Barn find 650 Build by newbie

[Lologan]

So a while back I came to be the owner of an XS650 that was found on the eastern shore in a barn with the spare parts of a second bike. $300 dollars and borrowing my buddies truck it ended up in my work shed and now that the process of titling is done the bike is officially mine. I have torn-down the engine with my mate and sent off any parts I couldn't take apart due to specific tools (cheaper to send it down to get disassembled than to buy the tools honestly, and only if I do it once). Next step is to finish cleaning what parts of the engine I can work with and replacing gaskets, and prepping the frame to be re-assembled. But I have come to a creative block. I currently have the frame in factory state but want to go more a solo seat bobbed style. I can easily buy a hardtail kit from TC and weld it on but want to keep the softail if I can since I have not done too much hardtail riding and VaB is notorious for shitty roads. I have seen builds that cut and rework the metal to keep the rear suspension but I question where is best to cut and weld. So I give to you all the question of where is best to cut? The shape I am aiming for is a soft-tail design like the Bolt or CMX500(Rebel).
Area of Intrest:

Full Frame stripped, tank and wheels on just to roll it around:

Dirty, dirty valves off at the sandblaster:

Most the carbon build-up actually comes off easy need to work on it:

 

[MaxPete]

hmmmm....git yer wrenches out! Looks like a project.

 

[apljr]

If you wanna keep the softail, keep it! You don't have to do anything to your bike you don't want to. Unless someone has a gun to your head. If that's the case I think you have more pressing matters to attend to...

 

[5twins]

Don't sand blast those parts to clean them. Many are alloy and sand blasting is too aggressive for that. The carbon can be safely cleaned off using paint stripper. It will literally melt it away, but may take a couple applications. You'll want to take the pistons off the rods for cleaning, remove the rings from them too. Don't mix the parts up. Clean the sides and, in particular, the ring grooves, besides the tops. With the rings removed, fit them down into the bores and measure their end gaps. If too big (out of spec), you'll need new ones. They usually are too big.

 

[Lologan]

Don't sand blast those parts to clean them. Many are alloy and sand blasting is too aggressive for that. The carbon can be safely cleaned off using paint stripper. It will literally melt it away, but may take a couple applications. You'll want to take the pistons off the rods for cleaning, remove the rings from them too. Don't mix the parts up. Clean the sides and, in particular, the ring grooves, besides the tops. With the rings removed, fit them down into the bores and measure their end gaps. If too big (out of spec), you'll need new ones. They usually are too big.

I know about taking the pistons off, I got a bit ahead of myself with the disassembly before the title came back but wanted to make sure my investment was worth it. I have specific degreaser for all the parts that is an eco-friendly soak then scrub. As for the metal head that contains the valvetrain I have only so far sent it for disassembly. It has yet to goto the sandblaster. I will double check with my guy, but I was certain the metal housing could handle sandblasting and powdercoating. But I actually have all the needed gaskets and rings and odd-ends for reassembly. But I do see how the pic could make it seem I am blasting the valves. That seems like a baaaad idea

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Lologan and welcome,
my first 5 years of motorcycling was on hardtails.
(although back then they were called "those old rigid framed bikes that were all a poorly paid apprentice could afford" and these days they're high-priced antiques)
Trust me, they were hard on the back.
IMHO rear suspension is the best motorcycle improvement since the front brake and a modern hardtail is way more about making a fashion statement than it is about actually riding on it.
Assuming that you have a normal inseam measurement; where the manufacturer put the seat is where it needs to be.
I'd say rebuild the bike "as is" and leave the effin' frame alone, eh?

 

[Gcraay]

The long haul is better on a soft tail. Maybe go brat to get that lower stance. if you plan to go on long cruises, then soft tail all the way.

 

[CBJamie]

All depends on your ability as a fabricator or how deep your pockets are. To get the look you want you can do a soft tail with a mono shock (or have someone do it for you, big $$$$). or like Gcraay said go brat or cafe style. Like I've said many times, there are no rules to custom bike building as LONG AS ITS SAFE. Make it your own and have fun with it.

 

[Lologan]

Hi Lologan and welcome,
my first 5 years of motorcycling was on hardtails.
(although back then they were called "those old rigid framed bikes that were all a poorly paid apprentice could afford" and these days they're high-priced antiques)
Trust me, they were hard on the back.
IMHO rear suspension is the best motorcycle improvement since the front brake and a modern hardtail is way more about making a fashion statement than it is about actually riding on it.
Assuming that you have a normal inseam measurement; where the manufacturer put the seat is where it needs to be.
I'd say rebuild the bike "as is" and leave the effin' frame alone, eh?

The long haul is better on a soft tail. Maybe go brat to get that lower stance. if you plan to go on long cruises, then soft tail all the way.

So I found that Monster Craftsmen make a brat kit to lower the seat and give it the exact look I want. I can weld fine and it's only $200 USD my only reservation is my anxiety to chopping up a bike. Not in the terms of fear of effin up but just the rarity of the bike stock. But I think I'm committed