Beyond a Basket Case... 72 Build

[Shorty]

Im another newbie on here. Always wanted an XS but was never able to find one when I had a few bucks. Built a few bikes in the past including a KZ250 bobber 3 years ago. I've always built cars and always got a project. Last year I sold my bagged and suicided Toyota truck for a 64 Caddy Limo that Im also building...

Anyway, enough about me. I had a rough few years financially and mentally and wanted to get a new project...But had no funds to get anything. A long time friend wrote me and said I got a project if you want it, Trade you for some body and paint work on some tanks (Went to school for Autobody, Paint and custom fab)

And so it begins.

This bike has been passed around like the town whore. I think even a few members on a few other forums I frequent have had it. Theres not much left, so the XS Purists shouldnt be too upset for cutting up a early bike. Its a 72 XS2. No wiring to speak of, No carbs, no rear wheel, no brakes, no cables, no tank, etc etc etc. But I am still super excited. The XS650 has been on my bucket list for a while

Here it is when I first got back to the house on easter Sunday

The extra 447 motor that was included

And the original numbers matching 72 motor. Which was seized when I got it. After letting some goodies soak in the cylinders for a day it actually broke free and had good compression. I know the 447s are supposed to be better motors and parts easier to come by. So Im planning on cleaning up the known good motor and swapping it out. Plus Im sure if this motor was seized for so long there is more damage inside

More updates as soon as I get all my new pics uploaded... Sorry, no internet at home all on my phone haha

 

[Shorty]

I had this posted on the site my buddy is a moderated on, So Im going to play the catch up game on here with a few posts...

So its become obvious the camera on my phone is getting worse... either that or my garage lighting is killing pictures cause pics arent lookin too great. I will snatch the wifes camera before the next update

Got her in the garage, already left a nice oil spot

Got started removed the rusted rear fender and back section of the frame ( Rear peg mounts were already cut)

I was originally going to go with a hardtail on this bike. But after my buddy giving suggestions and then finding quite a few build threads I fell in love with. I decided to go with a swingarm bobber, atleast for now. I have sooo many ideas going through my head, But we will start simple. I love the looks of the Visual Impact Brat Kit

But didnt want to spend the money. Like I said this bikes budget is pretty much non existant right now. So while looking at the bike and thinking ideas.. I decided to just have some fun and see what happened

Stock seat rails cut off..

Cleaned up.. all tabs and welds removed

Mocking up

And welding up

More updates here soon with some more plans

 

[Shorty]

Got about an hour to work on the thing over the holiday weekend... Oh well, progress is progress. The 42 year old forks kicked my ass. These old XS triples have a lip on the upper so the forks can only move down. After 20 mins of beating the hell out of it with a rubber mallet I got one one out of the uppers. But the other side would now budge. Finally I got it moved enough to spin the upper around (Still stuck on that one side) and got the whole front end off. No clue how Im going to get the lower triple off to get the stem out, unless I cut the one fork thats stuck

Picking up my new front end tonight if all goes to plan. Its a 2009 Ninja 500 front end. Getting forks, triples, master cylinder, complete front brakes, wheel, tire and a front fender (wont need that) Hoping the guy comes through and lets me get rear wheel, brakes, and a set of carbs (crossing fingers)

This gives me 37mm forks with a nice brake setup, which are a hair longer than stockers, So I can put them up through the triples and run clip-ons

More updates here soon!

 

[Shorty]

Got my front end last night, in the middle of a HORRIBLE storm. But after getting home and getting everything into the garage. I am thrilled! Forks are perfect, tires still have the nubbies on them. Included master cylinder. Brakes are perfect, and even included a fender, which I will sell. Ive agreed to grab the rear wheel with all brakes and master cylinder,sprocket, even brake pedal and pivot for another 50 bucks next week Now comes the fitment. I was super excited when I looked at the EX500 stem, Length looked sooo close, BUT where the threads are and where the upper bearing rides on the top are about 1/2 inch too short So it looks like a stem swap is in the works.

 

[Shorty]

Yay for progress! So after looking at bearing swaps, and making spacers etc etc.. I decided to attempt a stem swap. Both the 72 and the Ninja are steel lower triples, with stem pressed in and welded at the bottom. How hard could this be right?

XS lower triple on the bottom (Those are wear marks, not the weld cracking)

Ninja 500 lower before taking everything apart

Grind grind grind

And hammer them both out...Both came out fairly easy after the weld was gone

And the best news of the day 72 stem and the 09 stem have the EXACT same base

So as soon as I get my bearings in I will install everything to make sure gaps are good, tack the stem in place. Then pull it all apart and weld her up solid!

