Comments on: 81 XS650 dialed into grime.

By: tom

tom — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:53:00 +0000

love upside down bars. the solution to any sh$tty stock bar problem!

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:44:37 +0000

Killer Bike man! great work, I dig it! Is the flying eye symbol, a tribute to the band The Flying Eyes? if so then even sicker, good band!

By: Broman

Broman — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:43:08 +0000

I don’t want to do this twice in one day but I guess here I am – giving praise to a raw bike again. I said it before so I don’t want to repeat too much but I don’t usually go for these. I give this one a thumbs up because in a sense it isn’t raw. There is technically a paint job on there – even if it is raw at a glance.

I didg the stance and I wouldn’t have thought that I would go for a rear tire that big – but somehow you’ve pulled it off. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the springer and the bars. There is something cool about that combo that feels rad. Wish I could afford a springer now….

~Bro

By: anthony

anthony — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:19:25 +0000

I love this ride. How tough is it to keep those white wheels clean?

By: Uncle Bear

Uncle Bear — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 07:23:00 +0000

Thanks for the info Casey. I also like the way you set up your shifter with the clutch on the handlebars. That has got to be safer than a foot clutch. I am thinking about doing my xs650 chop/rat/bobber project with a shifting setup like you did. I ran a foot clutch many years ago on a H-D 45 ratbike with a jockey shift, it also had a reverse gear for a while. Ride safe, Uncle Bear

By: casey kiger

casey kiger — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:52:13 +0000

uncle bear: thats not a H-D springer..its a -4 under DNA springer…i just measured the diameter of the neck and went to my local motorcycle shop and ordered the right size race and tapered roller bearing. my buddy actually cut the neck off of a junk sportster and welded it to his xs650 front end…also an option.

By: sean from boston

sean from boston — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:02:13 +0000

i love this bike!

By: Uncle Bear

Uncle Bear — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:54:23 +0000

Cool Retro-Rat build. I have been thinking of running an H-D springer also and was wondering how much over or under yours is? Also, what did you do to get the H-D neck bearing cups to fit? Thanks, Uncle Bear

By: Stu

Stu — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:03:59 +0000

I’m usually not a fan of white rims, but those look amazing. Great job

By: Voodude

Voodude — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:38:11 +0000

Nice job bro. We are the luckiest dudes in the world to own ’81 XS’s.

By: Fletch

Fletch — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:16:14 +0000

Very cool!!

By: hooversama

hooversama — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:18:19 +0000

i LOVE the tank and the seat.

By: Royal

Royal — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:45:13 +0000

Wow! that is Fu^%in Rad. Alround awesome scoot.

By: Idaho chad

Idaho chad — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:39:32 +0000

man, i love the pinstripping! i need pork chop to set my bike off!

By: Rusty Nutz

Rusty Nutz — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:21:28 +0000

This is a classic summer night ride. Simplicity, wheels, wind, jeans that smell of gas, bugs hardened onto the headlight, sundown over the water, grabbing dinner and another ride through the boonies before putting it away for the night.

By: casey kiger

casey kiger — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:32:12 +0000

pete: the clutch is still on the bars..i only use it to take off…i have that jockey shifter to shift…on xs’s the clutch design is so crappy you dont really need a clutch to shift..just RPM’s…to my knowledge..there might be a different reason.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:33:54 +0000

Bike looks great, but I have one question.. Im not sure if im just not seeing something but is your clutch still on the bars? If so how do you manage to shift?

By: el diablo

el diablo — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:28:29 +0000

man speechless…without a doubt one of my favorite xs’s ive ever seen….great work all around!!

By: Micah

Micah — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:04:57 +0000

The finish on the tins is awesome! Great build!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:03:53 +0000

I love everything about this bike. Great work!!!