Hey guys,
only new to this forum so bare with me a little...
I've had a 74 XS650 for sometime now. When I first got it, it could have been mistaken for a boat anchor (bulk rust). As I had just started at a new job, on a new side of the country, with only one car to share between me and the missus, and a 104km ONE WAY drive to work everyday, I needed a vehicle, and in a hurry. So I quickly tarted up my bike (which I'd been given for nothing)....Anything I couldn't do by hand at no cost got ignored... Long story short, I have a reliable bike, runs well and cost me 150 bucks to get running (including registration)...
Several years later, I find myself looking at the old girl and thinking I should give her a good birthday. So heres what I'm after.
I want to turn it into a cafe racer (but on the cheap ). I'm pretty handy, having done up more bikes than I could count now.
Never done a custom job though. All my bikes are original (except the motoX's). So I'd love some input from people as to some basics for converting to a cafe... Obvious items are of course seat, bars, gauges. But I'd love to hear from people If you think I need to lower the front shocks, if I could get away with the original tank, what size rims (or originals ok) etc. Just BASICS.
I'm a big fan of BSA's, so thats why I was thinking I might be able to get away with the original tank.
Any suggestions will be warmly appreciated
only new to this forum so bare with me a little...
I've had a 74 XS650 for sometime now. When I first got it, it could have been mistaken for a boat anchor (bulk rust). As I had just started at a new job, on a new side of the country, with only one car to share between me and the missus, and a 104km ONE WAY drive to work everyday, I needed a vehicle, and in a hurry. So I quickly tarted up my bike (which I'd been given for nothing)....Anything I couldn't do by hand at no cost got ignored... Long story short, I have a reliable bike, runs well and cost me 150 bucks to get running (including registration)...
Several years later, I find myself looking at the old girl and thinking I should give her a good birthday. So heres what I'm after.
I want to turn it into a cafe racer (but on the cheap ). I'm pretty handy, having done up more bikes than I could count now.
Never done a custom job though. All my bikes are original (except the motoX's). So I'd love some input from people as to some basics for converting to a cafe... Obvious items are of course seat, bars, gauges. But I'd love to hear from people If you think I need to lower the front shocks, if I could get away with the original tank, what size rims (or originals ok) etc. Just BASICS.
I'm a big fan of BSA's, so thats why I was thinking I might be able to get away with the original tank.
Any suggestions will be warmly appreciated
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