nightrider
XS650 New Member
Hi all. Just recently got bitten by the "I want a bike" bug and started doing some research to figure out just exactly what I wanted and more importantly, what I could afford. I've never owned a street bike before but have always wanted one. Did a lot of MX racing in my teens and twenties but that's about it. I quickly decided that something "off the shelf" just wasn't gonna be for me. Think I'll be much more satisfied to build something nice and original for myself at a fraction of the cost. I had never heard of the xs650 before two weeks ago, but after searching the net and seeing the tremendous amount of cool builds done with this bike, I knew it was going to be the right thing for me.
Next, to actually find one. Started combing through all the for sale papers. Looked in everything and everywhere I could online with no results. After figuring that my chances probably weren't going to be very good for a quick find on this bike with the resurgence in it's popularity, I happened across a local classifieds paper and saw an add for a motorcycle salvage yard in the next town over. Gave them a call and sure enough they had an 81 model xs with 19K on it for $600. Picked the bike up the next day and took it out to a friend of mines shop in Augusta called custom concepts. They do lots of custom cycle and car/truck builds. My friend Ken agreed to give me a spot to work and guide me through the build. So now I've got a TCBros. hardtail coming along with a few other things and I'm very excited to get started. I'm definitely in way over my head here, but fortunately have some people around me that know what they're doing so hopefully they'll keep me from making a mess of things.
Here's a build by the FongBros that I'm sure everyone here is very familiar with that's the inspiration for my build and kinda what I'll be shooting for in the finished look. Don't have any pics yet of my bike but will take some when my parts arrive and I go back to the shop to begin tearing things up....er, I mean building.
http://www.xs650chopper.com/2009/04/yamaha-xs650-bobber-the-fong-bros/
Next, to actually find one. Started combing through all the for sale papers. Looked in everything and everywhere I could online with no results. After figuring that my chances probably weren't going to be very good for a quick find on this bike with the resurgence in it's popularity, I happened across a local classifieds paper and saw an add for a motorcycle salvage yard in the next town over. Gave them a call and sure enough they had an 81 model xs with 19K on it for $600. Picked the bike up the next day and took it out to a friend of mines shop in Augusta called custom concepts. They do lots of custom cycle and car/truck builds. My friend Ken agreed to give me a spot to work and guide me through the build. So now I've got a TCBros. hardtail coming along with a few other things and I'm very excited to get started. I'm definitely in way over my head here, but fortunately have some people around me that know what they're doing so hopefully they'll keep me from making a mess of things.
Here's a build by the FongBros that I'm sure everyone here is very familiar with that's the inspiration for my build and kinda what I'll be shooting for in the finished look. Don't have any pics yet of my bike but will take some when my parts arrive and I go back to the shop to begin tearing things up....er, I mean building.http://www.xs650chopper.com/2009/04/yamaha-xs650-bobber-the-fong-bros/
