Noobie from Ohio

dnalls · Posted: November 9, 2008, 7:51 pm Post subject: Noobie from Ohio

Hello everyone! I just received my 81 650 special on Friday so I'm excited. It had been sitting unused for several years so some work is required to ride it. I'm a newbie and just received my motorcycle endorsement a month ago. Any advice that you or the other members can give would be greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to give my two cents when I've acquired enough knowledge to do so. Before pics will shortly follow.

xsleo · Posted: November 10, 2008, 12:39 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

welcome to the forum. make sure the battery is fully charged. new gas, any thats been sitting very long is no good. if it starts and runs ok, your doing good. if not, get a repair manual, the most important tool you can buy. start by cleaning the carbs, checking the alternator output. the igition doesn't work well with low voltage. if you get it running good then you can start with other fixes. like tires, brakes, swing arm and steering head bearings. we will be here to help, good luck

dnalls · Posted: November 10, 2008, 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

Thanks xsleo. I haven't tried to start it yet because the clutch cable is stripped off at the lever. When I attempt to change gears with the lever, it doesn't seem to come out of gear. The rear wheel is locked and I'm not sure if it's because it's in gear or a locked rear brake. Any suggestions? Thanks!

jayel · Posted: November 10, 2008, 11:56 pm Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

rock the rear wheel back and forth while trying to move the shift lever,..... they don't like to shift without the parts in there moving
81 disc brake on the rear?

pumps · Posted: November 11, 2008, 1:02 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

Welcome dnalls and congrats on receiving your motorcycle endorsement. It was sort of a special moment for me. Be sure to put your location and model of your XS in your signature. There might be a member near you that could help you or ride with you. Having the model of your bike in the signature lets us know what you have when you have a question. Saves a little bit of time perhaps.

dnalls · Posted: November 11, 2008, 11:02 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

Thanks jayel, I'll give that a shot. The rear brake is expanding type, not disk.

jayel · Posted: November 11, 2008, 11:47 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

drum brakes on a 81, spoked wheel or mag? they only made the drum mag for that one year........
81 xs650SH 16" mag/drum xs650H SpecialII 16" spoked wheel which is rare too..

dnalls · Posted: November 12, 2008, 12:04 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

jayel, it's a drum brake on a mag wheel. I haven't taken pictures yet but if you go to the following website, you'll see one just like it. www.papowerequipment.c...veh=903615

jayel · Posted: November 12, 2008, 12:23 am Post subject: Re: Noobie from Ohio

cool you've got a XS650SH with highly desirable and fairly rare rear wheel, did you get the wheel to turn? brake shoes could be rusty, back off the adjustment nut on the brake rod and tap the lever backwards a little bit to let the shoes have some room to close up

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Yamaha xs650