Projekt XSive build thread:

[VENMUS]

Hello all, I admit I started off with no introduction....now what kind of greeting is that to a new and unfamiliar online community?! Well I'm here to change that. My name is Logan, and I've dove headfirst into the XS650 world. (not new to motorcycles, just letting that be known). I currently ride a 2007 Honda CBR600RR that's actually for sale, and drive a 2002 Mustang GT. Both have mods and are very nice machines. However, I don't have 'daddy dearest' paying for my toys, they're by the book definition of hard-earned... Anyways:

This is a complete build-diary logging my adventure through the mechanical jungle of building a custom motorcycle from a starter bike, a pile of parts, and a very vivid imagination. I will attempt to create a bike I can enjoy riding for it's spirit and soul for not a lot of cash. I hope to be riding it, whether or not it is finished, by the Summer '10. I will embark this journey with nothing but borrowed garage space, my personal collection of tools, and an empty wallet. Wish me luck.

Here she is the day I picked her up. 30 miles from home, from a guy named Wildman who I've known locally for a few years now. The bike is a 1981 XS650 Special with 12k miles.

And this is the first night I brought it home:

 

[VENMUS]

Cont'd...

Bike was $400, and it was registered and running in 2008 (so pretty recently compared to some...). Although the last time it ran was about a year ago now.

Parts start to accumulate:

The gixxer isn't mine, but this is a nighttime aftershot from day 1:

Next came my first tool for the build:

And this is what that tool did to XSive....Neck gusset before:

After:

 

[VENMUS]

Before:

After:

All the bits I removed from the frame in about half an hour, can you ID them all?

Engine = out!

 

[VENMUS]

I found an old bench grinder in a friends garage 20 miles away and she gave it to me. It's an old G.E. from like the 80's, and it had a cutoff wheel on it. I bolted my wire wheel to it and worked on cleaning some parts up. The thing worked for about an hour before taking a shit, so now it's a 50 pound paperweight. BUT I did get a few items cleaned up, lol.

Kickstand before:

And after:

Motor mounts:

Other items got cleaned but I don't have photos of them. Next step is cleaning the frame down to bare metal, so for that I wanted to use a sandblaster. Don't have one, hmm, so call a business locally. "Yea it'll be about 75 to 150 fer a bike frame no prob" Uhhh, hell no buddy!

So off to the auto-body store to pick up a chemical stripper:

And this is where I am currently, but progress is moving fast! Total investment is 475, and I haven't sold any stock parts yet.

 

[Bandito]

All looks very familiar to me... I went through the same process... as have many I
am sure.

Have fun!!! It's all good in the end.

 

[Ironsled77]

Holy shit dude lay off the grinder. You gouged the hell out of the frame. I take it your gonna paint the frame and not powder.

 

[Dennis]

aircraft stripper is great
I use it on diecast cars
keep the pics coming on your progress

 

[VENMUS]

Ironsled - chill brother, the camera has a deceitful way of showing things NOT what they are. The parts that appear gouged, such as the neck-gusset area and the bar where the coil mounts aren't gouged badly at all. There is actually material sticking UP above the bar not actually cut into it. Lol I was pretty careful with my new dewalt friend.

Also, I'm extremely meticulous, as you'll probably come to find out if you follow this thread. It's borderline OCD... anything that doesn't measure up to my standards will be redone until I am satisfied. This could be a blessing or a curse...

Thank you for the comments fellas, if you have questions just hit me. I'm in the shop now, cooking ramen noodles and stripping powder

 

[VENMUS]

Okay here is an update on my progress. I called a fellow today that charges a 'mere' 100 bucks an hour on sandblasting, and since most of the main tubes on the frame are cleaned off already it should take less than 30 minutes to blast all the nooks and crannies, therefore I should fall under the <$50 category. Anyways, have a look at some photos.

Here is the "FREE BENCH GRINDER" I scored that works intermittently:

And who doesn't just slap the tank on once in a while to reassure themselves their actually working on a motorcycle still

And heres one of my hairbrained ideas folks...... I still have an extra muffler from a 2007 CBR600RR that I didn't use and I thought.....Mmmmmaybee...???

