'77 XS650 Cafe attempt

[nicholauslee]

well, since it's torn apart anyway, I decided go ahead and do some cosmetics while I wait on saving money for some motor parts.
Started designing a new seat hump today. I'd like to get some opinions, since I haven't decided on how I feel yet myself. Of course, it's just a foam block right now, just making a mold for some fiberglass.

 

[Rossicle]

You plan on keeping the loop going over it like that?

Honestly, I kind of dig that! It's different.

 

[nicholauslee]

Yeah, that was my goal.
I did a little more shaping of the hump last night. Got it looking better with the tank I think, then this morning I decided I was going to try to find a xs750 tank for it anyway.
But regardless, yeah I plan on having the hoop go over the seat hump. It was something I don't remember seeing, so I'd like to see if I can pull it off and still make it look good.

 

[two-smoker]

I think that's a really cool touch, running the frame loop over the tail section.

 

[Rossicle]

It's kind of like an external role cage on a rock crawler or something.. It just looks bad ass.

 

[john83]

The seat hump ruunning under the rear loop is a pretty novel idea. Would you worry about it rubbing the paint off the sat though? There is a member, xulf13, with a 750 tank on a 650 and his really looks good. You have to fab some brackets though.

 

[nicholauslee]

It's been going real slowly, but I figured I'd make an update post, since I don't have much else to do in this 16 degree Fahrenheit weather here in Michigan.
Reshaped the seat hump a bit.
And started making a seat pan out of aluminum.
Maybe in a couple more months I'll touch some fiberglass again.

 

[1976cb356]

Seriously +1 on the hoop

 

[nicholauslee]

Thanks for the compliments guys. Finally getting back into it. Something about rebuilding a motor and then 2 months later having to re-rebuild it kind of took me out of it for a few months.

 

[Whitey80]

Dig the frame-over seat thing you've got going, very cool.

What's got me more interested at the moment, as a nerd, is with an nice organized CD collection like that, it's likely that you have something impressive to play them on....

 

[50gary]

I'm also in Michigan, Saginaw to be exact, we all carry firearms here. If you need any engine parts I have some XS stuff, a spare parts motor and alternators etc. I would get some VM round slide carbs (I have 34mm) and a Boyer Brandsen ignition. You did your heads, did they replace the valve guides? Right now there's a complete XS650 engine on Craig's list for $150.00 redone upper end. Make sure you replace the swingarm bushings soon. Use the bronze bushings and your hinge in middle feeling will go away. Yamaha used plastic bushings OEM. Avatar is my XS650, Men kick start their bikes.
Cheers, 50gary

 

[nicholauslee]

Thanks for the info and offer there 50gary. I might take you up on some of those engine parts eventually. At the moment I'm being bounced between a couple jobs and money is really hard to come by. I didn't have the valve guides replaced, as I thought they looked pretty decent. I'm thinking now though, that perhaps I should've.

As far as having anything to play all those CD's on, well at the moment I don't have my normal stereo system that I used to listen to them on, but I guess you could say I still have a couple speakers to play music through in my bedroom.

 

[nicholauslee]

Got some new headlight brackets, and some work on the seat done.
Next up is buying some fiberglass to make the final version of the seat hump.
Then it's motor city, by which I mean I'll be working on the motor, not that I'll be driving to Detroit.

http://instagr.am/p/jRs23/

 

[nicholauslee]

finally got the final fiberglass version of the seat hump done. got some more smoothing and cleaning up, but it's pretty close to being made.

 

[Fox]

Man this looks great. Really like what you did with that seat hump, and that you keep your bike inside.

 

[nicholauslee]

Well guys, after all the work on that seat hump, I decided to be lazy and didn't feel like rewiring everything. It's getting nice here in MI and I just want to get this thing on the road. So here it is as it sits. Still got a bunch of wiring and timing and etc etc to do, but at least I can use the stock wiring harness.

 

[Fox]

Sad to see that idea go! would have been killer, but I can definitely understand on wanting to get out and ride.

 

[Tim]

Get riding! Winter's coming again soon enough.

 

[nicholauslee]

Yeah, I kept the seat hump and pan. Come next winter maybe I'll switch out the seat, and move the electronics. I missed last season because I couldn't get it running right. Don't want to do that again.