Looking for advice on 1979 XS650 chopper

[KarlitosWay]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum so apologies if this is posted in the wrong place. Over the past few months I've been getting pretty into XS650 choppers and seeing all the creative things people do with their custom chops, especially the Japanese and American chopper scene. I'm from Australia so finding a chopper is very difficult and the ones you do run into are stupidly expensive for what they are, especially Harleys. Every once in a while though I jump onto Facebook marketplace on the off-chance I find a hidden gem.

Recently however I found an ad for a 1979 XS650 that read:

"US Imported 1979 Yamaha xs650 Chopper.

Engine and gearbox rebuilt ($6000)

All other parts from TC Bros.

Selling due to not having enough space."


I messaged the seller a month and a half ago just asking some basic questions about the bike and this is the reply I got:

"It was sitting for 5 years before I bought it. It doesn't start at the moment because it need work done on the wiring. It is the original frame that was chopped so that the vin numbers still match. The rust was done on purpose"

I've never built a bike before but I've taken myself down a rabbit hole with these bikes and was wondering if this was a stupid purchase or if it would be worth attempting to restore to a running state. Over the past 2 months the seller dropped the price down from $6000 AUD ($3950 USD) to $4500 AUD ($2950 USD). I was considering waiting for it to drop down to around $3000-$3500 AUD before I seriously consider buying it as I have no point of reference regarding how expensive it will be to get this running. I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty and learning a new skill.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks. I've attached the photos from the ad.

 

[grouchie77]

3K for a motorcycle that won't fire? Not telling you what to do, but I wouldn't give more than $800 (American) for that pile.

 

[grouchie77]

Not to mention that, but how can you be sure the welds are sound? Paying that much for a motor that won't fire and welds you don't know for an absolute fact were done competently (as opposed to some dude in his backyard 6 beers deep, with a blowtorch and some coat hangers for filler wire) is to me, a huge mistake.

Not only that, but he then intentionally let the frame rust, possibly further weakening its structural integrity?

Fuuuuuuuuuck that. You don't need the frame breaking in half cruising at 60mph.

For the money he's asking, you'd be best off buying a frame, a hardtail kit, and paying a professional, certified welder to marry the two, and building a motor for cheap yourself.

 

[grouchie77]

For what it's worth, this is my plan. I am going to get myself a hardtail kit, TACK the thing into place, and bring to a well-respected and established welding shop in my area to fully weld the two. I've taken some classes and while I  could do all the welding myself, I'm smart enough to know that I wouldn't trust my own life to my welds.

 

[Raymond]

Hi @KarlitosWay and welcome to the madhouse. With all due respect to @grouchie83 we need to recognise that market conditions are vastly different in Australia and the USA, in particular there's a lot more XS650s washing around in the States at all price points.

In the UK, the supply of XS650s is low and people tend to ask silly money even for non-running projects. Though prices here are falling somewhat of late. To be honest, $4500 AUD ($2950 USD) which I reckon is about £2,200 is a lot for a non runner BUT it might be reasonable if what you buy is good basics. That would be you having a good look at the bike and a good chat with the seller, making up your mind that you can work with what is on offer and only yourself to live with if it disappoints. Which usually means more money to fix unexpected problems.

How much experience of things mechanical do you have? Bikes? Cars? If you are going to buy a chopper as a project then I would hope you have a place to keep and work on it plus tools and at least some experience of using them. Whatever condition the bike is in, it can be turned into a street-safe chopper with time, money and effort.

So my advice would be something like, have a look for any other XSs that might be around, get to know the local chopper scene, maybe go and see this bike and have a chat. See if you can find an unmolested XS and chopperise it yourself? The ideal would be a scruffy late model - there will be howls of anguish if you buy an early XS1 or XS2 and go to work on it with an angle-grinder but even then, if it's your bike . . .

An XS650 chop or even an XS650 street bike will absorb time and money. But if you know that and feel you want to get into that vibe then at least you can count on lots of help and advice from the denizens around here.

