rbirkey
TriumphBonneville.org
After rebuilding 2 previous XS650s (a 1977 and a 1981), I'm back with my third project. This is another 1981 that a friend of mine purchased from a buddy who bought an old house in Madison, WI to flip, and this bike was in the garage under a pile of junk. From the license plate, it appears to have been sitting since 1991. It has 5400 original miles and the engine was not seized... still has relatively clean-looking oil in it.
I am planning on a much more aggressive cafe racer mod this time, removing the frame tail section, welding on a loop with integrated LED lighting, a shorter brat-style seat, and fenders from other bikes I had laying around. The rims are too far gone, so I am having new Sun alloy rims laced on the hubs, both 18", by Buchanan's. You can see that I'm using low drag-style handlebars, and I will add two small 2.5" gauges along with a new headlight bucket and mounts.
The exhausts were too rusted to keep, so I am also planning to use the chrome 2-into-2 exhaust system with the tapered exhaust cones. I really like how these sound on the 1977 I did. I'm using Triumph Bonneville rear 13" shocks to change the stance and am modifying the chainguard to fit. I plan to have the frame and all the former black-painted parts powder-coated.
I plan to leave the gas tank the original Indigo Blue, and will clear-coat it again to protect it. The fenders I will either match paint or perhaps go with an accent color such as silver. I may add a center stripe down all three - fenders and tank.
Even though I am a Triumph Bonneville guy, you all have been super helpful in the past! I may have to find one of these to rebuild and keep for myself!
I'd also like to thank Jeff Stephens of Godffery's Garage for his help. He is a web client of mine here in Wisconsin and super knowledgeable about these Japanese-era bikes. https://godfferysgarage.com/
Here are some progress photos. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Follow by project blog here: https://triumphbonneville.org/project/1981-yamaha-xs650-project-bike-6/
I am planning on a much more aggressive cafe racer mod this time, removing the frame tail section, welding on a loop with integrated LED lighting, a shorter brat-style seat, and fenders from other bikes I had laying around. The rims are too far gone, so I am having new Sun alloy rims laced on the hubs, both 18", by Buchanan's. You can see that I'm using low drag-style handlebars, and I will add two small 2.5" gauges along with a new headlight bucket and mounts.
The exhausts were too rusted to keep, so I am also planning to use the chrome 2-into-2 exhaust system with the tapered exhaust cones. I really like how these sound on the 1977 I did. I'm using Triumph Bonneville rear 13" shocks to change the stance and am modifying the chainguard to fit. I plan to have the frame and all the former black-painted parts powder-coated.
I plan to leave the gas tank the original Indigo Blue, and will clear-coat it again to protect it. The fenders I will either match paint or perhaps go with an accent color such as silver. I may add a center stripe down all three - fenders and tank.
Even though I am a Triumph Bonneville guy, you all have been super helpful in the past! I may have to find one of these to rebuild and keep for myself!
I'd also like to thank Jeff Stephens of Godffery's Garage for his help. He is a web client of mine here in Wisconsin and super knowledgeable about these Japanese-era bikes. https://godfferysgarage.com/
Here are some progress photos. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Follow by project blog here: https://triumphbonneville.org/project/1981-yamaha-xs650-project-bike-6/
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