In our private Yamaha XS650 Facebook Community, we love to see the passion and dedication our members put into their builds. One such member, Michael Gelernter, recently shared his incredible story and stunning pictures of his red and white Yamaha XS650 chopper, which took him 11 years to complete.
Michael’s journey began in 2008 when he decided he wanted to build his own chopper. Initially, he had his heart set on a Triumph, but the high prices of donor bikes led him to explore other options. In 2009, a friend introduced him to the Yamaha XS650, and although Michael was familiar with the model, he didn’t know it was a popular platform for building choppers.
His friend had an XS650 that had been neglected and left out in the elements for years. “It was pretty ugly, but the price was right,” Michael recalls. He took on the challenge and began working on his project, but progress was slow. “If I had money, I worked on it, if I didn’t, I threw a blanket over it and stuffed it in the laundry room,” he explains.
Fast forward to 2019, when Michael finally had the financial means to make a significant push and complete his dream bike. On December 31, 2019, he proudly went to the DMV and got a tag for his XS2, which looked almost exactly as it does in the pictures he shared, with just a few minor changes.
When asked about what he’s most proud of, Michael says, “It’s exactly what I envisioned my chop would be!” However, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. “The hardest part of the build was correcting the mistakes I made in the beginning, when I didn’t know anything about building a custom chop!” he admits.
The pictures Michael shared showcase his stunning red and white XS650 from various angles, highlighting the attention to detail and the love poured into every aspect of the build. He also included a picture of the original bike, serving as a reminder of how far he’s come and the incredible transformation he’s achieved.
