Introducing Myself From NC

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twowheelinjim

twowheelinjim
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Location
Asheboro, NC
Good afternoon everyone, I have been lurking for a long time. I originally found this site when I was rerouted from 650motorcycles.com since they went off line sometime last year. I've had quite a busy time since and have neglected my motorcycles for a very long time. Things are starting to settle and I want to get back into building my bikes once again. I started building a cafe inspired theme for my first 650 and so far have have just stripped and removed all the unneeded tabs and pieces from the frame and painted it along with the swing arm. I found a tank in a junk yard that will be mounted instead of the factory tank. I want to use the stock wheels but I'm hoping to find a better front end. The biggest challenge I think will be making a fiberglass tail stock and a set of pipes. I get alot of inspiration from reading what others are doing with their bikes and it motivates me to work on my own. I hope to meet some of you fellow XS 650 enthusiasts at the next Smokeout in NC. Maybe I'll have a bike ready by then.
 
Greetings from near Wilson, sounds like you have found the right site. Just got my project XS on the road, just a simple stocker. Couldn't have pulled it off without the great resources and people we have here at XS650.com.
 
Thanks for the kind words. I have two XS 650's in various states of disassembly. My 75' has the motor top end in pieces. I ordered what I was told was a serviceable set of used piston and cylinders from ebay but I think I'll have to get a new set of pistons and have the cylinders bored over. I found scoring in both walls. The next event will probably be wiring. I'm elemenating the blinkers and starter along with anything else that in not required to make the bike run or make it street legal. I have an 81' that I bought as a parts bike that I've been thinking would make a neat bobber or brat style bike. I have overwhelmed myself with projects in the past and don't want to rush either bike so the cafe will get my full attention. In between tinkering with my bikes I have restored an old Southbend metal lathe that I regularly use to make parts. I am now looking to add a milling machine to my little shop.
 
twowheelinjim,
Welcome! Glad to have you here.
And I only have 6 and am restoring a 74 with my son!
 
birdhouse said:
How far are you Carolina boys from south east Virginia? I might need to take my scoot on a road trip here very soon!!!!!
Click to expand...

About 5 hours from Hampton Roads fastest way but a more enjoyable route would be to make your way south to US 158 and avoid US 58 as much as possible. About 7 hours via 158.
 
Gentlemen, Thanks for a warm welcome. I'm hoping to meet as many of you as possible. I have been lurking around for a while watching the various projects and activities you folks are involved in. My biggest interest are the people utilizing machining equipment since this is not only my passion but my trade. Well, in a way as a young man I ventured into working with metal as a way make repairs and learn to work on my own bicycles, then moped and later dirt bikes. I grew up very poor so I had to get things on my own and that usually meant a fixer upper. I got my first 650 from a neighbor who needed his lawn mowed. He bartered 3 months of lawn service in exchange for a delipitaded 1981 650 sitting in his backyard. I pushed her home on two flats and I have been hooked ever since. Several trips to the motorcycle junk yard yielded me a needed seat and a replacement set of carburators. Radio Shack helped me with work on a corroded fuse panel. I just learned as I went. I rode that bike for the better part of three years. Life has taken me in many directions as of lately and working on my bikes has taken a back seat to other more pressing matters. I still catch myself daydreaming and scratching notes and sketching ideas on paper that I want to make out of metal when I get the opportunity. Hopefully soon I'll get the chance and I want to share some of these silly ideas with all of you.
 
Welcome to the nut house Jim! Looking forward to see what you are working on. I too know the feeling of life getting in the way of my bikes. If I've got money , I've got no time. If I've got time I've got no money. So it goes.
 
I have one big hurdle, getting the top end put back on my engine. Once that's accomplished I think the rest of the pieces will fall into place. There's alot to learn along the way. The biggest build lessons to myself so far is this:
1. Note to self.... Start with a running bike
2. Have a plan and stick to it.
3. Don't start any other projects until the one is complete.
4. Involve as many like-minded people to help you when the going get rough.

That's all I have so far, anyone care to add to the project list?
 

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