Site For Owners and all Bike enthusiasts
XS 650 Project
2 Different year Bikes with the same engine type
2 Different year Bikes with the same engine type
Idea # 1
A Chopper Style Rigid Frame
This bike still has everything intact and is in slightly better shape than the other bike. I want to try and stretch it and give it more rake.
With that all being said I haven't started yet but soon. I am still working on the KZ 750 Project Check it out to see how things are progressing.
New Updates -May 2009
All right I started to strip the bike down and make some plans for some changes. I plan on cutting the frame just behind the engine down tubes at the back and add a hardtail with about a 5" on stretch.
It was a chore getting this one onto the back of the truck to transport because the rear brakes were seized on and dragging on the disc. After I got it into my garage I gave it some lube on the brake pedal and a few whacks with the hammer and we were spinning free.
I also pulled the plugs out to check compression and the feel of it turning over. Everything checked out good but I am a bit concerned with the lefthand spark plug hole threads. There seems to be some earlier evidence that it was once crossthreaded. But I do have a thread insert tool to fix if needed.
As I talked about above I was going to make this a chopper but for now I am going to leave the front end and do the major mods to the rear end. I did price out a kit from TC Bros Choppers that is pre cut and bent but I also priced out buying the tube and plate locally and I can get it for about 1/2 price so I am going to try it my self.
I did buy a Custom Chopper/Bobber Battery Box and electronics box that looks like a round oil tank. The electronics box has removable caps for hiding all of your wiring and ignition components while still having access to them. I purchase this all from TC Bros Choppers on Ebay
This is a picture showing the original frame from the XS 650 (shaded part). The new hard tail is welded to the existing backbone and the lower section of the downtubes. This way the geometry for the frame is not distorted when you cut and re-attach. But you still need to do all this with the engine in and holding the frame so no distortion from the heat of the welding.
This is where I am now but in the next few months things will start rolling.
June 2009
So I stripped it all down and pulled the rear swing arm off and cut off the old frame rear section. The tough part was getting the battery box and air cleaner out and off the bike. Then I remove the springs as you can see in the photo shown.
Also I removed all of the electrical components removed the rear fender.
Above the Rear Wheel and Swing arm have been removed.
And on the right is the Frame tail section cut off
The next step is to figure out how to re-weld a hardtail frame back on. I shimmed up the rear swing arm with some wood blocks and used some broom handles to simulate the new frame pieces. Still lots of work required but as long as there is forward progress I guess that is good.
A Chopper Style Rigid Frame
This is the 1981 XS 650 with Alloy rims.
This bike still has everything intact and is in slightly better shape than the other bike. I want to try and stretch it and give it more rake.
Rake pertains to the angle of the steering head in relation to the ground.
The stretch is the length of additional tubing added to the back
bone or down tubes of a motorcycle frame compared to a stock Frame.
Usually a combination of rake and stretch are used to determine "TRAIL"
Most choppers have between 4-6" of Trail for the best handling characteristics.
Trail is the most important part of the equation. Trail is the distance from the front axle’s vertical position on the ground, to the spot in front of it created by drawing a straight line from the angle of the forks. Trail is often cited as an important determinant of motorcycle handling characteristics
With that all being said I haven't started yet but soon. I am still working on the KZ 750 Project Check it out to see how things are progressing.
New Updates -May 2009
All right I started to strip the bike down and make some plans for some changes. I plan on cutting the frame just behind the engine down tubes at the back and add a hardtail with about a 5" on stretch.
It was a chore getting this one onto the back of the truck to transport because the rear brakes were seized on and dragging on the disc. After I got it into my garage I gave it some lube on the brake pedal and a few whacks with the hammer and we were spinning free. I also pulled the plugs out to check compression and the feel of it turning over. Everything checked out good but I am a bit concerned with the lefthand spark plug hole threads. There seems to be some earlier evidence that it was once crossthreaded. But I do have a thread insert tool to fix if needed.
As I talked about above I was going to make this a chopper but for now I am going to leave the front end and do the major mods to the rear end. I did price out a kit from TC Bros Choppers that is pre cut and bent but I also priced out buying the tube and plate locally and I can get it for about 1/2 price so I am going to try it my self.
I did buy a Custom Chopper/Bobber Battery Box and electronics box that looks like a round oil tank. The electronics box has removable caps for hiding all of your wiring and ignition components while still having access to them. I purchase this all from TC Bros Choppers on Ebay
This is a picture showing the original frame from the XS 650 (shaded part). The new hard tail is welded to the existing backbone and the lower section of the downtubes. This way the geometry for the frame is not distorted when you cut and re-attach. But you still need to do all this with the engine in and holding the frame so no distortion from the heat of the welding.
This is where I am now but in the next few months things will start rolling.
June 2009
So I stripped it all down and pulled the rear swing arm off and cut off the old frame rear section. The tough part was getting the battery box and air cleaner out and off the bike. Then I remove the springs as you can see in the photo shown.
Also I removed all of the electrical components removed the rear fender.
Above the Rear Wheel and Swing arm have been removed.
And on the right is the Frame tail section cut off
The next step is to figure out how to re-weld a hardtail frame back on. I shimmed up the rear swing arm with some wood blocks and used some broom handles to simulate the new frame pieces. Still lots of work required but as long as there is forward progress I guess that is good.
Idea #2
A Bobber Style Rigid Frame
This is the 1979 XS 650 with wire spoke rims.
A Bobber Style Rigid Frame
This is the 1979 XS 650 with wire spoke rims.
The bike has been already cannibalized for some parts but the frame and engine are still intact. I am wanting to try and create a Bobber style
A bobber is a motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed and the rear fender "bobbed" or made smaller. This style of custom motorcycle took shape in the 1950s and continues to be built today. Bobbers represent a minimalistic approach where everything is stripped from a bike that is not readily needed. This includes the characteristic rigid frame and shortened rear fender.
A bobber is a motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed and the rear fender "bobbed" or made smaller. This style of custom motorcycle took shape in the 1950s and continues to be built today. Bobbers represent a minimalistic approach where everything is stripped from a bike that is not readily needed. This includes the characteristic rigid frame and shortened rear fender.
And yes all these pictures are how I found the bikes. They looked abandoned and lost only looking for a home. so for the cost to picking them up I had two new projects
A new Update July 2009
So I had to give this one away....she was in real bad shape and I didnt have the time to work on it. The frame was rusted thru in a couple places and the engine was completely seized, But I did find a good home and some day it will be seen again but likely never run again. But good news is a I am going full speed ahead with the 1981 shown above so keep tuned in
A new Update July 2009
So I had to give this one away....she was in real bad shape and I didnt have the time to work on it. The frame was rusted thru in a couple places and the engine was completely seized, But I did find a good home and some day it will be seen again but likely never run again. But good news is a I am going full speed ahead with the 1981 shown above so keep tuned in
