Last updated - Tuesday, 16 March 2010 10:33 AM
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Newsletter Number 96
The latest newsletter has now been posted and the internet
address sent to all email recipients.
If you haven't received an email with the newsletter address contact Terry
Gliddon as some Bigpond email recipients have not been receiving these emails
because Bigpond treats some bulk emails as SPAM and does not forward it to your
INBOX. If you think you are one of these bigpond customers let me know and I
will send you the address for the newsletter individually.
If your membership has lapsed this may also be the reason you haven't received
an email.
This only applies to Bigpond customers as far as I know.
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Dyno Day
Ivan Hoey has been talking to Marty and Craig at C&M
Motorcycles in Sydney and they have come up with a great idea, a Dyno Day.
When it can be arranged a weekend will be nominated when club members can take
their bike to C&M Motorcycles and for a small fee you can have it run on the
dyno, this will give you the Horsepower and Torque figures for your bike as well
as air/fuel ratio. You will come away from there with a print out of the dyno
run and a total picture of your bikes state of tune. This is a great opportunity
to find out if your carbies are doing their job right and whether your engine is
close to the HP figures specified by Yamaha.
This is an opportunity not to be missed !!!

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Good Friday Appeal
The "Z" owners club has invited us along to the Good Friday ride from Highway 31 Cafè in Sydney Road Brunswick to the Donnybrook Hotel to raise money the Royal Children's Hospital. More details soon.

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Nick McGinn has been working feverishly to get his tracker going so he has something to ride at the Broadford Easter Bonanza and he wants us all to come along and watch him. I was there last year and it is a great weekend with all three tracks operating and a range of bikes from every form of racing being displayed and ridden but this is not an organised racing event and bikes circulating around the tracks are there for display purposes only. So whether you like speedway, flat track, motocross, sidecar or road race there is something there for you. See you there - Toota


Nice bike Nick, hope you get it finished in time !!!
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Proposed changes to the club permit scheme in Victoria
This submission was sent in by Dave Rayner :-
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to comment on the proposed changes to the VicRoads Club Permit Scheme. I
am one of the founding members, and current secretary of the Yamaha XS-650 Club
of Australia. Our club began more than 15 years ago in Dubbo NSW, was originally
known as the Yamaha XS-650 Club of NSW and for a while, all members were
residents of NSW. The club was advertised in most of the trader magazines (Just
Bikes, etc) and soon, people from all over
After a few years, we changed our name to the Yamaha XS-650 Club of
Australia. We now have over 200 members across every state and territory, and
even several overseas. Our bikes were made from 1970
to 1983 and in 2000, the earliest model turned 30, the age at which they can be
“club registered” in NSW. Needless to say, owners of these models began
asking us about “club rego” (as it’s commonly called here in NSW) and we
approached the RTA of NSW to have our club formally recognised as a historic
vehicle club. This was achieved and as the years passed, more members obtained
club rego.
Soon enough, members from other states began asking for the same thing and
so we approached the road authorities in QLD, SA, and VIC and are now recognised
as a historic vehicle club in those states. As yet, members from TAS, WA, ACT
and NT have not raised the issue with us but we’ll act on their behalf if they
ever do. As a club recognised by VicRoads, it’s in response to the letter you
sent me that I write.
I myself have club rego in NSW and aside from my bike having to be 30
years old instead of just 25, it’s very much like the VicRoads scheme so I feel I’m qualified to make comment. I know from our SA
members about the scheme which operates there and to me, that is a far better
scheme than those operating in NSW and VIC. The fact is that our membership is
very spread out and many members are quite isolated from the main body of the
club in their respective states. Whilst they join the club to correspond with
others who share their interest, avail themselves of the collective knowledge
that the club has accumulated, and keep informed of bikes for sale, parts
sources and the like, they are often not in a position to ride on club events.
Distance is just one reason that keeps members – however keen – from
participating in club events. Work is another. I live in
Thus, I’m certain our Victorian members would be all in favour of the
log book system you propose as it would of great benefit to many of them.
Indeed, our non-SA members, myself included, would appreciate it if SA and
VicRoads would band together and lobby your counterparts in the other states to
follow suit. I believe the scheme you propose is a vast improvement over the
present one and also believe that there needs to be a national standard. Put
another way, just as owners of “normally registered” vehicles are subject to
the same rules of usage nation wide, so should owners of club registered
vehicles.
Not only do I support your proposal in principle, but also in it’s
details. The numbers of days usage, the pricing, loss of log book, etc., are
more than fair. Our VIC members look forward to this scheme coming into being
and I have no doubt our members in other states look forward to similar schemes
being introduced in those
states.
Kindest regards,
David Rayner,
Secretary of Yamaha XS-650 Club of Australia.
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AGM 2009
The 2009 AGM was held on the 7th of November 2009 at Geoff Bamford's home and as usual there was a good turn out of members attending. A full report on the meeting will follow but I can announce the result of the vote for club positions.
We have a new President, Geoff Bamford was unanimously voted in as president after Dave Taylor decided to stand down due to work and family commitments and we would like to thank Dave for his services to the club over the last seven years.
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The club is offering a Back Issues CD and two Race Team stickers for $30 including postage and packaging.

