Plus one to that. Mine's similarly a bike that gets used - 4000 miles in the three years since I got it into a rideable state. That's one of the great things about these bikes - you can have something that looks good and you can actually use!
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It's time to vote for the bikes you want to see in the 2025 XS650 Calendar! Vote here!
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I hope nobody took my comments wrong. I meant no disrespect towards any one person or bike. I just feel there is more to a calendar bike than just looks. Bob rides both his bikes. I love his pictures of his excursions.
No no, none taken. I think we all knew what you were saying. I’ll be honest, what you did with your bike was what I first intended to do, just a sympathetic restoration, and maybe a bit of polishing. Aye….but that polishing is a slippery slope!
You make one thing look perfect and then the part next to it looks sad so you go after that, and on and on. 
We’re still in the throes of our house move so I just voted.
There sure are some great looking bikes in the group and some superb stories behind them (which I always consider to be important when voting). I like the bikes passed down from one generation to another and those that are actively ridden (especially those which are ridden for hundreds of miles on twisty roads, at night, in the rain).
Good luck all!
Pete
There sure are some great looking bikes in the group and some superb stories behind them (which I always consider to be important when voting). I like the bikes passed down from one generation to another and those that are actively ridden (especially those which are ridden for hundreds of miles on twisty roads, at night, in the rain).
Good luck all!
Pete
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You guys keep pulling these beautiful things out year after year. I am, of course, partial to Marty's Special. Same goes for Hotel's bike. Rhy's immaculate gold lovely is a treat, while lewisjohn's Rickman interpretation treads new and exciting ground, (love those side covers). BowlingSS has created a ruby on wheels. Thom, GLJ and Beags have stayed true to the original while SAFU has given us an XS for ET. I love Bjorn's Blue and Nighthog's understated silver. Kawabunga and Adamc have built sleds for Steve McQueen, while crash_davis and Yam277 have cornered the Peter Fonda look. Whipbird, (I know what that is), flying the flag and doing we Oz proud with that gorgeous little number! Rusty, crisp, tidy and pragmatic, makes you want to ride.. Every bike deserves a mention but I run short on superlatives. Every one of them will serve as an inspiration for the determined and the creative for the next 12 months, (and longer of course!). Good luck to you all in the vote but, you all have mine!
Well done gentlemen!!
Cheers
Well done gentlemen!!
Cheers
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Great poll and congrats on the top 13. Thanks very much for the likes, votes and comments for ‘Swamp Monster’. It’s been terrific to see the pictures and read the other back stories about the nominated bikes. I’m certainly looking forward to ordering the 2022 calendar. Good luck with the design and production process Shawn - the hard work has just begun! In the meantime ride safe everyone. Cheers y’all
Whipbird.
Whipbird.
Holly Smokes! I did not expect to be in the calendar! Thanks to everyone that voted for me. The competition was stiff, so many awesome looking bikes. Congratulations to the other 12 bikes, every one well deserved! @Rhy650 blew it away! You guys couldn't have picked a nicer cover girl. To those that didn't make it, it was not for lack of talent, skill, or craftsmanship. I hope every one of you gets another shot at the next one, we have more amazing bikes than we have months in the year. 
Thanks everyone for your vote.
A special well done to Rhy650 for making the cover, really well deserved. All entries were fabulous and worthy candidates. It seems I made the calendar too; so a massive thank you to all that voted for my humble machine. Special thanks to Raymond who triggered my interest, and to Jim who nominated the bike. I'm out for my maiden ride tomorrow, and hopefully take pictures worthy of the vote. I tried yesterday but the gear shift wouldn't engage 2nd; fixed it this morning....Hooray!
samoran1
XS650 Addict
WINNERS: Please send me a private message with an email address for me to invite you to drop your photos and information to. I will be setting up a folder for each of the entries on dropbox.
Rhy650
Adamc
lewisjohn
Beags64
GLJ
jetmechmarty
kawabunga
RustiePyles
Bjorn
nighthog
BowlingSS
NashGTI
SAFU
Congrats to all who were nominated and the 2022 calendar entries!
Rhy650
Adamc
lewisjohn
Beags64
GLJ
jetmechmarty
kawabunga
RustiePyles
Bjorn
nighthog
BowlingSS
NashGTI
SAFU
Congrats to all who were nominated and the 2022 calendar entries!
Wow, guys!!!! Thank you so much for the votes and the kind words! My congratulations to the other 12 bikes that made it.
