2021 XS650 Calendar VOTE HERE!

Which XS650s would you like to see in the 2021 XS650 Calendar?

  • Kawabunga (Bonnebobber)

    Votes: 32 55.2%
  • Hoser59

    Votes: 11 19.0%
  • SomervilleXS650

    Votes: 24 41.4%
  • willis

    Votes: 26 44.8%
  • David Toll

    Votes: 9 15.5%
  • Tim

    Votes: 13 22.4%
  • Norton7d

    Votes: 20 34.5%
  • Dog Bunny

    Votes: 19 32.8%
  • Bushyeyed1

    Votes: 14 24.1%
  • Streets

    Votes: 12 20.7%
  • Manford

    Votes: 19 32.8%
  • gggGary

    Votes: 32 55.2%
  • Bigstick1973

    Votes: 24 41.4%
  • SpecialII

    Votes: 9 15.5%
  • bosco659

    Votes: 26 44.8%
  • Scott Halbleib

    Votes: 20 34.5%
  • yas3forever

    Votes: 17 29.3%
  • Kawabunga (Scrambler)

    Votes: 13 22.4%
  • Home Build

    Votes: 15 25.9%
  • SAFU

    Votes: 11 19.0%
  • Denisesewa

    Votes: 7 12.1%
  • Glenn R

    Votes: 24 41.4%
  • sparky4123

    Votes: 12 20.7%
  • Fastestoldwheelieguy

    Votes: 20 34.5%
  • ScooterMagoo

    Votes: 23 39.7%
  • Xsjosh

    Votes: 9 15.5%
  • chinny1953

    Votes: 5 8.6%
  • Kubes42

    Votes: 13 22.4%

  • Total voters
    58
  • Poll closed .
This is a great result - and I do concur with most of the chosen bikes, but I have to admit that I agree with Jim in liking a good build-thread as well as a pretty bike. I am certainly biased toward bikes owned and built by people who have contributed a lot to this forum - and to helping others who are not as far along with their skills (yes, people like Jim and gggGary but also GLJ, Lakeview, Skull, David Toll, SuperJet, Boog, Marty, Mailman, ThatXS650Guy, 5Twins, TwoMany, grizld1, Raymondo, Mr. Bultaco and so many others).

When I look at the bike on the calendar, I think of the guy who built it or resurrected it from a rusted piece of junk and all the hard work he/she put into accumulating parts and learning how to do things - and doing them - to make the best bike he/she could with what was available. If it isn't perfect - who cares? Anybody can drop on into the Barber Museum to see perfect bikes - I want to see runners and riders, dents, leaks and all - on my calendar. Some of them WILL be beautiful restorations worthy of a museum, and others will not.

Seeing someone win a place on the calendar after having dropped-in, self-nominated their bike (regardless of how pretty it is) and then dropped back out never to be heard from again - having posted a grand total of seven times is, in my view, not cool.

Who is that guy - and who cares about him and his bike? What did he ever do for anyone on XS650.com? Heck - I can just go to the bookstore and buy any calendar full of custom bikes - or just go on the web and google "cool motorcycles" or "cool Yamaha XS650s" - and make my own danged calendar. The story behind it would be the same as Mr. Seven-posts-and-gone-guy and it would be just as compelling.

I have been thinking about this for several years and while I sure wouldn't want to come across as a grumpy old f@rt (like THAT might ever be the case), I really do feel that the calendar should reflect the people of this forum and their motorcycles - and not just how much money was spent, how much skill was expended or anything else. If what appears has a few flaws - well, tough titty in my book. I want to see what people have built and what they ride and the story behind the bike.

....just sayin'....:whistle:

...bring on the flames...:smoke:

Pete
 
Cowabunga Dude!
Like I said in my "self" nomination, WJL was and is @wrenchjohns build, he gets the credit. I just fluffed her dress and winked at the boys.

20200921_173655-jpg.175811


Kinda hard to deny that she IS a wisconsin girl now. :sneaky:
 
I have been thinking about this for several years and while I sure wouldn't want to come across as a grumpy old f@rt (like THAT might ever be the case), I really do feel that the calendar should reflect the people of this forum and their motorcycles - and not just how much money was spent, how much skill was expended or anything else.
Well said, Peter.
I've been thinking similar thoughts for the past few years, but you have expressed them.
Eloquently.
 
Well, anyway - I wasn't intending p!ss anyone off or drive anyone away, but I have had those thoughts rattling around for several years and I figured that now the voting is completed, I could say them without affecting the outcomes.

Cheers all,

Pete
 
Well, anyway - I wasn't intending p!ss anyone off or drive anyone away, but I have had those thoughts rattling around for several years and I figured that now the voting is completed, I could say them without affecting the outcomes.

