xs650 bobber?

[Privateer]

Not duc related, but I've got a hankering to get a bobber and while looking around I really like these yamaha bobbers people have been putting together.  pretty cheap to buy/build.  I can't imagine they're expensive to ensure.

Anyone have experience with one?
I'd really like to snatch up stu's Coup when it comes around for sale again, but not sure if budget will allow.

[truckinduc]

I built this for about 300 bucks

[Privateer]

yeah i saw pics of that before which was just another log on my fire.

I can't seem to find a donor bike tho that's less than 600... we'll see.

[truckinduc]

We are putting an xs650 motor in an r6 chassis, but thats a different story.

[Ducatl]

I've acquired one recently, picked it up for $400, a '79 with only 4 thousand miles on it.  Have about $700 in it now with the purchase price and about 2 months of tinkering.  Did it all in a basement down to drilling the rotors and building my own reg/rec along with building my own full wire harness, fun bikes to work on.  I pretty much took the bike apart and threw 60% of it away, bike lost a lot of weight in the process.  It's about 95% complete at this point, just a few things left to do.  I'll post more on it when it's finished.

went from:


To:


Edit: also either plan to turn this one or buy another and hardtail it at some point, they're nice platforms for pretty much anything.

[Dave R]

here's one Lance and Danny finished this past summer.  Lots of projects on their web site www.buschandbusch.com .


Some of you may know these guys from their Monster maintenance site called www.ducatisuite.com

[xcaptainxbloodx]

very versatile, SUPER reliable bikes.

I rode one with a mild bob on it from portland to missoula. not quickly mind you, but it got there.

[Privateer]

yeah i've been scouring craigslist for them the last month and can't find a cheapie near me.  I did find a rolling chassis with motor, but nothing wired up for $1200 which was pretty tempting just to not have to do anything else to it but acquire and hook up a wire harness.  Not that the wire harness is easy, but less work than a full rebuild.

on the hunt.  now to just convince the wife. 

[matt922]

I've acquired one recently, picked it up for $400, a '79 with only 4 thousand miles on it.  Have about $700 in it now with the purchase price and about 2 months of tinkering.  Did it all in a basement down to drilling the rotors and building my own reg/rec along with building my own full wire harness, fun bikes to work on.  I pretty much took the bike apart and threw 60% of it away, bike lost a lot of weight in the process.  It's about 95% complete at this point, just a few things left to do.  I'll post more on it when it's finished.

To:

wow. Nice work!

[Goat_Herder]

My buddy just bought a late 70's XS650 about 2 months ago.  A local custom builder told him that the XS is the referred bike to turn into a bobber.  It's the easiest to work on; used bikes/parts are readily available; chain driven; the engine is bullet proof.  My buddy also considered other japanese bikes in that era but the XS is the only 2 cylinder in the "mid-weight".  The sound is much deeper and throatier than the other 4-cylinders.  The Triumph 650 is another choice but is much more expensive.

He is planning on chopping the rear and install a hardtail, new tank/exhaust, and a new front suspension.  All for around $2,500, on top of the $850 purchase price of the bike.

[Dave R]

http://www.xs650chopper.com/

[Preisker]

Someone gave me one many years ago.   It had the original Akront style rimmed aluminum spoke wheels, you know, with the big ridge around the edge of the wheel, and the seat was mostly duct tape, and it didn't have a kickstand, I just leaned it on walls and fences.   I put a 19 in Carlisle dirt track tire on the front, an 18 inch Pirelli dirt track tire on the back, some flat track bars, and rode it for about 2 years.   On the way to work, there was a set of railroad tracks, going through Spreckels, California, if you hit those at about 90, you would catch maybe 6 inches of air, but fly about 15 feet in distance, big fun.   Well, right after that jump one day, the rear tire locked up at about 80 or so, I was pretty quick on the clutch from my flat track days, and coasted to a stop.  The engine wouldn't even turn at all.   I leaned it on a fence, one of my co-workers stopped and got me, I picked it up later that day, there was a crack, from the exhaust port, all the way down the cylinders into the cases.   Actually cracked the cases and cylinders.   I pulled a carburetor off, and there was a piece of cylinder liner in the carburetor, I assume it dropped a camchain at about 7000 RPM.   I gave the rest away to a guy that wanted the wheels. 

2 years on a free bike.   Couldn't beat that.  If someone gave me another, I'd take it.   I wouldn't pay much more than about $300 or so for one, though.

[Privateer]

2 years on a free bike.   Couldn't beat that.  If someone gave me another, I'd take it.   I wouldn't pay much more than about $300 or so for one, though.

yeah that's about my budget for a beater.  I don't want to cut up a nicely restored one.  But the price some of these folks want for a 30 year old bike is pretty ridiculous.

[Radar]

Howdy folks,

This is my first post, and I will go to the appropriate page to introduce myself to the group, but I have to respond to the XS650 thread.

I had to grin when I saw this thread because I have a 79 XS650 Standard as well as a Monster...

It struck me as obvious that those who enjoy the Monster style would also appreciate the spartan beauty of the truly classic Japanese XS.

My best to you all, and I hope to contribute in some small way.

Eric M.   -aka  Radar-      Actually, Radar is my Dog, but he's not hip to identity theft.

[forFREEDOM]

I took notice to this as well. Always wanted to build a cafe racer.

I was shopping for a few months for an xs650 so I could have a project bike for the winter. A CB or Monster were always my secondary options. But my boss ended up buying me a S2R8...SO I quickly forgot about the Yam and am now engrossed in my Monster project. Still wish I got an xs, but I find my self pretty passionate about doing up my S2...because of you all.