Author Topic: XS650 project thread - April 2011 - Getting set for 2nd season :) (Read 69514 times)

Tim. · « **Reply #100 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:17:52 AM »

Here are some crappy Treo-camera pics of the frame etc. Picked it up at 7AM today and am now at work

Picking up new bearings today for the Radian swingarm

Might toss it and hopefully the steering head on this weekend to see how it looks. Then just need to finish up the engine a bit and it can go in and then up on wheels.

CrisPDuk · « **Reply #101 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:19:53 AM »

Time to throw a sickie I reckon Tintin

Tim. · « **Reply #102 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:47:45 AM »

Don't have that luxury in my work. Worst part is next week I'm leaving town for 2 weeks

Only good part of that is I'm returning with a set of spoked alloy-rimmed wheels for the bike

Then reassembly can begin in earnest. Till then I'll sit an gaze at the shiny black frame.

Tim. · « **Reply #103 on:** July 20, 2007, 04:28:15 PM »

Here's a better pic of the Radian swingarm. The finish is almost too shiny. British purists would cringe, and insist I rub the frame in oil, stove paint, tar, or whatever they finish frames with

Very reflective - mirror like finish. Will look awesome with the polished alloy

Hate the thought of clamping down the axle on this.

CrisPDuk · « **Reply #104 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:00:36 PM »

I do like that Radian swingarm

But then I personally prefer the look of square section arms in general, I think they look more 'purposeful' somehow

The frames on most british bikes are just coated with the oil their engine cases seem unable to keep contained, an early form of rust-proofing I suppose

If you wan't to replicate that finish on your bike, just don't bother fitting the gaskets when you build the motor, although even then, I bet a jap motor would still leak less

PS: British purists would cringe just at he thought of put all this effort into a some piece of jap junk

Tim. · « **Reply #105 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:15:04 PM »

So I pressed the new needle bearings into the swingarm, used my dremel and a little drum sander head to remove the powder from the pivot bolt holes in the frame (very very carefully mind you - insert into hole turned off, turn on, sand, turn off, remove from hole) and popped the swingarm on just to see how it looked. Left the dustcaps off the swingarm pivot - just temporary install and the dustcaps need to be shined up

Quite nice - probably going to stick with the Radian arm on it, but we'll see how the stocker looks on it once the bronze bushings come and I can have a look.

Took some pics with the alloy tank on it, which after 8 months of handling, really needs a bit of a polish!

bill440cars · « **Reply #106 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:50:35 PM »

tintin, I commend you on your build. You set a plan and then proceed to carry it out in high fashion! This is going to be one mighty fine ride, when you're through!

Later on, Bill

Tim. · « **Reply #107 on:** July 24, 2007, 05:14:12 AM »

Thanks for the kind word Bill - I'm enjoying putting this together, but would enjoy having it on the road even more

After much deliberation, I had the steering head modified to fit by my local welder/machinist/polishing guy. He did the welding on the frame for me.

Had to have the stem removed, dropped down about 3/8" and welded back in place (welded in from the underside of the tree, as per factory). However, this resulted in the bearing no longer sitting in the small section of the tube that was machined specifically for it. They added material to the tube (welded) and then machined it down to fit the bearing.

Long story short, the steering head now fits the bike, mirroring the 1972's head dimensions. We lost the powdercoating through the welding, so he blasted it as best he could (powdercoating is pretty tough stuff) and I'll spray it myself. If I don't like it I'll take it in again for powder.

I also had him polish the upper tree. Would have taken me forever to get this quality a finish. He'll be doing the lower forks for me too

Here are the latest pics - couldn't resist sliding the forks in (and wanted of course to make sure everything fit well. This thing is gonna sure look purty. Hope it runs 1/2 as well as it looks.

Tim. · « **Reply #108 on:** July 24, 2007, 10:37:53 AM »

Well, my Manx seat arrived today from www.clubmanracing.com - excellent packaging and quickly shipped. Highly recommended.

Well you know I couldn't wait too long before seeing how the seat fit. WAY better than OJ's glove. Like it was made for the bike really. Couldn't fit any better - exactly the right width and length. Just need to work out some rubber cushions about 1/2 inch thick to seat it on the frame rails without ruining the finish on the frame and some simple brackets to hold it down at the back end.

Just so you know how particular I am, the reason I bought the petcocks I did is they have little red vinyl coated levers, matching the red piping on the seat

Aside from that the rest of the bike will be black and alloy.

KB02 · « **Reply #109 on:** July 25, 2007, 05:04:37 AM »

Boy, that seat sits down over the rails beautifully, doesn't it? What you gonna fill in that whole in the front of the seat with? Ignition switch?

Tim. · « **Reply #110 on:** July 25, 2007, 06:50:42 AM »

Quote from: KB02 on July 25, 2007, 05:04:37 AM

Boy, that seat sits down over the rails beautifully, doesn't it? What you gonna fill in that whole in the front of the seat with? Ignition switch?

Oh the smartass comments I could make about what I'm going to fill that hole with

Actually likely not much. What might end up happening is I end up with an alloy tray with sides (open box basically) about 1-2" deep hanging from those plates across the frame, under the seating area. It would hold electrical bits and a couple small gel batteries. If I do that, I might put an integrated rectifier/regulator right there as it is a nice looking piece (see pic).

I might also mount as you suggest the ignition switch. Will likely just end up being a toggle with no key. Either there or up on the headlight bucket, or hidden up under the tank by the coil.

The cutout also provides more than enough clearance for the toggle latch that secures the stainless steel strap that runs the length of the tank (with black foam padding beneath) to secure the tank to the frame.