Cheers all,

Pete
Yer drive'n me away Pete! :D

Also want to say thank you for the votes, it really is appreciated.
I kinda think a mixed calendar with those that really support the site with lots of posts and pics of the build process getting an advantage with me but exceptional quality builds also get my respect on their own merits. Multiple votes allowed also helps spread the love.
Out in her favorite playground, back roads.
hoot owl valley.jpg
 
Just because someone is new to this forum does not mean they are not passionate or knowledgable.
My 650 experience began in March 1973. I graduated from high school on 1972 with a draft lottery number of 6. I sold my 1969 Suzuki 350 in the fall expecting to be drafted by spring. Nixon called off the draft in February 1973 and I was hired at a local bank for $350 per month. The local Yamaha dealer had a leftover XS2 for the blowout price of $1100. I only had $880 so I bought a leftover 1972 GT380 (the framed bill of sale hangs in my shop)
I finally bought an XS2 in the late 70s. Became friends with a group of 650 fanatics that are still friends today!. By the mid 80s, we lived and breathed 650s.. My friend Rex built a nice shop and became the 650 hangout. $300 to $400 bought a nice one and a dollar a cc was top money. We would scour the classifieds for 650s and lost count of how many we bought and sold.
One Saturday in 1990 Rex and I went to look at a one owner XS2. It had been sprayed with WD40 and parked in his woodworking shop. Was covered in sawdust. Had 6000 miles and the price was $650 firm. Brought it home and cleaned off the sawdust and it was perfect. Rex decided to park it next to his XS1 in his family room.
Rex died suddenly in December 2016 and his daughter asked if his old 650 buddies would help liquidate all his bikes. There were 8 650s (including a 77 he bought new and stopped riding when the odometer read 650. His grandson kept it. I pushed out the bikes the two of us pushed in 27 years before. One bought the XS1 and I bought the XS2. Another friend bought another XS2 and has it parked in front of the side of the cardboard crate side his new XS2 came in. Anoter bought back a 77 he sold him in the 1990s, I was put in charge of waking them up.
He had prepared them for storage and all three were running with little work . All are ridden on a regular basis. For the past three years we have a memorial bike show at a local winery (had to cancel this year). Have a special section for " EX-REX" bikes including ones he sold in the 80s and 90s.
 
Just because someone is new to this forum does not mean they are not passionate or knowledgable.
My 650 experience began in March 1973. I graduated from high school on 1972 with a draft lottery number of 6. I sold my 1969 Suzuki 350 in the fall expecting to be drafted by spring. Nixon called off the draft in February 1973 and I was hired at a local bank for $350 per month. The local Yamaha dealer had a leftover XS2 for the blowout price of $1100. I only had $880 so I bought a leftover 1972 GT380 (the framed bill of sale hangs in my shop)
I finally bought an XS2 in the late 70s. Became friends with a group of 650 fanatics that are still friends today!. By the mid 80s, we lived and breathed 650s.. My friend Rex built a nice shop and became the 650 hangout. $300 to $400 bought a nice one and a dollar a cc was top money. We would scour the classifieds for 650s and lost count of how many we bought and sold.
One Saturday in 1990 Rex and I went to look at a one owner XS2. It had been sprayed with WD40 and parked in his woodworking shop. Was covered in sawdust. Had 6000 miles and the price was $650 firm. Brought it home and cleaned off the sawdust and it was perfect. Rex decided to park it next to his XS1 in his family room.
Rex died suddenly in December 2016 and his daughter asked if his old 650 buddies would help liquidate all his bikes. There were 8 650s (including a 77 he bought new and stopped riding when the odometer read 650. His grandson kept it. I pushed out the bikes the two of us pushed in 27 years before. One bought the XS1 and I bought the XS2. Another friend bought another XS2 and has it parked in front of the side of the cardboard crate side his new XS2 came in. Anoter bought back a 77 he sold him in the 1990s, I was put in charge of waking them up.
He had prepared them for storage and all three were running with little work . All are ridden on a regular basis. For the past three years we have a memorial bike show at a local winery (had to cancel this year). Have a special section for " EX-REX" bikes including ones he sold in the 80s and 90s.
Thanks for the post. That's a good story. I can certainly understand how banter on these forums isn't for everyone. I certainly enjoy reading a story like this, even if @MaxPete had to drag it out of you.
My dad had a friend with a brand new XS-2. I was 13 at the time. Hooked right then! It's nice you have one that keeps your friend close to you.
 
