New guy here!

[Noodles]

Hey, I just signed up, and having problems getting my account info all up to par. Probable cuz I'm using my cell phone to do it.... but anyway, I am looking to make my next ride. I'm thinking rat rod, bobber type, fat front tire, springer front end, spoke rims, fiber wrapped exaust, suicide shift, flat black, brushed metal, and rust...you know the deal! I am on a super tight budget so it will forever be a work in progress! I found a 72 or 76 xs650 on Craigslist for $650! Looks like a good starting point for me. If anyone on here wants to contribute to my build with any knowledge, insight, help, parts, links etc.,etc.,etc. I will be around here often I'm sure. This is the beginning of the noodleman's build! Thanks for any input-noodles.

 

[Noodles]

I'm sorry, it's a 1979 XS650...it's all original and has not been beat on. Been sitting in the guys garage for the last 5 years. He was given it for a loan payback and he does not even ride! $650 obo would this be a good starting point to make a nice ripper out of?

 

[Michaelo]

Welcome Noodles, post pictures as you go so we get the drift , if the bike is in original condition, I feel pain seeing them chopped, bobbed, ratted...but each to their own.....
Cheers Mick

 

[weekendrider]

Hey noodles and welcome. That is a '79 2FO model and it is as good a starting place as any, well better than starting with a '79 F.
I notice it only comes with a bill of sale. You might want to check your states titling laws and how difficult or costly it may be to register in your name.
While I think the XS is a perfect build platform for many styles it may not be your cup of tea. Better to find that out before you are $KKK into it.
I'd suggest getting it running and ride-able before making any drastic changes in form. There are enough "gotta checks" to get you through the winter.
Cleaning the fuel system tank and carbs, checking the oil strainers and repair or replacement, timing, charging system, the various oil leaks, cleaning and refurbishing of the front brakes hydraulic system, the rear drum, swingarm and steering. Check here BEFORE you purchase parts. So far comparing your shopping list against the bike I see it has spoke wheels and a XS650 motor so it might or might not work for you.
Trying to build one of these on a tight budget is not doable in my opinion. Unless that budget is 2-3 K.
Good luck, keep us updated.

 

[Noodles]

Hey weekendrider...how do you know what bike I am looking at on craigslist? Did you look it up in my state or something? The crappy thing is I'm sure someone will snatch it up before I can buy it. But, the xs650 from what I can tell just looking at what can be done with them will definitely be a platform I will be looking for as soon as I get some kind of $$ behind me. I'm sure that $2,000 on top of purchasing the bike would get me a nice little scoot! Not my first rodeo, and a lot of the fab. I can do myself.

 

[MaxPete]

Welcome Noodles, post pictures as you go so we get the drift , if the bike is in original condition, I feel pain seeing them chopped, bobbed, ratted...but each to their own.....
Cheers Mick

Hi Noodles: i must admit that I'm with Nick on keeping nice original bikes....nice and original, but it's a geee country - do your thing.

In any event, I would definitely ride it stock for a while to ensure that you've gotten this bugs out of it before starting to mess with it.

Pete

 

[MaxPete]

Sorry - that was Mick - not Nick.

Danged spell checkers. Let ME do the driving Mr. Apple.

 

[weekendrider]

Hey weekendrider...how do you know what bike I am looking at on craigslist? Did you look it up in my state or something?

Yes and it was the only one that fit your description.

 

[fredintoon]

Sorry - that was Mick - not Nick.
Danged spell checkers. Let ME do the driving Mr. Apple.

Hi Max,
you sure it was the spellchecker and not an errant typing finger? N is right next to M on the keyboard, eh?
Mind you, the stupid thing has a mind if it's own and it's slow to learn.
Every time I typed "rephase" it used to convert it to "rephrase" but it's recently quit that in favour of drawing a wiggly red line underneath the word.
And with "favour". It's not only stupid, it only talks in American.
But back to noodles and his '79.
I hope he manages to buy it.
Alas that his proposed modifications will make the bike far more uncomfortable to ride and worth far less money on resale

 

[MaxPete]

Yup - if people only knew how much more the survivors are worth.....

