Community Build Spotlight — submitted by Ted
Every so often a build lands in our inbox that just nails the classic XS650 chopper formula — and Ted’s ’78 is one of them. Shot in his driveway under early spring forsythia, this gloss-black hardtail with pearl white flames is the kind of bike that looks fast standing still. Ted spent about a year on the build — “it was my project this past winter,” he told us — pulling the engine, painting, and piecing the bike together one custom part at a time. The result? “It gets the looks and is fun to ride.”
A Hardtail with Real Stance
Ted started with a stock 1978 XS650 frame and went to work on the geometry. The neck was stretched 2½ inches and raked out to accommodate a 2-inch-over springer front end — that long, loping stance you can see in the photos is no accident. Out back, the swingarm was replaced with a hardtail section from TC Brothers with a 3-inch stretch, welding the rear of the bike into a clean, rigid line.
Wheels and Brakes
Up front, a 21-inch wheel brings that old-school chopper look, slowed by a disc brake. The rear keeps a drum brake on a new rim sourced from Mikes XS — a tidy, period-correct setup that suits the hardtail perfectly. Both wheels are laced with chrome spokes, and the skinny front tire against the fatter rear gives the bike its wedge profile.
The Tank: Sportster Steel, Sick Vision Paint
Perched between the backbone and the back of the springer is a Sportster tank — a classic swap for XS650 builders — painted by Ted’s local bike shop, Sick Vision, down in southern New Jersey. The finish is gloss black with white flames, and look closely: there’s pearl in the flames, which is what makes them pop the way they do in the sunlight.
Clean Lines, Hidden Wiring
The cockpit is kept simple: 3-inch risers holding an almost-straight handlebar with black grips — nothing fussy, everything functional. What you can’t see is where the electrical went. Ted fabricated his own battery box and tucked the fuse box and key ignition inside a fake oil tank under the seat, keeping the frame rails open and the lines clean. The solo sprung saddle (with tuck-and-roll stitching) and a slim sissy bar finish off the rear section, along with a small pillion pad for a lucky passenger.
Motor and Carburetion
Ted pulled the engine out of the frame over the winter and painted it, and the frame was powder coated black to match. Fresh carburetors came from Mikes XS, feeding the parallel twin through exposed pod air filters, with straight pipes running low along the frame and ending in megaphone-style mufflers.
The Spec Sheet
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year / Model | 1978 Yamaha XS650 |
| Frame | Stock ’78 frame, neck stretched 2½″ and raked; TC Brothers hardtail with 3″ stretch |
| Front end | 2″-over springer |
| Front wheel | 21″, laced spokes, disc brake |
| Rear wheel | New rim from Mikes XS, drum brake |
| Tank | Sportster tank — gloss black with pearl white flames, painted by Sick Vision (southern NJ) |
| Bars | Almost-straight bars on 3″ risers |
| Seat | Solo sprung saddle with tuck-and-roll stitching + pillion pad |
| Electrics | Fabricated battery box; fuse box and key ignition hidden in a fake oil tank under the seat |
| Carbs | Mikes XS carburetors, pod air filters |
| Exhaust | Straight pipes with megaphone-style mufflers |
| Finish | Powder-coated frame, painted engine |
| Build time | About a year (winter project) |
In Ted’s Words
“It was my project this past winter. Took engine out, painted. Mikes XS carbs, powder-coated frame, Sick Vision painted Sportster tank, new rear rim, made battery box.”
“A lot of fun to cruise the ave with — I think this one may be a keeper.”
We don’t blame him, Ted. Bikes like this don’t come around every winter.
