Members bike owned by Lyn Watts

LIVING WITH;

1978 YAMAHA XS650D

OK so this might be considered a bit naff having matching his and hers XS650's but we don't care. We love 'em.

• Bought second hand in 1983 with 34,000 miles on the clock for £475.
• Engine rebuilt in 1994 on 58,000 including new main bearings fitted by the much missed Tony Hall of Halco fame. Total cost was around £900 with only the crank rebuild being labour in that £900.
• The rest of the bike was tarted up in 1997 on 68,000 miles with polyested coated frame and swing arm and head bearings of course. New Bower electronic ignition and new paintwork.
• 2006 saw new stainless steel front brake caliper pistons at 72,000 miles fitted due to old original chrome ones pitting and binding the brakes.

With the forks getting a little tired, it was decided that it was time to tidy the front up. This XS650D had a front end fitted some years previously from a Canadian grey import, this meant that it had a larger than standard single disc at 298mm. A bit later it was converted to a twin 298mm disc set up. This means that it now has exactly the same front brakes as a standard XS1100. The spare fork sliders were sent away to Triple S to have them powder coated silver as polishing and laquer doesn't last too long and most people wouldn't know the difference anyway.

The bung at the top of this model's forks has a 17mm recess that can be a pain in the arse to undo. If the forks are in the bike, make sure that you slacken off the top yoke clamp or else even the longest of bars will not get that bugger out. The bike will turn around first.

A handy XS650 engine bolt with two 17mm nuts on the end and locked together, works wonders to remove the bung as shown below.

The threads are cleaned ready for new stainless steel bolts

A suitably sized drift is used to locate the new fork seals

Better than new and hopefully will last much longer than the original laquer finish from Yamaha.