Sad day for an XS650

[jetmechmarty]

PO said it ran when he parked it, a year before I bought it, and it had a title.

It has original patina, too!


I found this one when I went to my favorite salvage yard for a station wagon bumper. I gave $30 for it. It was running when new! The photo was taken after I stripped most of the useless rusty crap off of it. I don't know what I'll do with it, but it won't be a chopper. It's a one year, one model only aluminum rim Special.

[Schming]

Is that an '81 Marty ?

This '81 was abandoned by one of my father in laws tenants, and I tried for a year to get the title to no avail. I stopped trying when I picked up the '77D and sold this last spring for $ 300.00 to Bob . . . you know the bobber guy.



Only good thing about all the rat rod black the PO did was it protected parts from rusting.

[jetmechmarty]

The last pic of the junkyard bike is a '79. It's a XS6502F or '79 Special II. The foreground bike in the bikes in the driveway pic is an 81. It's the only one with a drum brake in the cast wheel.

[Schming]

I guess I'm wrong about the year of the blacked out bike on the trailer, I have it written down somewhere, although it's gone so no matter.

Can't wait to hear the sound of those bazooka pipes on my '77D.

Will the VIN reveal the original paint color ?

It's either Maxi-Maroon or Bountiful Blue.

Do you know of anyone selling NOS or really good replica seat covers ?

[jetmechmarty]

Saddlemen seat cover is your best bet. The link takes you to a good price.

I can't help with the color, but most of the survivors I encounter are blue. Try the XS650 Garage USA forum. Perhaps someone there can decode it for you.

Your exhaust appears to be stock and in very fine condition.

Diablo Cycle has your decals.

[Schming]

Thanxs for the links Marty.

My exhaust is original with no holes, dents or scrapes, but has some pitting and may need rechromed if they won't polish up.

I don't think the Saddlemen covers have the Painted "Yamaha" on the rear of the seat and I'd like to stay original as possible.

[jetmechmarty]

Mike's XS might have what you want.


Diablo Cycle has your seat cover as well.

High quality reproduction seat cover.
Pattern on seat is embossed (not stitched) for original appearance.
Yamaha is printed on the back.
Hand strap included.

[Schming]

Thanxs so much for the links, Marty

I'll most likely go with Diablo Cycle, which I didn't realize was owned by Reproduction Decals, for the seat cover and decals as soon as I find out what the original color was.

[Protochicken]

Boy am I glad I am not the only one that thinks this way about that bike. I was REALLY hoping to stumble across a 650 that was restorable/good enough, so my GF could have something to ride. Her feet don't quite reach the ground straddling the 1100 haha.

[jetmechmarty]

There are still good XS650's out there. Keep in mind that it's a fairly tall bike. I'm not sure the seat is any lower than the XS1100.

[Schming]

Hi Proto, maybe have your girlfriend try an XJ 550, 650 or 750 out for size.

I'm blessed with a 30" inseam and my XJ 750 actually fits perfect but for two up riding the Eleven is the sh!t.

[Protochicken]

We are keeping our options open; she is barely 5'4, so her feet just kind of dangle on the XS. I am kicking myself a little for not buying an early 80's Shadow 500, since it would be perfect for her, but I was looking for a bike for me and it was too small. Also too much money for what it was. She glared at me a little when I showed her the CL ad for the XS650 I linked to. I told her I had already bought it for her, and she could owe me the money...

[jetmechmarty]

At 5'4", you'd best scratch the XS650. An 1100 cc Virago is a good fit. Greg in OK has your bike.

FWIW, the XS650 fits my daughter perfectly. She's 5'10".

[IanDMacDonald]

John Hughes in TX is selling a great-looking XJ perfect for ur gf Proto!

[CKlamer]

The link below will take you to Ebay and the company which is out of the UK makes a top quality cover and I can say this because I bought one for my 1979 XS1100F and had to send the seat off to Seth Laam so he could get the funk out of my seat pad.
He said that it was one of the best fitting aftermarket seat covers he had ever seen. He says most come from China and have at least a 2 inch gap in the fit.

I told these guys I will highly recomment them from now on.
They ship very quick and it's free.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-s...#ht_812wt_1124

Good Luck