Sprockets: yet ANOTHER project!

A co-worker's son was recently given a motorcycle which he decide he wanted to use to build a gocart. Yeah, what teenager hasn't dreamed of a bike powered cart? Anyway, I gave them some pointers on how to get it running and they did. Now he's given up on the project (surprise!) and his dad asked me if I wanted the bike. Maybe, what izzit?

A Yamaha 650 Special. It looks like this:

They are notable for being the first Japanese bike to seriously challenge the British domination of the 'lightweight' (yeah, that'a relative term!) market here in the US. The engine is styled very much like a Brit bike of the late '60's/early '70's and they can be used to build something like this:

I gotta finish the Jensenator, repower the ThunderTerd and commence suspension design on a super secret project. Then it's street tracker time!

I Likie!

Omar is your friend!

I always wanted to do a Manx TT 650 Yami, ended up with a hardtail bobbersickle. Oh well, maybe next time.

http://omarsdtr.com/manxnew1.html

Tons of aftermarket stuff for the 650, but to ride it as it is right now (stock?) isn't horrible. Good starter bike but enough ass for an experienced rider. Unfortunately yours doesn't have the desirable ribbed spoke wheels, but hey, the price is right! You seem more like a Street Tracker guy though. Go with Bub pipes.

Dan

That looks awesome. Stock frame right? Looks like it's got different forks too.

I wish I knew anything about motorcycles because there seems to be a lot of cheap bikes out there that can be made into stylish rides.

Yeah, I found Omar's site along with Hotwing Glass, Mike's XS and a few other sites. The keyboard won't be the same for all the drool. I have looked around a bit, didn't find Bub's pipes (time to Google!) but the JEMCOs look really cool! The reverse megaphones are big enough to stuff a baseball inside.

I'm planning to ditch the 16" chopper wheel and go with the 18" RD400 rear disc setup eventually. I thought about going spokes, but that's pricey and IIRC Yamaha originally built factory 1/2 and 1 mile race bikes with cast wheels so it won't be that far off.

The frame on that street tracker in the pic is a modified stock Yamaha frame. The original frame has tubes under the engine, that one has had the downtubes removed along with the cradle and now the engine is a stressed frame member. I dunno if I like that.

www.650motorcycles.com has a huge section with cafe bikes, street trackers, bobbers etc all made from 650 Yamahas.

do it...

Need any help with the other projects. My buddy Darren and I would be willing to come over a wrench some weekends....

I've always liked those bikes. I have a weakness for twins, flesh or mechanical.

That front end is off a Harley FXR

It could be, but from what I'm reading a lot of guys go all out for the factory race bike look meaning they shave and paint the fork legs and then use a Harley headlight since the little aluminum cover looks period correct. That particular bike was built by Mule Motorcycles. They are the pinnacle of street tracker design and execution, very nice work. Of course, that comes at a price: an XS650 based tracker averages around $18,000.00.

http://mulemotorcycles.net/

My dad hadn't ridden in years. Gave up some kind of basketcase shovelhead Harley when my brother and sister and I were all little to keep us from catching the bug, I gather, never got another one. Decided a year or two ago that he wanted something to see if he was interested in it still. Got a Yamaha just like that for $800 or so from the local dealer. Pretty solid bike, should have been no big deal to learn on and then move on somewhere else.

Apparently motorcycling isn't for dad, he laid it down in the driveway before ever making it onto the road, broke a couple ribs, and that was the end of Steve's Motorcyclin' Days.

Got one just like that (Yamaha XS650 Special) tucked away in the garage. Mine has the spoked wheels, though. And some wierd touring seat installed and a "crash" bar in front of the engine. The dual electric/kick start is cool but I found out the hard way you still have to have a charge in the battery to kick start it. And the solid mount engine makes it "buzzy" to say the least, which is one of the reasons why I stopped riding it. Have nerve damage in throttle hand from a bike accident when I was a teen that causes my finger to turn numb with the vibration. Sometimes miss riding and think about pulling it out and restoring it.

ManofFewWords wrote: That front end is off a Harley FXR

Those are stock 650 legs. Look at the rubber shock cover, then look at Harley's. My 650 has the same fork, sans unnecessary hangers; painted gunmetal grey.

Dan

Step one: Get rid of those handlebars. A set of drag or sportsman handlebars will change how it looks pretty significantly.

http://650rider.com/ Pretty active forum for the XS650. I was around on it when i first got my XS but never really got active in posting. I also just made a set of clubman bars similar to these ('cept i'm too cheap to chrome them). They should look awesome when i get them mounted.

Yeah, those damn chopper wannabe pullbacks have got to go. I have never been a fan of the 'sit up and beg' riding style.

I like the look of the flattrack bars but have to wonder how they'll be when street riding, the position might be a bit awkward. I'm leaning towards either drag bars or maybe raise the forks in the clamps and use clipons above the top tree.

I rode a Street Tracker a few times, my brother Mike had it. NOT comfortable at all for long trips. The only issue I had was at 60 mph, flat seat, your [manliness] just rests on the seat. High rpm, big vibration, cajones = big tingle/numbness.

Maybe some folks like that.

Dan

That seat defiantly does not look comfortable. I doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to just pad it up a bit, at least round it out a little.

This definitely will NOT be a long trip bike. More for hoonage.

Awesome. Huge score J-man.

Dan I love your bike-links, I just got this for $100

76 360

Dang, nice bike for $100!

Just think J-Man, after many sleepless nights, too many late nights in the garage fueled by high octane home brew, you too could have one of these!

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/914Dan/IMG_0358.jpg[/IMG]

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/1003/914Dan/?action=view&current=IMG_0359.jpg