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faster
XS650 Enthusiast
Had a couple hours yesterday during nap time. Mocked up a paint scheme with rattle cans. Thinking old school gasser heavy metal flake with flat black cutouts. I'm not one for subtlety.
In between coats I got one of the carbs 99% cleaned up, rebuild kits will be here tomorrow.
Progress is slow, but I've given myself a year. Although the more I troll this board the more I just want to ride it!
In between coats I got one of the carbs 99% cleaned up, rebuild kits will be here tomorrow.
Progress is slow, but I've given myself a year. Although the more I troll this board the more I just want to ride it!
pumps
XS650 Junkie
Faster, I'm just up I-35 about 20 minutes from you. Just about 10 minutes north of downtown. I'm trying to get motivated to tear my old 77 down to the frame and rebuild it. It's so damn hot though. I'm a member of the local Kansas City Vintage Japanese motorcycle Club. kcvjmc.org . One of the guys there has started a custom/chopper/cafe club that meets in the Crossroads District downtown once a month. The custom club has a yahoo group as does the KCVJMC. We had a great show at the City Market a few weeks ago. Over a hundred bikes and a thousand people came through. Come hang out sometime...when it cools off lol.
Keep up the work. I feel ya with the "just want to ride it!" portion. I thought for sure when I fired it up today I would be able to take it for a quick spin around the block... Sure enough now I don't have spark. My carbs look as though they have been clean, and I'm hoping its true, haven't had it run enough yet to know whether or not they are right.
I like your idea for paint. I like bright colors F*** subtlety! haha
I like your idea for paint. I like bright colors F*** subtlety! haha
faster
XS650 Enthusiast
Faster, I'm just up I-35 about 20 minutes from you. Just about 10 minutes north of downtown. I'm trying to get motivated to tear my old 77 down to the frame and rebuild it. It's so damn hot though. I'm a member of the local Kansas City Vintage Japanese motorcycle Club. kcvjmc.org . One of the guys there has started a custom/chopper/cafe club that meets in the Crossroads District downtown once a month. The custom club has a yahoo group as does the KCVJMC. We had a great show at the City Market a few weeks ago. Over a hundred bikes and a thousand people came through. Come hang out sometime...when it cools off lol.
Nice! My old office was at 17th and Walnut, unfortunately we just moved HQ out to the Sprint Campus. Was just down there yesterday grubbin on a Bulldog Club. Definitely miss those stomping grounds, but still get down there a few times a week for random work stuff. Wish I would have known about the show, will get on the groups and keep tabs on upcoming events.
faster
XS650 Enthusiast
It's been a while! Progress is slow, but this project is amazing therapy and I'm still on point to meet my timeline (whenever) and still within allocated budget (whatever).
Scrapped the green. My original inspiration for this project was an Ironhead Harley cafe bike.
I know I'm doing this backwards in most peoples eyes, working on the look before mechanical. I know the motor runs, just needs some attention, so that's going to be the last step. I figure if it looks fast sitting still I will be motivated to make it do wheelies.
The frame got a good scrub, sanding, a coat of primer and a test coat of rattle can paint. It will make it to get blasted and powdered... someday.
I was out at the local swap meet and picked up another 750 tank. $5 bucks with cap, petcock and keys! Score! I'm thinking I will stick with the original paint scheme, but change the silver to white and match the red to the frame. Paint the lines and YAMAHA on in place of decals.
About two weeks ago the weather got really nice and I found myself trolling CL for a running bike. I found this KZ 440 for a couple hundred bucks and appeared it was going to be easy to get running and on the road.
After a couple days of working on this thing it wasn't going to happen. It went back on CL and sold in a couple days. My boy got one farewell ride.
Back to the XS! I started working on the tail section. I really want to try and do this without chopping the frame and I think it's going to work. Not sure why everyone hacks off the rear loop to do a cafe... I think I can get the room I need for a small battery and electronics back there without any modification. And I think having the exposed frame around the tail section will add a cool touch. Who knows, maybe it will look horrible.
FYI... that shit is messy. Green crap everywhere. Respirator is a must if you're running a palm sander on it. After about 30 minutes I had the basic shape. Have some smoothing out to do and then it's on to fiberglass.
So that's how she's sleeping in the basement tonight. It may be a while before I update again. Second mini-faster is set to be here any day!
faster
Scrapped the green. My original inspiration for this project was an Ironhead Harley cafe bike.
I know I'm doing this backwards in most peoples eyes, working on the look before mechanical. I know the motor runs, just needs some attention, so that's going to be the last step. I figure if it looks fast sitting still I will be motivated to make it do wheelies.
The frame got a good scrub, sanding, a coat of primer and a test coat of rattle can paint. It will make it to get blasted and powdered... someday.
I was out at the local swap meet and picked up another 750 tank. $5 bucks with cap, petcock and keys! Score! I'm thinking I will stick with the original paint scheme, but change the silver to white and match the red to the frame. Paint the lines and YAMAHA on in place of decals.
About two weeks ago the weather got really nice and I found myself trolling CL for a running bike. I found this KZ 440 for a couple hundred bucks and appeared it was going to be easy to get running and on the road.
After a couple days of working on this thing it wasn't going to happen. It went back on CL and sold in a couple days. My boy got one farewell ride.
Back to the XS! I started working on the tail section. I really want to try and do this without chopping the frame and I think it's going to work. Not sure why everyone hacks off the rear loop to do a cafe... I think I can get the room I need for a small battery and electronics back there without any modification. And I think having the exposed frame around the tail section will add a cool touch. Who knows, maybe it will look horrible.
FYI... that shit is messy. Green crap everywhere. Respirator is a must if you're running a palm sander on it. After about 30 minutes I had the basic shape. Have some smoothing out to do and then it's on to fiberglass.
So that's how she's sleeping in the basement tonight. It may be a while before I update again. Second mini-faster is set to be here any day!
faster
scabber
XS650 Guru
Looks good will be a great bike when you get it done. Like the tank and work on the seat.
faster
XS650 Enthusiast
Picked up two things yesterday that are going to slow this project for a while!
About 5 yesterday grabbed this super clean 83 heritage! Kicked on second try in dress shoes. 22k miles and almost perfect!
http://instagram.com/p/PdnpjBP7KB/
Then went home, ate dinner and drove my wife to the hospital! Healthy baby girl born at 9:11pm om 9/11!
About 5 yesterday grabbed this super clean 83 heritage! Kicked on second try in dress shoes. 22k miles and almost perfect!
http://instagram.com/p/PdnpjBP7KB/
Then went home, ate dinner and drove my wife to the hospital! Healthy baby girl born at 9:11pm om 9/11!
You are a lucky man - congrats on the new baby and the new Special. Enjoy them while they are young and still small enough to pick up!
Looks nice. I am also building a cafe XS650 special with a 750 tank. Just curious what you are going to do with the rear wheel. Mine also has mag wheels and I was trying to figure out an easy way to swap some 18" or 19" mag drum wheels for mine. The key word being "easy", which I don't think is possible. Just curious if you are going with the 16" wheels on there or whether you figured out a difference option.
faster
XS650 Enthusiast
I'm planning on staying with the stock wheels. I like the disc brake setup. If I did do a swap on this bike will probably be for 19" spoked front/back. As far as I know there are no xs rear mags bigger than 16". Would have to find a swap from another bike...
willyguzzi53
XS650 Addict
You can put a 19" front mag on the rear with an Omar's kit.
