Not anywhere close. That nice unhinged flat top is for a top box. So you are still shopping.
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Build Thread...Special to Cafe Bike
- Thread starter MaxPete
- Start date
I've got the lower unit AND a top box already (see the red unit in the background). The problem is that I like tools too much.....
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Tool collecting eh Pete ? Suppose its just a matter of time till this ? Tell the wife there's plenty of room..
YES - you've guessed it TM. The only difference is that I bought the REALLY big one!
zeroxs650
XS650 Addict
Nice tool boxes, I've been searching for one and never thought to look at Tractor Supply.
CoconutPete
1979 XS650 Special
Shop looks good!
Dear All: well, it's been a busy period on a lot of fronts, most f which were not related to playing with my toys 
- we went to AZ for a few days last week and I met Daniel Black and saw Stella (and had awesome BBQ);
- I had some students to "tune up" due to some issues at their co-op work term employers and;
- my duties as chair of the board of the local public library have been chewing up most of the remainder.
As many of you are aware, I have managed to squeeze out a little time for some more organisation and clean-up in the DCW - and I'm pretty pleased with it now. I even found an old piece of carpet for the floor, plus Princess Auto (CDN version of Harbour Freight) had cushy shop floor mats on sale this week so I treated myself to some as my poor old feet seem to suffer if I plod around on bare concrete.
Here are a couple of pictures:
OK - NOW I've got this ding-danged picture posting thingy licked. You upload, then you place the blue cursor where you want it and THEN you tell it whether you want a thumbnail or full-size version. Thanks so much to TimeMachine for the tips - what a great guy!
As I was saying, if you look closely at the one of the little work bench, you may recognise the two bikes in the photos - one is Lucille and the other is my dream cafe bike - by forum member Brassneck.
With the return of a slightly more sane schedule and a relatively orderly place in which to work, I should begin to make some real progress on Lucille's beautification program and of course on the '81 Special-to-Cafe build.
Many thanks once again to everyone who has helped out with parts, advice and encouragement (and Coconut Pete - the fork tool arrived - MANY thanks!). I want to assure everyone that when these two bikes are done, I will happily return the favours I have been granted with any the surplus parts I have at that point. Right now, I'm pooped and so I'm going to watch some Doc Martin on Netflix.
Cheers all,
Pete
- we went to AZ for a few days last week and I met Daniel Black and saw Stella (and had awesome BBQ);
- I had some students to "tune up" due to some issues at their co-op work term employers and;
- my duties as chair of the board of the local public library have been chewing up most of the remainder.
As many of you are aware, I have managed to squeeze out a little time for some more organisation and clean-up in the DCW - and I'm pretty pleased with it now. I even found an old piece of carpet for the floor, plus Princess Auto (CDN version of Harbour Freight) had cushy shop floor mats on sale this week so I treated myself to some as my poor old feet seem to suffer if I plod around on bare concrete.
Here are a couple of pictures:
OK - NOW I've got this ding-danged picture posting thingy licked. You upload, then you place the blue cursor where you want it and THEN you tell it whether you want a thumbnail or full-size version. Thanks so much to TimeMachine for the tips - what a great guy!
As I was saying, if you look closely at the one of the little work bench, you may recognise the two bikes in the photos - one is Lucille and the other is my dream cafe bike - by forum member Brassneck.
With the return of a slightly more sane schedule and a relatively orderly place in which to work, I should begin to make some real progress on Lucille's beautification program and of course on the '81 Special-to-Cafe build.
Many thanks once again to everyone who has helped out with parts, advice and encouragement (and Coconut Pete - the fork tool arrived - MANY thanks!). I want to assure everyone that when these two bikes are done, I will happily return the favours I have been granted with any the surplus parts I have at that point. Right now, I'm pooped and so I'm going to watch some Doc Martin on Netflix.
Cheers all,
Pete
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Looking really good there Pete. Got your two girls there together, Nice! Now all you need is a little free time so you can go out there and crank up some Doobie Brothers and let the inspiration flow!
You betcha Bob! When the weather warms up just a little, I will bring the ST1300 back from the neighbour's garage and then I'll really be making progress.
Pete
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
Hay Maxpete !
good to see you doing the build ! Sorry I just now found it ! LOL
Looks like you decided on Black and I can't tell if you have your caffe' seat on it yet or not....
I had to skip some of the pages to get this far so I may have missed the pictulars my eyes are watering I've been reading so much tonight! LOL
My apple tree has buds on it now,,, SPRING IS HERE ! but it's still cold out in the shop !
I finally got my XS650 Running on both cylinders ! make a note of it, it was the richness screws under the &$@#^& Caps on the carbs that caused all this trouble.... I should'a known better but.....I didn't see any way to adjust those carbs....thanks to all of you guys it now runs and starts fine !!!!!
I was going to sujest a really bright Yellow for your Caffe' bike but I guess I'm too late ! LOL
Keep after it Pete ! can't wait to see a pic with you on it Riding !
....
later
Bob.........
good to see you doing the build ! Sorry I just now found it ! LOL
Looks like you decided on Black and I can't tell if you have your caffe' seat on it yet or not....
