midnightcafe
Been Around the Block
Finally starting on my 1980 xs850 project, the first bike i owned since high school. It was given to me by a family friend, no title, chased around for one but never could get one. Instead, I put it aside and worked on my gs750 resto mod which I'm about 70% through.
Backstory:
here's my first bike, a 1980 Yamaha XS850LG Midnight Special. It was last registered in '84 and been in storage since. has 11k milesand started right up after a carb rebuild. However, I was young and stupid and went ahead putting cash into it while not having any paperwork for it. When the time came to get it on the road (legally ), I tried all sources-police, insurance company, but I could not claim ownership.
can your dog kickstart a bike? neither can mine, but he'd get the lever and I'd freak him out with the electric starter!
After three years in waiting, I found a 1980 xs850G Special listed on craigslist for $400, got it down to $150 and got the bill of sale and title. FINALLY! It's in worse shape than the midnight special-no exhaust, 29k miles, pitted forks. But it was mine ;D
So my goal here is to first get the titled bike running, swap over any parts off the midnight special, and then start the cafe transformation. For those unfamiliar with the Yamaha xs triple series motorcycle, its a (typical) standard motorcycle from 77-81 with standard shaft drive. the triple cylinder engine has an amazing sound- a mix between the thump of a twin and the roar of an inline 4. Not as popular as the other UJMs of its day, kind of the middle man between the better known xs650 and xs1100. It's gonna be the bike I keep at home and it's going to be a shoestring budget- but not a cheaply build ratbike, I hope to do some welding and use a spray gun for the final finish.
I'll be heading back to school in January and I hope to have the bike broken down by then. I work at the school machine shop so if I have free time I'll be working on this. H I'll post more my ideas and progress when I ge tthe chance. elp and suggestions much appreciated!
Backstory:
here's my first bike, a 1980 Yamaha XS850LG Midnight Special. It was last registered in '84 and been in storage since. has 11k milesand started right up after a carb rebuild. However, I was young and stupid and went ahead putting cash into it while not having any paperwork for it. When the time came to get it on the road (legally ), I tried all sources-police, insurance company, but I could not claim ownership.
can your dog kickstart a bike? neither can mine, but he'd get the lever and I'd freak him out with the electric starter!
After three years in waiting, I found a 1980 xs850G Special listed on craigslist for $400, got it down to $150 and got the bill of sale and title. FINALLY! It's in worse shape than the midnight special-no exhaust, 29k miles, pitted forks. But it was mine ;D
So my goal here is to first get the titled bike running, swap over any parts off the midnight special, and then start the cafe transformation. For those unfamiliar with the Yamaha xs triple series motorcycle, its a (typical) standard motorcycle from 77-81 with standard shaft drive. the triple cylinder engine has an amazing sound- a mix between the thump of a twin and the roar of an inline 4. Not as popular as the other UJMs of its day, kind of the middle man between the better known xs650 and xs1100. It's gonna be the bike I keep at home and it's going to be a shoestring budget- but not a cheaply build ratbike, I hope to do some welding and use a spray gun for the final finish.
I'll be heading back to school in January and I hope to have the bike broken down by then. I work at the school machine shop so if I have free time I'll be working on this. H I'll post more my ideas and progress when I ge tthe chance. elp and suggestions much appreciated!