What is an XS650

DogBunny said:
Fine, you're not included in my sociological take.
In 1979 I was stationed in San Diego. This was Hell's Angels territory at a time when they were very visible. I had a 1976 Honda CB550, and a small handful of my shipmates also had bikes. We endured constant crap from the one guy on the ship who had a Sportster, and we were all jealous of him, but a Sportster was too expensive, plus they needed constant fixing. I used to go on open rally rides on weekends, they were eclectic, everyone from 1%ers to me on my Hondo, and yeah, it was embarrassing. I had a non-Navy friend with a Triumph, still not a Harley, but at least it wasn't Jap. He got way more respect.
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OK, so as a young man you were experiencing jealousy and embarrassment when you looked around at others, which is pretty common at that age. We mature gradually. But it's important that we don't generalize our feelings to others around us.

In the mid 70's I read the original gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's true story of hanging out with the Hell's Angels for many months. He revealed them to be a bunch of clowns. Violent clowns that is. This was formative of my sense of who Harley owners might be, and it wasn't "real men".
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I took my new XS650SK to bike week year over as I lived in Daytona Beach. Did those folks stay quiet about my bike? Guess! Truthfully, there was no real abuse or vandalism of my bike. I parked it amongst the Hardlys.

The ‘79 Eleven Special got the look right. Its wheelbase is much longer than the 650.
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Excellent thread to all who have contributed! The simplicity of my old bike is what I like so much about it and it is just a motorbike. No specific label. The other day I had the bike at the end of the driveway, getting ready to go for a ride. A mom rode by on a bicycle with a little guy about 3 or so, strapped into a seat. As he rode by he pointed and yelled out "motorbike!" I'm going with what he said.
:thumbsup:
 
Xs650 Specials as well as Suzuki and Kawa specials were in Europe considered "soft choppers" which I think hits the picture quite well.
I'm not that much of an anti H&D guy besides considering that i spent some good years of my youth in the California bay area mountains i can reassure you that back then there were still some real men left on hog's.
I'm still up to this day an honest and frank fan of (in particular early) sportsters and it still makes me shudder to see them with sissy bars, yuck.

Good evening guys and happy weekend Christian
 
azman857 said:
Wait a minute here...I've owned or own all 3 over the years and I do not smoke now or smoked whatever back in the day of each ride
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Hudriwudri said:
Xs650 Specials as well as Suzuki and Kawa specials were in Europe considered "soft choppers" which I think hits the picture quite well.
I'm not that much of an anti H&D guy besides considering that i spent some good years of my youth in the California bay area mountains i can reassure you that back then there were still some real men left on hog's.
I'm still up to this day an honest and frank fan of (in particular early) sportsters and it still makes me shudder to see them with sissy bars, yuck.

Good evening guys and happy weekend Christian
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I love 'em all (mostly) And I don't quite get what all of this "Real Men" noise is all about. If we're just bustin' chops. I get it. Most of the guys I know ride H-D's and most of them I trust with my life.
 
46th Georgia said:
I love 'em all (mostly) And I don't quite get what all of this "Real Men" noise is all about. If we're just bustin' chops. I get it. Most of the guys I know ride H-D's and most of them I trust with my life.
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Please don't misunderstand; we were talking about history, the 1970's.
"Real Men" has now become an antiquated term. In our modern world, masculinity has become pretty irrelevant, as has the kind of bike we ride.
As for myself, one of my best friends has 3 superb Harleys. We ride together. He might sell me his knucklehead someday. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
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YamadudeXS650C said:
Please don't misunderstand; we were talking about history, the 1970's.
"Real Men" has now become an antiquated term. In our modern world, masculinity has become pretty irrelevant, as has the kind of bike we ride.
As for myself, one of my best friends has 3 superb Harleys. We ride together. He might sell me his knucklehead someday. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
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.
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Well part of my problem is that I don't live in the modern world. I still carry a revolver, have a land line and most of my friends work with their hands. Where I live virtually all of the guys wear boots and jeans and if you show up wearing Birkenstocks drinking a latte, you'll get laughed out of town. I'm glad I grew up when I did. Much like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, "your modern world frightens me".
 
46th Georgia said:
Well part of my problem is that I don't live in the modern world. I still carry a revolver, have a land line and most of my friends work with their hands. Where I live virtually all of the guys wear boots and jeans and if you show up wearing Birkenstocks drinking a latte, you'll get laughed out of town. I'm glad I grew up when I did. Much like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, "your modern world frightens me".
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I keep a 38 special on my nightstand and have a nice collection of Rugers. I don't even know what a Birkenstock is :laugh2:
 

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