1972 Yamaha XS650 Cold Start and Run

Cold start and run demonstration of vintage Yamaha XS650 motorcycle in 100% original, unrestored condition. The temperature was 4º Celsius (40º Fahrenheit) when this video was shot.

[@CapnSchep]

Beautiful bike, I had a 72 and put Makuni direct slide carburetors on it, I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since I sold it ..!

[@bryancolleran3230]

It is nice, isn't it? It's going up for auction on Bring a Trailer soon.

[@CapnSchep]

@@bryancolleran3230 I wished I could ..!!

[@bryancolleran3230]

@@CapnSchep It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all...

[@CapnSchep]

@@bryancolleran3230 Thanx, I hadn’t thought about it like that ..

[@michaelarchangel1163]

Delightful. A late pal had an orange one. I think the later models had a stiffer frame but a bit less poke, with lower compression.

[@davidfrantz276]

Have you listed your xs2 on BaT yet?

[@bryancolleran3230]

They haven't got back to me with revised copy yet -

[@lozcb1]

Is this bike still for sale

[@bryancolleran3230]

Sorry. Sold a year ago.

[@lozcb1]

Any chance of you contacting the new owner in the hope he may want to sell it , Im just retired and fancy re living my youth , ( if the new owner is interested perhaps you could forward his details

[@bryancolleran3230]

Sorry. He was really in love with this bike. He had a 71 and a 73 and had a space already set aside for it in between the other two. Each one has the Yamaha XS650 poster for that year on the wall above the space the bike is parked in. Maybe taking enthusiasm a bit over the top, if you ask me, but to each his own. At any rate, I don't think he'd be in a selling frame of mind.

[@vonryansexpress]

Nice - mind that electric start doesn't twist your crankshaft out of true . . 😮

[@kadebaitrum7797]

Is that a common problem?

[@vonryansexpress]

@@kadebaitrum7797 not sure but it has come up in articles in the bike mags, some owners avoid using the electric start because of this danger . . . The electric start was an "Add On" - it was not originally designed with a starter in mind - it does not operate in an ideal fashion and can cause problems apparently . . I expect the owners club will have knowledge of this . . .

[@garethlipyeart6520]

no gloves .sod that