Wow, now it looks almost like copper-- be careful where you park it the scrappers might try to sell it for scrap copper. Good work!
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cutting up a perfectly good motorcycle, not for the faint of heart
- Thread starter JR Hammer
- Start date
GeorgeKillianLett
Pretty new to bikes.
Awesome job on the tins! I'm gonna drink a Guinness to celebrate your good work!
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
Cheers... Beer and jambalaya
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
At this rate it might be show-worthy by February but at least I can ride it again. Here is a photo I took after a 30 mile ride today. Seems alright... the electrical box is a navy surplus life raft 1st aid kit box
yes, that is the stock '79 tail-light
yes, that is the stock '79 tail-light
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
New clutch, heavier clutch springs, new oil, new oil filter... added a reverse cone with re-packable stuffing and pulled all the stuffing out... proper jetting achieved... runs real nice now
I took it for a 40 mile spin around the I205, I84, I5 loop and it runs really nice now. got lurked on by a group of pro-street jap bikers but I couldn't keep up with them... I think their bikes go as fast in 1st gear as my bike goes in top gear. you know the pro-street guys are proud when they paint their 1/4mi time on the bike. That one said 9.20, not sure what My bike would do... ?? maybe 14sec or so with a tail wind down a hill??
I took it for a 40 mile spin around the I205, I84, I5 loop and it runs really nice now. got lurked on by a group of pro-street jap bikers but I couldn't keep up with them... I think their bikes go as fast in 1st gear as my bike goes in top gear. you know the pro-street guys are proud when they paint their 1/4mi time on the bike. That one said 9.20, not sure what My bike would do... ?? maybe 14sec or so with a tail wind down a hill??
Last edited:
ChopperRobb
XS650 Addict
Nice hardtail, man! I want that fender and we can trade wheelies on the chops. We'll meet up in new Mexico and go screaming down the road like two wild apes!
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
The fender is off of a 1973 yamaha AT-1 (125cc enduro)
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
Here's two XS650 bikes chit chatting just before going for a jaunt. The hardtail bike uses a lot of hiphop slang and enjoys beer while the flat-tracker speaks with a country twang and enjoys moonshine. Nevertheless they are pals and both enjoy the same National Forest roads together 
LoL
\
The flat-tracker belongs to a friend. He said it had knobby tires on until about an hour before I got there--- he knows a lot about bikes, and especially these bikes. Yes that is Mt. St. Helens off in the haze there... if you look close you can see it. Other folks in the rest area noticed my bike and complimented me on it, that is a good feeling to be recognized. I always explain that it is only 85% finished and make excuses for it but I find more and more that the rough edges don't look all that bad for a bike this style. I put the stock instruments back on for the ride so I could have an accurate speedo and tach and since the headlight is from a ducati there is no place to hide all the wires coming out of the cluster, so I just let em hang out for now. I wanted to run mini gauges but so far the one I have tried was terribly inaccurate. I still need to put a finish on the frame and do some detail work, otherwise it has been a blast to ride. For me the trip up to the viewpoint was 160mi round trip from Portland and the only thing that went wrong was my tail lamp internal socket vibrated loose. I'd call it a success.
LoL
The flat-tracker belongs to a friend. He said it had knobby tires on until about an hour before I got there--- he knows a lot about bikes, and especially these bikes. Yes that is Mt. St. Helens off in the haze there... if you look close you can see it. Other folks in the rest area noticed my bike and complimented me on it, that is a good feeling to be recognized. I always explain that it is only 85% finished and make excuses for it but I find more and more that the rough edges don't look all that bad for a bike this style. I put the stock instruments back on for the ride so I could have an accurate speedo and tach and since the headlight is from a ducati there is no place to hide all the wires coming out of the cluster, so I just let em hang out for now. I wanted to run mini gauges but so far the one I have tried was terribly inaccurate. I still need to put a finish on the frame and do some detail work, otherwise it has been a blast to ride. For me the trip up to the viewpoint was 160mi round trip from Portland and the only thing that went wrong was my tail lamp internal socket vibrated loose. I'd call it a success.
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
no rear brake, questionable pipe/muffler mounts
"First Aid Kit Life Raft" is electrical fusebox and battery box
Stock gauges need to disappear, headlight ears need to be replaced, front fender (sorry casey) and fender mounts for front... maybe some fork gaitors
Just chillen... with 30k miles... (to be continued)
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
slither302
XS650 Enthusiast
Nice work
I would only add that you might have to ditch the muffler as its shiny chrome stands out from the rest of the patina look of the bike.
I would only add that you might have to ditch the muffler as its shiny chrome stands out from the rest of the patina look of the bike.
JR Hammer
XS650 enthusiast
thanks, yeah I know--- I'm debating with myself over whether to powdercoat the muffler or knock down the shine with abrasives and paint it or remove it altogether and replace with a custom pipe setup.
The muffler really improves the sound of the bike when it's running down the road... it's a removeable baffle design and the first thing I did with it was pull out all the stuffing so it's plenty loud but it idles more quietly, which appeases the neighbour. with the straight pipes the 650 sounds sort of raspy/wheezy.... so I like the baffle
