"Thor's Hammer" 1975 XS650 hardtail

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 - Swiss Cheese

Well after getting my knuckles wrapped by my mate Rob who'd sold me the bike originally, and getting some very polite and constructive feedback from the fellas on XS650.com, it was obvious the taillight assembly had to be re-located.

Truth be told I was pretty hasty with where I had originally mounted last weekend, with my wanting to smash it off with my boots everytime I walked past it in the living room!

Unfortunately my ballsup has left me with a fender that resembles Swiss Cheese. I'm proud to say that I'm probably the best person I know when it comes to making holes in perfectly good metal, however, I'm not so good at repairing them.

I'm really very happy with how it looks now, with the lines of the bike remaining relatively undisturbed.

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Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com/
 
Friday, 10 February 2012 - Kick it, kick it good!

Well it's been sometime since my latest update. Things are slowing down due to funds and electrical parts taking their time to arrive.

A concern that I had whilst most of the bike was together during the New Year period, was the fact that my beautiful brand new Mikes XS kicker smacked the Dunstall exhaust at the bottom of the stroke. For obvious reasons a solution needed to be found.

With my powers of research at full strength I managed to discover that the RD400E kicker had the same splined shaft mount. The most appealing aspect is that it has two bends that ensure the pedal pushes outwards during a downward kick. It should also blend in better than the straight XS650 kicker whilst in the "at rest" position. It seems to be of lighter construction yet am hopeful that it will be strong enough anyhow.

I picked RD400E kicker from Yambits.

Below are some comparison shots I'd taken this evening.

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Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com/
 
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 - The world's most complicated "simplified wiring" system!


After way too much time away from the build, I finally got my ass into gear and knocked up my wiring harness.

As this build is absolutely from scratch, I had any number of options available for the wiring diagram.

I took it upon myself to knock out my wiring own design in CAD, prior to ordering my extensive list of parts. As usual, the devil is in the detail with plenty of forward thinking required.

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My system contains seven fused relays that are operated by closing an earthed circuit via the switch assemblies. The only switch that is passing any voltage at all is the indicator. It really was my intention to minimise the risk of having any potential shorts within the system by switching the relays via an earthed signal.

I did face a particularly big challenge with where to mount the seven fused and indicator relay upon the bike. It had to be relatively easy to access the fuses, whilst being in a discreet location. After much though I decided to relocate the coil upon the forward chassis down-tubes, as shown upon the mock up pics. This left an appropriate, if not tight location for the wiring harness within the gas tank tunnel. I am hoping that I'm not asking for a bucket load of potential problems in the pursuit of outsmarting myself.

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Despite my build intending to be a fair weather daily rider, an obvious problem did present itself in the form of the potential dramas I might face with keeping the relays dry and safe in the event of a sudden downpour. My solution was to insert a rubber umbrella of sorts around the electronics. Fingers crossed that this rubber cover combined with the tank above and engine just beneath will provide satisfactory protection against the elements.

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Servicing any blown fuses is also a piece of pie even with the tank and engine in place. I really hated the thought of trying to get access to them should they be squirreled away in an electronics box that was secured too well.

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Hopefully engine heat and vibrations won't be my downfall, with using the bike once complete being a trial by fire!

I also made my own miniature battery to fit into my milk jug with A123 cells. I used these two links to help with the making of the battery which were very helpful.

http://www.scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/lipo.html and http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=599316

Right now the battery looks as ugly as all hell, however, once I get my hands on some heat-shrink that's large enough I should be able to sex it up a touch.

Here's a short clip of a guy that had built one with exactly the same setup as my battery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qcvmvrmTMMk


The great news with my battery and wiring system, is that my first trial test of the setup went absolutely perfectly! Everything is spot on so far in operation.

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Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 - The system lives!


Here's a video showing the system in action, utilising my home built lipo battery pack located within the milk urn.

It should have enough juice to not only run all of the accessories, yet be powerful enough to run the starter as well.

