5twins' post about his new acquisition, a late-model Special, got me thinking that it would be interesting to have a thread to collect ideas about changing their appearance to (hopefully) a more "classic" look. As one example, many of us who acquired one of these "ugly ducklings" quickly swapped out the OEM "rototiller" handlebars for a flatter style. Many also make some kind of change to the humped seat / "grab rail" / taillight. I think most folks would consider such changes as improvements, but I accept that "improvement" very much can be in the eye of the beholder. I also understand that some appearance-driven changes can have functional or safety benefits, and vice-versa - they're all within the intent of my thinking, for example, swapping the front disc for a lighter, slotted or drilled one. I'm not thinking here about complete style changes, like hardtailing or bratting. For starters, I took a lot of inspiration from the bikes in the attached pictures, which to my eye do have a smoother "look". What can you add?
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What do folks do about the looks of our ugly ducklings?
- Thread starter aldo5468
- Start date
yamageddon
XS650 Addict
Good idea! I got an '82 5V4 that was imported in '91 to my country by someone.
Here's what I did, or actually my son started. I just refined it somewhat here and there after I bought it from him:
http://www.xs650.com/media/albums/yamageddons.3043/
-Different handlebars,
-Got rid of the sadle and taillight.
-New taillight with LED in it.
-Mini turn signals
-Put some side covers on it from an XS360,
-Fork gaiters
-Classic tank logo
-Smaller gauges (60 mm)
-Commando style exhaust (had to, there were horrible hacked pipes under it).
-New footpegs (original were worn out)
-New rear shocks (old ones were shot).
-K&N filters
-Small filter for breather
-Stole two round mirrors from my son's XS850 (heheh!) but returned them after I got some round new ones
Here's what I did, or actually my son started. I just refined it somewhat here and there after I bought it from him:
http://www.xs650.com/media/albums/yamageddons.3043/
-Different handlebars,
-Got rid of the sadle and taillight.
-New taillight with LED in it.
-Mini turn signals
-Put some side covers on it from an XS360,
-Fork gaiters
-Classic tank logo
-Smaller gauges (60 mm)
-Commando style exhaust (had to, there were horrible hacked pipes under it).
-New footpegs (original were worn out)
-New rear shocks (old ones were shot).
-K&N filters
-Small filter for breather
-Stole two round mirrors from my son's XS850 (heheh!) but returned them after I got some round new ones
Last edited:
Started out with a $200 '79 Special missing keys and the drive chain but otherwise complete. It had the rototiller bars and the gawdawful king and queen seat.
I was a Kawasaki guy and wanted to build a café bike. I bought a $200 KZ400 but it was a low-mileage survivor and too pretty to cut up so I looked for a XS650 because I thought the engine was beautiful.
Swapped in superbike bars with bar end mirrors
Added longer Bonneville shocks and dropped the front end 2" using HHB spacers
Added fork gaiters
HHB front master cylinder
Hotwing glass seat and cover
Added 18" rear wheel with custom spacers
Used a XS750 tank
Added rearsets
Mike'sXS headers and cans
eBay rear LED tail light and turn signals
Modified the rear fender to fit the seat pan
Cut down the front fender
Etc,etc. still a work-in-progress.
I was a Kawasaki guy and wanted to build a café bike. I bought a $200 KZ400 but it was a low-mileage survivor and too pretty to cut up so I looked for a XS650 because I thought the engine was beautiful.
Swapped in superbike bars with bar end mirrors
Added longer Bonneville shocks and dropped the front end 2" using HHB spacers
Added fork gaiters
HHB front master cylinder
Hotwing glass seat and cover
Added 18" rear wheel with custom spacers
Used a XS750 tank
Added rearsets
Mike'sXS headers and cans
eBay rear LED tail light and turn signals
Modified the rear fender to fit the seat pan
Cut down the front fender
Etc,etc. still a work-in-progress.
ThatXS650Guy... his example is a excellent case for turn'n... XS ugh into Xs neat. All XS units have good "bones " and lend themselves to become very attractive machines.. be it.. bobber.. or cafe'.. even a few of the choppers are well done.
I'll keep my 82' stock.. right down to the goofy bars.
I'll keep my 82' stock.. right down to the goofy bars.
For me, it was a race to get that fugly Vetter fairing off, followed immediately by those horrid handlebars.
Rototiller bars? Never heard em called that. My laughing hard!
I made it a point to ride it like that to a Bike Night. Definitely old school.... but actually pretty comfortable.
weaselbeak
XS650 Junkie
Sure sold a bunch of those "ugly ducklings", didn't they? I bought my 81 Special II with the wire wheels largely because of it's looks. Guy I worked with bought one just like it after seeing mine. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Standards look too dainty to my eye. My duckling got a new handlebars because the origs were literally giving me shoulder medical problems, I couldn't reach above my head anymore, and the seat got replaced with an '80 to fix the hump problem. Neither for looks, but both an improvement in looks, to me. If it looks right it is right. That's a quote from somebody. Handlebars, for health reasons you want your palms facing down, not to the side. Also get stronger pull on the brake that way.
