First motorcycle build. minimal tracker/cafe style 83 XS650;.

[jasonslackisrad]

Hey Everyone. I am pleased to start my official build thread.

The object of my build is simplicity. Inspired by a few bikes i've seen around the net and my general aesthetic I am stripping it down to essentials, modernizing where I can and keeping it clean.

Here's how she started. 83 Heritage special, 9xxx miles. Good runner and my first bike. But i've been building cars for like 16 years so I can't leave well enough alone. Here it is, the Dad special.

Trip home

With my other toy. 97 e36 M3 Sedan. 189K and turbo'd

And here's how the bike sat last night.

And since I can't help myself I installed my suspension. 2" lower up front (Thanks Hughs Handbuilt spacers), installed rebel shocks in the rear (for the time being)

I have 18"/19" high shouldered wheels to ditch the billion spoked HS wheels. and a bunch of odds and ends.

Hopefully tonight I can clean the piss out of it and start cutting more useless stuff off the frame

The game plan is to
get it done by spring. I'm building it with a couple friends, here is his harley. (pics by me - so I will not be using only cellphone pics for this build)

 

[jasonslackisrad]

Well, it's been a while. Work as usual gets in the way of not only working on the bike, but updating this.

I have been up to quite a bit tho. Parts have been purchased, scrapped, sold, and re-purchased. But heres a few pics of things.

Starting with the engine out of the frame.

On the heritage special, the carbs (along with everything else) was painted black. So I took the carbs apart, and busted out the aircraft remover.

Next up was some purchases. I wanted to do something different with the headlight, so I nabbed a set of fluted glass, crosshair headlights for a MKII VW. Purists will be pissed when they see that I destroyed something so rare in that world But. NBD.

13.5" Progressive suspension from 650Direct.

Saw these up for sale on the forums. Couldn't pass it up.

The time came to work on the headlight and start to get the stance right. But first. It was lunch time.

I had a very specific seat style in mind. So setting to work on the seatpan was next. After a few hours, the headlight & turns were mounted. and the pan started taking shape.

It snowed that night. So it was time for a little sliding around

Back at home, the side covers were getting a fresh coat of paint. VHT wrinkle finish. If you are going to use this stuff. Open the garage. Just FYI.

And i was scouting ebay for quite a while for this tank. After losing auction after auction, I finally got one. It needs some work, but its all there.

And here is how she sits now.

It too like 16 hours to finish the pan, and found someone local to do the leather work.

Engine is in. Starting to come together.

 

[two-smoker]

That's a really good start!