[cooltouch]

I'm new to this site, but I've been nuts about cafe bikes for years. Finally getting my own project going, which is a 1978 XS650 E model, aka the "standard." I've started a blog at my website about this build. You can view it here: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blog/

Here's a pic of the tank and seat resting on the rolling chassis:

I've just about finished paintin the tank now, and the frame has been stripped bare and repainted as well.

Still have a ways to go. My goal is to have the project finished by this summer. I hope to have the rolling chassis finished and back together by early next week. The motor's going to take longer. I already have a lot of the stuff I need for it, but there's still quite a bit I don't have yet, and I'm somewhat constrained by finances. That's the problem with performance. How fast you can go is entirely dependent on how much you can pay.

Best,

Michael

 

[pampadori]

shorten that seat up some so the bump actually holds you on when you twist that throttle. when you slide back you're gonna have a tendancy to roll on more throttle then you meant to. i like the triple tank. looks good, keep posting pics here for us to see!

 

[HackAsaw]

I like it so far and if you are planning on doing a two up bike

which I know isn't pure cafe

for sure build some real support under the seat

I've got one with removable passenger pegs and did it two up because even with a piece of leather covered steel bolted to the fender of several of my rigid two up bikes

some chicks, and a lot of hot ones too, seem to like rear suspension

so I decided I had too many solo bikes already

but my stuff is really braced underneath and I then inletted, or bedded the glass to the support structure

a genuine fiber glass seat that will support myself and a passenger with no crunching or popping

solid as a steel pan seat, front to rear

btw... all your xs750 tank are mine

 

[cooltouch]

Well, it's been a while since I've dropped in here. I bought a car for my daughter in April -- a clean 1990 Volvo 760 -- that, although in excellent overall condition, had a few points that had to be addressed, such as a couple repairs I couldn't do and new tires, and this, along with a few other pressing money-related issues, has taken away from being able to fund this project. I've been a bit better about updating my blog, however.

Currently, I have the engine disassembled down to the cases, and a 750cc kit ready to drop in. I went with the Wiseco 81mm kit with 10:1 pistons. I'm having second thoughts about the CR, and might deck the pistons slightly to knock it down a bit, or install a thicker base gasket if I can find one. I've been told that milling a squish band into the dome-top pistons is a mod worth doing anyway (the XS650's combustion chamber is hemispherical), so I'm leaning in this direction. I'll have to measure the piston's dome thickness before I do this, though, and I really don't have much of an idea as to how much material I will need to remove to lower the CR a half point, at least. I can probably come up with a fairly close approximation via trial and error using modeling clay, I suppose.

I'm waiting on the overdrive 5th gear that MikesXS sells before I split the cases. Once I have that in hand, final disassembly and reassembly can commence.

The frame is ready for reassembly. I just need to respoke the wheels and order tires.

As for the seat, it is quite sturdy and will need no additional reinforcement. Once the padding is in place, especially against the rear, it won't look so long. The vinyl I will be using is not slick, the way some OEM seat covers are, so I shouldn't slide around too much.

Best,

Michael