When I started this project I thought it would be awesome to make it in the calendar, but I never expected the cover! I was talking to my Mom about this last night and we both agreed that we could see Dad's face and hear the surprise in his voice if we could tell him about it. He would be absolutely thrilled, and so am I. It really does mean A LOT to me. And, it goes without saying, that this would not have been possible without the help of this forum.
I promise to do my best with the photographic responsibility that you all have bestowed on me. I was out all this past weekend taking pictures. A little "sneak peak"
Also, rest assured that this bike will get it's fair share of time on the open road. If you have been following the build thread you will know that I am actively working on getting the bugs out of it. Will this ever be a daily rider, probably not, but it is not going to be kept under a blanket all year, either. It deserves to be shared and pound down the road until it passes to one of my kids.
When I started this project I thought it would be awesome to make it in the calendar, but I never expected the cover! I was talking to my Mom about this last night and we both agreed that we could see Dad's face and hear the surprise in his voice if we could tell him about it. He would be absolutely thrilled, and so am I. It really does mean A LOT to me. And, it goes without saying, that this would not have been possible without the help of this forum.
I promise to do my best with the photographic responsibility that you all have bestowed on me. I was out all this past weekend taking pictures. A little "sneak peak"
Also, rest assured that this bike will get it's fair share of time on the open road. If you have been following the build thread you will know that I am actively working on getting the bugs out of it. Will this ever be a daily rider, probably not, but it is not going to be kept under a blanket all year, either. It deserves to be shared and pound down the road until it passes to one of my kids.
You had best start training them on its care and feeding or it will die with you.
You are none too early! Stick with it or you'll lose them to video games or whatever it is their entertainment advances to.
Brilliant, my dad got me involved with mechanics and other engineering projects from a very young age. He made two acoustic guitars, an electric guitar, a 50 watt valve amp for me all before I was 15 years of age. I never made it as a guitarist, but did OK as a drummer (yes I know all the jokes!).
He also made me a crossbow out of a car leaf spring! With a ratchet mech’ to wind back; went through a whole old fridge at 100 yards!! Wish I still had that.
At the time I didn’t realise how much I had learnt, but it pays dividends now.
Haha, Dad made this for me when I was a teenager. 15 watt tube amp.
(My surname is Norton)We never made a crossbow, but we did make a trebuchet!
I know I am hijacking this thread, but the comparison was too good... I couldn't agree more that being engaged in such projects growing up had a huge impact on me - and it is something I am determined to provide for my children.
Haha, Dad made this for me when I was a teenager. 15 watt tube amp.
View attachment 199752
We never made a crossbow, but we did make a trebuchet!
View attachment 199753
I know I am hijacking this thread, but the comparison was too good... I couldn't agree more that being engaged in such projects growing up had a huge impact on me - and it is something I am determined to provide for my children.
Blimey Rhys, I love a bit of one-up-man-ship, brilliant!
Do yo still have that amp?
Tomorrow I will post a galleon from ancient times my dad built, so there!
NO TANKS OR ROCKETS ALLOWED........ Ha Ha.
Haha, Dad made this for me when I was a teenager. 15 watt tube amp.
View attachment 199752
We never made a crossbow, but we did make a trebuchet!
View attachment 199753
I know I am hijacking this thread, but the comparison was too good... I couldn't agree more that being engaged in such projects growing up had a huge impact on me - and it is something I am determined to provide for my children.
Haha, Dad made this for me when I was a teenager. 15 watt tube amp.
View attachment 199752
We never made a crossbow, but we did make a trebuchet!
View attachment 199753
I know I am hijacking this thread, but the comparison was too good... I couldn't agree more that being engaged in such projects growing up had a huge impact on me - and it is something I am determined to provide for my children.
“NOR-TONE” did your band mate call you ‘No-Tone’?........Just Joking (Ooops wrong thread......duhh!)
Thats a nice amp! Judging by the dual drive pots I'm guessing it was based on a Jim Marshall circuit? Its very reminiscent of a Sovtek Mig50. I got my first tube amp from my Dad (he didn't build it). It was a 1974 Ampeg V4 100w behemoth that I added a master volume to and totally rebuilt. It started a lifelong love of vintage amps and instruments. I've been building em and repairing them ever since.Haha, Dad made this for me when I was a teenager. 15 watt tube amp.
View attachment 199752
We never made a crossbow, but we did make a trebuchet!
View attachment 199753
I know I am hijacking this thread, but the comparison was too good... I couldn't agree more that being engaged in such projects growing up had a huge impact on me - and it is something I am determined to provide for my children.
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