The Grim Wizard. Its a 1979 XS650 ,I started out with a bone stock 78 xs650 rode it for a week before i tore it down deciding to change things with the help and guidance of my great friend Blu. We stuck it in a stock frame that had a tc bros hard tail,changed the stock front end to a DNA springer with a 21″ wide glide wheel ,ran a 16″ drum xs wheel for the rear,i put a Lowbrow Customs mustang tank that i messed up painting so i primed it brown and added some gold leaf to it.The bike lasted like this for maybe month before i decided to tear it down again and start over.
I then bought,traded and tattooed my ass off for a few things to change it up. A big k/q seat, another tank painted by Lemon,chrome fender ,super narrow trees and a spool wheel from Warren of Jr Cycles ,the bars are from Kevin “Teach” Bass , the sporty legs i shaved down with hand files for about 2 weeks (find a friend with a lathe if you decide to do the same),my friend Robby made the hipster killer sissy bar,the other cobra seat from Harp,Chad from Shop 102 made my pipes that rip your eardrums hearing the rumble and welded in the mostercraftsman tensioner.
With a lot of research me and Skip figured out how to put an old harley 16″ wheel with disc brakes on it to help the stoping since i was running the spool up front. After a ridding it most of the year like this i started having a few problems with it .The stock charging system crapped out on me and left me sitting . With enough mishaps I wanted to make this bike bulletproof so i could ride with the least problems. After lots of interweb surfing i found a video of Hugh’s Rephased XS from Hugh’s HandBuilt and thats when it all clicked for me.
My buddy Mitch and I took the 79 motor down that i had laying around and rebuilt it with all the goods from Hugh’s Handbuilt. Full PMA charging system with a rephased 277 crank and cam,added the 5th gear od, Pamco ignition with dyna coils,and re-jetted the stock carbs. It was a beast of an xs by the time we were done with it. If you like ripping through the mountains rephasing is the way to go.
This bike has come a long way from its original state,it took just about 2 1/2 years to get to this point since i kept changing it every few months.Like any bike its always changing and evolving ,at least thats the case with me since i can’t decide on anything. None of it would have been possible without the help of all friends. The bike was has now been stripped down to just a motor and frame sold and getting a new facelift yet again. You can see old pics of it in process here http://taintedscriblins.
