How hard is it to bob for a novice?

[CDNTX650]

back to the OP. I had all the welding work done for me on my first one i built...Alot of work to do if you dont know anything and then you are always waiting for someone else. It turned out awful as i had zero fab skills. I did sell it as a hack up to a real builder who made it beautiful. Then i resto modded my 74 back from the dead and enjoy that alot more.

Looking back i wish i never cut that 78 standard up to do that....It was way to big of a learning curve for me at the time.

 

[Audioblack]

I'm still leaning towards getting the welding done by a third(I originally typed turd) and finishing up the other bits myself. I got the time and work space right now.

But lets say I get a running bike. What would really be needed to be done to get the bike running on the streets. I mean I know wiring and the basic stuff like that, but is there anything big that i'm missing?

Any real information would be great.

Thanks for all the comments that really answered the question, but if we can, lets take the bickering elsewhere.

 

[aaronrkelly]

For me it was dependent on what I could find.

I found an already complete bike for $1600. I then spent some time and money finishing it out how I wanted.......but that $1600 bought me a complete, running and titled bike that really needed nothing and had already been hardtailed.

Could I have built one to THAT point for less than $1600? Not in my area. Clean stock bikes are going for near that......and this one already had the hardtail welded in. I could have bought a non-runner for $800 to $1000......but that still only leaves $600 to get it running AND hardtail it. There were no "cheap" XS650 to be had.

I took the $1600 bike that someone else already did the hard work on and made it mine. Repainted engine, some rewiring, new bars, seat, grips, tires, fender, kicker etc. I worked up from the basic bones.

Call it cheap, easy......or me a poser. Ive got other shit to do.....and a quick calculation of my time vs my money.....buying a runner made since. Id rather be riding when wrenching.

Now CAN you build one - I think anyone with a basic desire and access to knowledge (here, YouTube, a Google search) can about do anything they want to. These bikes are very basic......which is why I (and I think alot of people) are drawn to them.

 

[gggGary]

The hidden issues are the same for any 30 year old engine. Valve seals, queasy electrics, leaky gaskets and an XS650 specific front cam chain guide. It has a rubber insert that gets brittle and starts to break up / can be worn away by bad cam chain tension adjustment or occasionally falls off completely. This involves engine out of the frame remove the head etc at which point you are going to want to check the bores and hone, re-ring or more depending on condition. Carbs are another maintenance needed area, with throttle shaft seals being the biggest project there. Again this is normal for any old engine.

Note; pointless bickering that detracted from the thread has been deleted.