1972/78 XS650 Heavy Metal Hardtail

[cbrianroll]

That's crazy man. How do you even hear of using banshee parts lol....

 

[irk miller]

That's crazy man. How do you even hear of using banshee parts lol....

It's no secret. Hugh from Hugh's Handbuilt did a write up on XS650chopper.com way back in 2012. Google XS650 PMA Banshee conversion and it'll probably pop up at the top of the page. He's been selling kits for a while, as does MikesXS. I assume Hugh came up with it. If not, and I were to guess, chopper guys may have figured it out even before 2012. It's like anything, once you start to find common sizes of stuff, it's amazing the rabbit hole you go down finding parts. In my years of building, I continually find many Honda and Kawasaki parts that interchange. There are advantage to holding on to junk storage. HAHA. The internet has made it so easy. Now to just get guys selling parts on Ebay to give measurements of their stuff. That would really open up parts swapping.

 

[Maritime]

Yes, I tend to buy way more when someone takes the time to measure and put that in their adds for sure.

 

[cbrianroll]

I need a bigger storage I think lol

 

[irk miller]

I discovered my clutch issue. If anyone remembers, the bike was literally in pieces in 5 bins when I bought it from the dude's pickup bed out in the parking lot at Mid-O last summer. As such, when I installed the clutch rods, I didn't realize the bearing ball from the clutch side was still in the hole. The XS clutch rod is actually two rods, so I put one rod in one end and the other rod in the other end and one bearing ball under the cap inside the clutch basket. What that means is I jammed a second ball bearing ball between the rods and no adjustment would release the clutch. All fixed now. I'll get it back together and hopefully fire her up tomorrow.

Oh, and here are the glamour shots pidjones is referring to. LOL.

 

[cb360j]

What color orange is that, Hugger orange or Street Hemi? I'm usually not a fan of orange.... but you get respect. Might be my favorite build I have seen you do.

 

[cbrianroll]

Yeah, looks great! I wanna hear it..

 

[Maritime]

Yep, this one rocks.

 

[irk miller]

What color orange is that, Hugger orange or Street Hemi? I'm usually not a fan of orange.... but you get respect. Might be my favorite build I have seen you do.

Thanks, man. It’s actually Ed Roth Tropi Cali orange base and Tropi Cali flake. It reminds me a lot of the Mopar Vitamin C orange, which also had a gold flake.

 

[pidjones]

Hey, at least you got both rods and the ball for the clutch. I guess not expecting extras. Looking forward to the sound. I love a stock parallel twin's sound, although straight piped not so good. I'm thinking this will sound right.

 

[irk miller]

Hey, at least you got both rods and the ball for the clutch. I guess not expecting extras. Looking forward to the sound. I love a stock parallel twin's sound, although straight piped not so good. I'm thinking this will sound right.

Thanks. I'm typically not a fan of straight pipes either. This is going to be a stretch for me. I hope for the best, but I bought the goodies to change it if it does't sound right. That's why the pipes are still bare metal.

 

[Jimbonaut]

I'm inches away from dropping some hard-earned on a 70's style burnt orange velour tracksuit. Although chances are - sadly - slim I'll ever ride this bike, looking at it has nudged me closer to the buy button.

 

[SONICJK]

Looks great man.
Straight pipes on an XS sound quite good I think you'll be OK with it.
Loud, but not "turn that POS offmy ear drums are melting" loud.

 

[pidjones]

I'm inches away from dropping some hard-earned on a 70's style burnt orange velour tracksuit. Although chances are - sadly - slim I'll ever ride this bike, looking at it has nudged me closer to the buy button.

Would be perfect if he ever finished the tri-rod.

 

[irk miller]

Would be perfect if he ever finished the tri-rod.

Haha. The tri-rod is under a cover, just outside of my garage door and about ready to get finished. The plan was to get it ready for the Small Bore festival at Barber in June. It doesn't appear to have been cancelled yet.

 

[canyoncarver]

Looks phenomenal man, we need to hear it now.

 

[Maritime]

It will depend on your definition of too loud. one of my neighbors had a XS with straights and when he kicked it to life you didn't want to be behind it. From 10+ feet away it sounded good but was too loud up close and I couldn't ride it without earplugs.

 

[cb360j]

Not sure about you guys, but I usually ride with ear plugs anyway. Unless it's running to the gas station or something, but even then I still try to

 

[Maritime]

Not sure about you guys, but I usually ride with ear plugs anyway. Unless it's running to the gas station or something, but even then I still try to

me too for anything longer than a few minutes or faster than 40 mph and I have a quiet bike and full face helmet. But that XS I'd need them just to kick it over.

 

[irk miller]

Well, the tune needs dialed in, but it runs.