build thread

Hey everyone. This is my first post even though I have been lurking on this forum for a couple years now. It's been an absolutely incredible resource and as someone relatively new to motorcycling, I can't imagine how else I could have become so familiar so with my 74 TX650A so quickly. I...

Hello everyone!! I'm starting this thread as my first build, last year I picked up "friends" failed project, he graduated from university and ended up moving to Miami and no longer had the space to keep the bike, he said if I picked it up I could have it and all the aftermarket parts he had...

DISCLAIMER: Armed with a bottom of the barrel flux core welder and a dream, I scavenged Craigslist to find an XS650 bobber project for my first motorcycle build. This is my story.... Picked this baby up for $1500 cold hard american cash. PO had it running (barely) but it was in need of a ton of...

I will start out by saying Hello to you all. I am not much of a poster, more of a lurker. 5 years ago this week I brought home a 1981 xs650 special with the intent of building a street tracker. This was my first bike build. I read a lot of posts on here and other xs650 sites. I read about PMA's...

If anyone is interested in seeing an amature bite off more than they can chew, you should enjoy watching this project unfold. This was a week or two ago. Didn't run but it turned freely. Trying to start it just resulted in gas being dumped all over. After messing with the floats, I got it...

Hey dudes, thought I would post my journey for my hardtail build thread now that I am starting to get into it. Frame is a late 80’s with TC brothers hardtail.

Figured I'd start a thread on my build so far. Bike came from the 3rd owner I believe, so I tore it down rite away! Welded on a visual impact brat kit. Chose that particular kit, because I liked the lines/options for the rear. New seals in the forks. I haven't lowered it/yet. Once I get in...

late last year I sat on my couch, I was a tiny bit annoyed since someone else had just bought the xs 750 I thought I was supposed to buy as my winter project. So there I sat, annoyed at myself for not have been quicker out the door, quietly scrolling through different online marketplaces until I...

Where to start... Here is a picture at the time that I started this thread. I came across an XS650 engine for sale (by Mule/Richard Pollock), combined with some thoughts about a new project bike and inspired by the new Norton Domiracer... I entered the Concepting Phase of my latest...

So a while back I came to be the owner of an XS650 that was found on the eastern shore in a barn with the spare parts of a second bike. $300 dollars and borrowing my buddies truck it ended up in my work shed and now that the process of titling is done the bike is officially mine. I have...

I'm not in the market for a pudding helmet, lol https://web.archive.org/web/20140806015202/http://rideapart.com/2011/07/gogo-bozo-and-the-neo-moto-hipster-hobobobo-nouveau-with-an-afro-it’s-the-next-big-thing/ but I do like the look of the vintage cafe racers. So I'm building something...

Finished engine

So after purchasing my 79 special and cruising it around last summer, I decided to tear it down and change into something a little more my style. Hoping do get the chassis mocked up and motor back in so it can be ridden more this coming summer. Then hopefully next winter I can dive into the...

I got the bike last summer and didn't do much with it in hopes to do a cafe/tracker build over the winter. (didnt happen) Spring rolled around and I finally pulled the motor and rebuilt the top end. Now the motor is about ready to be mounted and its time to look at electrical and that's where...

Hey yall, I got this 1972 xs650 from my dad, which was his first motorcycle. Ive never messed with motorcycles a whole lot but have rebuilt atv's. Im wanting to tear it down and rebuild it to its original form. It hasnt ran in about 25 yrs. The motor is in decent shape. My main question is where...

Hey everybody, I am presently starting a restore on a '72 xs650 and could use your help and expertise as I progress. The bike is in "so so" shape. But needs a lot of work. I'm starting with the basics. Carb clean, gas tank clean. And electrical.. I keep hearing people talk about a fuse box...

picked this thing up last year and ive been working on it on and off between a million other projects. Doing everything myself in my garage/ house because the garage is to dirty.

Guess it's time to quit being a creeper and just lurking around this site. Names Ryan from Tucson. I was in the market for a bobber and quickly found myself attached to the xs650. After looking for one to buy, I decided I would rather build something than buy one. I ended up horse trading my 49...

So, I took this bike on trade last year. A lot of things on the bike aren't done right. The forward controls are two peices of tubing welded to the frame. The rear brake linkage is wire rope. The bushing in the handlebar risers will almost pull through. The jockey shifter had to be bent over...

Recently acquired a 81 xs650 for free :) I stripped the wiring down to whats need to run for now, as well as all other bike parts. When i got it the kickstart lever did funny things, so i took it apart and reassembled it correctly. The seal looked good enough so I didn't change it. Went...