Normally there would be an oil tank under the seat, and the cutout is to access the filler lid for the tank.

bill440cars · « **Reply #111 on:** July 25, 2007, 10:23:55 AM »

tintin, That seat just fits right in like a perfect puzzle piece!

That bike is coming together REAL nice guy. Great job!

Later on, Bill

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #112 on:** July 27, 2007, 04:54:06 PM »

Looks bloody brilliant Tinny, keep the radian swingarm (even if it takes some work) because the stocker was largely responsible for the XS's notoriously crap handling, and would compromise all that beaut bracing you did.

I'd also turn those clip-ons up the other way to reduce the stretch to the bars, and I'd replace those crappy aftermarket shocks with some one or two inch longer quality Aussie Ikons, or English Hagons, perhaps. (to make up for the longer radian swingarm reducing the height and ground clearance over the stock length shocks)

Just my opinion of course, but it looks like you're going for the ultimate, so a few extra bucks shouldn't make that much of a difference now? Also, to remove that old powdercoat on the lower triple, just burn it off with an oxy-acetylene torch, that's what the powdercoaters do when they re-coat frames that have been previously coated. Keep up the great work! Cheers, Terry.

Tim. · « **Reply #113 on:** July 31, 2007, 10:09:36 PM »

Thanks for the compliments! Means a lot. Hagons are certainly near the top of my list of shocks, given their British origins and the overall British influence going into the bike.

I'll be able to stick close to stock length, as I had the shock mounts brought forward a couple of inches so now they're only about 1.5 inches further back from the stock distance from the swingarm pivot. I'd imagine that makes little difference in ride height, although I'm no geometry whiz.

I do like the Radian arm and will likely keep it. Just adds wheel bearings to the mix, as the axle size is different. Easiest thing to do is buy wheel bearings with same O.D. and a 17mm I.D.

Won't know for sure which way I want the clipons until I get the bike up on two wheels. I'm on a bit of a bike-hiatus at the moments, returning to it in full force in about 10 days. The good news is I've secured my shouldered alloy rimmed wheels from a later model XS650. Just need to clean the engine up a bit, replace the engine mounting bolts with stainless units and then the engine can be put into the frame. Then up on two wheels

CrisPDuk · « **Reply #114 on:** August 16, 2007, 10:15:38 PM »

Come on then Tintin, where are you up to with this beauty

Dougy Dougy Dune Buggy · « **Reply #115 on:** August 17, 2007, 11:34:48 AM »

TinTin....man i love how it's turning out, real sano. I had an 1981 XS650 that i turned into a "Norton" style
bike, road race stance with "Up" pipes..sorry i do not have any pix of it anymore as when we moved i lost
a batch of "Project" pix AND some tools...friends..hmm....pick carefully WHO you have move...heh heh
That tank is so sweet and the seat blends perfect..you have the style going
i'll check back often to see updates-Thanks!
DWYJ

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #116 on:** August 17, 2007, 01:48:41 PM »

Bike is looking great !

Tim. · « **Reply #117 on:** October 04, 2007, 03:58:32 PM »

Not a lot of real progress in the last while, but parts continue to accumulate. I picked up some alloy rims, and have settled on running 18" rear XS650 rims front and back - they're drilled for drum so will lace up to the front drum hub well.

Stainless spokes/nipples are on their way from East Coast Wheels. Hubs and rims were picked up today from my pro polisher. I wanted these bits done up right.

Inner area of the hubs are blasted, outside faces are polished. Looks great! Will look even better once the stainless spokes/nipples are on along with the Avon Roadriders

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #118 on:** October 04, 2007, 05:22:13 PM »

I can't wait to see this bike finished, it's looking good Tintin.

Sam

Tim. · « **Reply #119 on:** October 26, 2007, 01:42:49 PM »

Got the rear today - front hopefully tomorrow (which will be awesome - 18" rim + 10" TLS hub = teeny spokes)

110/90/18 Avon Roadrider on the rear, 100/90/18 on the front. Both the 'universals'. Dedicated front/rear Roadriders only come in 90 / 120 respectively in the 18" rim and I run 110 / 100 on my R75/6 so I thought this would be nice.

Buchanan stainless spokes and nips. Had to bore out the rim spoke holes a touch for the nipples - pretty meaty.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #120 on:** October 26, 2007, 03:29:15 PM »

That looks magnificent Tinny, I can't wait to see the finished product! Cheers, Terry.

tsflstb · « **Reply #121 on:** October 26, 2007, 09:25:21 PM »

I get excited whenever you update this thread. Love the XS models and especially what you're doing with it. I'm going down a simliar path with my 400F. I've got that same seat installed and I'm also building up some shouldered alloy wheels now.

You can probably tell from the 1/4" of foam that the seat is not built for touring. Without fail, the first comment I get when someone sits on my bike is "Damn that seat's hard". Definitely looks the part on your XS though - you'll get a lot of double takes from the Norton guys when it's all done.

KB02 · « **Reply #122 on:** October 27, 2007, 05:15:09 AM »

Damn that's a meaty front tire.

Can't wait to see. it all together.

mrbreeze · « **Reply #123 on:** October 27, 2007, 10:38:57 AM »

I count 34 teeth on the rear sprocket. Man....that thing is gonna fly down the highway.Nice looking wheels.

crazypj · « **Reply #124 on:** October 27, 2007, 12:48:34 PM »

34 is stock on XS.
Primary reduction is too low but its expensive to get new gears made.
Tranny has a harder life than necessary because of it.
PJ

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Author Topic: XS650 project thread - April 2011 - Getting set for 2nd season :) (Read 69514 times)