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1971 Yamaha XS1B (XS650)

  • Thread starter Thread starter russr33
  • Start date Start date
R

russr33

Guest
So a client of mine told me her sister-in-law had an old Yamaha that belonged to her deceased husband and did I want to take a look at it. Went over and found this sitting in corner of garage. Sweet!

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No title, will need battery, carb clean, chioke cable and tank cleaned . All original though. just under 30,000 miles. Check out the oil cooler that looks like it came out of a refrigerator.

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Great project, I see a cafe/fighter/tracker in there somewhere..:D Isn't that what they call them now?
 
Man wouldn't it be a shame if someone did that to that bike Joe? Not that I have a problem with modifications (obviously), but don't do it to an example like that. One's that are that clean and original should stay that way. I wouldn't even restore it; I love the patina on this thing. REALLY like the color.
 
steve murdoch said:
Very nice!
Kick start if i remember right?
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Yep kick start only. Electronic start didn't begin until '72 I believe. That's the one bad spot for me. My only other XS650 left me writhing in pain on my garage floor twice. Once from a kick back but by far the worst on a free kick. I thought I had tore my damn ACL on that one.
 
My first street bike was a 70
Thanks for the memories!
Mine was burgandy red. Awesome bike!!
 
The Triumph Triumph SHOULD have built. ;)

Another local guy Steve and I see from time to time has one of those...not sure of the year but it was before the "XS" designation. Got some aftermarket pipes on it lil more open, and he's "slimmed" it down a little bit. Not quite original but not quite cafe racer. Sounds fantastic! Love the sound of a Ptwin. Lil too small for me or I'd have considered buying it as he was asking around $1500 for it.
 
Awesome find! If that were mine I'd get it running good, dust it off, maybe a little polish and ride it just like that.
 
TheCafeKid said:
The Triumph Triumph SHOULD have built. ;)

Another local guy Steve and I see from time to time has one of those...not sure of the year but it was before the "XS" designation. Got some aftermarket pipes on it lil more open, and he's "slimmed" it down a little bit. Not quite original but not quite cafe racer. Sounds fantastic! Love the sound of a Ptwin. Lil too small for me or I'd have considered buying it as he was asking around $1500 for it.
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I had a 77 and people always asked me if it was a Triumph. I told them it was a BSA.
:D
 
I had a '76 XS650 I picked up while stationed in Alaska, it had about 1,000 miles on it and I believed I paid $900 for it, or vice versa, can't recall exactly. Lots of low end torque, but boy did it vibrate! A real challenge to red-line it and keep your hands on the grips. Didn't get to put many miles on it, started snowing soon after I got it and spend most of the time under a tarp until spring when I sold it as I had just bought a '78 GS1000E. :D
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I really liked the styling of the bike which I referred to as a Japanese Bonneville.
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My brother was into these for along time, and as I recall the real early ones had some handling issues with frame flex in the neck area. As I recall if you look at the newer ones Yamaha did some bracing in that area.I believe if I remember correctly 72 is the first year electric start and disc front brake. Check out Mikes XS all these things can be answered there.
 
russr33 said:
Man wouldn't it be a shame if someone did that to that bike Joe? Not that I have a problem with modifications (obviously), but don't do it to an example like that. One's that are that clean and original should stay that way. I wouldn't even restore it; I love the patina on this thing. REALLY like the color.
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Agreed it so cool like it is
 
So nice to see a survivor that hasn't been tossed down the road a couple of times. Such groovy paint, too.

Looks like it will be a worthwhile and rewarding project. I am also in the "keep it as original as possible" camp. Far too many of these bikes have been cut up already.

Hope the lack of a title doesn't pose a big problem -- here in Indiana, it's pretty much a show-stopper. I seem to recall Texas has more enlightened laws.

Post lots of pics!
 
X1's are rare enough that they should be saved rather than cut up. My best friend had one in the 70's. It was super reliable, but anything but fast. He was very angry that my Atlas was quite a bit faster. Wonky handling, too.

Still, they are very pretty. The electric start XS650's are a dime a dozen, especially Specials,but those X1's were two years only I think, and there just aren't many around.

Nice find.
 
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+100 on the no chopping! That bike is worth far more stock and truly is collectible. I would be thinking frame off cleanup and reno. That is a gem my friend. Lucky you and thanks for sharing.

Spy

PS. Go over to the XS650Garage, the only other forum like this one. Cool bunch of guys.
 
My 1974 TX650A (the XS prefix only started a couple of years later if memory serves) was one of the bikes in my past I wish I had been able to keep. It was a truly honest motorcycle. Great sound through the stock pipes, wonderful torque, manageable handling and beautiful appearance. I loved just spending a Saturday morning shining it up before my afternoon ride.

http://www.biker.net/flyers/650_ads.htm

If this find of yours had happened for me, I'd be clearing long-term living space somewhere in my shed for it right now.....:)
 
Do NOT modify that bike. Just clean it and get it running good. It's very rare to see examples of stock XSs in that shape.
 
Maddevill said:
Do NOT modify that bike. Just clean it and get it running good. It's very rare to see examples of stock XSs in that shape.
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I was thinking of buying a sawzall later today and just start hacking. You know, rigid frame, open pipes, jockey shift, no front brake. Totally "Bad A$$". :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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