Write about your XS650.: Hey one and all, long time listener, first time caller… I mean long time reader, first time poster, is that right? Anyways, now that I’m done with my 1st ever bike build, I thought I would post some pics and get some feedback on it. Right out of the gate I want to stress that this is my one and only build so far.
Visiting this website (which is so frigin cool) for the past year or so I have seen a lot of bikes very similar to mine: hardtail, sporty tank, etc… So yes, I’m going to stand up for myself and the rest of the first time builders: The hardtail, sporty tank, etc… is simple, easy, and fun to do. That is why I did it. I had no clue what the hell I was doing when I was stripping the stock 82, and when it was stripped down to the bare frame, I still had no idea what I was doing.
My point I’m trying to make is that as a first timer, it’s very intimidating to build a simple hardtail XS. To those that have done it a million times, yes, I give you all the credit in the world; I dig your custom frames, your custom tanks, springers and totally different looks. But you are able to do that because of experience, not because of lack of imagination. So for all of you that helped me out on my first build, I thank you. And for all of you out there that are thinking about building an XS, here is my advice:
Have TC Bros weld on your hardtail, put a sporty tank on it, use TC’s controls and everything they have to offer. Get familiar with MikesXS as well. Get to know the XS from front to back, become familiar and comfortable with the bike. Don’t think of building a show winner for your first time. And if you do build a show winner for your first one; damn son keep going… And most of all have fun doing it. I can’t count the amount of nights I spent in the garage trying to figure something out for hours when now it would take me a couple of minutes. That makes me laugh when I look back at it. It has been a dream of mine to do something like this and now that I have done it, I would not change anything about the bike. The next build? That’s a different story!!!
So, one and all, keep building, experimenting, posting and sharing. Your stories inspire the timid to become first time bike builders. Signing off, first time bike builder!!!
Ryszard
