I found a 81 or 82 special xs650. The guy wants 1000 obo. It's a running bike with a title. Hes looking for it now that's why hes not sure if it's a 81 or 82 but hes gonna call me when he finds it. If I get this bike for 750-800 is that a good deal or great deal. Also if I build this bike into a bobber is it a good year to use or should I look for another year model like 77-79? I'm a noobie at the xs but not a noobie to mechanics and machine and fab work. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I have posted a bike that is the look I'm going for also. Any knowledge is good knowledge. Thanks guys for any help you have!
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1981 or 82 special xs650 need advice! Thanks!
- Thread starter Zeke1989
- Start date
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
It’s an 81 special,frost silver paint, and yes it’ll make a great bobber! Have one just like it! Welcome to the site and enjoy your build! You’ll find plenty of very knowledgeable folks here! Check out the tech section ,you’ll find just about everything you’ll need there! And yes that would be a good/great deal at 700 - 800! Even 1000 is not bad! But definitely talk him down! Looks to be in pretty good condition!
If you have frame number there is a chart on here somewhere that list the years, the frame number that matches the years.
You might find it up in the TECH section.
Leo
You might find it up in the TECH section.
Leo
It is a down payment for what you want to do lol
ask me how i know?? 
I would ride it the way it is. I have a soft spot for OE specials.
ask me how i know?? I would ride it the way it is. I have a soft spot for OE specials.
Thanks man appreciate it. I was just curious I'm the type who wants to learn as much as I can. My dad has a 66 harley but I can build my own bike for half the cost of his. I just dont know xs650s. I see now most bikes in this shape are around 1500-2 grand so 800 bucks plus 60 in gas so I'll have 860 in it only thing he has done is cut the mufflers off and the front brake sticks. Idc about the exhaust nor the brakes at the moment switching to a 21/16 anyway.
It is a down payment for what you want to do lol
I bought the tank like 6 months already. All the fab work is done by myself and my dad. He is a machinist so most parts will be fabbed by us. I know the cost I just dont know alot about xs650s but this website has alot of information. Hugh's handbuilt is also like a hr from me. The cost of the bike and the build itself will cost me around 6-8 grand which I'm fine with. It's a project something to work on in my shop at nights and weekends when I'm not busy working.
Yeah... there's a Classifieds section under the Forum button. If all those parts are in good condition you could recoup a hundred or two.
Hi Zeke, welcome to the party! Yup. '81. That rear drum brake/mag wheel is a dead giveaway. Your bike should be doable (I'm assuming you and your dad have the tools and talents for the task) for much, much less than 6 to 8 grand, especially as a runner. If you plan on a springer front end, you'd be wise to have some sort of front brake. I shudder every time I see a "spoolie" front wheel, especially if the bike has a rear drum brake! Get a manual (Chilton's, Clymer's, or even a Yamaha shop manual), and study it so you can cross-reference things on this forum (where there's more information!). Good luck, and keep us posted (with pictures!!!...because we're nosy!).
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
Also the color, frost silver is on the 81 special,along with Yamaha black unless PO changed the tank and side covers!
Only reason pricing so high is I'm going for a 750cc big bore or maybe 880 I'm doing research now on that. But yeh ima stick to front and rear disc brakes harley 21 and 16 wheel and disc brakes. I'm sure as I go I'll change things I dont want to be a copy cat but the good thing is my dad and I will have made alot of the custom parts such as foot pegs the hardtail we will do ourselves all the welding by my old man and I. I'm not a kid I'm 30 but my dad is just a better welder he does it all day. It's a father son project and I'm going to get the bike Saturday, so I'll post pics of it in my shop or my dads shop. I plan on riding it some before the tear down this winter. Thanks guys for all the help so far!!!
And the more I see the more I see the angry monkey style. Seems like alot of guys have went that direction so I may decide to go another route. We will see. I'll start a build thread on here when I start the tear down.
You'll find that most of us here are probably older than your dad... 
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
Yes the parts will sell,where about in Virginia do ya live? I’m in Chesapeake, might take a trip and get some stuff from ya!
Actually my mom lives in Yorktown my brother in Newport news i live in halifax va area. So I'm always taking a trip that way to visit my family. So you can message me on here and when the tear down begins I will sell you the whole lot mag wheels and all because I'm definitely going harley wheels and I'm deciding now on the xs650 spoke with drum or the harley 16 with rear disc and how hard that actually is I can make anything I need spacers axle anything pretty much for free. My dad and I use to work at the same place a hydraulic shop where he builds custom cylinders from scratch. Doesnt matter if it's a ft long or 20 ft long barrel and 20 ft long rod he makes it. Heres a pic of my dad in the welding hat on a cylinder he made start to finish piston head barrel rod maybe 2 months ago the barrel is 13ft so it extends roughly 25ft. So he can make anything I need on lunch break. Thanks for all the helpful tips so far i hate to chop the bike up but this is a healing process for my dad and I's non exist relationship one of those sad sop stories of how my dad wasnt around blah blah blah. Thanks again guys!!!!
