Picked up an 83 XS650 Heritage Special

[rpgoerlich]

For $400 with 15kmi on it. Been sitting for a couple years but was started a year ago. Will need a battery, shift shaft seal and some TLC. Had fresh oil and filter, but was overfilled by a qt or 2. Drained it down. Charged the battery enough to get 12v but it wouldn't turn the starter. Kick started it with a short shot of starting fluid on second kick. Idled great, rode fine up to 5k and loses power. Replaced fuel line and filter. Will have to pull carbs anyway for a cleaning and to replace fuel T as it's leaking.

[DGXSER]

Very nice Richard! I am sure you will have it road ready and sparkling in a week or two. Looks like a nice easy one.

[ManitoulinLad]

Great Ride

Looks in great shape, that's exactly the same year & model I had a few years ago till I went to the 1100. I put over 30,000 km's on it in 3 years without a problem (once I got the charging unit rebuilt) You'll have an easy time with any parts as I dealt with XS650direct.com (cdn website but they have an american one) & they have literally everything brand new for these bikes. Love the kick start & always had people wanting to check it out - you won't regret it. oh, I did go with the 32 teeth rear gear & then all the gears went up one & got amazing mileage & still had the power. F.Y.I. put a steel back plate on licence plate as the bikes vibs break it off eventually - at least mine did - Dan

[jetmechmarty]

I bought one of those new in 1983. I still have it and ride it often. I took it the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway and back last summer.

There is a lot of support for that bike. There is a very good email group at www.micapeak.com, as well as at least a couple of forums like this one.

[rpgoerlich]

Had a 72 XS650 XS2 when I lived in OK(1979). Picked it up with 1200mi on it for $450(divorce sale). Rode the snot out of that thing all over OK. Adjusting points and valves on a Friday before every weekend ride. Had there been the net then with all the resources I probably wouldn't have gotten rid of it.

I see alot of upgrades for these things from 750cc kits to rephasing cranks and electronics. Not much of a bobber enthusiast but there's quite a following for them there.

Just finished putting a battery in it. Replaced plugs and checked caps. Took it for a ride and now remember how well it sounded back then. PO has knocked out the plate at the end of both exhaust's around the baffle... Gonna have to weld a plate back in there. Still missing above 5k so I'm pulling the carbs now.

jetmechmarty, regarding the cylinders and head, I'm curious as it looks like they were originally painted black just like the case is. Yours?

Thanks all,

[jetmechmarty]

XS650SK colors

The '83 XS650SK engine is black. The head is black, the jugs are black, the case halves are black, and the carburetors are black. A small portion of the fins had the paint removed to expose aluminum on the outside edges.

Does your bike still have the elusive lower side cover on the left side? It looks like you picked up a good one! Mine has 50,000 miles on it, and I've never been in the engine or had it out of the frame.

[rpgoerlich]

Thanks, That'll help me with the correct restro on it.

[natemoen]

That's a nice lookin bike!

[fredintoon]

For $400 with 15kmi on it.

Hi Richard,
mine's a Canadian model '84 that I bought NOS in '86.
Has the artillery wheels instead of the wire wheels and I swapped in a Standard tank off a '75.
And yeah, it vibrates like a bastard. And Manitoulin Lad, I too ended up with two bolts holding on two small aluminum triangles where the plate used to be.
My fix was longer bolts and 3 rubber washers each side to isolate the new plate.

[rpgoerlich]

Took of a few days for what was supposed to be R&R... Worked all three days down South on my fish camp and here on the bikes.
The Rims did clean up nice though. After I pressure washed and degreased it, I blacked out the cylinders and head. Crankcase paint looked great. Looks like I'll be going in to replace the clutch, clutch rod seal, shift shaft seal and tach seal. While I have the crankcase covers off I'll strip and polish them up.

[fredintoon]

[QUOTE=rpgoerlich;314061 - - - The Rims did clean up nice though. After I pressure washed and degreased it, I blacked out the cylinders and head. Crankcase paint looked great. - - - [/QUOTE]

Hi Richard,
the Heritage came with head, barrels, carbs and crankcase all blacked out but with the cooling fin edges polished.
On mine, the crankcase paint has stayed as shiny black as a Mercury outboard but over the years the head & barrel paint has washed off &/or faded to show the natural aluminum colour. Which is fine by me. Back in the day we used to paint our cast iron heads and barrels with aluminum paint so that they'd look like the all-aluminum racing engines we couldn't afford to buy so that painting aluminum parts black so they look like cast iron is not what I'd want to do.

[jetmechmarty]

If you sand the paint off the edges of the fins, 3-4 inches wide, directly below the spark plugs, you'll have it just as original for 1983.

Nice looking bike!

[rpgoerlich]

That's next Marty, Just letting it cook a little before I start cleaning the fins.

Fred, That crankcase almost looks like a powder coat. Probably why it's in such good condition.

Seals have been leaking so long, oil has cooked on the pipes. Got most if it off after I heated it up riding and used some aluminum foil and chrome cleaner.

Doesn't look like I'll ever find that Elusive left lower cover though...

[jetmechmarty]

In the past several years, my bike is the only one I have seen with both lower side covers still on it. The lower covers are peculiar to the '82 & '83 ('84 in Canada) Heritage Special. They come up on eBay occasionally, and bring large $$.

[ManitoulinLad]

no lowers either

Mine was an '83 & it had no lowers either. Cdn model. You got used to it. Does look better though with one there - Dan