The engine holds back at high rpm

The carb settings are freaking me out; tried other

pods, other mufflers and main jets... Think I've

change the mainjets to about 152,5 now....

Project XS: Summer of test riding

Yeah I know; lack of updates about the XS650. Too busy fixing small problems; carburator settings, frontbrake (had to add an extra caliper for better braking), leaking petcock, things that losend because of the vibration of the bike etc... Last weekend I went to a rally, when I came home I noticed my seat snapped just underneath the seatpan. All these things are fixed now... waiting for the next problem to come up

Nearly done...

Waiting for the rear fender and gastank at the moment. And I've to fix the
front brake: I used a wrong combination of brake caliper and master cylinder.

Exhaust shields

Made 2 exhaust shields from an old WW II bullet cartridge.

Exhaust welded!

Michael from General Wheels finished all the
weldings on my stainless steel exhaust last week.

Project XS: painted parts

After a lot of grinding and sanding... the 43 parts
are painted satin black and ready to be bolted on!

Just finished the frame

Bit of bondo

Primer

Semi gloss black finishing

Rough finish

The plan is to take the bike apart, finish some
weldings, do the electrics and paint the
parts with a rattlecan (except for the fender
and tank). After that I'm going to ride it all
summer and make sure that everything is ok...

It's a pitty when everything is coated and nicely
finished and you have to do some welding or
change parts.

When everything is alright after riding it this
summer, I'll take the bike apart again and finish
it properly.

Just finished my seat!

Seat made from scratch; seatpan, foam and leather cover.

Changed the kicker pedal

Found an old brass faucet today at the
lokal junkstore. Changed it into a kicker pedal.

Simplified XS650 wiringdiagram

I made this simplified wiringdiagram based on a XS650 1981
(7 wire ignitionbox) diagram. Need one as a pdf file?
Contact me at: dcharged@gmail.com

Welding the exhaust: Day 2

Jan took a day off so we could go on this afternoon.
Hopefully all the tackwelding is done by next saturday.

Welding the exhaust: Day 1

Today my mate Jan and I started at 9 am to tackweld the
exhaust. First I wanted the right exhaust to lead to the
lower muffler. But when we talked it over and fitted different
pieces it wasn't what I had in mind... too many bends.
Now it's got a nice straight horizontal line when you look
at the bike from aside. Next saturday we're going to do
the left one.

Seat for my XS: Part III

After I made a seatpan and shaped the foam
(see one of my older posts), it was my mom's turn
to make the leather cover. My mom is one of
the best and precise seamstress' I know, normally she
makes clothes. This is the third seat I'm making
together with her and every time it gets better.
This one is based on the old Bates Tuck'n'Roll seats
but smaller shaped so it will fit my bike better.

Gascap in progress

Meanwhile Ray is making me a brass gascap
with a great ornament around it!

Ray of light...

Together with Ray I made this taillight from
an old brass thing (I don't know what it was).

Taillight inner shell bracket thing...

Licenseplate light/back up light

Thanks to Ray who gave me this old bicycle light.
I modified it and put LED lights in it.

Shift knob

Made from brass and a green glass.

Thanks to Karin for making the brass holder!

The start of an exhaust...

These parts will become an exhaust in a couple of weeks.