New owner, few questions.

[ejoy1220]

Hello everyone, I just stumbled across this site looking for information on my 1980 XS850 Special, and it seems to be a wealth of imformation.

First off, the electric started button on my 850 just...popped off one day. I can still kickstart it, or just use a key to contact the started button inside the switch on the handlebars, but I would like to replace the button. Does anyone know if I can get a replacement for that?

Second question, I want to see about changing the bars on my 850. It has the long swept back ones, and I want to see if it's possible to swap to a downwards and back angled cafe racer style bars. I've seen pics, and read about the clubman bars, but they seem more straight than what I am looking for. Is it possible to just swap any bars like that onto the bike, or is there a certain size/model I should be looking for on eBay?

Thanks for all the help, let me know if this is the wrong forum for these questions.

[bgrubb7]

Try this link for the starter button...
https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index...ory=electrical

...and this one for the bars
http://www.mikesxs.com/mikesxs-chass...ategory_id=1.4

[ejoy1220]

Holy Crap! I wasn't expecting anything that fast...or so completely dead on! I've been looking for this stuff for days! Thanks!

[ejoy1220]

Also, is there any major modification that has to be made to get the bars to fit correctly, or is it basically a long on thing? How dramatically will it change the handling and how?

I wonder if there is also a way to slightly change the seating position with the bars like that.

[TopCatGr58]

Behind Better Bars!

Hey Ejoy,

While you're at Mikes XS, they also have the Starter Buttons! And IF you order $35.00 worth of parts, you get free shipping. If you like BLING, they have a great looking Handlebar clamp, fully chromed, that fits the XS11, the 650's, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it would also fit the 850!

The problem folks with Standards going to longer bars is that their cables aren't long enough to reach back. However, you've got a Special(buckhorn style bars tells all!!), and so you should have more than enough length to fit any bars you want. IF you go for narrower hand position, then you may reduce your overall leverage making it a bit harder to turn, more so at slower speeds. Also, the front brake Master Cylinder is probably angled, and with flatter bars, it will be tilted a bit more, but as long as you have it level when topping it off, then it should work just fine!
Also, will want to measure and use the measurements provided on the web site to verify that the bars will clear or not hit the tank!

The seating position is a bit more difficult! What type of change are you looking to do? Many folks are trying to LOWER their seat height due to being vertically challenged! I'm 6'6" tall, and so I went the other way, and RAISED MINE!!!

Aside from actually reworking the seat cushion, about all you can do is put on slightly shorter length rear shocks which will let the rear end sit a bit lower closer to the ground.

As the ticker tape on the main web page here says, ALL MODELS are welcome....we mean it, but it's good you have a YAMAHA, and better still that it's a SPECIAL!!!

[ejoy1220]

Thanks for the info TopCat!

Regarding seating position, I'm not too big (6'1'' and 225lbs) so I guess I'll just want until I get the bars on before making any changes to the seat at all.

Here is a quick photoshop I did using a picture of an XS11 with short bars grafted to the front of my 850. The angles didn't match perfectly, and it's a little sloppy as it's a 10 minute job, but it gets the look I was looking for, and I can't wait to try this!

Before:


After:


Is there a certain procedure or anything to look out for when doing a barswap? Any step-by-steps out there? I have the Haynes manual, but it can be slightly vauge sometimes.

Thanks again!

[TopCatGr58]

Ejoy,

I hope you like hugging the tank, cause with that short of bars, you WILL be!

The swap is really just an unbolt and rebolt process. Everything, throttle grips, mirrors, clutch levers and MC will just unbolt from the bars. The only thing will be the left bar grip. IF you have access to an air hose, then sticking it in the end will assist you in removing the grip. Then just spritz some hairspray on/in the new one before pushing it on the new bars, will slide easily, and then be well locked in place when the spray sets/dries!

The bars just clamp down with the 4 allen head bolts at the Triple Tree. Just try to keep the MC relatively level when moving, and don't pump the lever IF it does get severely tilted so as not to get the air into the line.

You may have to curl/loop the cables IF they are too long. Just be careful to not induce any binding while you're routing them!
T.C.

[Targetman]

Yes, like T.C. says, watch for binding of the throttle cable..

When you get everything switched over and BEFORE you go for the first ride, put it on the center stand and let it idle. Then turn the bars from lock to lock and see if the engine revs. I put short bars from a cb500 on mine and even though there was enough free play in the cable, it would rev the engine when the bars were turn full right. After re-routing it went away. Don't want any surprises when you're doing a slow turn in a crowded parking lot......

[ejoy1220]

Wow, I love that color blue!

Im trying to decide between a set of Clubman cafe style bars, or cafe style bars from MikesXS. Are they the same design/style? I can't tell really from looking at pictures of the two. Are there any differences?