The total package price will be donated to the club racer project so if you got your Back Issues CD a while ago send your cheques or money orders to Terry Gliddon to receive the latest CD which includes all Newsletters from 1 - 95 as well as the Special Edition April Fools Editions and two XS650 Club Racing Team Stickers and all for just $30.
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Road Rules Warning
One of our members was booked for not displaying his headlight in adverse weather conditions on a recent ride and I rang the Victorian Police for a clarification of this rule. Following is the exact wording of the applicable road rule.
Be aware, especially in Victoria, that you may be booked if you are riding in the rain if you don't have your headlight on.
215. Using lights when driving at night or in hazardous weather conditions
(1) A driver must not drive at night, or in hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility unless—
(a) the headlights, tail lights and number plate light fitted to the driver’s vehicle are operating effectively and are clearly visible; and
(b) if the vehicle is fitted with clearance lights or side marker lights—those lights are operating effectively and are clearly visible.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
Note 1 Driver’s vehicle and night are defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 Drive includes be in control of—see the definition in the dictionary.
(2) However, this rule does not apply to a driver if the driver’s vehicle is stopped or parked at a place on a length of road, or in an area, to which a parking control sign applies and the driver is permitted to stop or park at that place under the Road Rules.
Note Length of road and parking control sign are defined in the dictionary.
(3) Also, a driver driving during the day in fog, or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility, may drive without the headlights of the driver’s vehicle operating if the vehicle is fitted with front fog lights and those lights are operating effectively and are clearly visible.
(4) In subrule (1), a reference to a kind of light fitted to a vehicle is a reference to a light of that kind required to be fitted to the vehicle as approved by the Corporation or as specified in Schedule 8 to the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 1999 (as the case requires).
This is a very grey area which personally I would be challenging in court, who determines what level of adverse weather conditions requires the turning on of the headlight, the rider whose life is at risk, or the police. The incident involving our member happened on the Mornington Peninsula where several cars passed without displaying a headlight. Needless to say they were not booked.
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Club Stuff
All items
for sale with club logo Embroidered
Baseball caps $22.50
Windcheaters/ Sloppy Joes $47.50
Polo shirts
$36.00
Polar fleece vest
$47.00
Screen-printed
Stubbie holders
$11.00
Tee shirts
$17.00
Singlets
$17.00
All prices include postage where
applicable within Australia
Contact Dave Rayner secretary@xs650.org.au
or deposit into;

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Nepean Speedway Meeting
Last weekend few of the members went to watch the race meeting at the Nepean Speedway. Ivan sent these pics of some of the club members bikes racing there. Rod Watts, Peter Lee and Herb Conlin all had bikes racing there on the day.

Herbs bikes in the pits before the accident.

