure, the plant is the size of an RV.

 

Hey wiz, I'm picking up a '78 in a week or two (as soon as the guy gets the title) You know where I might be able to get a wiring diagram? This thing is all hacked as far as wiring is concerned, I think I'm gonna have to start from scratch.

 

Rigid, PM me your email add' & I'll send you a copy. Wiz.

 

Here's a simple tool I made for drawing the fork seals, a piece of 1/4" plate & 2- 8mm bolts.
The larger XJs have a ring on the inner fork tube that knocks out the seal, not so this bike, I don't know if the 550s are like this.

 

Non working starter relay, stripped it & the wiring was fine, just the centre core was corroded through standing for 15 years, gave it a squirt of WD40 & a few twists & it was working. The hardest part is getting the thing apart without breaking anything, you have to un-solder the 2 thin wires, I took the connectors off as well, but this isn't neccessary if you can free the solder.

 

wow, thats impressive

 

This is how they used to hook up the fuse box in the olden days, but what a breeze to switch it out for the blade type.

 

Progress, frame is sound, just dirt & surface rust, picture shows frame in primer.

 

The work stand is sound exept for the feet, which have suffered from a touch of metal worm, so I performed what a cobbler would call a half sole & heel, with some 1.5mm M/S.

 

Nearly finished prepping & priming all the chasis parts, I think these old bikes were just given a coat of black, does anyone know what the original paint spec' was?

 

Chasis parts finished in 2 pack.
Swing arm fitted, yes those are grease nipples. 8O

 

i see a place you missed, the edge of the gusset on the far side of the swingarm

 

That's a trick of the light, you're getting to be a real old curmudgeon lately, Polock.