'79 XS650 Special

[madmax-im]

Wow...Saw this at the VYR back in Sept..from ST Louis... forsale ofc...

[donebysunday]

sold ?

The 78XS650SE/79XS650SF had hinged seat and the 80XS650G also, all basically the same seat, very comfortable. 78SE/79SF had points the 80 on had the TCI ign.. The 80 XS650SG had the lift off seat and was also one of the most comfortable, for me. In 81 Yamaha started the stepped seat, for me the step pushed me to far forward and less room to move around, OK for around town but longer rides I prefer the 80XS650SG seat or 78/79/80G (goes for the 1100Special too for me). Also 78SE/79SF/80SG had single disc brakes front and rear, that rear takes a little getting used to as it's got much more stopping power than the drums though if both are working properly there is not much difference.
This is a very clean example, I'd like to know more about it even though I'm full up.

[madmax-im]

Its still forsale..the seller has put it away for the Winter and will relist in the Spring..The bike has been completely gone through..its as turnkey as they get...I found it on the xs650.com site...I will copy and paste the details...


I am considering selling my 79 XS Special, and will be taking it to the North Carolina rally as well as to Barber Vintage Fest directly afterward, if you want to see it. If anyone is interested I will bring the title and paperwork along.
This is a low miles unmolested orignal in perfect working order.Stored indoors all these years it is in fantastic condition. Has the rear disk brake and black paint with gold fleck. Everything has been rebuilt, ie carbs, new air cleaners and air boot, brakes, rebuilt gas petcocks, valves adjusted, speedo and tach lubed, etc., etc. Has the original seat, perfect paint, cases stripped of old clear coat and polished, new battery...it looks like new and runs perfect. All electrical is works perfect. Asking $3000 And I'll guarantee you won't find a better one. Original tools, owner's manual, sales brochure, key... it's all there. Thanks for looking.

[madmax-im]

The 78XS650SE/79XS650SF had hinged seat and the 80XS650G also, all basically the same seat, very comfortable. 78SE/79SF had points the 80 on had the TCI ign.. The 80 XS650SG had the lift off seat and was also one of the most comfortable, for me. In 81 Yamaha started the stepped seat, for me the step pushed me to far forward and less room to move around, OK for around town but longer rides I prefer the 80XS650SG seat or 78/79/80G (goes for the 1100Special too for me). Also 78SE/79SF/80SG had single disc brakes front and rear, that rear takes a little getting used to as it's got much more stopping power than the drums though if both are working properly there is not much difference.
This is a very clean example, I'd like to know more about it even though I'm full up.

I have never cared for the double bucket seat that was re-covered by Saddleman that was on my '79 XS1100...it never felt good.. ever. But i also find that what was "comfortable" to me 30 some odd yrs ago..is now un acceptably uncomfortable..so who knows..but this is a dayrider not a mega LD machine...

[donebysunday]

Travel

Depends on how you travel ? Wife and I would stick to the back roads, 25-65mph and be on the 650 all day (she hates freeways).
I went to the Wild Cat rally and put 750+- miles on in 36 hours using a 80XS650SG seat on my 83.
It can be done and pleasantly. Unlike my BMW K100LT we could not stand to sit on it for more than 2 hrs.

[madmax-im]

I'm just admiring the styling of the old school bikes..I have had people tell me that the 1979 XS650 special is the worst model year to buy..just bad eletrical and carbueration isuues..IDK personally obviously.
I prefer 4 cyl shaft driven bikes..so I would be more inclined to get XJ650 maxim or Seca or XJ750 maxim/seca...

[donebysunday]

78/79 xs650

Don't know why anyone would say these are the worst ? I've had about 15 of them out of 75+ total and simple is the word for all of them.Gearing changes piece of cake, electronic iggy, no problem, exhaust, hell make your own. I like the drum brake rear as it's easy to switch 16" wheel for 18", cast for spoke. They use the same basic electrical of all the pre-80 bikes. Once the carbs are set they run as well as any. The 16" rear looses a little ground clearance but still can be thrown into the corners pretty well as long as the rider understands. Many say the 77D was the best with it's 19" front wheel and 18" rear (makes it feel like a big bicycle) but the 78E and 79F standards were basically the same bikes.
BTW 79 was the only year they made 3 versions, standard XS650F, XS650-2F and XS650SF, the 2F being by far the rarest.
All in all JMHO.

[bikerphil]

The XS650 looks like a great bike, I have never ridden one. Ben, I would think you may be disappointed in the power as compared to an XS11 or a Suzy Bandit. It is nice to get up and out of the way when needed. Not to mention the vibrations given off from a parallel twin. JMHO

[madmax-im]

Hi Phil..agreed..power isn't there with the twins...am preferring a xj650 of some sort..Xs11s are too heavy and Bandits too expensive to replace...so Maxim or Seca 650s would make a nice ride for the rallies...