Peter Lee & Rod Watts' bike, 277° rephased 750cc, featured in the last newsletter.

Mark Peatman got high sided and busted some ribs and other various bones but thankfully will be ok.
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Bike Transport
Herb Conlon will transport your bike in an
enclosed van anywhere around
Contact Herb on 0412908279
or hcmnsw@yahoo.com.au
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TAKING IT TO EXCESS
A few of the boys from the Brisbane area hooked up for
a ride on the last day of autumn. For our southern cousins read that as blue
skies and mild weather. Good for riding and great for air cooled engines.
Destination was Beaudesert and the Historic Motorcycle Club Concourse at the
showgrounds.
Four of us met at Mt Gravatt with Ivan on his Midnight
Special, Duane & Rob on their customised specials and Tony on his standard
‘B’ model. We headed out towards Beaudesert and picked up Raol and wife Ann
on their ‘C’ model at North Maclean for the run to Beaudesert. We had also
joined up with members of the VJMC who added the odd 2 stroke and 4 cylinder
beat to the tune of the mighty Xesses. Back country roads provided some added
interest with some gravel and water following recent heavy rains.
The HMC boys put on a good show with some immaculate
examples of mostly defunct British marquees and the odd Japanese example (no
Xesses).
For the run home we headed across to Boonah for some
fuel (specials don’t hold much) and coffee (owners don’t hold much) and then
more country roads via Kalbar and Peak Crossing before joining the highway at
Yamanto (nice ring to that) and the cruise down the highway back home.
The bikes all ran sweetly and the sound of several parallel twins is hard to beat. Distance covered was about 220kms (or 130 miles in the old money).

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Bushfire Victim
Ian Smith contacted me to see if I had any belt buckles left as he had lost his in the fires. I told him I could get another one made for him no problem and that at least he is ok. I hope Ian and everyone else who lost everything in the fires can recover from this devastation and return to a normal life as soon as possible and put the horror of this behind them. To those who lost loved ones our sincere condolences.
Update 2/4/09
As a result of seeing these pics of Ian's motor in the latest newsletter several club members have offered to help Ian and he has responded with the following email.
Hi Terry,
This is all to overwhelming The only thing I would like help
with is to locate a 74 TXA for me to purchase, as I was very excited when I
had a chance to work on the one I lost. I had it for 10 months before I put a
spanner to it, over that time I had collected a lot of parts and had done
a mountain of research and was almost ready to start the reassembly. I had the
frame blasted and painted, as you know the motor rebuilt. The frame looks to me
to be ok but I am unsure what the heat has done to the integrity of the metal.
With a bit of luck the kind donation of a motor from Nick Porter will be
fantastic kick start. , It will get my excitement back. So I guess a motor
less TXA will be good. I know this can take some time, I am in no big hurry to
find a bike. I will not except any cash donations as that just feels a bit
too weird, if any one wants to go down that path I would like to see it go to
the club racer project.
The red cross and government are helping a lot there.
To all, thanks for your concern
Regards
Ian
If anyone can help Ian with a rolling '74 TXA frame or any of the parts to make one up you can contact him direct at ian@williamspatterns.com.au and a special thanks to Nick Porter and Andrew Iggo for their offers.


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New Rockers from Mikes XS


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SALE SALE SALE
650-XSories is overstocked on 840cc pistons.
840cc Big Bore Kit
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New Clutch tool
Hi,
I'm based in the UK and I design and manufacture clutch
holding tools for numerous bikes.
I've just developed a tool for the XS650 and I thought you guys would be
interest and would possibly be up for putting it onto your site on the sales
page?
Mytools is an ebay based business so international sales are very welcome. I
have sold numerous tools to Australia before and it works very well through
Paypal.
I have attached a product page of the XS650 tool that you could add to
your sales page and also a direct link to the tool on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120313295116&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT
I hope you feel it suitable for your site and I look forward to hearing
from you.
kind regards
Jason Smith
Mytools

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First bike in Victoria on a club permit

