XSJoel
XS650 Junkie
Yes, he does not like them. I personally would keep that XS.
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Good swap or not?
- Thread starter EWAN
- Start date
burns
OWG
I say get the Sporty.
After one season of fixing it more than you ride it and being shunned by the HD crowd for not having a "real" HD your obsession will hopefully be cured. You can then sell it and build another XS that will be uniquely yours, will run forever with minimum upkeep, will be admired by anyone who knows anything about motorcycles.
You know, kinda like what you have now.
After one season of fixing it more than you ride it and being shunned by the HD crowd for not having a "real" HD your obsession will hopefully be cured. You can then sell it and build another XS that will be uniquely yours, will run forever with minimum upkeep, will be admired by anyone who knows anything about motorcycles.
You know, kinda like what you have now.
EWAN
XS650 Enthusiast
@burns Ha ha i hear you 
Sometimes you just need to hear some input from outside
Sometimes you just need to hear some input from outside
Tron
Bearded Sheep Whisperer
Ever ridden a sporty?
The xs is a funner ride. Plus sportys are a dime a dozen, and shit, they still make them.
I bet if you did the trade, you will go to repair a few things, and next thing you know, your tearing it all apart and not riding this year, wishing you had your clean xs that you knew so well. Wait till the winter for a new project. We have bikes to ride them!
I just set my xs up from the bratty sort of look you saw before, to more tracker/scrambler like yours, and its soooo much fun.
The xs is a funner ride. Plus sportys are a dime a dozen, and shit, they still make them.
I bet if you did the trade, you will go to repair a few things, and next thing you know, your tearing it all apart and not riding this year, wishing you had your clean xs that you knew so well. Wait till the winter for a new project. We have bikes to ride them!
I just set my xs up from the bratty sort of look you saw before, to more tracker/scrambler like yours, and its soooo much fun.
I have this theory that many xs owners would rather have a Triumph or a Sportster. If that's what you want, then do it.
Personally, I might rather have a new Triumph, but I don't know enough about them to know for sure. But a Sportster is too big to be as convenient as an xs. If a Sportster is a woman's bike then an xs is a little girl's bike
Something else to consider is just as his Sportster is mythical to you, obviously your xs is mythical to him. Or else in better condition. Might turn your head around.
Personally, I might rather have a new Triumph, but I don't know enough about them to know for sure. But a Sportster is too big to be as convenient as an xs. If a Sportster is a woman's bike then an xs is a little girl's bike
Something else to consider is just as his Sportster is mythical to you, obviously your xs is mythical to him. Or else in better condition. Might turn your head around.
Belle
XS650 Addict
I like H-D Ironhead Sportsters. I almost bought a pair instead of puttin' my money where I did this year. If ya have the resources an Ironhead is a great bike. W/out the network to fill the Ironheads needs though they can be expensive; for instance, a set of high performance heads from S&S can put ya near $2500 USD in the hole while using local resources to get a XS head in top shape could be a little easier on the wallet. If I were tired of the XS project I'd trade. Or, better yet, just wait on one to pop up on the cheap & make it the project, maybe a cheap set of engine cases or somethin'--A bike that nickle & dimes all the time is like a car load of rug rats screaming for burgers, ice cream, soda pops & bathroom breaks whenever ya wanna get somewhere important ta you.
Just my two cents
Just my two cents
EWAN
XS650 Enthusiast
@Tron Aha cool! Got any pics?
EWAN
XS650 Enthusiast
Just talked to a local sportster mechanic and even he voted against it So i'll be stickin to my trusted japanese companion. Thanks for the insights and advices!
So i'll be stickin to my trusted japanese companion. Thanks for the insights and advices!
Royboy
many roads, little time
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Good decision! Harley's are interesting bikes and fun in their way. People say, with some justification, that the XS vibrates alot, but you'd find the sporty to be a paint shaker. Had a couple Evo Softtails but got rid of them about ten years ago because of the unwieldy bulk of the things and all the extraneous BS that often goes with Harley ownership. Worst thing about them today in my opinion is that everybody and his dog has one and most aren't really bike lovers, just playing a role. Might not be that way where you are but sure seems to be the case here.
roy
roy
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Two of my best buddies ride ironheads and are building XSs from my scrap pile. I ride an XS and hope to someday piece together some sort of Sportster, perhaps an EVO. The 2 bikes seem to draw from the same followers. In the past I've owned 2 shovels and 2 panheads.
As for trading a bike with no problems for a bike with problems-- I would have to have a hugh chunk of boot to make up the difference. An even trade would never do. Sportsters, like XSs, don't have a lot of oil pressure to begin with. An oil leak near the oil pump would be of grave concern as a lot of pressure could be lost before the oil gets to the main bearings and top end. I would want enough money in the trade to cover major repairs before I took the risk.
As for trading a bike with no problems for a bike with problems-- I would have to have a hugh chunk of boot to make up the difference. An even trade would never do. Sportsters, like XSs, don't have a lot of oil pressure to begin with. An oil leak near the oil pump would be of grave concern as a lot of pressure could be lost before the oil gets to the main bearings and top end. I would want enough money in the trade to cover major repairs before I took the risk.
Tron
Bearded Sheep Whisperer
Here ya go ewan, and hey look at that, Ironhead headlight! Haha
More shots here.. http://musseaumoterwerks.blogspot.ca/p/xs-trobber.html
Bottom of the page.
More shots here.. http://musseaumoterwerks.blogspot.ca/p/xs-trobber.html
Bottom of the page.
Attachments
EWAN
XS650 Enthusiast
Tron- looks great!!! Steve mcqueen all the way
And thanks again for the answers and advices
And thanks again for the answers and advices
