Builder: Jon-Michael Blythe PGCo A.K.A.: J.M.
Home town: Savin Hill, Boston, MA.
Motorcycle: 1981 Yamaha XS650
I got into motorcycles in my twenties. An uncle gave me and
My wife’s cousins husband a stock ’77 Triumph Bonneville
After a thanks giving poker game. Like that first taste of cocaine
We were hooked. Been doing it daily ever since.
The xs is my third build in as many years. I chose it because of its
solid aftermarket Presence. Never really liked them from the start
but I wanted to build a bike I could thrash to death on the tough streets
of Boston and not have to worry about it failing. Jap motors are good
for there engineering even thirty years ago. True, xs’s need to have
issues addressed but at its core it’s a great base.
I built the bike basically from scratch. I had a strait frame to chop,
Forks and a motor. Everything else I had to collect or build. Dave
Huntress helped me with the frame, he made me learn how to bend
the tube, set it up in the jig the whole thing start to finish. He is a
great teacher and a real asset to my scene. He did the tig welding for
me. Every thing else all me, even the paint.
The xs lasted about six months be for I road it into the ground. Went
Down On it, fixed it five days later hit the Brooklyn invitational on it.
Split lanes on it at dumb speeds with my local crew. (Phil PGCo., Chris,
Joey, and Jason all from H.O.T.W.) after a few months like that I’m
Strait up stuck on this little beastie.
The bike currently is broken down to its base parts for a rebuild. Frames
Getting some fab work be for blasting and powder coating. I totally rebuilt
The motor, rephased the crank and cam, seals, big bore 750 kit, 5th gear
Overdrive upgrade, the works. It will look mostly the same as it did be for
I blew it apart just more solid and fresh.
I haven’t gotten to where I am to day with out these people:
Dave Huntress, tanksbytigman.com
Phil Ostermann, ProhibitedGarageCo.com
Chris Earhart , Joey Cano, Jason Robson, HatedOfTheWorld.com
Brothers all of them.
Other builds:
http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2603
