My yamaha XS project.

Since selling my all original 81 GPZ1100 with working EFI (can you tell i miss it?) i decided that having a brand new bike is no fun at all...so i found a 78 yamaha XS650 for 600 bones in the paper. It was in pretty good shape, minus no airbox/filters, and a slightly stuck right exhaust valve and it still started first kick everytime. This bike caught my attention as i love Bonnevilles and BSA's from the 60's and 70's and the XS is a very convincing knock off. Ps, it's an old skool bobber!!

I have had so much fun already with this bike, i am looking for a Kz200 or 400 to make into a cafe racer and it has to be a Kawi, they just had the look nailed in the 70's and 80's minus CSR's. This is also my first engine teardown and rebuild and it is such a feeling of satisfaction!!

this is what it looked like the day i picked it up (not this one, but looked about as good from the outside)




a week later



Frame work done by a good shop here in town.



Wheels and forks fitted. Engine ready to go back together. Hone and new rings, Valve guides, Seals and seats re-done for 150 bucks!! + new wiring harness, coils, condenser, Brushes, Rectifier, Regulator, Cam chain, chain guides...maybe more yet.



Plus, My Ducati GT1000 which has come a fair ways from stock now,





and spring addons for the duc!!!





No more highspeed wobbles!!!!


up 3 teeth in the back should make 6th gear actually useable and city driving alot more fun!!!


and lastly, new lid and goggles



Post edited by: tnutz, at: 2007/12/27 20:40

Post edited by: tnutz, at: 2007/12/27 20:42

Post edited by: tnutz, at: 2007/12/27 20:48

Post edited by: tnutz, at: 2007/12/27 20:50

Post edited by: tnutz, at: 2007/12/27 20:51

Wow. Awesome stuff. I was going to post about the Yam (I like them), but then I saw the Ducati. Nice! But I vote "no" on the fairing. I just think the bike is so beautiful the way it is! Maybe I'd be swayed after seeing it, I don't know... but it sure looks good now...

Nice projects!

The Ducati's back end looks too high. Did you lower the front but not the back?

nope, stock height still. i want the fairing for highspeed wind protection, BUT, it was only 60 dollars or so, so if i don't like it no loss really. a good set of fork springs are the next mod for it, pretty harsh ride for just tearin around, but they do alright in the corners when it comes down to business.

here is a GT with one (top pic) and i think for long highway trips it will be way better.

tnutz wrote:

...pretty harsh ride for just tearin around...

This from the man who is building a hard-tail...

tnutz wrote:

...here is a GT with one (top pic) and i think for long highway trips it will be way better.

Well, I gotta give it to you... it looks pretty good either way... That's one good looking bike... :blink:

well the GT is for my daily drive and some travel, so it has to be somewhat comfy. the Xs is more or less a bar hopper.

Not to steal your thread But I dragged this home yesterday h

Post edited by: Shoe48, at: 2007/12/28 13:34

good choice man, very very easy bikes to work on!!!