Farewell, XS650

[gggGary]

I did my own taxes a few years back.......

Talk about livin' on the edge.
My wife is a horse nut, I ride with her, the most dangerous motorcycle ever built is mother's milk compared to a spooked horse running through the woods.

Back in the day; we were both about 20, both bikes were mine. A hardtailed, raked, 6 over forks (cut down from 12 over WTF!) CB750 and a stock Norton. Fast rural sweeper corner at night, we had been pushing each other for a while, BOTH those bikes SUCKED in a hard corner near the edge. No crash that night but the rear tire skipping on the Honda and the death wobble from the Norton's flexable swing arm scared both of us big time. We stopped, looked at each other and knew we "just" squeaked by that time.
Know your bike's AND your limits, respect them, ride and live.

A stock 650 isn't much of a handler, early bikes are nasty, and customs are what they are.

Like the airplane guys say; if it isn't factory YOU are the test pilot.
If you have never done it, read some of the 1950s test pilot books. The modern world has no equivalent.

 

[JimmyStacy]

Ha ha some of the very early xs look cool stock but a nice custom to me is always better.In my opinion the xs is perfect to chop because they are cheap.I know someone selling a pan duoglide that is original for 18,000 now that would be dumb to chop but a $600 xs with that ugly seat and gas tank chop it.Also it takes skill to chop a bike most guys now days are not using chain saws and bubble gum to put them together.My mom and sister could buy a stock xs and ride out but they can not hard tail one and build their own gas tank and so on.The road that is the easiest path is usually the wrong one.

 

[Darkdruid]

I have no problem with chopped, bobbed or stock XS's. It was a chopped XS that first got me into them and none of mine have been stock for very long. Although the mods made were to improve the handling more than the looks as the standard 'Specials' didn't handle that well with the original swing arms?

 

[littlebill31]

I ride my rigid almost everyday. Love it. I don't go above 75, it's max comfotable speed, and it handles great IMHO. As for new, or original stock, is better than chopped, I disagree. I had a really nice CBR600 and wrecked it. Why? The chain broke, brand new chain, and locked up the rear wheel. It tosted me into a guard rail. Shit happens....and not only to chopped bikes.
I chopped mine, well because it's mine, and because the PO screwed it all up trying to restore it. Half the parts he had lost or broke trying to take them off, cut the rear loop off 'cuz it was bent, took the engine apart and put it in a box, carbs were broken from stuck bolts and screws, ect.
It's my bike, end of story, period.
I've got 6 frames in my shed right now with no titles 'cuz the guy didn't keep the paperwork up to date and laws changed. So that is 6, bone stock, uncut frames that are worthless in my state. I'd much rather have a ridable, legal bike (no matter if it's cut or not) then a shed full of crap that can't be riden. Those types of people are the bike killers. Pile it up and store it. Lose the title. Never use it, but they have it to talk about.
Like those, "I have a...." people. 5 bikes, cars, whatever, in pieces lying around their homes. But they always say, " I have a '65 Nova, a '68 Chevelle...", no they don't. What they have is a bunch of junk. If they would have spent all that wasted money on one good project, instead of the 10 junk piles, they would be able to ride/drive it instead of staring a tarp covered shit pile.
If you are so in love with stock bikes then why do people rephase, get Ohlin shocks, new compound tires? What was wrong with the stock design? Oh, that's right, 'cuz it's antiquated!!

Here's one of my bikes. The guy was gonna restore it....15 years ago!!

 

[I am Carbon]

I ride my rigid almost everyday. Love it. I don't go above 75, it's max comfotable speed, and it handles great IMHO. As for new, or original stock, is better than chopped, I disagree. I had a really nice CBR600 and wrecked it. Why? The chain broke, brand new chain, and locked up the rear wheel. It tosted me into a guard rail. Shit happens....and not only to chopped bikes.
I chopped mine, well because it's mine, and because the PO screwed it all up trying to restore it. Half the parts he had lost or broke trying to take them off, cut the rear loop off 'cuz it was bent, took the engine apart and put it in a box, carbs were broken from stuck bolts and screws, ect.
It's my bike, end of story, period.
I've got 6 frames in my shed right now with no titles 'cuz the guy didn't keep the paperwork up to date and laws changed. So that is 6, bone stock, uncut frames that are worthless in my state. I'd much rather have a ridable, legal bike (no matter if it's cut or not) then a shed full of crap that can't be riden. Those types of people are the bike killers. Pile it up and store it. Lose the title. Never use it, but they have it to talk about.
Like those, "I have a...." people. 5 bikes, cars, whatever, in pieces lying around their homes. But they always say, " I have a '65 Nova, a '68 Chevelle...", no they don't. What they have is a bunch of junk. If they would have spent all that wasted money on one good project, instead of the 10 junk piles, they would be able to ride/drive it instead of staring a tarp covered shit pile.
If you are so in love with stock bikes then why do people rephase, get Ohlin shocks, new compound tires? What was wrong with the stock design? Oh, that's right, 'cuz it's antiquated!!

Here's one of my bikes. The guy was gonna restore it....15 years ago!!
View attachment 11771

 

[gggGary]

View attachment 11771

Don't chop it, restore it!

FWIW I have dragged home worse.

 

[littlebill31]

Don't chop it, restore it!

FWIW I have dragged home worse.