I had to skip some of the pages to get this far so I may have missed the pictulars my eyes are watering I've been reading so much tonight! LOL
My apple tree has buds on it now,,, SPRING IS HERE ! but it's still cold out in the shop !
I finally got my XS650 Running on both cylinders ! make a note of it, it was the richness screws under the &$@#^& Caps on the carbs that caused all this trouble.... I should'a known better but.....I didn't see any way to adjust those carbs....thanks to all of you guys it now runs and starts fine !!!!!
I was going to sujest a really bright Yellow for your Caffe' bike but I guess I'm too late ! LOL
Keep after it Pete ! can't wait to see a pic with you on it Riding !
....
later
Bob.........
Hi Bob: I haven't really started on the build just yet - mostly talking to people, gathering information and parts. On the black '81 Special in the photo - the stock seat is off right now as I am starting to work on getting her running. Your posts on your adventures will be really helpful I'm sure!
For the build, I have got a seat (its an Airtech), an XS750 fuel talk (in the background on my big workbench in the photo) and a set of rear-set controls. The colour scheme is likely to be a dark blue with a gold or silver stripe - and it will look very similar to the black & gold bike in the little photo above my small work bench. I hope to get going after one more business trip this week.
Cheers,
Pete
For the build, I have got a seat (its an Airtech), an XS750 fuel talk (in the background on my big workbench in the photo) and a set of rear-set controls. The colour scheme is likely to be a dark blue with a gold or silver stripe - and it will look very similar to the black & gold bike in the little photo above my small work bench. I hope to get going after one more business trip this week.
Cheers,
Pete
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
ahhh then I vote for BRIGHT YELLOW ! with a black frame ! LOL it would look like a tonka toy going down the road ! LOL
Hay don't you know that retirement means no more business trips ? or am I the only old fart here ? HAHAHAHHA!
... C ya !
Bob............
Hay don't you know that retirement means no more business trips ? or am I the only old fart here ? HAHAHAHHA!
... C ya !
Bob............
There are lots of us old farts on the forum Bob (including me) but unfortunately, I'm not quite retired just yet. I still have to work to fund my motorcycle habit!
Pete
BIG FAT HAIRY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!
As many of you will know, I have had a challenging winter and spring with work, business trips, a week long motorcycle trip on the Honda ST1300 (OK - THAT was fun - except for the danged rain), a major consulting job that was about 3X the scale expected, preps for the upcoming wedding of daughter #2 and (yet another) knee injury. Life can suck - but overall, I am a fortunate guy - and I'm grateful. I was really trying to get some time to work on my Special-to-Cafe conversion....but it never seemed to happen and so I finally cried "uncle" and asked our local carb guru - Bruce D - to go over those ding-danged BS34s - which he did extraordinarily well. I have now had them back for a solid month and haven't had the time to even take them out of the box and admire them.
ANYHOW....today, I declared a mental health day - put the carbs on, connected a fuel line, pulled the choke knob, hit the button....and, guess what: IT STARTED AND RAN!!!!!
It idled a little high (around 2500 rpm) and I could turn it down to about 15-1700 before it stalled. I've got one noisy valve and the headlight is out, but basically, I've got a runner!
Holy cow - what an awesome feeling.
....OK, NOW I think I'll begin to make some real progress!
As many of you will know, I have had a challenging winter and spring with work, business trips, a week long motorcycle trip on the Honda ST1300 (OK - THAT was fun - except for the danged rain), a major consulting job that was about 3X the scale expected, preps for the upcoming wedding of daughter #2 and (yet another) knee injury. Life can suck - but overall, I am a fortunate guy - and I'm grateful. I was really trying to get some time to work on my Special-to-Cafe conversion....but it never seemed to happen and so I finally cried "uncle" and asked our local carb guru - Bruce D - to go over those ding-danged BS34s - which he did extraordinarily well. I have now had them back for a solid month and haven't had the time to even take them out of the box and admire them.
ANYHOW....today, I declared a mental health day - put the carbs on, connected a fuel line, pulled the choke knob, hit the button....and, guess what: IT STARTED AND RAN!!!!!
It idled a little high (around 2500 rpm) and I could turn it down to about 15-1700 before it stalled. I've got one noisy valve and the headlight is out, but basically, I've got a runner!
Holy cow - what an awesome feeling.
....OK, NOW I think I'll begin to make some real progress!
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Great BFH Announcement ! Well deserved Pete !
We sure do 2M - and on that theme, I think I just figured out how to attend BOTH the Vintage Yamaha Rally AND the XS650 Society event in Sept.
Now I just have figure out if I can do it on a 650 and not on my Honda ST1300....
Now I just have figure out if I can do it on a 650 and not on my Honda ST1300....
All right Pete, that is good news! I know how anxious you are to get this project moving. This is a very good move in the right direction.
Congratulations on your daughters wedding and I hope your knee is on the mend.
Pete's back baby!
Congratulations on your daughters wedding and I hope your knee is on the mend.
Pete's back baby!
Yeah man - ahhhhhmmmm baaaa-aaaacckkkkk!
