NY Bobber Build

tom_o · Feb 10, 2013

Hi, I'm Tom, 16, picked up this '82 XS650 last October, been working on it little by little, the progress is starting to show...

The day I picked it up, next to my 06 ZX6R...

Started tearing it apart, not keeping alot of the stock parts.

Decided to go with the Ardcore Hardtail, 4" stretch, 2" drop. I think it's the best looking hardtail, and the quality was amazing, fit perfect, welds looked great.

Took the bike to school and TIG welded it all together, took awhile to get started, everyone wanted to look at it.

Took it back home, cleaned up the welds, started to grind everything smooth, ground off any brackets I wouldn't need.

Ended up going through 2 different gas tanks, still not sure how I feel about this one, but I mocked the wheels and forks to see how it looked, shaped out a seat pan too. Ordered some TC Bros Drag bars, need some risers for them.

Will add more soon.

2poler · Feb 10, 2013

looks like a great start

bowser · Feb 10, 2013

how does it get the 2" drop? does it just lift up the back wheel 2" from std height?

tom_o · Feb 10, 2013

There's a drop in the backbone 2", if you look at other hardtail kits such as the TC Bros you'll see the backbone continues straight with no drop.

bobber_xs · Feb 10, 2013

ardcore drop mean drop seat :thumbsup:

tom_o · Feb 10, 2013

Cut out the seat Thursday with a plasma cutter, spent a little time shaping it more and rounding of the edges, now just have to drill the holes for the mounting and do some bending this week.

Also cut out the stock neck gussets, going to make something that looks better. Made a quick cardboard template to get the angles needed, will probable cut it out with the plasma cam at school.

Johnt3 · Feb 10, 2013

That's looking great Tom! Good for you. Yeah, I like the look of the Ardcore Hardtail.

member3480 · Feb 11, 2013

Nice build and drop is from the top of the backbone. I use to build these drop seat frames that don't change the ride height but the seat height.
VERY GOOD JOB Got a cool school for letting you do it.

Lester · Feb 11, 2013

Very good young man,
keep it up and we will be watching you build bikes on TV in a few years.

Lester

Focusinprogress · Feb 11, 2013

where abouts in NY? I'm in a suburb of Buffalo....

jefft · Feb 11, 2013

We need more schools like this. Things your learning there will be benefitical throughtout life. There was more of these shop type activities when I was in school.
jefft

capriottikidd · Feb 11, 2013

i wish my school had a metal/work shop. haha my high school sucks

Rocky Rotten · Feb 11, 2013

DADDYGCYCLES said:
Nice build and drop is from the top of the backbone. I use to build these drop seat frames that don't change the ride height but the seat height.
VERY GOOD JOB Got a cool school for letting you do it.

Nice job, i want to build a hardtail from scratch, did you have a jig?
What part of jersey are you from?

tom_o · Feb 11, 2013

Lester said:
Very good young man,
keep it up and we will be watching you build bikes on TV in a few years.

Lester

That's what I'm told, ha. Just need to buy a welder for my house it would be going alot faster, but you can't ride in 2 feet of snow so no rush for now.

Focusinprogress said:
where abouts in NY? I'm in a suburb of Buffalo....

Newburgh

jefft said:
We need more schools like this. Things your learning there will be benefitical throughtout life. There was more of these shop type activities when I was in school.
jefft

That's the best thing about my highschool, it has a metal/autobody shop, a carpentry shop, and auto mechanic shop. I mostly just work on projects that are brought in to the shop, but the teacher encourages you to bring in your own projects, and I don't have a fancy tig welder at home yet.

member3480 · Feb 11, 2013

Thats a good teacher. When i was in High School we had AUTO SHOP but we had to go out and steal a car to work on it they never had anything to work on but again back in the 60's we were lucky if the teacher showed up.
Yep can't ride in 2 feet of snow so get working and the weather is going to break soon.
For the other guy in PA i am in South Jersey as far as you can go then you get your feet wet.
Once you get the build bug you won't stop its like a TATTOO......

Lester · Feb 13, 2013

You gotta get one of these for the winter, rode it to work today... LOL

tom_o · Feb 13, 2013

I'd take a dual-sport for the winter, thinking about one for my next bike.

Cut out the neck gussets today, just gotta get them cleaned up and get them to fit, should look pretty nice.

Sub xs650 · Feb 13, 2013

Very nice build bike looks good

Paulrxs650 · Feb 14, 2013

Well done on your build - fantastic to see young guys like you getting into building bikes and well done to your school for encouraging you! I was lucky enought to have a school like that and a teacher to match - cant thank him enough!
Keep up the good work!!

Lester · Feb 14, 2013

tom_o said:
I'd take a dual-sport for the winter, thinking about one for my next bike.

Cut out the neck gussets today, just gotta get them cleaned up and get them to fit, should look pretty nice.

Tom,

I don't want to come of as a know it all type so i will ask if you mind if I give you a few pointers on the gussets and if you do would you want them on the thread or PMed. We old guys have to look out for the young guys. Its just sometimes while doing so on forums things get misunderstood and so on... I don't want that to happend.
I think you are kicking ass wish I had my shit together like that at your age.

Lester

NY Bobber Build

XS650 Enthusiast

Does this look infected?

XS650 Addict

XS650 Enthusiast

XS650 Addict

XS650 Enthusiast

Still learning...

RICH

Attachments

XS650 Junkie

XS650 Addict

XS650 Junkie

XS650 Member

Minimalist

XS650 Enthusiast

RICH

XS650 Junkie

XS650 Enthusiast

XS650 Addict

XS650 Enthusiast

XS650 Junkie

Similar threads