Self promotion and linking to a build thread and/or writing up a description with pics was the norm a few years ago.........also there were a lot more people engaging in the voting.....

http://www.xs650.com/threads/2015-xs650-calendar-vote-here.38633/ Votes in the 80's, 70's, 60's in 2015 and a Special when specials were hated on.........you will find it can be for the person and there contribution to the site and not especially for the bike.......Thanks for all your input RG.

.in 2016 there were 3 bikes that had over 100 votes and a couple in the 90's............

It is accepted by Travis that a person can have as many of their bikes up for nomination in the calendar....... only one of the bikes, (no matter how many votes), can be accepted into the calendar..........To me that is not fair, those votes take away the opportunity for another persons bike to be included.......
 
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I'm very pleased with the selection we have collectively made. Most of the bikes I voted for are in, though that's not the point. I agree with the feeling expressed above it's preferable if there has been a build thread or at least we feel we know the bike & owner. But it's not essential. Each individual has chosen the bikes they like, so in a way the calendar reflects our collective good taste.

Personally, my prejudice, I don't rate money as a factor. A bike won't garner more respect because it's had a shed load of money spent on it, but if I like it I'll still like it. Perhaps I tend to choose the bikes I'd like to be with, to ride, to own? They don't need to be perfect or highly finished. Don't like too much fussy detail. Just in some undefinable way cool or 'right'. Just saying.
 
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Just because someone is new to this forum does not mean they are not passionate or knowledgable.
My 650 experience began in March 1973. I graduated from high school on 1972 with a draft lottery number of 6. I sold my 1969 Suzuki 350 in the fall expecting to be drafted by spring. Nixon called off the draft in February 1973 and I was hired at a local bank for $350 per month. The local Yamaha dealer had a leftover XS2 for the blowout price of $1100. I only had $880 so I bought a leftover 1972 GT380 (the framed bill of sale hangs in my shop)
I finally bought an XS2 in the late 70s. Became friends with a group of 650 fanatics that are still friends today!. By the mid 80s, we lived and breathed 650s.. My friend Rex built a nice shop and became the 650 hangout. $300 to $400 bought a nice one and a dollar a cc was top money. We would scour the classifieds for 650s and lost count of how many we bought and sold.
One Saturday in 1990 Rex and I went to look at a one owner XS2. It had been sprayed with WD40 and parked in his woodworking shop. Was covered in sawdust. Had 6000 miles and the price was $650 firm. Brought it home and cleaned off the sawdust and it was perfect. Rex decided to park it next to his XS1 in his family room.
Rex died suddenly in December 2016 and his daughter asked if his old 650 buddies would help liquidate all his bikes. There were 8 650s (including a 77 he bought new and stopped riding when the odometer read 650. His grandson kept it. I pushed out the bikes the two of us pushed in 27 years before. One bought the XS1 and I bought the XS2. Another friend bought another XS2 and has it parked in front of the side of the cardboard crate side his new XS2 came in. Anoter bought back a 77 he sold him in the 1990s, I was put in charge of waking them up.
He had prepared them for storage and all three were running with little work . All are ridden on a regular basis. For the past three years we have a memorial bike show at a local winery (had to cancel this year). Have a special section for " EX-REX" bikes including ones he sold in the 80s and 90s.
Great story of friendship and XS650's, Glenn.
 
An ecclectic mix of styles and builds. I missed last years calendar but i will not miss it this year... I agree that build threads and provenace make things more attractive but then i also agree that it isnt a pre-requisite to a viable entry...I tend to evaluate execution of style...How well done is it and visually stunning in details...or in its simplicity of design...
While my mind is open to all builds..I am still a purist at heart...;)
 
Self promotion and linking to a build thread and/or writing up a description with pics was the norm a few years ago.........also there were a lot more people engaging in the voting.....

http://www.xs650.com/threads/2015-xs650-calendar-vote-here.38633/ Votes in the 80's, 70's, 60's in 2015 and a Special when specials were hated on.........you will find it can be for the person and there contribution to the site and not especially for the bike.......Thanks for all your input RG.

.in 2016 there were 3 bikes that had over 100 votes and a couple in the 90's............

It is accepted by Travis that a person can have as many of their bikes up for nomination in the calendar....... only one of the bikes, (no matter how many votes), can be accepted into the calendar..........To me that is not fair, those votes take away the opportunity for another persons bike to be included.......

This year had a short voting window. I gave people a few days to self promote and ask for main photos to be swapped. I intended on sending out a mass email on Saturday to promote voting, but then forgot about it. :doh: I believe those two things explain the low voting numbers. It's probably better this way because now the regulars here had their votes really count.

Regarding multiple nominations.. You could vote for 20 of 28 bikes if you wanted, so I don't see how it matters much. You are not limited to voting for 13 bikes. I think it's a fair system. Or fair enough! :D

I'll be posting the tie-breaker vote soon!
 
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