Only thing I have to get taken care of now is the upper triple...
Need to open up this hole about 1/8 inch to fit the collar on the upper bolt and everything will be perfect. Ordering new tapered bearings here soon

 

[Shorty]

Got some more done... Picking up rear wheel, sprocket, brakes w/ master cylinder and swingarm tonight from the same EX500

Spent a little time on it this weekend. Got the hole in the upper triple opened up to the right size. $8 Harbor Freight die grinder and an extra pack of cheap ass stones did the trick. Finished it up with a brake cylinder hone to smooth it up

Also ground the factory XS2 upper washer down so it fit in the Ninja Triple

Took the lock cylinder and all attached aluminum off so it doesnt hit the factory steering lock on the neck

And another test fit... This makes my garage look like a wreck, But it just happens to be a pile of my buddies crap in the corner he needs to get outta here

Got the height of the stem set and started welding her in... Flash made the welds look like garbage, But its burned in really hot

Little weld on the front lip where I ground it down to get the old stem out

These pics upset me. Welds look like crap in these pics... I was going for penetration and stregnth but god, these pics look horrible. Im an ICAR gold certified welder and usually take pride in my work... Oh well it cleaned up nice with a grinder when I was done
Stem bearing kit from All Balls is ordered and should be here any day... Between that and the rear goodies tonight, Might actually see some progress this weekend

 

[CalsXS2]

You've came a long way in a short time. I've been working on mine for 3 years.

Oh ya. I'll give you $10 for that piece of crap vise you got.

 

[Shorty]

Haha that Vise is a beast

I wish things would be going a little quicker... Money is my limiting factor. But, it is what it is

Getting there little by little...

Got my All Balls Tapered bearing set in for the neck. Great quality parts for sure

Also picked up this thing for free! Sorry about the pics, my garage lighting is horrible for pictures, and it was storming like hell out side

Tunnel isnt as deep as I'd like, But after the bike is a little more together I will decide if I want to attemp to re-tunnel it

Started getting the neck together. Got the lower bearing driven onto the stem.

Upper and lower races driven in

Little blurry, but you can see where I shaved on the steering lock

Packed with grease and assembled

Getting there slowly

 

[Shorty]

After going back and forth about my ideas for this bike, and getting the swingarm off the Ninja for free with the last batch of parts I scooped up. I decided to keep with my original plan and keep it a swingarm bobber... The Ninja swingarm is about a 4 inch stretch over the stock swingarm, And since mine is a 72, its 1 1/2 inches shorter then the later swingarm... Sooo that gives me 5 1/2 inches of total stretch. Wasn't sure about fitting. But I knew some people had swapped Ninja 250 swingers, So I figured I'd give it a shot.

I got lucky... I started cleaning and found bronze bushings! No plastic here! And there were in great shape. Just saved $30

Time to start cutting down the Ninja swingarm. Removed the side gussets, Seemed to be about 16 ga. sheetmetal

After grinding down all the welds, removing some metal from the inner tube, removing a total of 1 inch from the tube width, and tossing the bushings in the freezer, with a little heat I got the bronze bushings pressed into the Ninja swingarm... Lots of cussing involved

I then drilled 2 extra holes in the inner tube, to help grease get to the bushings (found lots of info about this)

And, the test fit...

As you can see, one of the thousand previous owners cut off the passenger peg mounts. And of course they are the 72 style, not the simple newer style that would be easy to grind and smooth. So next thing I get to do is clean up that whole section. I will be using the Ninja 500 peg mounts... Just so I can use the brake pedal pivot and master cylinder, Since I am using the Ninja rear disc setup as well.

More to come!

 

[scabber]

The build looks good Shorty. Like how the build is going. Good information on making the ninja parts work. Keep posting your progress. This build is going great.

 

[ippytattoo]

Interesting swingarm swap. Just out of curiosity how does the Ninja 500 rear wheel compare to the XS rear wheel as far as width and tire size go?

 

[Shorty]

The build looks good Shorty. Like how the build is going. Good information on making the ninja parts work. Keep posting your progress. This build is going great.

thanks man haven't got to touch it in the last 2 weeks... my dog of 15 years, Got leukemia and had to be put down... had a bunch of honey-do and house stuff to do and then last week we got a new puppy so I've been completely tied up with him

Interesting swingarm swap. Just out of curiosity how does the Ninja 500 rear wheel compare to the XS rear wheel as far as width and tire size go?

130/70/17 tire on the rear, looks good in comparison to the rest of the bike a little wider but looks good...

 

[Sparky]

I'm interested in the fork swap. Modern shocks, brakes, and longer tubes, i'm in!

sucks about the dog. may your new puppy not drive you completely insane.

good build! keep it up!

 

[Shorty]

thanks yeah for those who don't wanna go all over the top with upside down forks and huge tubes this is a really good option. 37 mm tubes, modern brake and wheel tire combo, very easy swap and price point is very low. I paid 100 bucks for my entire front end including master cylinder