arcspeedworks
Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead!!!
Alrighty then, I picked up a '78 XS650 Special a few months ago for killer price. The PO had intended on making the bike into a bobber and had already stripped the bike down and removed extraneous bracketry. This definitely made life easier, but then left me with one question: What's it going to be?
After a bit of a confusion on which way this XS should be built, I've finally decided that I need a street tracker. But... A lot of street trackers seem to be pretty identical nowadays, many of them looking like a King Kenny replica in varying color schemes. In fact, I almost decided to join in.
After looking around at the incredible work many of us DTT'ers and others have done, I've decided that I like a few key elements from various builders. A majority of the styles are pretty well-known: Brat Style, Wrench Monkees, etc.
My plan is to pull some of these elements together in a way that the XS is recognizable as a tracker without being a clone.
The agenda so far:
Motocross bars *done*
Simplified kick-only wiring harness (head/tail/brake lights and charging/ignition system) *WIP*
Trail Tech Lynx computer/speedo *on its way*
Aluminum/steel mesh front number plate *WIP*
Aluminum battery/electronics tray *done*
Single/dual driving lights mounted under or in front of the number plate
Brat-styled slab seat (possibly humped slightly to match the exposed seat loop)
Either an ascot or scrambler style exhaust
Here's what she looks like right now.
Here's a few pics of my inspirations.
After a bit of a confusion on which way this XS should be built, I've finally decided that I need a street tracker. But... A lot of street trackers seem to be pretty identical nowadays, many of them looking like a King Kenny replica in varying color schemes. In fact, I almost decided to join in.
After looking around at the incredible work many of us DTT'ers and others have done, I've decided that I like a few key elements from various builders. A majority of the styles are pretty well-known: Brat Style, Wrench Monkees, etc.
My plan is to pull some of these elements together in a way that the XS is recognizable as a tracker without being a clone.
The agenda so far:
Motocross bars *done*
Simplified kick-only wiring harness (head/tail/brake lights and charging/ignition system) *WIP*
Trail Tech Lynx computer/speedo *on its way*
Aluminum/steel mesh front number plate *WIP*
Aluminum battery/electronics tray *done*
Single/dual driving lights mounted under or in front of the number plate
Brat-styled slab seat (possibly humped slightly to match the exposed seat loop)
Either an ascot or scrambler style exhaust
Here's what she looks like right now.
Here's a few pics of my inspirations.