The bike will be using a Pamco electronic ignition and Hugh's Handbuilt PMA charging system.

http://youtu.be/ddnodtbV3-c


Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
Well howdy Swivel.

What a great way to troll a new member's build log, you're quite the constructive little chap!

Let's be friends, fly down to Australia and visit me. The cats will enjoy the company.

In fact. I'll be glad to let you have the first ride, I know plenty of roads that have at least four very big bumps and potholes I'd suggest you can ride over at speed.

I hope y'all have a fine day now ya hear! P.S. Keep off the moonshine before bed time, your ability to read and comprehend is clearly affected!


Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
great Build Steve! love what you have done here....mmm that rust is lookin mighty fine! Please leave it like that! .....found a cool place up in VT on a back road.... where rust shines
 

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I've been reading your build blog. Yeah the rust is cool, but the paint schemes you showed early on. are way to sweet. I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished and painted bike. Good job and Kudos for for the creative, innovated designs to came up with.
I'm a Cafe' guy myself but have thinking a Triumph Bobbster may be in my future.

My 1979 650 CB I'm building now, and my1979 823 used to be a 750 CB.

BTW we don't have much rust here in Colorado
 

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whats up steve.....

i recognised the bike from the scr facebook page...

nice work ive gotta say... love it!!

nice patina.....
working on my own patina too. (check my thread in sig if ya want)

many people dont like the rust....but i do. i reckon it looks the goods.

are you going to clear coat it?? or leave it bare, or wax/ lanolin???

peace bro Holm

james
 
andycafe said:

Thanks Andy! ;D


Cafe Lover said:
I've been reading your build blog. Yeah the rust is cool, but the paint schemes you showed early on. are way to sweet. I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished and painted bike. Good job and Kudos for for the creative, innovated designs to came up with.
I'm a Cafe' guy myself but have thinking a Triumph Bobbster may be in my future.

My 1979 650 CB I'm building now, and my1979 823 used to be a 750 CB.

BTW we don't have much rust here in Colorado

Your CBs are looking great! They really lend themselves to the cafe' treatment.

Thanks also for the kind words.

A Triumph Bobber was my first choice for a build, however, due to this being my first bike it was an easier choice to settle on the XS650. Being learner legal and having a massive level of aftermarket support helped with the decision.


sinbad85 said:
whats up steve.....

i recognised the bike from the scr facebook page...

nice work ive gotta say... love it!!

nice patina.....
working on my own patina too. (check my thread in sig if ya want)

many people dont like the rust....but i do. i reckon it looks the goods.

are you going to clear coat it?? or leave it bare, or wax/ lanolin???

peace bro Holm

james

Hey James.

Make sure you say g'day if we're ever at an SCR event. Unless the bike's ready, I'll be the boofhead driving the flamed F-100.

Despite Mark and Jordan pleading their case when they checked out the bike last week, I'm still leaning towards the paint scheme that I've nutted out. Mainly because I wanted a timeless look that I can let age gracefully. As much as the rust looks cool, I'll have too many of the uninitiated asking when it'll be finished. ;D

I checked out your build thread, nice work!

Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
Swivel said:
It was with a blithe spirit and beating heart of such syncopation I passed the portal into Brideshead.Grmserby the blind Welsh gardener spotted my summer progression, ah, such a pointed memory reminiscent of My German sabbatical as a flugtig manner and Grm's lessons in the ways of man in the potting shed. The gravely lane facilitating my ingress and planned later egress drawing me closer to Bridesie’s brutal (sic) battlements drew near like a drawing thing coming closer and nearerer like....So I engaged the ivory lever that engaged the engaging lever that applied Ferodo's finest as it was mere quarter of a mile henceforth to the stables and the end of my journey....So started the long decline of my forward progress in speed like terms...As I neared my journey’s end I blessed god for his provenance and yea verily placed my faith,lock,stock and two smoking barrels into the mere colonials clown shoes....And I fell off and broke me leg bone in three places.....The alarm was sounded and henceforth and sister Cludgemanton of the Crimean campaign arrived on her pedal trolley to dispense the vinegar and brown paper to tend my mortal (ish) wounds....”I eeee me little fruitie flavored fellahin,I always knew Y'd break yore ass on that damn thing! Now bite on this ere bullet while I set Y'r leggies!”...She then inquired as to if I still used that certain fresh face cream on my face and if I still subscribed to the ancient and modern Austrian hair care system.....After staring at my broken and twisted carcass,like,for ten minutes or so through those loving eyes that looked like endless spiral steam train tracks to the gates of hell past the baying teeth of Cerberus she said:”Ow be thee faring,Mary?”,she asked me.”Sod right orf,I said,….I’m Thor….pizzorf…..”

