I never tire of the early badge bikes. 
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Let's See The XS's
- Thread starter XS650RR
- Start date
Salt... I was driving to meet all 4 of my brothers last weekend for a dinner together. Multi state distances/residences allow us this luxury 2 or 3 times a year, one comes from Castle Rock CO to eastern WI. One comes from the Twin Cities area. You who have sibs understand the feeling of getting together with the most important people beside your spouse and kids. I followed salt trails (pre salted roads with stripes of dried salt) all the way to the restaurant. Brothers. 2 wheelers all, allowed that I needed another rain or 2 before the Red Bike emerged from the shed. It is good to have siblings (male)who have varied (Honda 250 V twin to Laverda 750, CB1 to CB1000 6, Hurricane, GS750 to Katana 1000, H1(3 or 4) 550 Seca, 650 Seca). Our youngest brother is a true "Caboose" 11 year younger than the first eight of us siblings. My brothers did very little wrenching whilst I never let another touch my bike. We share often our mis adventure often the two wheeled misadventures and rate out TBIs on a 1 to 10 scale. Eldest is 7 or 8 and I am close to 3 or 4.
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Bob Wegman
XS650 Addict
Dick Mann on a Yamaha. Wonder where and when the picture was taken?
Great picture. Looks like Ceriani forks on a Champion frame, state of the art stuff then. I thought Dick Mann rode BSAs, he rode Yamaha powered bikes too?
Dick Mann also built some pretty highly coveted Yamaha TT500 frames...had his name badge on them as well.
Just found these web links in fact:
https://lt-racing.com/html/dms_tt500_versions.html
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-yamaha-tt500/
Just found these web links in fact:
https://lt-racing.com/html/dms_tt500_versions.html
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-yamaha-tt500/
Yup, the Yamaha shop I worked for bought a frame for a customer (municipal judge). He bought a new '77 TT500 + Fox shocks and other trick parts from us and we did the build. I stripped the tank of paint and a friend polished it. I rode it up and down the alley, so didn't get a real chance to test it.
Mostly, they were all friends back then. Any chance he is trying out someone's bike?
freddy3
XS650 Addict
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I'd say that $2k was money (well) spent.
The XS2 was my third bike (preceded by a YDS-3 and [AMF] Sportster). I traded a hi-fi amp and preamp for the XS2 in '75 (plus the seller gave me an additional $100 and trucked the bike to my door!) and it was/is, by far, the best investment I've ever made.
A long time friend (he has been racing crew on my sail boat for 20years) has a restored AMF sportster. I regularly offer him $1200 - $1350 for his sporty... He has a nicely restored TR6 Triumph sport car/ I offer him $2250-$2625 weekly. We laugh...
jaybar6
XS650 Addict
that is a great picture of the xs! well done!
I had a DMR (dick Mann Replica) Ossa. Much faster than I was. Sold it while I was in the army knowing there was a new GTO waiting when I got done with AIT. Not mine but it looked like this pic.
freddy3
XS650 Addict
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Then you might appreciate this '78 Triumph I restored in '82. Excepting that it's currently sporting raised white-letter tires, it hasn't changed much..
And in case there're any Datsun fans here, a 280ZX's been my (mostly) daily driver for 30-ish years..
I have to appologize for my mistake on who built the frame I mentioned here. I had remembered the frame we bought being a Malcolm Smith one, but couldn't find any info about him building one, so I changed the frame to a Dick Mann one as posted here and blamed my poor memory.
I drool at your TR6 though I did ride in on once and it seemed "crowded". Never the less, I purchased and restored a 71-72 GT6 which was even more crowded. The 240Z was an attractive car but as emissions and 5mph bumbers emerged it grew in displacement and heft. I did a 5hour road trip in the back seat of one 40 years ago. My buddy and his girlfriend (owner of the car) rode up front, I and candidate for hottest girl in the San Joaquin Valley California share the space called a back seat. And... we were romantically involve in those days... "Don't worry nobody can see in..." Needed a chiropractor after that trip.
It's a sports car, not a Cadilac, Kevin.
I acquired the car because LCPL Wayne Preem wrapped it around a telephone pole. There were various charges he needed $ for. I had a good frame and body shop do a bunch of work. The car was ready for body and paint after I had a very subtle light and dark blue interior cordoroy installed. A transmission failure (shift fork) derailed the progress. The (reputable) trans shop destroyed the new interior ( trans comes out throuth the interior in spitfire based cars) by dumping trans oil on the new upholstery. "He's a fuckin' service guy he will be gone soon any way"....It's a sports car, not a Cadilac, Kevin.
freddy3
XS650 Addict
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It's a sports car, not a Cadilac, Kevin.
It's a Spitfire; and most, tho' not all, Zs're two-seaters (i.e., they don't have rear seats), which may explain your need for chiropractix...
Another friend had a TR6 in El Paso when I was in RADAR school at Ft Bliss. He took me with him as he went all over the place shopping car parts if I remember right.It's a Spitfire; and most, tho' not all, Zs're two-seaters (i.e., they don't have rear seats), which may explain your need for chiropractix...