Digression - spent three weeks in Melbourne a few years back - seems like a great place to live! Good luck, Raymond

 

[grouchie77]

Raymond makes good points. If you can convince the seller to somehow take it to a welding shop to get the welds inspected, or even better yet, you are a certified welder and know your shit and can inspect them yourself, that would be a good idea.

My main point here isn't so much about the money... for all I know, what the seller is asking might be pocket change for you.

It's mostly about safety. Plenty of us on this forum have gotten into some shit, some of us more than once. The last thing we want is a fellow biker going down due to bad welds.

 

[gggGary]

#1 ? Are you sure you want to ride a hardtail?
It's a serious cut of function for a "look". How are your roads?

Loong long ago I had a hardtail chooper I rebuilt and rode for a summer. Even as a (then) young man riding that hardtail was brutal on our roads. With several bikes to choose from, a guide I use is which one is just sitting and not ridden? I've had a couple "really cool" bikes but if they didn't get ridden, "out the door they went".
When asked how long are you going ride a hardtail? Even "tough guys" will say "til I start pissing blood".

 

[Jan_P]

I know a friend never into bikes before decided for a 1973 Electra glide : This is ca 30 years ago he still have it.
Hauling it to a shop regularly every winter throw the keys at the counter having them getting things in shape.
Putting a lot of money into it he is a happy man :never heard a single word he consider anything else.
Smiling from ear to ear about the hobby.

So if you want a chopper so why not I agree with gggGary .. might not get so far before it hurts

But I am skeptical on this bike
there
Engine and gearbox rebuilt ($6000)


That was common back in the day telling more or less lies Is not everyone in the Aus a --convict just joking
I don't think I would be interested in a Non starter as Mr grouchie83 has it
The weld is a problem but can to some extent be expected and so .. corrected .Perhaps it needs MOT approval
And driving slow maybe it is OK
The MOT approval can be a Problem this being an Import and rebuilt There can be further demands on paperwork
Can be impossible sort out.

I would ask is there any documentation on the $ 6000 job Any shop receipt and firm name.
When Who knowledge --so not a moron on drugs have done the job. There is a reason why people pay more for wrecks that no one have worked on.
Moron f*cked up and now there is a hole in a piston or so . Now trying to offload it recover as much as possible
I have met people in the last owner segment over the years :Not everyone is honest and most need cash. Not bad people usually If so just walk away
You cant go after them later. To much work to slow and to little result Just have to suck it up

?? ??

Selling due to not having enough space." at the same time telling about electrical problems

I don't like it .Price has to be low and it can still be money wasted. Typical situation
Inexperienced buying a to difficult project.

Having said that I always gets fooled buying a bike .It is part of a learning curve. Just a question of how much.
Not yet a write off

 

[grouchie77]

Jan's right, documentation on the engine build would help.

 

[650Skull]

The matching no's have no meaning.
If the bike hasn't got an Australian compliance plate, if it was built in the US then you are have to have it engineered over here. Think it does vary a little from state to state.

Bit of mucking around but go on to the state transport site. It will tell you their requirements. Also some state regulations are overidden by federal laws.
On top of that you have no front brake, or front guard. No provisions to mount a front caliper or a guard, no mufflers. Bike hasn't run for 5 years, wiring needs finishing. Rear brake controls need building.

No forward controls on the bike so both brake and gear change need building.

Walk away. At $6,000 it's just not worth it IMHO.

Another thing, does it have all the import/custom papers for it.

Research on the legals on the transport dept site needs to b done for your own sake for any future bike.

Bike market is soft as well, although the bobber/chopper crowd think their bikes are worth way more than practical. That bike could run up another $4,000 easy, that is if you can get it engineered.

Normally a build like that has to have plans submitted, a qualified, registered welder and I think it is checked in stages in the development of the build.

Again do your reSearch. I can't guarantee everything I have said is correct, I have been through the Queensland transport site researching some of this stuff