I’m a sucker for a cheap LS650.  I like these relatively simple big single starter bikes.  I’m on my 5th fixer now (it’s actually not worth saving, so it’s getting scavengered for a few things and parted out).

When you find ‘em cheap, it’s fair to say they’ve been owned by a non-mechanically inclined person that also doesn’t want to pay a shop for even basic maintenance.

Here’s the classic list of what I find.
1) Tires are 10+ years old and dry rotted.  When you can get the tires off, you’re amazed that the dry rotted inner tube can still hold air.
2) Oil is totally black and/or smells like it has a quart of gas mixed into it.
3) The oil filter looks more like a plug than a filter.
4) The air filter also looks like a plug and you can’t identify the collection of insects or rodents that have been piling up, chewing on it, and nesting in the air box.
5) The battery is dead as a doornail and no amount of charging is going to revive it or fix a bad cell.
6) The carburetor usually “looks okay” on the outside (maybe some rust on the top and throttle cable bracket).  Are these hoses supposed to be plugged in some where?  What hoses, ain’t got no hoses…? Pull the float bowl and it looks like an Exxon experiment on how to make algae fuel.  Not terribly surprising is that the brass plug covering the “tamper proof” air/fuel mix screw is gone.  Sometimes Hurcules can’t even turn the screw, and if he can, he finds it set in some weird place (maybe 0 turns out, maybe 5 turns out).
7) The front brake caliper piston is stuck like chuck.  If you can roll the bike easily on to the trailer, you’re having a good day.
8) Is 1” throttle free play too much?  What’s freeplay?  I thought you turned that bolt thing to adjust the idle speed.
9) Humm, the clutch lever is touching the grip without squeezing on it.  I wonder if it needs some attention?
10) I wonder where the battery box cover and side tins went?
11) I still haven’t found one with the key for the fork lock…. Where do those things go?
12) How much rust should be in the gas tank?  Why does it smell like varnish or a paint factory in there?
13) Apparently no one uses the rear brake.  The shoes always have 75+% remaining.
14) Once you finally get it to where it might start, you realize you should have done a valve lash clearance check and decomp solenoid check before you put the key in the ignition.
15) What’s that sound on the lower/mid right side of the motor?  Is that some kind or chain making a noise?  Isn’t there an adjuster or something for that?
16) Are most people really too cheap to title and register the bike in their name?

Once I go through the list with the seller, the price I’m willing to pay is down to $600-$800.  #16 is worth another $300 off the asking price.

They are wonder machines that can't be modified enough !

Hey M&Ms!  Good stories MMRanch!

Are like half the gurus on this forum named Mike!!

Michael Moore - I've hassled with 2 no title bike situations.  I think I'm done with those!  I hear ya!!

Are these bikes supposed to have 4 turn signals?  LOL.  I haven't bought one yet that has 4 stock OEM turn signals (not broken or missing or some totally misplaced looking cheesy signals installed).

Hay Paul

The folks in India have come up with a Belt Drive System for the 350-J machines.   Gates Poly Chain 20mm x 11mm Pitch to replace the 520 size chains.

There is one for the 650 bikes also , its like the Harley belts (20mm x 14mm pitch-Gates Poly Chain.)  but my original chain is still too new to just throw away.

I think I'd like the LS400 .    I've gotten as close to it as I can with the 72mmx86mm B&S Meteor , and now it's Belt Drive too !     You wouldn't believe how much it feels like a new production 25HP Suzuki LS series machine .   I can get a new Jug and Piston to bring it to 410cc ... but Its "ENOUGH" like it is now.  
.......................................

That # 16 cost me the price of a titled frame and the time to switch all the parts over to the new (to me) frame.
But
I did meet a bunch of Really Good Friends because of it !  
In hind-sight it worked  out  to be a blessing .  

MM - That's cool.  Yeah, dog that chain until its toast!

JMac - I remember your Texas title saga and it being a lawyer selling it.  That's just messed up!  The whole bonded title process in Texas is a convoluted nightmare.  I can't imagine Louisiana being worse, but...there ya go!

Bought a 1995 Savage from a NC police officer who had bought it bobbed. It ran OK and for $800 was a good price. Only problem was the title was gone and he knew it was going to be an ordeal for nearly two years if he did not use an out of state trick to circumvent NCDMV rules.

So I called for a meeting with the NC State Police, got the details and review and the long wait for no contest after a public publication. In the ensuing years (6 years so far) I have just forgotten about the two year thing, getting stuff done. It does not 'time out' if you go past 2 years because it is a listed serial number, therefore mine but not yet retitled.

The bike has had the rake closed up by 11 degrees and nearly 90 pounds of metal removed, 2" fork slugs to lower stance, different tires, engine and carb cleaned, stock tank cleaned, clip ons added, rear sets added, shift linkage reworked to rear set, rear set adapter/batt box, rear fender chopped shorter, underslung lunch box muffler, stub exhaust pipe, GP type tank cover, flat race seat, rear brake cable resized, new cable run and supports, headlight surround fairing, seat tail hump, LiPO 1.2 pound battery to replace 10.3 pound lead batt and a stubby front aluminum fender. Custom vertical fins are near completion to replace the chrome cylinder caps for a more 1950's style bike. The kick stand assembly of over 4 pounds is binned for a .6 pound aluminum side stand. So far with a half tank she weighs 282 pounds but empty I would guess about 275 pounds. Lots of clean up and finessing the pieces to a bit more cleanliness.

I may make the simple conversion stuff available but that is at least a year out. Key will be how many of the Savage/C40 etc were produced world wide and the interest for an inexpensive kit with detailed instructions for sale. The whole design is for the back yard garage, hand tools and an electric drill. The only tough part is the angular pie cut of the frame's metal neck, alignment and re weld for the new rake. The neck is NEVER separated from the frame. Details for the cut and jig would be included along with TIG welding suggestions.


Thhats it for now.

Thanks. Still lots of sanding and body putty plus fasteners for the tank cover. It must be secure enough to wrap my outside leg around on a tight turn while hanging off.

The seat is comfortable enough for about town or 7 to ten laps on track. The trim is still a work in progress to integrate the rear cover into the fender. Nice thing about the Savage is there are a ton of small hard points remaining that can be used for attachments. The biggest problem is KISS (keep it simple smarty).

Only an hour or so per day on it as a 'retirement project'. Most of the time is thinking about simplifying the construction. I use to have a rather complete shop but sold virtually everything for a future out of state move. That keeps it to hand tools and repurposing 'stuff'.

A true 'cafe racer' existed in the 1950s to mid 60s and were made the same way. They were rough gems that handled well for the times. It was amazing how much stuff was missing out of mom's kitchen, to magically reappear in some tangential form on her son's 250cc Sears motorcycle. That 'stuff' is magic, especially as it visually collides with todays plastic motorcycles. Cobbyness is cool

Thanks for the knowledge!
Richard cleaned the tank and carb and put the filter in the line. He is quite thorough and will appreciate your suggestion.

I will replace it with a short length of poly-unobtainium (clear) tubing. I just have to find the drawer(s) in which it last appeared.