FTW…. Free to Wander

I never imaged the 650 would turn out the way it did.

Reuben – Here is a little back story. I had been wanting a bike for some time. I was looking but nothing I could really afford, because I wanted a Triumph. Since they have become quite popular the price of them has rocketed. So I was just talking with a buddy, and bikes popped up. I said I want to build a Yamaha because Trumpets became pricey. I looked at me crazy like (Harley guy). Says to me oh yeah, “I know where a 150$ frame and motor that has been just rebuilt”.

We were on a boat, so all I could think about was getting ashore. The rest is history. Builder: Dana at ASC Speedmetal and I. The build: is my first. I have been building “rat rods” since forever. Pretty much Dana’s first build too. Seems like the build took a year. I was not in a hurry. I thought I would just make a ratty 650 that I would just turn around and sell to get a Harley. I was wrong, I never imaged the 650 would turn out the way it did. “It’s a real crowd pleaser”

After looking at bike after bike, trying to figure out how I wanted the hard tail to go we said F it lets jus weld the bike the height and wheel base you want it and go from there. Stripped the bike down to nothing got rid of all tabs, cut out the front part of the frame. (We reinforced somewhere else). Got lucky on rear gussets. Our friend teaches machine work at a local community collage. So he did it as a class project. The cost 0$. All the 4130 was scraps lying around the shop.

Almost everything I got was kick down shxt from my biker buddies. Or I traded, I am fortunate to live in long beach, ca where there is a motorcycle swap once a month. There’s also an old car one too. Can’t limit yerself to just bike parts. There is a lot of cool stuff at almost any swap meet.

Wheels: front 21” pizza cutter spool rear is 16”sporty (the gearing was kind of a pain but there always eBay) just went big on the front equals out.

Frame: Yamaha with custom built hard tail
Forks: cut down and shaved sporty with xs400 triple tree with new stem
Exhaust: custom “stainless” (you can get a pipe kit at www.biltwellinc.com
Electrical box: Triumph octagon, I cut a rectangle out the top. Put in single coil and the 2nd smallest battery I could find. I am not running the starter, so now starter switch.

Gas tank: Wassell painted by Sonny Boy at Road Dog Customs sonnyboypaint.blogspot.
Fender: ripped triumph
Seat: swap meet special that I aged, p-pad bates
Pegs: Anderson with custom peg mounts
Kicker: brass
Bars: custom
Sissy bar: custom (stainless)

Right side case: custom copper plate (these can be made as many different metals) Hit me on chopcult.com (rubysoho) it can be a service or not. But one is WAY cheaper than the other. Left side case: cut weird chain guard off.

Things learned on this build. Don’t run exhaust under seat (gets real hot a long rides) and don’t weld on kickstand. After riding it I learned it can be real scary going left sometime. Well, I hope my bike inspires someone.