When will the xs650 hardtail fad end

Now Boys,

Remember your mother's saying to play nice....:laugh:

Two little thoughts: first, if someone buys a bike, it is theirs, to do with as they wish. They can chop a Brough Superior, and it's legal (believe it or not!).

Second, let's not pretend it is about anything but looks. These bikes are built to impress people at the local burger joint. My proof? When was the last time a hard-tail won the IOM, or Daytona? Ah, but on the other hand, Gold Stars in rigid frames were hell on wheels in the dirt......Be that as it may, since the first bikes, people have tried to make a practical rear suspension, and for a reason: it works better. Indian Powerplus twins had rear suspension and electric starting in 1917!!

So: practicality? Suspended rear end. (sounds kinky....)

Right of an owner? Do anything you want--it's your bike!

So----what's the problem? :shrug:
 
bassgoat1979 said:
No matter what they look better than a stock (monkey f**ckin' a football) jap bike. Even a TC bros frame. Eveyone I know has laughed at people that ride around the stock old jap bikes (I think they all look alike) even better when they have a fat girl on the back and ride like it's cool. Fairings, I think, are the worst invention as far as style. I guess people say it's all compfortable, but I have a maxima for that. It does take some talent to make any custom to begin with. Stock resoration is following a book and buying replacment parts. I guess if it was a 1935 Indian I could see the point of this argument, but a XS650? good lord! Even my family flattracked them, nobody ever wanted a stock one for ridin'. Just not that kind of bike to most people. Depends what you like, just my opinion and eveyone I have met though. Some people like cool stuff.
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Sounds like peer pressure with your statement "Eveyone I know has laughed at people that ride around the stock old jap bikes" The funny thing about the Jap Crap argument is that all the replacement parts for most makes and models, and internal parts for the HD have been made by Asians for years. In fact the HD was a renown side of the road bike, made reliable by outsourcing the manufacturing parts from out side of the states.................And saying all jap bikes look the same ,weeeeeellllll i would hate you to be identifying a burgler in a Hispanic/black/Asian - non white line up :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

each to their own and as for the people who ridicule others who want to do something for themselves, building there own bike, Hard-tail or just working on their own stock bike, have lost a bit of their soul. The satisfaction derived from working and building is soul building. The posers who buy these bikes for the cool look and have no input into them selves and make fashion statements out of them, are the ones who cheapen the value. Just my :twocents: worth
 
xstwin said:
My original post had nothing to do with hard tails vs shocks. You all pretend to be cool but there's anger in your words and that has led you from the main idea of my post.
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I thought the idea of your original post was to provoke a responce? xstwin you wrote "You know sometimes it gets a little boring in here so I like to stir things up and get everybody going" I say mission accomplished! :laugh: And xstwin, as I write this there is NO anger in my words, I think it is all very amusing, pure entertainment, I guess I'm bored too :laugh: One other thing, a while ago I questioned someone’s welds for safety’s sake and they got ALL bent out of shape at me, how dare I!!! I was just trying to do what you and skull did, not politically correct but felt I had too say something just out of concern for his safety. I guess sometimes you just have to let the kid stick the fork in the light socket :shrug: And just so you got it strait xstwin I have no malice towards you what so ever, just joining in on this delightfully entertaining thread and had a little fun at your expense (hardtail fad:laugh:) sorry, you were an easy target with your original post. :D OK where is John? lock and load :guns: :laugh:
 
Think about it: We/They have hot rodded things since time began. Chariots? Model T's - took the fenders off, slapped on a different head and two carbs. Did Henry or another purest care? No doubt. By time this is entire group and our descendants have chopped, restored, cafe'd, tracker'd every 650 left in existence we will all be in our graves or in a walker. Man the sawzall, powder the frame, order OEM parts - stimulate the economy!
 
I think Barb hit it on the head. It's my bike and I'll build it the way I want to. If somebody doesn't like it...too bad. If you want to see a bunch of bikes that look the same, come to Milwaukee during a Harley anniversary/rally!! I like seeing the variety of bikes that the 650 can be turned into. I bought mine brand new in 77 and it's been stock most of it's life, but I've never had as much fun with it until I started "personalizing" it. Stock is ok to me just a little boring.
 
