Is Just A Frame & Motor Worth The Hassle?

[Dozer281]

OK, so I have been looking for an XS650 within a reasonable distance from me (Houston) for going on a month with no success. The few bikes I have run across have been well out of the price range I was looking to stay under ($1000 running) or have been within my price range and sold before I could so much as pick up the phone to call the seller....which has been a little discouraging to say the least. Luckily, with the help of a fellow member here I have come across a frame and motor which is not locked up for what I would consider a somewhat reasonable price ($350) considering that it has a title. My questions now are whether that is in fact a decent price and whether or not it is worth the hassle of searching for ALL the needed parts to complete a build. Keep in mind that I was planning on bobbing it so I will not be needing all the stock parts for a complete restore. It just seems like I would run into issues with small hard-to-find parts which could easily run the total cost of the build higher than it is worth it. This will also be my first build which would only make the 'difficulty level' even that much more of an issue.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Stone]

I dont think 350 is a horrible price for a frame, motor and a title,considering there is a company in i think NJ that pays 300 for a titled frame and has fedex pick it up at your door. As for the motor...50 bucks for a complete motor that isn't locked up and hopefully has good compression (check if you can)...not to shabby.

With the amount of aftermarket support that is out there for a XS650 I cant imagine that finding parts would be to hard. If you end up needing some stock parts or some little shit down the road, I'm sure someone on here has one or knows how to find one.


oh and btw Welcome!

 

[oldbiker]

hi yes,yes ,yes,,, thats a good price,,,do the plunge ,,,, there are plenty of new parts from mikes i deal with or 650 central,,, and you could easily pick up tanks rear wheel front torks what ever .. on ebay.com i,m in australia my first port of call is USA .. mikes 650 central ebay.com ,,, and of course paypal and somebody thats got 99% min. feedback hope this helps and with the guys help here you could not go wrong ....you could go hardtail /or mono /or sportsbike set up... you will only regret if you don,t buy ... .. hope this helps you regards oldbiker

 

[nj1639]

Not a bad deal. I've said that the popularity and aftermarket support that these bikes have that a person could build one up having only a frame and motor to start with. You would have more room in yer garage that way, having only the parts you need-HA!
If you get the frame and motor you can keep an eye out for an untitled bike of the same or close year, then you'ld have most everything you need and less room in the garage.

 

[oldbiker]

hi i,ve just been cruising thru ebay.com usa.. for xs650 parts ... there were 7500 parts motors exhausts forks wheels seats .. etc etc.. your in the ideal spot.. going on buy it ... regards oldbiker

 

[Dozer281]

Thanks for the input guys. After sleeping on it I came to pretty much the same conclusion as you all stated. Worst case, I buy the frame and motor and end up finding another bike with a title. I could then build my bobber off of the bare frame....then I would have an extra frame and motor to build off of.

I took a quick look at eBay and it looks like i can find a lot of the parts I would need on there. I guess my only real fear now is not having a complete bike to refer to when putting it back together. I would have like to tear one down to see how it all goes back together. Is there a decent manual that would help me put one together from a bare frame? Like I said this is the first build I am tackling so I may not even know what parts I would be missing, much less what that are called to know what to look for.

 

[TwoJugs]

Can't go wrong. Everything else you need is easily found and shippable. On a first try it is good to have a complete bike to reference from but with all the online support you should be able to get it on the road. If you are building a bobber remember there are no rules, just do overs.

 

[AceofSpades]

my opinion is that if you want to build a chopper/bobber/brat then it is a great start, if you want an original looking stocker, then you should keep looking.. this is how you end up having 10K into a 3K bike..... but if you follow the STOCK SUCKS mantra, GO FOR IT. just my 2 cents

 

[Dozer281]

there are no rules, just do overs.

Haha, love it. That should be Nike's new slogan.

I am planning on building a bobber and I do understand that there will be a lot of excess 'fat' to trim from a complete bike. I guess this route will allow me the freedom to get the wheels/tank/seat/etc. that best suits my style. I have alredy had a few of you contact me regarding parts I may need and I cant thank you all enough. Now I just hope the guy with the frame/motor is able to come through.