Steve Carle became the first Victorian to be issued with a red plate for the XS650 club
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New Club for Nostalgia Drags

Taverner
Motorcycles
54 Prospect Street,
Fortitude Valley
Brisbane QLD 4006
P: (07) 3257 2389
Yamaha XS-650 Club of Australia
Dear
Sirs,
It is our pleasure to inform you and your club of the new drag-racing class
Nostalgia
Street Bike, which has been formed specifically for pre-1978 machines. We have
included a copy of the magazines. We have included a copy if the proposed
regulations for your club to read. These are still not final, so if you have
suggestions
about adding or changing anything, feel free to contact us by phone on
(07) 3257 2389, by email or
come and visit our shop ay 54 Prospect Street, Fortitude
Valley in central Brisbane.
We look forward to seeing you on the drag track and until then, happy riding!
Kind Regards,
Paul Taverner
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Aluminium Tank

A new Aluminium tank for the XS is available in Germany, just follow the link for more details, the price is 545 Euro.
Another Aluminium Tank manufacturer Rita Lammers, has contacted me, also in Germany http://tinyurl.com/byd8cb no prices.
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A hardtail for the XS and TX frames.


Question:- Dan, I know some our members would like to know if it's necessary to have an engineering report done to register a bike with a modified frame?
Please contact us for a quote
Dan Twidgen "Slice'N'Dice Kustoms"

Here's a few pics of Dan's work



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BS Carburettor Needles
The stock needles are too lean through the entire range and also block
the Needle jet on heavy throttle....
My needles take care of all the throttle problems with the
BS34's........here is a list below of what they can expect....
I get US$42 per set and people can use paypal at xsneedles@aol.com
.......if anyone is unhappy with my work they
should expect a total refund.........so far so good ......shipping air mail
is included in the price.......and thanks for allowing me on you
fine site..I won't dissapoint.
Here is what can expected from the Underwood Kits with the BS34 and stock
jetting..
"heavy" modifications can use a bit larger MJ than stock...pods
and pipes dont fit in the heavy catagory.....
1. Easier starting hot and cold (requiring much less choke when
cold)
2. Much quicker acceleration
3. Smoother cruising
4. Excellent smooth high speed highway performance with no
chattering
deceleration's
5. Cooler and better balanced cylinder temperatures
6. Less engine noises due to correct fuel mixtures on both
cylinders
even after long rides
7. Good 50mpg or more fuel economy and much longer engine life
8. Easy instructions and the carbs don't have to be removed
from the
bike.
Regards,
John Underwood

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Stickers
Dru Booker has offered to make some stickers for the club and here are a few examples for us to view. If you would like a personalised member sticker featuring your bike then send a picture to Dave Rayner at dave650@bigpond.net.au and he will pass it on to Dru. If you have any suggestions for new designs please let Dave know and we will see what can be done.


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Stainless Steel Braided Brake Hoses
I recently had a local company called Maltech make me some SS braided hoses for my XS650SG so I thought some of you may be interested in seeing the process. David Malkin turned up at my door equipped with all manner of fittings and proceeded to pull all the old rubber hoses off my bike and make up exact copies in braided stainless steel including the fittings.

These hoses are ADR approved and the machine that does the crimping is portable so the work can be done on site and can even pressured test the new hoses to some incredible pressure ( 3000 lbs per square inch I think was mentioned )


The work done and David was on his way but before he left I asked him if he could make these up via mail order he said he could. Maltech has a website at www.maltech.com.au and if you send him your old hoses and fittings (banjo bolts for thread type and size) to copy he will make up the new ones and post them back to you. The cost for me was $295 for the three front brake hoses and SS fittings. If you are interested in getting some done you can call David on 0418 378 939
Lastly, they work great.
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New XS650 Permanent Magnet Alternator
http://www.powerdynamo.biz:80/eng/systems/7169/7169main.htm
A new permanent magnet alternator is now available, made in the Czech Republic but sold by Powerdymano in Germany.