I still say the TC bros looks way better than a stock bike. It makes it so regular people (not master bike builders) can have a decent bike, not some dorky stock jappy bike. That red bobber has one diffent bend than a TC bros, I wouldn't run a call Discovery channel yet! It more than showing off at the burger joint too, you can go for road trips on them, my ex's dad road cross country on his hardtail harley many times. Bottom line it doesn't matter if you win or loose as long as you look good doing it!
 
650Skull said:
Sounds like peer pressure with your statement "Eveyone I know has laughed at people that ride around the stock old jap bikes" The funny thing about the Jap Crap argument is that all the replacement parts for most makes and models, and internal parts for the HD have been made by Asians for years. In fact the HD was a renown side of the road bike, made reliable by outsourcing the manufacturing parts from out side of the states.................And saying all jap bikes look the same ,weeeeeellllll i would hate you to be identifying a burgler in a Hispanic/black/Asian - non white line up :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

each to their own and as for the people who ridicule others who want to do something for themselves, building there own bike, Hard-tail or just working on their own stock bike, have lost a bit of their soul. The satisfaction derived from working and building is soul building. The posers who buy these bikes for the cool look and have no input into them selves and make fashion statements out of them, are the ones who cheapen the value. Just my :twocents: worth
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Nope, not peer preassure, sorry. Some newer jap bikes look good, it's the old one that always looked off imo. I never seen AMF Harleys have big goofy seats. and staight backbones. Still a lot of stock harleys look bad too to me. Making a race comment now that is shooting way off :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh: That is a very odd perspective. I don't care what color if your funny looking, your funning looking and I don't want to ride you.
 
I won't reply to this thread anymore, it is nonsence internet crap. I still say if you hate the TC bros hardtail, take it up with them, don't insult peoples work.
 
Frank The Tank said:
Not trying to cause problems, but xstwin, if you're not a welder, then how can you say this "One member builds a drop seat with a poor design and bad welds, no one except myself and xs 650 skull point it out"? How do you know they were bad? Did they just looked bad to an untrained eye? And, are you an engineer to determine bad design? [not trying to be a dick about that question]
Also about the pic you posted 4 posts up, it looks like a triangle because it is! and there's no seat, gas tank, rear fender,........... The one you posted after that would look like a triangle too if you removed everything
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xstwin said:
I SAID ACUTE TRIANGLE.I can weld I don't do it for a living.DO you even know what an acute triangle is
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So you ARE an engineer? but not a welder....

I'll admit, it's been a long time since I've even heard anyone say acute triangle, let alone remember what it means from school. So, I looked it up: An acute triangle is one where all three angles are less than 90 degrees. So ignoring the part near the axle and neck, a frame with a TC bros hard tail, actually forms an obtuse triangle! DO you even know what an acute triangle is? :laugh: Trying to use fancy words that you don't even know what they mean, and calling me out on it.

Plus, who cares what type of triangle the frame forms? My argument above still stands about how both motorcycles would look almost the same with no tank, seat, or rear fender. Plus if you're going to say the TC one looks bad, and say get creative and make your own hard tail, why don't you at least post a picture of an XS-650 with what you think has better lines than the TC one. Why compare apples to oranges?
 
I like all XS's... I love the old 70's (early years) restored to the chopped any year bike to the flat trackers to rat bikes... I dont care what you ride.. each rider is on their own journey and you cant know what they see unless they tell you. That being said, long live TC Bros and Sportster tanks! Viva La Hard Tail!
 

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you know if some had taken the table knife away from me when I was two, the backing plates behind the door knobs at my grandma's house would have been left stock. Then there was the tube type radio. I took it apart with pliers and a screw driver. Then came the big ben alarm clock. None of it left stock. So what's my point? Thank god no one took away my opportunity to learn. For those that had an urge for something different, what would you have them do - sit on the couch and play with the controller to video game. How 'bout paint by numbers? No drawing outside the lines? Everything on here is art, or science. For me it's either wow, that's cool, wonder if I could do that? Or it's how the hell does this work and what's the fix.
 
....A cute triangle....:wink2:
xstwin, where can I see a bigger photo of that Triumph bobber? Its perfect!
 

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