If there is one think I am certain of it's that I am glad I joined this forum. Thanks for the input guys, yall kick ass!

 

[Teebs]

If it was in my area, I'd be scooping it up while you were mulling it over.

 

[pyroman]

Dozer, PM sent.

 

[oldbiker]

hi,,, i found that a yamaha xs650 geniune workshop manual especially 1 thats reasonably old... not a new 1.. are fairly cheap and they are pretty good to work from ,, because i have plastic lenses from diabetes while waiting for my surgery i had trouble reading the book.. so i went to my very friendly liabrary and they copied all the workshop manual onto A3 OR SLIGHTLY BIGGERi think the size is about 450x500 ..and when i,m stuck out comes this version and real easy to see everything... and it only cost a few bucks to have done ,,well worth it hope this helps you buy it you,ll be happy get the frame /motor you will not go wrong regards oldbiker

 

[ratfinkd1]

I just picked a bike out in Lockhart..... Just a heads up there is a guy selling a hardtailed bike and parts with engine outside of Houston STAY AWAY!!! The weilding on the frame if you look closely is not even. The engine which he may have put back together had the tappet covers off and the head bolts off I pulled it apart and the thing looked like they threw it behind a boat and dragged it across a lake had rust colored mud in cyclinders. Forget what town it was. But they look like the typical dumbasses shaved heads overwieght with goatee and fucked up teeth. All the parts look like they have been under water. The only thing I would have left with was a gas tank and seat. Oh and they shaved everyhthing off the frame including the gussets...I happen to like a bike to have a little strenght in that area where everything comes together.

 

[griinder]

but it! then buy all my spare parts!!!

 

[XSJoel]

Man, I guess I got quite the deal on my 1981. It was complete, running, although the carbs needed cleaning and the charging system is going out. Good overall condition for $500. I would keep an eye on complete bikes on ebay, always some deals there. Also if you have a smartphone, get an app called craigsnotify. It will let you know whenever someone posts a new ad within your search criteria. That will definitely help you get the jump, as I know that when I went to look at my XS the guy had people calling him the whole time I was there.

 

[ratfinkd1]

What kinda spare you got? I may buy a little somethin somethin off ya anyways. I got an 1980 650g. I need a left peg assembly and my left case is cracked. Looks like someone had it off and overtightned

 

[Dozer281]

I just picked a bike out in Lockhart..... Just a heads up there is a guy selling a hardtailed bike and parts with engine outside of Houston STAY AWAY!!! The weilding on the frame if you look closely is not even. The engine which he may have put back together had the tappet covers off and the head bolts off I pulled it apart and the thing looked like they threw it behind a boat and dragged it across a lake had rust colored mud in cyclinders. Forget what town it was. But they look like the typical dumbasses shaved heads overwieght with goatee and fucked up teeth. All the parts look like they have been under water. The only thing I would have left with was a gas tank and seat. Oh and they shaved everyhthing off the frame including the gussets...I happen to like a bike to have a little strenght in that area where everything comes together.

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't seen it pop up on any of the sites I scour on a daily basis but I will keep an eye out for this one.

 

[ratfinkd1]

it was in crosby and was on craigslist he spaced out xs 650 so he wasnt getting hits. I found mine for three hundred bucks dropped a battery in ran a fuel line from my dirtbike to it and it fired. hint wherever you look in craigslist just search from main page i found mine that way they had it under cars and trucks it was at an automotive service place.
pics of mine at bottom. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4625

 

[jay760]

it was in crosby and was on craigslist he spaced out xs 650 so he wasnt getting hits. I found mine for three hundred bucks dropped a battery in ran a fuel line from my dirtbike to it and it fired. hint wherever you look in craigslist just search from main page i found mine that way they had it under cars and trucks it was at an automotive service place.
pics of mine at bottom. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4625

Ever heard of fatfingers.com, after looking at this site I always look at differant ways of spelling/spacing