Had a Vetter Quicksilver on my 82'.. with mono radio, crash bars with footrest, luggage rack with slide'n back rest, captains swivel for my diet Pepsi (which doesn't work, the D/Pepsi), thumb cruise lock.... a regular poor man's Goldwing.
Trip'd out to Yellowstone, Custer's 2nd Place Park, Devils Tower and across Montana on the back roads. With my buddy on his Kz750 ... we cruised at 75mph. The 2.5 gallon gas tank doesn't last long at the speed.... and... see'n as how the Special's are also excellent hardware store paint shakers.... if you're ever in Montana..look for my license plate.. it vibrated off somewhere.
Trip'd out to Yellowstone, Custer's 2nd Place Park, Devils Tower and across Montana on the back roads. With my buddy on his Kz750 ... we cruised at 75mph. The 2.5 gallon gas tank doesn't last long at the speed.... and... see'n as how the Special's are also excellent hardware store paint shakers.... if you're ever in Montana..look for my license plate.. it vibrated off somewhere.
Had a Vetter Quicksilver on my 82'.. with mono radio, crash bars with footrest, luggage rack with slide'n back rest, captains swivel for my diet Pepsi (which doesn't work, the D/Pepsi), thumb cruise lock.... a regular poor man's Goldwing.
Trip'd out to Yellowstone, Custer's 2nd Place Park, Devils Tower and across Montana on the back roads. With my buddy on his Kz750 ... we cruised at 75mph. The 2.5 gallon gas tank doesn't last long at the speed.... and... see'n as how the Special's are also excellent hardware store paint shakers.... if you're ever in Montana..look for my license plate.. it vibrated off somewhere.
Hi motormike,
why you would drink stuff that tastes like chemical factory effluent I dunno but diet pepsi will work just fine in
helping you swallow a second helping of pasta even if the ensuing weight gain was not the result you hoped for.
FYI the 4 USG tank from an XS650 Standard will drop right onto an XS650 Special.
And an XS650 plate is best attached with rubber washers, just like on a Britbike.
I too have an 82 imported from the US and I'm changing it to, er, adjust the looks. I've put flatter bars on, am in the middle of replacing the 19+16 steel rims with 19+18 alloy rims. I've bought an LED tail light but wont fit it until i replace tbe seat. I haven't changed the shocks yet but anticipate fitting longer ones at some point ....
No doubt more will follow, like changing the exhaust and air filters.
I also bought a spare seat with a tatty top but a solid base, with a view to turning that into something without the horrid step. Anyone else tried this? Successfully?
No doubt more will follow, like changing the exhaust and air filters.
I also bought a spare seat with a tatty top but a solid base, with a view to turning that into something without the horrid step. Anyone else tried this? Successfully?
This seat started life as a stepped "special". A $5 electric carving knife from the thrift store fixed it.
I still have the one I modified to flatten the seat. it can be done... This side-hinged seat is in the classified section.
Hi nighthog,
Oh yes, you gotta be 7 feet tall and have wrists that are at 90º to most folks before the stock rototiller 'bars are comfortable.
For all that the alternative 7-spoke cast artillery wheels are the most practical , yes the deep groove alloy rim wire wheels are the best looking.
I ran a pair of them on my own Heritage Special until I got too lazy to keep them clean and switched back to the cast wheels.
You will find that the 110/90-18 rear tire makes the bike livelier in corners while the 130/90-16 rear tire keeps the bike steadier in a straight line.
Not much difference, just enough to be noticeable.
Um, me, unless the exhaust system and air filters are hooped, I'd leave them alone
because unless you are going radical on engine upgrades the stock system works best.
The "horrid" step in the seat don't bother me any because my stubbly little legs locate my backside in the seat's front part.
OTOH if your inseam measurement is enough to put you atop the seat's step, best you modify the seat.
But be warned, once you take the foam off you'll see the pan's got a hump in it too.
Which means that after the carving knife has trimmed the foam's step away the rear ain't got much padding depth left.
Better you build the foam's front half up level to match the back half instead.
Hi Fred, dunno about 7 feet tall, this bike has to be as low as any I've had!
And Jim in Atlanta, that's pretty close to what I hoping to achieve. Thanks and i now have (another) target in my sights
Good thread this .... clearly there's a lot that can be done without great expense and with simple tools. I love the other threads from guys with great engineering tools and experience but we're not all so blessed. Here's what I have to struggle with:
And yes, the rain does come in! I'm sure there are plenty of others in much the same boat.
And Jim in Atlanta, that's pretty close to what I hoping to achieve. Thanks and i now have (another) target in my sights
Good thread this .... clearly there's a lot that can be done without great expense and with simple tools. I love the other threads from guys with great engineering tools and experience but we're not all so blessed. Here's what I have to struggle with:
And yes, the rain does come in! I'm sure there are plenty of others in much the same boat.
I took it to a local upholster.
nighthog, I do like those stackable bins. My workshop is a one car garage attached to my two car garage. It is crammed full with woodworking tools, metal working tools, all of the accessories, and the bike that I am working on at the time. I have been adding lights and moving things around to get more floor space. Those bins gave me an idea of building plywood stackable bins, some with wheels, some with drawers. Shelves and cupboards have not been kind to the walls, too much weight.
Scott
Scott
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