New here - Advise on first Bobber build

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chrissmith44x

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Hi all,

New to the forum, from the UK....

Totally new to this.

Need to kit the garage out first and then its time to get started.

Couple of questions for y'all

1) - is there a particular year or model of the XS 650 thats best for turning into a Bobber?

2) - I particularly like front and rear discs on a Bobber - is this a mod or did certain models have rear discs as well as front discs?

3) How wide a tyre can you fit to a hard tail? from what i can see most use 180mm but you can go upto 200mm - can you go wider with no issues? does it depend on the hard tail used?

Thanks

Chris
 
The later years are CDI ignition where as pre 80's were points. Older had better carbs.

Front and rear discs came factory on many XS650's espically the mag wheeled specials.

3. 200 can be done on a few of them but you would need an offset sprocket setup that runs about 400 dollars itself.
 
Hi chrisssmith44x. Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you there. Be useful to have some tools first:wink2:

If you want discs front & back go for a "Special" with mag wheels. Think about a 160 is all you will fit as standard but someone else will probably sort that one for you.
 
Thank you fellas.

Def would like CDI - is there a model or year that had both CDI and decent carbs?

How about 180mm - does this also require expensive mods?

XSRob - as a new guy - what kinda tools do i need - what are the must haves. Clearly a mechanic tool Kit.

Presumably some sort of bike stand - can you recommend one?

Engine Stand ?

Specialist tools for taking apart and rebuilding the engine itself?
 
Hmmm....difficult one to answer there! Like most of us I have spent the last 30 years getting kit as and when I needed it.

Must haves? Good manual, decent music (I go for BBC6music as I wired the garage for digital), socket set, torque wrench, big hammer (optional). Good screwdrivers (socket ones are better), feeler guages, micrometer or vernier (digital, but not for the music).....it goes on and on and on and on..............:thumbsup:

I don't have a bike stand or an engine stand as I have only built one or two so can't help there. Check Machine Mart etc?
 
The only rear disc setups were on mags. '78-'81 Specials(?) All of these years are the best platform for a chop. I prefer points ('79 and back), but the CDIs were strong runners.

You can squeeze a 150 onto a Special, but it all depends on the make and model of the tire. If you want to go on that egg hunt, have fun with it. Stock on a Special is 130 and 140 is a good fit.

If you're set on running a wide tire, your other alternative is a jackshaft. Any halfway decent fabricator could make one for you and I doubt it would cost nearly as much as the offset kit that Ghetto is talking about.
 
Jack shaft would be much cheaper but also have more moving parts to fail at some point. Plus the wide rear tire kit is pretty clean looking. To each their own. I kinda dig the jackshaft kinda look.


All CDI models had the BS34 carbs which were geared towards emissions and horrible performance.
 
Wow - this forum is far more active than the other 650's - which is excellent :)

Ok thank you all for your answers - which beg a few more questions ha!

So effectively the post 80 models have CDI but less performance
the pre 80 models have better performance but kickstart?

hmmm

I also have noticed that most of the models for sale in the UK are around 1-2 thousand pounds and most are post 80's with only a front disc

It looks like I am doomed to get a post 80 model.

So... (as you can tell the below questions show how little i know.. even after a few months reading)

1) Is it simple enough add a rear disc brake? anyone know where I would buy this kit from? would it require a new rear wheel?

2) Can I uprate the bikes perfromance to match that of the pre 80's? i.e with air filters, exhaust, boring?

3) Is the rear wheel wider on the non specials? as it looks like id be purchasing a post 80's non special bike.

4) Is it easy enough to fit CDI to a pre 80's model?

5) Ive looked into both jackshafts and offset sprockets for XS 650s and cannot find any - not even on that site mentioned.

6) Are there any good websites or suppliers that stock alot of what I will require? I.E Hard tail, Offset sprocket to allow larger rear wheel, the rear wheel itself and of course the rear disc i so badly want :laugh:


Once again fellas - thank you for all your help.

I was not really expecting much of a response being the new guy n all.

Chris
 
Chris,

You're going to have to have a special hardtail made to accommodate the wide tire, as the kits are made for normal tires.

You won't find better performance in a Standard, besides a slightly different setup with the rear wheel and possibly the carbs, which can be dialed in to give better performance or changed out. The mill is exactly the same.

