Hello! I start my new '78 Soft Tail Bobber Project Tomorrow!

gbmaxse

Hi guys! My name is Kyle, and I'm here to join the bobber community and get some great info! I currently own a 2000 Suzuki SV 650 that I've street fightered a bit, but I decided I needed another 650 twin in my life, and I always wanted a project bike so...

Introducing my new Yamaha XS650 Special!

It's a 1978 Yamaha XS650 Special, It features a 650cc Twin, putting down about 50hp at 6800rpm. Wet weight is about 480. No rocket.

And BOY IS IT FUCKING UGLY in stock form!

Found the bike listed on craigslist for $400. Advertisement stated 24,xxx Miles, and that the bike ran as of 2 years ago, but was severely neglected.

I showed up and bullshitted with the guy, apparently it was his fathers' motorcycle. It was bought new in '79 and was ridden sparingly. It then sat for YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. The father passed away, and it was left to his son. The son rode it for a couple hundred miles, and then, because the bike wasnt properly prepped for storage, it began to leak oil, and a fuel petcock o-ring went on it. In the seller's words, he just lacked interest as it was a "dinosaur" to him and he could "never really get into it". He said the bike ran great despite the oil leak, but it now hasn't been touched in 3 years, and the battery is dead. A new FULL Gasket Kit for the motor is $59 :laugh1:.

So I look the bike over, and check the odometer, the seller spaced out (he hadn't seen the bike in forever) and the bike only has 4,4xx ORIGINAL MILES ON IT!

I offered him $300, and we ended up settling on $350!

The bike is in GREAT SHAPE! It's filthy and gross, but the chrome is in decent shape, and the paint is in VERY nice shape. Even the brake lines aren't cracked or corroded, and all the bolts on the bike are like new! There is NO rust on the bike. IT even has newer tires with NO dry rot!! I'm very excited to tear it down and get started on the XS650 Project!

Something of this nature is my end goal:

This is going to be a budget build, I want to keep the soft tail, shorten the front forks, get/fab a single seat, etc.

To start with the bike is coming to my shop tomorrow to get the gas tank drained and cleaned, fuel lines flushed, and the oil changed. Then I'm going to try and start it! Assuming it coughs to life, I'll then be tearing it down and doing all new gaskets in the motor (which I already have on order along with black powdercoated drag bars...)

And then the bobbing begins!

IF anyone has information on how to replicate the picture of the bike I've posted that would be awesome!

mmasac

Well man, super great buy on that bike. take your time and make sure to keep it safe. It's a good looking bike you've decided to shoot for but dont copy it to closely, we like to see differn't things! get creative!

xsjohn

Don't ride it in the rain........

Geared it up taller and lowered the compression and slid it toward retard a bit ...........should make 100k now ......wasn't a chance to start with...

xsduh

BG4D

Good Buy! Sounds like you got a good solid foundation for a good bike. Congrats.

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650