Pete

 

[fredintoon]

Yup - if people only knew how much more the survivors are worth.....
Pete

Hi Pete,
oh yes. Dontcha wish there was a way to reach out through the screen, grab the guy by the throat, slap him upside the head and scream in his ear
"LEAVE IT ALONE YOU MORONIC VANDAL!" ?

 

[MaxPete]

ooooohhh yeahhhhh. Without wishing to cause an argument or be judgmental about other folk's choices, I can say that if I had a chance to buy another nice standard that was reasonably complete and was a runner - I would do it and sure wouldn't ever consider cutting it up into a bike which will wind up:

• slower;
• with worse handling and crummier brakes;
• noisier;
• less comfortable;
• less safe;
• uglier.

....JMO.

Now - if the bike is already wrecked - then have at it.

BTW - has anyone ever tried to turn a special into a standard? Maybe I'm missing something but aside from ditching the apehangers and putting on a flatter seat....(and of course the exhaust, wheels and rear disk)....am I missing something? The frame is the same isn't it?

Pete

 

[fredintoon]

- - - has anyone ever tried to turn a special into a standard? Maybe I'm missing something but aside from ditching the apehangers and putting on a flatter seat....(and of course the exhaust, wheels and rear disk)....am I missing something? The frame is the same isn't it?
Pete

Hi Pete,
nah, the frames ain't the same. Apart from the frames getting stiffer and heavier every model year the rear shocks are raked more on the Special frame and you'd have to do a serious cut'n'weld job to change the shock angle.
But apart from that:-
any 7/8" bar will work on any bike.
Hinge-up seats won't swap with lift-off seats although you can re-upholster any seat pan to suit the backside of your choice.
Standard and Special gas tanks swap back to '74 for sure, I'm a bit hazy on the '73 and earlier bikes.
All styles of wheels swap. Wire wheels & cast wheels swap. Drum and disk rears swap but the brake operating systems must swap with them.
XS650 parts in general swap about like LEGO, apart from needing major surgery to change the rear shock rake angle
you can build the XS650 hybrid of your choice by swapping parts around and perhaps a touch of weld here and there.

 

[MaxPete]

Thanks Fred: hmmmmm - that could be interesting.....

Specials always seem to be more plentiful than standards - and yet the standard riding position is so much more comfortable IMHO.

P

 

[Michaelo]

You damn well could use my 1970's teleport machine Fred, retrieved from one of Spock's and Captain James T Kirks burnt out / fried attempts to get off some planet in a galaxy far away....we could pick up Max Pete for back up, he'd be handy on the phaser. Might have to change his name, maybe double barrel it to "
Max Pete - Phaser
Save the originals, beam us up Scotty with the bikes and their beer fridges (confiscated)

Hi Pete,
oh yes. Dontcha wish there was a way to reach out through the screen, grab the guy by the throat, slap him upside the head and scream in his ear
"LEAVE IT ALONE YOU MORONIC VANDAL!" ?

 

[MaxPete]

Sounds good Mick - beam me up....

 

[fredintoon]

Thanks Fred: hmmmmm - that could be interesting.....

Specials always seem to be more plentiful than standards - and yet the standard riding position is so much more comfortable IMHO.

P

Hi Pete,
if you check the frame drawings on Skull's ID sticky the only differences between Special and Standard frames are those that determine the rear shock angle so it's gotta be be the bars &/or the seat that change the ride quality. Bars is easy to change so do them first.

 

[Michaelo]

I'll,just get some new brushes, will have a long way to go and we need to,pick Fred up,too ha!

Don't want any power failure in transit

 

[fredintoon]

- - - Save the originals, beam us up Scotty with the bikes and their beer fridges (confiscated)

Hi Mick,
that an Australian would even consider confiscating another bloke's beer fridge is harsh. Too harsh a punishment even for a bike vandal.
OTOH, secretly easing the caps a little bit open so the beer goes flat in the fridge? That'd be poetic justice, right?

 

[MaxPete]

Yup - and the flat beer would be just like what the POMs drink....especially if it was warm.

P