grantkc
XS650 Enthusiast
To start, thanks to everyone in the XS650.com community. Your guys' knowledge has been immensely helpful. Like many others I have been lurking in the shadows for a few months, and am coming forward for some advice.
Not only my first bike, but my first motor project. Completely unaware of what I was getting into, i bought this '81 SH from a co-worker who was strapped for cash. Figured out later it had been wrecked at low speeds. It had been bobbed out and gone through. Mismatching bolts, sockets used as spacers, some really sketchy stuff. Paid too much for it, but I've at least doubled my money on knowledge. It's been a learning experience and a lot of fun.
Living in an apt; a different co-worker extended the invitation to let me use his garage for a bit ( a bit turned into about 6 months, whoops). His roommate is very motor savvy, and their good friend a mc mechanic.
First, put new shoes on her. Old ones cracked & bubbled.
Rebuilt front brake, with a new piston it's good as new.
It had some homemade Fresno bars, swapped with 70's Honda bars.
Tank had about 30 coats of spray paint. Took a lot of stripper to get it all off. Some slight surface rust appeared and I liked it. A little uneven now due to fingerprints and what not. Eventually I will clean it up and rust it evenly. ( ironically the inside of the tank is immaculate.) didn't have the key for the tank either so once I got it open I pulled all of the tumblers out of the lock, now it opens with anything.
It's one hell of a little rat rod bike, dirty and mean!
When I bought it, the owner was trying to start it. Essentially trying to Hotwire it via fuse box. Things got hot, and melted due to small wire size. Had 18 ga wires where here should have been 12ga. A ton of hours and a lot of resentment for electricity later, the bike had a working electrical system. ( with the correct size wires and an actual solenoid.) now I wish I would have done a better job concealing wires(running through the frame). But hey, at least I made good soldered connections that work.
Spent some time worshipping the carburetor gods. After cleaning them a half dozen times I threw a mikes rebuild kits in them. Reset adjustments to factory settings.
The right side wasn't firing almost at all when I bought it. After the basics like spark plugs and the rewire and carb work, the bike is running pretty damn good. Starting to see why it's such a popular platform. The engine yearns to run. Those short pipes are obnoxious, and won't make it through the winter. I think I'm gonna do something funky.
Couple weeks ago, I moved it from my co workers to work for a weekend of fabrication. First thing, new battery box. Broke a piece of steel into a U shape, cut the taper in the back, and welded the bottom and back on. The battery sits in the front of the box and the fuse panel, keyed on/off switch, and push button start go in the back. So much cleaner already!
New, stock sized suspension was added. That fixed my problem of the bike not leaning over far enough while on the kick stand.
I really hated the old fender. No idea what it came off of. I almost think it was the stock fender flipped backwards. So, I took a trailer fender($25 at local trailer shop) that had one finished,-rolled edge, and one 90 degree edge. I cut it in half both horizontally and vertically, and put my two good edges together to make a fender. It came out a little bowed in the center. I think I will have to cut it up and try again. The raw steel matches the battery box and the gas tank, so I think I'm headed in the right direction.
this bike was a real POS when I bought it. Now it's a running POS, and even better it's mine. I've sure had fun working on it, and made some good friends so far. I've jumped some major hurdles, and now I'm stuck. On turn signals. Well actually, I'm missing all my lights.
HEADLIGHT:
I have a triangle headlight I think is from an old Honda. I'd love to use it. But it's only a single beam and I need a hi/lo beam. I've tried to find a bulb to put in but i may have to give up on it. I think I'm going to go with a 5 3/4" round headlight.
What really differentiates between a hi and lo beam, does it just have to be a certain amount brighter, or what?
TURN SIGNALS:
Bought some cheapo Chinese bullet turn signals. I guess I'll use them if I have to. I'm looking for something either vintage or custom. Does anyone know of anyone that has made their own signals?
I like the x-arc duo but I don't want to pay for them lol. I'm also lost with trying to find a handlebar controller that will work with all my lights. I picked up a controller that I think could work from the scrap yard for cheap. I have also explored the option of buying a kit. Been looking for months and I can't find one that I like, doesn't have a battery included, and isn't cheap junk. Open to any and all suggestions.
A friend gifted me this cat head tail light. I kind of want to use it, but I'm not sure if I can wire it up to be a running light and brake light.
Also not sure if LED's are the way to go or not. If I get led turn signals should I get an led headlight too? What have other people done on their lights? Seems like everyone is like" got my turn signals in, they look great!" How do you know what to buy? How to match parts? I'm lost!