After posting and deleting this babble four times, I'm afraid you should get your shit sorted bud!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophasia


Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
Hey Swivel.

Don't resort to pm's to harass the new guy. Be a big man and keep your boorish behavior public.

Swivel's pm below-

Quote:I'm afraid you should get your shit sorted bud!

What with you looking like a hair colourist and trying to recreate an era that never existed to satisfy a deep need deep in your soul being from the lamest generation that ever drew breath?

N.B. I posted numerous times due to a word processing bug and for no other reason.....

P.P.S.How's puddy?



Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
Swivel, within a handful of posts upon my build log you've already displayed Hotchkiss' seven deadly sins of narcissism.

Congratulations, I'm sure it's a record.


Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
The bike is turning out awesome! I want my next project to be a bobber w/approx the same stance. May even take a welding class to make it happen. Seriously good stuff goin on here.
 
Awesome skills Steve. I'm digging the slightly rusty look. I like that kind of character in a bike. I would just ignore anything thing that bipolar cat hating troll says.
 
I dig your build. Fuck the naysayers. Let them attend to their moonshine, cat killing ways and spending obviously too much time online evaluating other people's builds and how people comb their hair. The rust adds good patina. If anything, rattle can clear coat over bare metal. Seriously though. Fuck all the haters, it seems like every scene has a ton of them. I actually like when something I enjoy pisses people off. Drive around the 'burbs listening to punk rock full blast really get's them going. Again, sick build! Love your responses to Mr. Moonshine!
 
rays650cafe said:
The bike is turning out awesome! I want my next project to be a bobber w/approx the same stance. May even take a welding class to make it happen. Seriously good stuff goin on here.

Thanks Ray, much appreciated!


USMCRIDER said:
Awesome skills Steve. I'm digging the slightly rusty look. I like that kind of character in a bike. I would just ignore anything thing that bipolar cat hating troll says.

Thanks USMCRIDER!

Drivel just can't stay away. I hear herpes is more manageable than he is! ;D


RoseCityCafePunk138 said:
I dig your build. Fuck the naysayers. Let them attend to their moonshine, cat killing ways and spending obviously too much time online evaluating other people's builds and how people comb their hair. The rust adds good patina. If anything, rattle can clear coat over bare metal. Seriously though. Fuck all the haters, it seems like every scene has a ton of them. I actually like when something I enjoy pisses people off. Drive around the 'burbs listening to punk rock full blast really get's them going. Again, sick build! Love your responses to Mr. Moonshine!

Thanks for the kind words RoseCityCafePunk138! I've checked out your build too and really like it, it's just a shame that Drivel is making a mess there too!

In terms of Drivel he's got nothing better to do than try and piss in every newby's patch. Once I realised he's nothing more than a poor insecure fool trying to prove his worth it's become very entertaining.

The scary thing I'm certain he still lives with his mum. Watch the the film "Bad Boy Bubby", you'll get the picture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Boy_Bubby

In fact, it's likely that Drivel is sitting at his screen right now, pants around his ankles with a bible in one hand, whilst the other is three fingers deep scratching his prostate close to the brink of climax.


Cheers

Steve

http://inmotionphotogxs650.blogspot.com.au/
 
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