That's one of the non-titled ones. Engine is locked up tighter than Dick's hat band.
That's how he "stored" it. In a bush. Been in that position for 15 years when I pulled it out.
I bought it almost a year ago. He said he was going to get a replacement title and I haven't heard from him in 6 months.

 

[bobadame]

I have a '79 "Special". I noticed that the more parts I took off, the better it looked so I will not be putting those same parts back on.
It's pretty much that simple. We're not talking about a Crocker or a Britten here. This is a mass produced motorcycle equivalent to a Model A Ford or a '56 Chevy. The early series XSs had the classic look similar to the Bonneville from the same period. You might see those in a museum. The later factory puesdo choppers with the fat seats and goofy bars were marketed to satisfy a passing fad. When I see one of these 30 years from now, when I'll be 93, I'm pretty sure I'll be thinking about how I would change it.

 

[gordonscott]

Don't chop it, restore it!

FWIW I have dragged home worse.

My bone stock "77", bored me to tears Had to sell it before I went "Cafe" on it's ass Was for sale for a year and sold for $2,000

My "78" chopper, fun as hell For sale for 7 days and sold for $5,500

I'm a motorcycle guy, period! I like all bikes, even mopeds If it has a motor and wheels I'm for it. There's an ass for every seat, you like stock good for you We need care takers for them too. You like to cut it up, cafe it etc... have at it! I love to see all the creativity out there It's a win win the way I see it

 

[I am Carbon]

My bone stock "77", bored me to tears Had to sell it before I went "Cafe" on it's ass Was for sale for a year and sold for $2,000

My "78" chopper, fun as hell For sale for 7 days and sold for $5,500

I'm a motorcycle guy, period! I like all bikes, even mopeds If it has a motor and wheels I'm for it. There's an ass for every seat, you like stock good for you We need care takers for them too. You like to cut it up, cafe it etc... have at it! I love to see all the creativity out there It's a win win the way I see it

I could not see myself sellin those two seeet bikes
very good point Bro

 

[wood-z]

my 80sg is mostly stock-with improvements.i'm more about the riding than the wrenching,tho i keep dreaming of a full resto-having seen some of the fine examples of what what can be done-here on this site.maybe when/if i retire.i'd bet most of our wives think we're nuts with our various bug-eyed maniacal schemes.thus it was, and thus it shall ever be...the ablilty to look at a thing and see it for what it could be instead of what it really is(was),and then make it so,may be one of the more interesting human traits.i'm not a chopper guy,but i envy the skill-set and vision.and the shop.and the tools.and the resources.and the time.and the...oh,you know.pass me the bottle...oh and that '77 looks like the one i had in...'77

 

[Cpkid]

I have been trying to get all mine stock, BUT someday I want to build a Kenny Roberts painted bike. Everybodys just trying to find there way.
And with all the modifying it helps us get stock parts which is great.
Regards,
CPKID

 

[scabber]

Gorden I bet that Busted petes balls I would have given you 2 grand for that one.

 

[tonyc]

I would have paid $5500 for the stock one and $2000 for the beautiful custom.

 

[gordonscott]

I would have paid $5500 for the stock one and $2000 for the beautiful custom.

Honest to God Tony I tried to sell that stock bike on Craigslist, ebay and here and I was asking $2,500 for it I thought it would sell no problem Plenty of "Nice bike" and "I'll come and look at it" etc... and never show? It was a one owner with original title from new! I finaly took the best offer I got for it and let it go, it was as nice as it looks and even had the factory plastic covering on the brake and clutch levers.

 

[gordonscott]

Gorden I bet that Busted petes balls I would have given you 2 grand for that one.

Just the facts my friend I was suprized how the sales turned out I still get emails about that chopper and I built that 7yrs ago!

 

[tadd442]

Talk about livin' on the edge.
My wife is a horse nut, I ride with her, the most dangerous motorcycle ever built is mother's milk compared to a spooked horse running through the woods.

Back in the day; we were both about 20, both bikes were mine. A hardtailed, raked, 6 over forks (cut down from 12 over WTF!) CB750 and a stock Norton. Fast rural sweeper corner at night, we had been pushing each other for a while, BOTH those bikes SUCKED in a hard corner near the edge. No crash that night but the rear tire skipping on the Honda and the death wobble from the Norton's flexable swing arm scared both of us big time. We stopped, looked at each other and knew we "just" squeaked by that time.
Know your bike's AND your limits, respect them, ride and live.

A stock 650 isn't much of a handler, early bikes are nasty, and customs are what they are.

Like the airplane guys say; if it isn't factory YOU are the test pilot.
If you have never done it, read some of the 1950s test pilot books. The modern world has no equivalent.

That's how I roll!

By the way, I am RESTORING a '72 that I found completely intact.....Chopping a (mostly) '75 that was incomplete, and considering using a bare '80 frame that's just sitting around to eventually build a Cafe out of. The way I see it, If any bike can last this long unmolested, keep it that way. If it's in pieces, and incomplete....then its fair game to re-purpose. If you have parts that are harder to find than others,( XS1 fork & wheels) offer them up to resto people & get more common stuff for the modded bikes. Nothing against those who wanna do a resto from just a frame, but that's just a little too deep of a project for me. I figure that's the most responsible way to have my modded machines and do the least amount of damage for the resto guys....being I am sort of one of them.