Got s bunch more pictures coming soon
Not only my first bike, but my first motor project. Completely unaware of what I was getting into, i bought this '81 SH from a co-worker who was strapped for cash. Figured out later it had been wrecked at low speeds. It had been bobbed out and gone through. Mismatching bolts, sockets used as spacers, some really sketchy stuff. Paid too much for it, but I've at least doubled my money on knowledge. It's been a learning experience and a lot of fun.
Living in an apt; a different co-worker extended the invitation to let me use his garage for a bit ( a bit turned into about 6 months, whoops). His roommate is very motor savvy, and their good friend a mc mechanic.
First, put new shoes on her. Old ones cracked & bubbled.
Rebuilt front brake, with a new piston it's good as new.
It had some homemade Fresno bars, swapped with 70's Honda bars.
Tank had about 30 coats of spray paint. Took a lot of stripper to get it all off. Some slight surface rust appeared and I liked it. A little uneven now due to fingerprints and what not. Eventually I will clean it up and rust it evenly. ( ironically the inside of the tank is immaculate.) didn't have the key for the tank either so once I got it open I pulled all of the tumblers out of the lock, now it opens with anything.
It's one hell of a little rat rod bike, dirty and mean!
When I bought it, the owner was trying to start it. Essentially trying to Hotwire it via fuse box. Things got hot, and melted due to small wire size. Had 18 ga wires where here should have been 12ga. A ton of hours and a lot of resentment for electricity later, the bike had a working electrical system. ( with the correct size wires and an actual solenoid.) now I wish I would have done a better job concealing wires(running through the frame). But hey, at least I made good soldered connections that work.
Spent some time worshipping the carburetor gods. After cleaning them a half dozen times I threw a mikes rebuild kits in them. Reset adjustments to factory settings.
The right side wasn't firing almost at all when I bought it. After the basics like spark plugs and the rewire and carb work, the bike is running pretty damn good. Starting to see why it's such a popular platform. The engine yearns to run. Those short pipes are obnoxious, and won't make it through the winter. I think I'm gonna do something funky.
Couple weeks ago, I moved it from my co workers to work for a weekend of fabrication. First thing, new battery box. Broke a piece of steel into a U shape, cut the taper in the back, and welded the bottom and back on. The battery sits in the front of the box and the fuse panel, keyed on/off switch, and push button start go in the back. So much cleaner already!
New, stock sized suspension was added. That fixed my problem of the bike not leaning over far enough while on the kick stand.
I really hated the old fender. No idea what it came off of. I almost think it was the stock fender flipped backwards. So, I took a trailer fender($25 at local trailer shop) that had one finished,-rolled edge, and one 90 degree edge. I cut it in half both horizontally and vertically, and put my two good edges together to make a fender. It came out a little bowed in the center. I think I will have to cut it up and try again. The raw steel matches the battery box and the gas tank, so I think I'm headed in the right direction.
this bike was a real POS when I bought it. Now it's a running POS, and even better it's mine. I've sure had fun working on it, and made some good friends so far. I've jumped some major hurdles, and now I'm stuck. On turn signals. Well actually, I'm missing all my lights.
HEADLIGHT:
I have a triangle headlight I think is from an old Honda. I'd love to use it. But it's only a single beam and I need a hi/lo beam. I've tried to find a bulb to put in but i may have to give up on it. I think I'm going to go with a 5 3/4" round headlight.
What really differentiates between a hi and lo beam, does it just have to be a certain amount brighter, or what?
TURN SIGNALS:
Bought some cheapo Chinese bullet turn signals. I guess I'll use them if I have to. I'm looking for something either vintage or custom. Does anyone know of anyone that has made their own signals?
I like the x-arc duo but I don't want to pay for them lol. I'm also lost with trying to find a handlebar controller that will work with all my lights. I picked up a controller that I think could work from the scrap yard for cheap. I have also explored the option of buying a kit. Been looking for months and I can't find one that I like, doesn't have a battery included, and isn't cheap junk. Open to any and all suggestions.
A friend gifted me this cat head tail light. I kind of want to use it, but I'm not sure if I can wire it up to be a running light and brake light.
Also not sure if LED's are the way to go or not. If I get led turn signals should I get an led headlight too? What have other people done on their lights? Seems like everyone is like" got my turn signals in, they look great!" How do you know what to buy? How to match parts? I'm lost!
Got s bunch more pictures coming soon
