Well guys it about time i make a build thread The bike is already finished (well its never finished but its rideable).
First a little background about myself. Im 19 years old currently going to school part time for engineering and am an mechanic at a bike shop (bicycle) and on the side i do a lot of metal fabrication work. I was always into dirtbikes growing up and a little over a year before i started this build my dad bought himself a harley and i decided i needed my own bike, One day saw a xs650 bobber online and fell in love.. and welp a week later i bought one.
I did 100% of the work in house, from the fab work to powder coat and paint.
So on October 7th, 2011 i bought a 1981 xs650 from a member on here. This is what i brought home.
Next day i stripped the frame (well what was left to be stripped)
Engine with about 7000 stock miles
Wanted to see if it really ran so i rigged everything up on my bench. Started right up!
fast forward a month and i finished the engine.
The shop at the current time (a lot has changed since then)
Chopped
Tc bros hard tail.
First ride was in April i believe.
Stayed raw for a few weeks while i worked out all the kinks then tore her down again.
Worked with leather for the first time ever...not perfect, but im happy with it.
I then powder coated everything.
And about 2 months after the first test ride, and 8 months after i started i ended up with this.
Fast forward to today i have put over 600 awesome miles on it and plenty more to come. Still have much more to do till its "finished" such as a rear fender (which i ordered from 7 metal west over 5 weeks ago and still waiting..), turn signals, and a pma kit.
I also just made a new set of pipes last week, which i think are much better then the last.
Thanks for all the help you guys gave me, I spent hours and hours searching this forum
First a little background about myself. Im 19 years old currently going to school part time for engineering and am an mechanic at a bike shop (bicycle) and on the side i do a lot of metal fabrication work. I was always into dirtbikes growing up and a little over a year before i started this build my dad bought himself a harley and i decided i needed my own bike, One day saw a xs650 bobber online and fell in love.. and welp a week later i bought one.
I did 100% of the work in house, from the fab work to powder coat and paint.
So on October 7th, 2011 i bought a 1981 xs650 from a member on here. This is what i brought home.
Next day i stripped the frame (well what was left to be stripped)
Engine with about 7000 stock miles
Wanted to see if it really ran so i rigged everything up on my bench. Started right up!
fast forward a month and i finished the engine.
The shop at the current time (a lot has changed since then)
Chopped
Tc bros hard tail.
First ride was in April i believe.
Stayed raw for a few weeks while i worked out all the kinks then tore her down again.
Worked with leather for the first time ever...not perfect, but im happy with it.
I then powder coated everything.
And about 2 months after the first test ride, and 8 months after i started i ended up with this.
Fast forward to today i have put over 600 awesome miles on it and plenty more to come. Still have much more to do till its "finished" such as a rear fender (which i ordered from 7 metal west over 5 weeks ago and still waiting..), turn signals, and a pma kit.
I also just made a new set of pipes last week, which i think are much better then the last.
Thanks for all the help you guys gave me, I spent hours and hours searching this forum
as far as the powder cost goes its the same as with paint, primer, base coat, mask off, next coat, then clear. The only difference is that you have to cure each coat so it's a long process.