A couple of drawbacks to this system are no locating keyway, no timing marks and it is a two phase system not three so the output will be less smooth at lower revs.

Price works out at around AU$345 + postage from Germany
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Carbon Fibre rego label holder

George Bornen sent this in:-
From JNP Carbon
Hi George
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Some information that may be of use.
The Rubber Boot for the XS650 Rear Brake Master Cylinder
(Yamaha Part No. 1J3-25862-50) that is no longer available
can be replaced with a Suzuki Rubber Boot (Part No. 69691-45001).
See attached pictures.
Best Regards
Göran Persson
New Zealand

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New spin on oil filter for the XS650
Fred Dyen in the US has come up with a new spin on oil filter for the XS650. It's basically a replacement for the filter in the right side engine case. Those of you who are familiar with the vertical twin discussion group (http://www.micapeak.com/lists/yam650) will have seen this already and Mike Morse of Vintage Brake is having some made at US$80. Some holes need to be drilled in your side case to fit this so if you are squeamish about doing this you better forget about it. If you'd like to see the mod you can download these .pdf files from here. Yamaha_XS650_Oil_Filter_Adapter2.pdf and here Yamaha_XS650_Oil_Filter_Adapter2_Construction.pdf
If you want to buy one they are available from 650 Central
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Geoff Bamford has these neat clocks and key rings for sale. Only those models shown are available at the moment ie. XS1, XS650B and Special. The clocks measure about 7" across the face and the keyrings are 60mm in diameter. The cost is $50 for the pair (1 clock & 1 keyring) If you'd like some email Geoff at bosshog_52@hotmail.com
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Tappet Adjusters (22/3/2005)
Did you know that the Tappet adjusters for a VW, Porsche and Mazda 808 are the same as those used on the XS650 except they don't have that annoying little square on top for adjustment they have a screwdriver slot (much better) There are two types and these are commonly referred to as elephants foot and ball foot adjusters because of the way they look. It is necessary to modify the rocker arms to fit these to the XS650 and they must be fitted before the rocker box is fitted to the motor because you can't screw them in from the top like the standard adjusters. So if price is no object and you don't mind modifying the rocker arms and your motor is already apart then go for the elephants or ball foot adjusters they are the best! The picture below is the ball foot adjuster.
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I recently found out that the ball foot adjuster pictured is from a Mazda 808 and you need to remove about 4mm from the bottom of the rocker arm to fit this type of adjuster. When I do mine I'll post a picture.
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Interested in some new mufflers for your XS1 or XS2, checkout the link to Proswede (1/10/04)
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Rotor Puller (16/9/04)
G'Day Terry,

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Gear Shaft Chain Protector

Here is some pictures of the Gear Shaft Chain Protector I had
made for the Gear Shift Axle. Made of Bearing Moly Nylon. Less rattle from chain
during "crusing speed".
Göran Persson
New Zealand
goran.persson@xtra.co.nz
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An interesting link on an engine rebuild http://www.bikerworld.co.uk/tech/XS650engine/index.html (12/3/03)
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The new T-shirts, modelled here by Dave Rayner himself (what a physique!), are now available with the rear view of the XS650 motor on the back. The price is $30 including pastage and poking (oops! I mean postage and packing) so if you want one call Dave Rayner for details on Mobile 0417890835.
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Steve Cooper from the Ireland & GB club sent this:-
I have a guy who is making replacement seat covers for the XS-1 and 2 models. These covers are no the normal cheap aftermarket rubbish but a faithful copy of the original right down to the lining and moulding etc. They come complete with new foam and can be fixed either with the original system of clips or (with the extra covering left uncut) attached with adhesive to the seat base. They work out at £100 + P&P but the quality is excellent. If you're interested contact Steve at valerie.cooper@ntlworld.com
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Did you know a 600ml coke bottle has the same
thread as your 650 dip stick. cut the bottle in half screw it in
and you have the perfect oil funnel.
regards Ed Perry.
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Tuesday, 16 March 2010