List member

Hugh Cameron
Hugh Cameron
Home page

Go back to list members page
The Highlander
 

1976 XS650C
 
Marriage, moving and children. These major forces in life did not take my 650 from my side. I had been looking for a 650 Yamaha in the late '70's and when I found one in a pile of pieces in the back of a Honda dealer's shop - I couldn't resist. I rebuilt the bike in the winter of 1980-1981 in my parents' summer kitchen.

Here are pictures of my '76 XS650C taken shortly after the first bike rebuild was completed.
 
     
 
Turns out the bike had been stolen from the dealer and then recovered/returned after the insurance had paid up. I rode the bike until 1984 when charging problems and a reliable car relegated the bike to the back of a friend's shop. Over the years the bike followed me in my adventures but I did not spend the time it required to fix it up. It fell into disrepair because of neglect but it was either inside a garage or under a tarp (a short time only). After rebuilding an old house and moving to a new house I started to work on restoring my bike....

Work that Needed to be Done

work completed
clean, de-rust (replace as required -SS) and polish all nuts and much chrome.  *
clean back shocks   *
recover seat   *
clean and polish back wheel   *
remove, sandblast and repaint battery box and breathers   *
rebuild air cleaner elements   *
disassemble, clean, rebuild carbs   *
disassemble clean and rebuild petcocks   *
replace right engine case   *
clean and polish cases   *
add fuel filters to new fuel lines   *
new battery   *
clean and professionally seal gas tank   *
replace speedometer   *
add a circuit monitoring meter   *
new coils, wires, plugs   *

still to be done
new oil sump screen
replace fork oil seal
replace fork springs
clean and set front brake
replace brake lines with SS brake lines
 
   

New Seat with the old parts.

Sitting idle for many years the original seat split and allowed water onto the seat pan. Removing the old seat showed damage that required rebuilding the pan and repainting before the old seat material (new material where needed) and new cover could be fastened. Even the original soft metal edge was able to be saved.

 

 When I am not working on the bike, here's what I do with my extra time...

 (photo by Derek Cooper)

 Piping the start of the 2004 Prince Edward County Marathon, a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon.

 
 
top of page