650SS

Sorry guys yes this is a commando forum but i beleive i have noticed an x factory guy lurking here, anyway my question is that i have an X police 650SS that appears to be a matching number 1966 model first registered in NZ january 67, at a show last weekend i got into discussion with a gentleman that told me he purchased an x police 650SS in 1968 first owner after the police an yes he could still remember the rego number which turned out to be the bike i own, my quetion is that i beleived all 650SS were silver yet he is adament when he purcased the bike in1968 it was a darher red possibly atlas colours? is there any body that may be able to coment on this?
thanks Al

I believe all the consumer market 650SS bikes had black frames, silver tanks and chrome mudguards. Since police forces bought in quantity, they could specify colors and a dark red or maroon for frame, tank and mudguards was fairly common. I remember seeing Lancashire Constabulary bikes in that color scheme.

I was at N-V Wolverhampton, rather than at Plumstead, so I didn't see production bikes very often.

Thanks Frank
My one has chrome guards and black frame it apears that only the tank colour was changed to red
Regards Al

Al:

I think the 650SS and the Atlas had the same steel tank and badges. Your 650 may have acquired a red Atlas tank sometime in its career.

BTW - does it have the higher output electrics that police rigs had? The radio gear back in the 60s was still pretty thirsty, individual transistors, etc. There were usually a tubular steel pannier each side of the back wheel with the radio gear in and an antenna mounted in the middle od the back mudguard. Most of them had a single seat also, and some had additional stuff over the top of the mudguard on a bridge between the two panniers.

The generator/alternator would have a different part number than the civilian bike. The power cables would be thicker and there'd be a big feeder cable going down the back for the comm gear.

It has 4 Threaded holes in the tank [possible radio mount] but that is the only vsible differance though this bike has been in civillian life for over 40 years with all the modifacations that go with a bike of this age

how to you fix the kneepads on a 650SS I only just got it imported to Australia and knocked the right side one off at my first go to start my new bike.

Steve Cochrane said:

how to you fix the kneepads on a 650SS I only just got it imported to Australia and knocked the right side one off at my first go to start my new bike.

Click to expand...

If you mean the rubber shown in the photo below, it is simply glued onto the chromed, raised emblem.
The emblems are held onto the tank with 4 (BA) screws. (sorry - just checked - 3 screws each side - one at the front and 2 under the rubber pad)
Cheers

EDIT - Don Pender (@madass140) makes excellent chromed brass tank emblems which shouldn't be prone to rot/blistering like the originals - https://www.tritonmotorcycleparts.com/297620489.html - see bottom item
They are things of beauty and weigh over 630g each.

I have a 1968 650SS. The export model had more chrome than the domestic ones. Primary chaincase and more. Mine is unusual because it has a flamboyant green tank as ordered from the factory.
It was registered in Sweden as green even before it left the factory.
The master parts list says that the 650SS had silver tank and Atlas came with a Candy Apple Red tank or Flamboyant Green.
So it is possible that your bike had a red tank.

robs ss said:

If you mean the rubber shown in the photo below, it is simply glued onto the chromed, raised emblem.
The emblems are held onto the tank with 4 (BA) screws. (sorry - just checked - 3 screws each side - one at the front and 2 under the rubber pad)
Cheers

EDIT - Don Pender (@madass140) makes excellent chromed brass tank emblems which shouldn't be prone to rot/blistering like the originals - https://www.tritonmotorcycleparts.com/297620489.html - see bottom item
They are things of beauty and weigh over 630g each.
View attachment 111106

Click to expand...

Just wondering what sort of carbs your bike has. I think some of the 650 SS police bikes imported to NZ were actually called Mercury's and had a single carb on the
late SS type head. Possibly even a Monobloc ???

Might be wrong. Told this by a guy with an ex NZ police bike that lives in Ngaio Wellington.

John my 650SS has 376 Monoblocs the right without a float bowl, I have a friend with an ex Police Mercury it has a single concentric.