First buike, first build XS650

[JesseXS]

First a copy of my Intro topic.

Goodmorning all,

Just registered myself after purchasing a XS650 last Saturday. I'm Jesse and living in the Netherlands. My hobbies are my '64 dragrace beetle, kiteboarding and since a few week motorcycles . I'm taking lessons at the moment and hope to have my first exam next month.

As a friend of mine has a XS650 cafe racer and saw some cool ones on the internet I wanted to buy one too. I searched the internet the last months and found one in my price range and picked it up last Saturday.

This is it.

I found out it is a 4G7 type. Yesterday I started stripping the bike, the electrics were a real mess. I will start a project topic to keep you guys updated.

The goal is to build a Classified Moto styled bike like below.

 

[JesseXS]

I'm not new to the customising scene. Below a photograph of my '64 beetle which I restored myself. Also build the engine myself which is a 2176cc now with 188hp. Real fun at the stoplights .

Yesterday I started stripping the bike:

Engine was ok and it also fired up before I stripped the bike. I will however service it and clean the carbs etc.

Now I need to look for a nice USD fork and find out how to mount it to the XS650. Any hints?

 

[XSFrank]

I'm not new to the customising scene. Below a photograph of my '64 beetle which I restored myself. Also build the engine myself which is a 2176cc now with 188hp. Real fun at the stoplights .

Hi Jesse,
Welcome to XS650.com
I'm another Cal-Look Lounge member (whitetrash). Looks like there are more and more european VW guys with XS's too.
I know Jelle from Gent (Lowfastbus) got an XS Chopper/Bopper last year.

I came across the picture of the blue framed bike too when I was looking for insiration. Very nice. Good luck with the build.

Now I need to look for a nice USD fork and find out how to mount it to the XS650. Any hints.

I've already got some pictures of my build on another thread "Cafe with a twist".
Seems to me if you stick with Yamaha, a lot of parts are easily interchanged.

 

[oval dirk]

Sorry to hear that i am the cause of buying a xs!

 

[JesseXS]

Cool to see Frank we got the same interests .

Long time no posting because I've been busy with all kinds of things. Now back to working on the XS. Stripped the bike further and now looking for some inspiration.

I'm leaning more towards a cafe racer with spoke wheels. I was thinking of getting a Radian swing arm and go for 17 (or 18) inch spoke wheel on the back and 18 inch in the front. Front should be an easy swap. I want to keep the disc at the rear so I was thinking of getting a front hub and lace it to an 17 inch rim and have some spacers made. Think this should work and look very nice. Bit like this bike.

 

[Jasonbobb]

good project so far

 

[JesseXS]

Has been a while but I have been very busy. In the meantime I picked up a Radian swingarm and found 2 19 inch front spoke wheels in Germany which will be sent to me this week.

A question, when i have a radian swing arm do I still need the bronze bushings?

Will get some photographs this weekend.

 

[JAGUARGOD]

Just found your post...Welcome to the site....Love the Bug!

Oh and can you come over and clean up my garage??? You keep a nice mancave....

Good luck on your XS.....looks like a great start...I have a rigid frame XS...next is a "brat style"...soon as I find one I can afford...Kev.

 

[XSFrank]

Has been a while but I have been very busy. In the meantime I picked up a Radian swingarm and found 2 19 inch front spoke wheels in Germany which will be sent to me this week.

A question, when i have a radian swing arm do I still need the bronze bushings?

Will get some photographs this weekend.

Jesse,

The Radian swing arm has needle bearings, which are a lot better then bronze bushings. Just think of early King and Link Beetle front axles on Splits, which had solid arm bushes. Later and ball joint axles have needle bearings too.

Are you going to use a 19" front wheel with single disc and sprocket conversion kit? Like the Tracker conversions from Omar's in the states. It comes with spacers, bearings and sprocket adaptors.
The only thing to think of is that the Radian arm and axle adjusters are for 17mm axles. XS front wheels are 19mm.
I'm using an 18" XS500/RD350 Mag wheel which are also 17mm axles, so are a straight fit.

Frank

 

[JesseXS]

Hi Frank,

Ok I already noted the needle bearing so that would be a good upgrade.