And some metalwork, Ironsled gets to hit me with an "I told you so" now because I realizes a couple areas got the grinder a few seconds longer than they shoud've but it's really not too bad:

Cleeeeeeeean:

That's all for now.

 

[MN_TX650]

nice snapper... the lawn mower that is.

 

[VENMUS]

Why thank you. It's getting a shake down then rebuilt. Maybe a brighter paint job.. Hah.

 

[Ironsled77]

No I told you so's here! Was just a pre warning to future headaches! Nothing a little bondo wont fix

 

[shaas]

I like a soft pad and sanding discs for that DeWalt vs grinding wheel for paint and gobby weld treatment. Goes slower but is still very aggressive.

 

[MN_TX650]

I got an old snapper just like it waiting for an upgrade. High performance Lawn Mowing!!! And Shass is right on track. Get yourself some flap disks for cleaning up the welds. Much more forgiving than a grinding wheel

 

[VENMUS]

I probably should have figured out the solid grinding wheel was a bit burly and overkill in some cases. If I blinked twice in a row she'd eaten through the whole weld! But it sure got the job done quick...

I actually don't mind the imperfections though, it adds something to it.....character if you will. It tells people: "Hey I wasn't bought from a custom bike shop, I was build with blood, sweat, and gears all by hand". So with that in mind, I thought about leaving the frame bare metal, but clearcoating it for rust protection.

Anyone know of Arlen Ness's bike Ness-talgia? Perhaps better known as the '57 Chevy bike? Ness sketched out the design on paper, then turned over his drawings to Craig Naff, a fabricator who regularly makes parts for his projects. The parts came back so beautifully formed that Ness showed the bike unpainted for the first year he had it. No paint. No pinstriping.

Not quite the same as my lil old XS650 frame, but I would like to keep it bare metal...

 

[cheftay]

if your wallet happens to become filled a littttle bit you should seriously consider the tapered stearing bearings on mikesxs! great purchase

 

[VENMUS]

Tapered bearings are most definitely in my future. Maybe as a future upgrade but if I can swing it I'll do right off the bat.

Now heres a little cleaning update, working on the engine starting with the worst of it....under the left side cover in the front sprocket area. My hardtail will be ordered this week!

And that's what's going on lately as I wait for funds to accumulate.

Cheers.

 

[VENMUS]

Update time.

I was waiting before, then payday hit, and my eyes saw green. But not for long. A phone call later and Tyler happily drained some cash from me. I ordered a pre-fab tail and a tank/fuel cap/petcock setup as well. (Combined shipping so I figured what the heck).

Anyway, I cut the frame in half, but left the 'loop' closed so it wouldn't twist on me. I will cut it open when I install the tail. I cleaned it all up nice and tidy and it's nearly to the point where I want it. By the way, does anyone know what the two chunks of steel a the top and bottom of the steering neck are? I want to either clean them up or get rid of them... Now for the photos.

Found this old grimy rusted pedal in a barn, wire wheel and 10 minutes later, I want to figure out how in the heck to mount it on my kicker:

Hardtail:

Chop time:

Now. Some folks were kinda giving me crap about my paint scheme ideas. But I'm saying this as politely as I can when I say....F*#k 'em. I like my ideas, and it's my bike. So I took my stock 81 Special Yamaha tank and did a duct-tape mockup. (Thank God for coloured tapes). 8 bucks at walmart, 30 minutes of my time, and a final impression that's priceless.

Phase one:

Phase two:

Phase three, complete:

And last but not least, this is the headlight bucket I want to use, but I have no idea how to find out what bike this is from. All I find in my google-searching is old dead referances to this specific shell. I need a lens/bulb to put in it..

Thanks all!
Logan

 

[danxs650mass]

lokks like a 76 yamaha 50 chappy head lite look on ebay i seen them on there

 

[VENMUS]

I found the headlight info. It's from an old Yamaha QT50 moped! Thanks dan, but it seems I picked the worst bucket as far as cost. The light itself is nearly $50!! thinking I could retrofit a cheaper one of same diameter.

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