New here

[rinkman07]

Hey all,

Last year I was looking at an XS650 frame and engine contemplating whether or not to start a new project. I decided against picking them up and waited to see if the interest would still be there half a year later.

Well, almost a year later and I still have the itch so I am going to pick up my frame within the next couple of weeks. I have never built a bike from scratch before so this will be a fun project that will last me awhile.

I come from riding super-sport bikes but due to an injury I can't ride for more than a few miles without being completely uncomfortable. The XS650, from what I can see, will allow me to stay on two wheels without having to turn home right when the bike is getting warmed up.

My plan as of now is pretty bare bones. I call the bike, that I want to build, a bobber. I'm not sure if that is the right classification or not. Some key points about the build that I want to achieve:

Hard-tail frame
Inverted forks
Forward mounted foot controls
Disc brakes front and back

Right now I'm still searching around the forums seeing what I like and reading up.

Here's what I used to ride before I sold it.

Mark

 

[rinkman07]

I realized I had to clean up my work area a little bit before I started this project.

- Put a new top on the workbench
- Bought some new tools
- Organized my tools

I still want to pick up another tool box and make a rolling work station like some of you have done for your own projects. I wish I had gotten a before shot but my corner of the basement is clean now.

Mark

 

[scabber]

Welcome to the site. The hardtail might not be the right choice for a comfortable ride.

 

[rinkman07]

Welcome to the site. The hardtail might not be the right choice for a comfortable ride.

Well, it was mostly leg position that I was concerned about. I can't have my legs cocked back at a steep angle. If my leg was stretched out (forward controls) or sitting at a 90 degree angle I'd be fine. However, after I read your post I took what you said into consideration. I looked around the tracker side of the forum and I'm thinking that's the direction I want to head now. Build it to be an "enduro cross-over" (I don't know how else to describe it). I got a lot of ideas floating around my head right now.

Here's some pictures of what I picked up last night and just some basic tear down:

Mark

 

[scabber]

Since your tall I would consider keeping the stock seat height and foreword controls. The hardtail has a lower seat height. More leg room stock seat. I have the same problem knee bending. The ability to change rider position helps with the longer seat helps to slide back. Highway pegs for longer rides. I have a motolana flat seat for mine.

 

[rinkman07]

Yeah, the seat height is going to stay the same I think. I'm just going to trim tabs off the subframe and clean it up a bit.

Here's a question:

The torque stay/arm on the subframe - If you switch to disc brakes in the rear do people just get rid of the torque arm or how is it mounted up?

Mark

 

[rinkman07]

These build threads tend to get a little stagnant so I thought I throw it out there that I am working on the frame! It is going slow between school and work but it's moving forward.

Grinding on the frame I'm using:
- Cut off wheels to get the big stuff out of the way.
- 36-80 grit flap discs to smooth out welds where I cut brackets and such away
- I'll then hit the spots where I ground tabs/brackets away with a wire wheel
- Then I am going to run a medium pad across everything using one of those 90 degree hand held polisher things haha I don't know what you call them

Thanks to Hugh's Handbuilt and your tech article on neck gussets. That gave me an idea of what to use for the frame work/clean up. Thanks man!

Mark