Well i'm not going to use a kit from OMAR because the radian swingarm is wider so I'm going to have spacers made here locally. But yes using a front wheel at the back. Think of relace it to an 18 inch rim. More cafe .

I thought front axles were 17mm on a XS? Because that would be perfect for the radian axle. Otherwise I will have a new axle made.

 

[jmarkha1]

Must be something about these XS bikes and vdubs.
I recently bought an XS in UK - a Heritage Special - it is currently being converted into a sort of trakker / brat style - hope to kick it over today if it stops raining.
The beetle under the cover is my first car - had it for 20 yrs now - running stroker motor and the usual cal look goodies - good luck with your project Jesse...

 

[spent]

Bike is off to a good start. Love the beetle.

 

[JesseXS]

Thanks for the kind replies!

Another question .

I would like to use a Brembo/or similar caliper on the rear from a modern bike. They are quite cheap and they look better than the stock caliper.

As with the Radian swing arm some thing will change I better do this now as well. Can someone tell me more about how to convert this. Is is possible to weld on a bracket on the swingarm to mount the caliper? Is it possible to use it without a brake arm as stock? Looks more cleaner that way.

Thanks!

 

[XSFrank]

Thanks for the kind replies!

Another question .

I would like to use a Brembo/or similar caliper on the rear from a modern bike. They are quite cheap and they look better than the stock caliper.

As with the Radian swing arm some thing will change I better do this now as well. Can someone tell me more about how to convert this. Is is possible to weld on a bracket on the swingarm to mount the caliper? Is it possible to use it without a brake arm as stock? Looks more cleaner that way.

Thanks!

I think you won't get away without the bracing bar as it stops the caliper and bracket swiveling around the axle when you brake. It's like a tie rod on a rear axle of a car.
It also needs to be adjustable, for when you slide the axle back and forth to adjust the chain tension.
Modern bikes like my R6 don't have that bar. Instead the caliper bracket is smaller and then has an elongated slot which bolts to the top surface of the rear swing arm where the back and forth movement comes from. I'll post a pic of the assembly I've got.
I'm trying to work this out myself at the moment. The R6 caliper is so much lighter then the 650.
The other difficulty is to get the caliper floating, as the R6 has a large and small piston on both sides.
Is the Brembo a 4 piston (2 each side) design like the front calipers?

Frank

 

[JesseXS]

I was thinking of getting such type of caliper. http://link.marktplaats.nl/554072180

I understand what you mean with the tie rod. But there must be another way . During my search I found something regarding the use of a Yamaha RD/RZ caliper bracket on the rear. Or maybe use one from a modern motorcycle. I can buy a caliper with bracket from an Ducati for cheap (50 euros).

 

[XSFrank]

I was thinking of getting such type of caliper. http://link.marktplaats.nl/554072180

I understand what you mean with the tie rod. But there must be another way . During my search I found something regarding the use of a Yamaha RD/RZ caliper bracket on the rear. Or maybe use one from a modern motorcycle. I can buy a caliper with bracket from an Ducati for cheap (50 euros).

That caliper looks okay. 2 piston non floating.
I've just seen this thread on here.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20951
Somebody mentioned RD/RZ brackets.
I've just found a cheap one on Fleabay and will try that on mine I think.
Will post pics later.

Frank

 

[JesseXS]

Been a while but a little busy with a lot of VW engines for friends I needed to build.

Got some spoke wheels! And started tearing the bike further apart. Going to bring it to a specialized bike builder this Saturday so he will do some framework and making spacers. I just don't have the time and skills to do it myself.

Trail fitting the radian swingarm and front wheel:

A pile of XS650

 

[KentMoney]

none of the pics work for me

 

[gggGary]

Pics show up for me. The shock mounts are further apart on the radian swing arm than they are on the XS arm.

Axle needs to be a bit longer also.

 

[JesseXS]

I'm going to use the stock radian axle because it is 17mm which is also the size of the front wheel axle so the front hub was a straight fit .

I will have the shock mounts changed more to the inside. Anyone got any tips on what size of shocks to use?