First build and first bike...Denver, CO

[PonyRide]

Alright, I've been slacking on this for a while now and figured I should get to starting this build thread. I picked up a '78 xs650 a few months back for $400 bucks with title. The PO had kind of started to tear it apart. Didn't get very far. Basically took some parts off and cut off a portion of the seat loop. Bike wasn't running but he told me it ran fine before starting to tear into it. Motor tuns when kicked with a good amount of resistance and appears to be clean inside. However the clutch cable and shift lever had been removed and the bike was in neutral. We'll see what troubles I run into there. So far I have been shaving the frame and have swapped the front end to a "74 dt250 for the 21" front wheel and narrower forks. Shaved the front forks and have many new parts to be installed. All Balls tapered swap, yada yada. Just got the email back today from Irish Rich of Shamrock Fabrication(i.e. The Harbortown Bobber) to make the hartail for me! Gotta get back to my real job so I will upload pictures at a later time. Plan is to have it running and ready by next summer.

 

[PonyRide]

So here is the bike right when I got her home...

And it actually all started with this, a '74 dt250 roller I got for $60 to use the front end for the xs. I had this for about four months before I found the xs...

stripped down...

front end swapped...

To do this I had to swap the steer stem from the xs into the dt. It was a learning experience and cost me one dt lower to get it. I grinded the weld in the wrong spot and forced it out with a press. When the weld broke it shot out like a rocket and I may have peed a little. I ruined the bearing seat when this happened. If your shop press is bending trying to get the stem out, you're not doing it right. Ordered another off of eBay and it came bent. Got a refund for that. Ordered a third and that was a success. After that I pressed the stem from the xs and put it back in the dt lower triple. welded it up and she was good to go. I posted a thread that has pictures of the whole process. after that I swapped the bearings and races for All Balls tapered.

The dt 250 trees fork stops are different than the xs, thankfully, so I shaved that ugly ass glob on the steer tube off...

And while we're at it, this ugly thing also...

Oops, gonna have to spot weld and re-grind that boo-boo...

Shaving gussets and downtubes...

 

[PonyRide]

Damnit! Can anyone see those pictures?

Posted via Mobile

 

[chopit25]

Damnit! Can anyone see those pictures?

Posted via Mobile

Nope not working for me.

 

[jamesgs4]

sup man! try hosting on photobucket, its free

 

[chopit25]

If your posting from a smart phone get the tapatalk app. It makes it easy to post pics. Plus you don't have to go thru the hassle of posting to another website just to post to this one.

 

[I am Carbon]

hey Man You can use this site as well

 

[PonyRide]

Here is what a I came up with for the new fork stop starting with square stock I had lying around...

A little finish with the metal work needed still but you get the gist.
Mocked up a tank with some paper. IT will not be so square on the edges when actually fabbed but its a rough idea. I love how narrow it is. The dt front end is significantly narrower than the xs. I really like the streamlined look it is tasking on. When I have the hard tail fabbed I will also try to keep it narrow as possible...

May go a little wider with the tank but I don't want to see it from the front outside of the fork legs. And about those forks, started shaving...

So right when I started to shave the first leg I was just holding the slider with my left hand on a table and using a cut-off wheel on a grinder to shave the tabs off. I just had rubber gloves on at the time and thought to myself; man if this thing grabs its gonna be bad news for that precariously close knuckle. Right about then...BAM!

When I came back from the first aid kit I noticed I had dropped the slider on the ground and dented the top edge. tried to lightly tap it back into shape but the aluminum just cracked and a small chunk broke off. I don't think this will be a problem but if anyone knows that it will be, I would like to know. The dust cover will hide it.

 

[PonyRide]

So the fit and finish on these bikes is really for shit. After semi-smoothing those tabs I noticed that the slider is not very round at all. Maybe a high fill primer would take care of this and you wouldn't be able to see it under paint or if you are a normal human just wouldn't care. Well I'm not, and I do. Also I'm not sure it will get painted. So if you don't have a lathe and want a fork slider smooth, you bust out the emery cloth and drop your plans for the night...

Probably a little overkill but its my first bike and build and it becomes a labor of love at this point. The results are extremely rewarding when doing nonsense like this.

Besides, you only live once right?

 

[jamesgs4]

Great job! any progress since I last saw the bike, or is it still up on the shelf?

 

[PonyRide]

Most of the stuff in this thread except for the front end swap is progress since you had seen it I believe. Hoping to have the hardtail built pretty soon and go from there. Pretty much have a solid idea for the rest of the build. Handlebars are still up in the air but ill wing that once I get to it. I'll make them I suppose. Not sure what I will tool on the seat either. I think that will be more of a cobra style seat. No springs and go up the rear fender a little ways. Also will hopefully have knobbyish tires if I can find the right style in the right size.

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[jamesgs4]

cool! dual sport tires are knobby-ish and look pretty good.