[madmax-im]

Don't know why anyone would say these are the worst ? I've had about 15 of them out of 75+ total and simple is the word for all of them.Gearing changes piece of cake, electronic iggy, no problem, exhaust, hell make your own. I like the drum brake rear as it's easy to switch 16" wheel for 18", cast for spoke. They use the same basic electrical of all the pre-80 bikes. Once the carbs are set they run as well as any. The 16" rear looses a little ground clearance but still can be thrown into the corners pretty well as long as the rider understands. Many say the 77D was the best with it's 19" front wheel and 18" rear (makes it feel like a big bicycle) but the 78E and 79F standards were basically the same bikes.
BTW 79 was the only year they made 3 versions, standard XS650F, XS650-2F and XS650SF, the 2F being by far the rarest.
All in all JMHO.

I know nothing about them but i would guess that you are wel connected with them to know ..I am quoting this person from ADVrider ..as he made comments on the '79XS650 posted here and on advrider...his discussion follows.......

"I have nothing against parallel twins, I just had really bad luck with my 79 XS650 Special. I've commented on it before and the consensus was the "Special" models had a lot more problems than the earlier ones. The Special models have bad wiring that corrodes easily, poor grounding (esp the negative battery cable), poor hand controls (both the starter and horn button fell out of my controls), and worst of all ABYSMALLY BAD CARBURETORS. The 79 still runs points and mechanical advance. Between my friend ownign the bike and me owning the bike, in three years time we had the following problems:

Replaced points and condenser
Replaced coils (didn't help it start)
Replaced advance mechanism.
Replaced advance mechanism rod (the ultimate problem with the springs not returning, it was warped)
Replaced swingarm bushings TWICE. In three years!
Replaced every single part inside the carburetors. Jets, pilots, every rubber piece, even the floats, with OEM parts
Replaced the intake runners

After all that, it still wouldn't run reliably from one day to the next. The CV carbs were junk! One day it'd run rich, the next so lean the pipes glowed. It would cough mid-ride and then start running entirely differently. It never once started on the electric starter. It would spin until the battery died, never catching. But two kicks usually had it started (some days 20 kicks, but usually 2). I had to replace the starter and horn buttons with buttons out of a game controller - after disassembling and cleaning both controls. The bike vibrated so much the points were out of adjustment by the time I got to the end of the block. Put it on the center stand and rev the motor and it would vibrate backwards, uphill, at a walking pace. <-- this is not an exaggeration. I backed out of parking spots like this. I could hold the front wheel between my knees and turn the bars and the whole front end would flex - moving the wheel to a new position. Everything was tight, this was just a "feature" of the bike. I could ride down the road with the handlebars pointed to the left or the right, because the wheel was tweaked to the side. The wiring was horrid. Visible corrosion everywhere. I had a bad connector (wire crumbled to bits and pulled out of the bullet crimp) and cut back wiring so I could solder on a new piece of wire with a new bullet connector... and couldn't. The wire was corroded 2 feet into the harness, I never could find a piece that would take solder. It was all blackened with a powdery substance on it that had to be brushed off.

This was 1997, back when the bike wasn't even 20 years old yet. I have no doubt that with the earlier round slide carbs, a completely new wiring harness, bronze swingarm bushings (not available then - remember, no internet!), a fork brace, and an electronic ignition conversion it could be reliable. The engines are bulletproof for the most part. But that model year had serious problems with the wiring and carburation, which was not a problem with the earlier bikes.

Note this was shed-stored all its life before we got it, and in my dad's garage when I owned it. It's not like it was found neglected and rotting behind a barn somewhere, it was a runner when he bought it. "

[donebysunday]

This guy

I won't drag this out, let me just some it up this guy has no clue, period...
I've a very nice 79 I'm drooling over but no room, 6000 original miles, man says $1800 but $1500 will sell it, dang near new, rode it around the block, for a bike that has been ridden little, it runs very well, only problem, it's RED, I hate RED !

[madmax-im]

I do believe you are correct that this person has no effing clues about these bikes...but then neither do i..
I had a feeling this was the case...the guy is maily a hardley rider anyway..guess that makes sense now...

[madmax-im]

I won't drag this out, let me just some it up this guy has no clue, period...
I've a very nice 79 I'm drooling over but no room, 6000 original miles, man says $1800 but $1500 will sell it, dang near new, rode it around the block, for a bike that has been ridden little, it runs very well, only problem, it's RED, I hate RED !

I love red bikes...

[donebysunday]

Red

R E D Y O U L I K E ! https://ibb.co/album/gjizOv

[madmax-im]

Sweet bike...only $1500? wow...