All of the '80s bikes are Specials, Heritage Specials, or Special II's, at least in the states.

As far as retro-fitting a CDI to a pre-'80s XS, you'd be better off buying the Pamco ignition from MikesXS. Pamcopete is a member here, and Pete stands behind a good product.

With a wide tire setup, you would have to have someone custom fit a caliper mount. Typically the wide tire setups are made to fit an aftermarket Harley-type wheel and brake.

I'm sure that Gary's offset unit is the one that Ghetto was referring to, as it's the only ready-made kit that I'm aware of to date.

As to the jackshaft, it's something that at least one of our members here, Joe Wiseguy, has experience making. If you're in the UK, you might be better off to locate a decent cycle shop in your area for that project.

The rear wheel on the Specials is a wider 16" cruiser style, while the Standards had a narrower, more responsive 18" wheel and tire setup.

Ultimately, what you're looking to do isn't going to be cheap. That wide-tire idea requires a lot bigger money investment than your typical bobber, and is, at least to me, a total waste of money.

If you have to have it, just know it won't be cheap. That part of the project alone is probably going to set you back a minimum of $1000US.
 
:agree:

You need to decide what you want to achieve and if you are really capable of doing it. Just being devils advocate here but you do not have any tools yet so this would seem to be a big step for you to take.

IMHO what you are discussing is going to cost you a lot in labour charges alone and I think you should get a bike and live with it a while. Ideas often change before you have finished a project (well, mine do anyhow, lol).

Here is what appears to be a good start and a longer look will show the rear disc set up, on a 16" rear spoke wheel. The guy seems to have sorted quite a few things already (Boyer ignition etc).
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200554736457#ht_926wt_1141

I should say I don't know this guy, or the bike, but if I was looking for a good start to another project I would seriously be considering it!

Give Talon a call as not everything is available on website (am guessing Jay may have used them before)

Not trying to put you off by the way:thumbsup:
 
Poh's kit was the one I was mentioning. There are a few places that sell a hardtail section that will fit a 180/200 tire but they are usually a few bucks extra.

Like Teebs is sayin though you need the wide wheels, hardtail setup, brake setup, jackshaft/offset kit etc. You are talking some pretty good coin just for the wide rear.


Kinda my issue with a springer front, need the forks, new wheel then braking it's like 2g's for a front end!
 
Hi All,

Once again thank you for the replies.

Really appreciate it.

I think I need to be realistic as you guys have said. I know very little - Ive owned a Yamaha R6 and half owned a ZZR 600 - but did not work on them - so my experience is zero.

The issue I have is - over here in the UK for a running XS650 in nice enough condition you pay $2000 - which is alot compared to what you pay State Side. for example the guy selling the bike in the ebay link you provided he wants £1300 for it.

The obvious decision is go for a standard rear tyre making things quicker, easier and cheaper.

I do love the wide rear tyres - but from what your saying it looks like it would be wiser to forget it for my first build - for moneys sake.

I guess first step is tools and a decent example of a bike - then access what I feel I can achive myself. I must admit that I only really want to pay someone else to TIG weld the hardtail - the rest I want to do myself.

In my budget I figures a decent exhaust would cost around £300 or $550, however on further investigation it looks like most people simply saw off the exhast pipes and tape them up. would this not remove the back pressure and affect performance? or does it just remove the baffles and emmision restrictors?

Thank you once again

Chris
 
How about purchasing a total non starter thats rusting out in someones back yard?

easy to get running again?

or wayout of my league?

just looking to save costs - although i dont mind spending the cash if necassary
 
If you can find one, but why? There's not many "back yard"s in the UK and how rusty do you want it to be? :wink2:

It's all for you to decide really. You want to spend money or save money? I would get the best but cheapest bike I could to start with and definitely a runner. The guy I pointed out might want £1300 but its in auction format and is at £620 so far. There are not many people that buy bikes just before christmas!

Don't know where you are in the UK but I think you might get a better idea what's involved if you went to see a local chop shop and talked some toot!
 
I'm not much on the chopper/ bobber stuff. I do know a bit about ignitions. The XS650 never had a CDI on it. It uses a TCI. Whole different ignition.
 

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