81 xs650 special 2 revival

[jeeper96]

I picked this bike up in California and jumped through hoops to get a title. It ha been sitting in my garage for a yr. I finally ordered some of the parts I needed to get it rideable. It has 3915 mi on it and is a mess cosmetically. The original owner did some stupid things like rattle can on chrome duct tape and cross threading of bolts. I will be slowly transforming it to a cafe style loosing some of the 70's styling since a lot of it is a lost cause. Wish I could post pics

 

[Nailbomb]

this is standard forum regulations...

We gotta get some before pics going. show us that donor your working with!

 

[jeeper96]

For some reason they won't pull off my phone to the attachments

 

[Nailbomb]

you have to upload them somewhere else to my knowledge.

once uploaded elsewhere you can copy the image location over to this forum.

 

[weekendrider]

jeeper96 try just one at a time. It may be a re-sizing hiccup.

 

[jeeper96]

I'll have to get to real computer tomorrow

 

[jeeper96]

I think I got one

 

[Nailbomb]

Looks like a solid donor.

aren't those pipes sleeved? kindof odd seeing them blued like that.

 

[aldo5468]

Very similar to the '82 Heritage Special that I started with - I like the double-laced spokes, but not everyone does. Here's a couple pic's with a different seat that changes the look for the better.

 

[Nailbomb]

That seat does do a good job of cleaning up the XS, but it really begs for that fender to be removed and lights relocated.

 

[jeeper96]

I scored a set of mags (drum rear) I'm going to put on! The spokies are to rusted to run with and I'm not a fan of the spokes. I will be cutting down the foam or running a whole new seat from weston.
I also picked up an aftermarket tail light I want to go with. Already got the good bars put on. I can't stand the wheel barrel handle bars.

 

[jeeper96]

Are those mikes pipes on yours?

 

[aldo5468]

Yeah, Nailbomb, must change the late-XS style taillight as'sy to use this seat. I bought a Lucas-style re-pop - they're widely available - looks like what's on the two bikes shown above, neither of which are mine. Jeeper 96's bike has fenders from different years, back one chromed and front one painted black. Pic's attached here are of my bike, showing it in original black color before mounting new taillight and later after more mod's, with new taillight.

 

[jd750ace]

I'll buy your foam if it's in good shape.

 

[jeeper96]

My fenders were painted by previous owner hack job. Duct tape holds the tach cable together. He cross threaded bolts into the levers to keep them on.

 

[jeeper96]

If I don't use the foam then ok

 

[aldo5468]

If you're asking about the pipes in the first pic's I posted (not my bike), the 2-into-1 set looks like the XS Performance ones sold by Mike's XS. In the next pic, looks like peashooters were grafted on to stock Yamaha XS650 Special headpipes. Lots of info on this forum about how to do that with the original double-walled headpipes.

 

[jeeper96]

Eventually I am going to go with a 2 to 1 pipe I like the guy who build custom pipes but if he can't do it I will go with mikes.