Build Thread - 83 xs650 HS -> minimal street tracker.

[jasonslackisrad]

Hey Everyone. I am pleased to start my official build thread.

The object of my build is simplicity. Inspired by a few bikes i've seen around the net and my general aesthetic I am stripping it down to essentials, modernizing where I can and keeping it clean.

Heres how she started. 83 Heritage special, 9xxx miles. Good runner and my first bike. But i've been building cars for like 16 years so I can't leve well enough alone. Here it is, the Dad special.

Trip home

With my other toy. 97 e36 M3 Sedan. 189K and turbo'd

And here's how the bike sat last night.

And since I can't help myself I installed my suspension. 2" lower up front (Thanks Hughs Handbuilt spacers), installed rebel shocks in the rear (for the time being)

I have 18"/19" high shouldered wheels to ditch the billion spoked HS wheels. and a bunch of odds and ends.

Hopefully tonight I can clean the piss out of it and start cutting more useless stuff off the frame

The game plan is to
get it done by spring. I'm building it with a couple friends, here is his harley. (pics by me - so I will not be using only cellphone pics for this build)

 

[scabber]

Welcome. Will be watching the build.

 

[jasonslackisrad]

Well, it's been a while. Work as usual gets in the way of not only working on the bike, but updating this.

I have been up to quite a bit tho. Parts have been purchased, scrapped, sold, and re-purchased. But heres a few pics of things.

Starting with the engine out of the frame.

On the heritage special, the carbs (along with everything else) was painted black. So I took the carbs apart, and busted out the aircraft remover.

Next up was some purchases. I wanted to do something different with the headlight, so I nabbed a set of fluted glass, crosshair headlights for a MKII VW. Purists will be pissed when they see that I destroyed something so rare in that world But. NBD.

13.5" Progressive suspension from 650Direct.

Saw these up for sale on the forums. Couldn't pass it up.

The time came to work on the headlight and start to get the stance right. But first. It was lunch time.

I had a very specific seat style in mind. So setting to work on the seatpan was next. After a few hours, the headlight & turns were mounted. and the pan started taking shape.

It snowed that night. So it was time for a little sliding around

Back at home, the side covers were getting a fresh coat of paint. VHT wrinkle finish. If you are going to use this stuff. Open the garage. Just FYI.

And i was scouting ebay for quite a while for this tank. After losing auction after auction, I finally got one. It needs some work, but its all there.

And here is how she sits now.

It too like 16 hours to finish the pan, and found someone local to do the leather work.

It's coming along. Hopefully next weekend I can get the engine back in and get to figuring out exhaust.

A lot more work than i expected. but then again, it always is.

 

[scabber]

The seat look good, nice job. Those tanks are hard to come by. It works well with the seat.

 

[jasonslackisrad]

Finally! A day off! I finally got to finish my cleaning and painting.

Hopefully this weekend the motor can go back in the frame to start my exhaust mock up.

 

[jasonslackisrad]

One shot from this weekend.

Engine is in. Starting to come together.

 

[deadchef]

bike looks great! how are you mounting that pan to the bike? i keep planning on making that same style but still seeing what everyone is doing for the mounts. wasn't a fan at first to the brown banana seats but i think as long as you get the tank color right it will come together great. also, i noticed the choke lever on your carbs are the same as my 81. if i'm not mistaken, the 82 & 83 had a bar mounted lever for the choke. regardless, i prefer the 81 and made the swap on one of my 83's.

 

[jasonslackisrad]

Thanks deachef. For the pan I welded bungs to the bottom and 2 mounting points near the front and one on the top of the rear loop.

Actually just bought another tan off ebay in this maroon but near mint. I love the way it looks with the brown leather. So this one will be up for sale soon.

As far as the choke, you're referring to that "arm" that is coming off the carbs right?
I converted my choke to a manual one on the carbs themselves in the effort to minimize things. So I will be removing that arm.