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1980 xs650 Brat Tracker

53K views 105 replies 22 participants last post by  Garlic_Sauce 
#1 ·
1980 xs650, 11,xxx miles. Picked it up for $200, needs an overhaul but that's the way I like it. Since my xs400 is done and for sale, I really wanted to do a Brat style tracker build with an xs650, basically a bare bones tracker with Brat styling. Here's the bike when I first got it, thats Venturesomerite in the background of the second pic.




Build plans:
SS spokes
SS brake lines
Flatslides with pods
low flat leather seat
Single to dual front disc conversion
Performance exhaust set-up, not sure what excatly yet
Mini clocks
Maybe new headlight
Paint
Polishing
Maybe a fork swap
Bars/controls
Highway pegs

So far I have stripped her down and primed the frame


Started polishing the valve covers



I noticed some mud dauber nests around the valve stems when I looked inside the intake ports. (carbs were off for two years) I decided to pull the head and jugs in fear of some sand falling into the cylinders from the nests. Glad I did, here's what I found





WHAT THE FUCK!?

I popped the valves out to clean them up and have been soaking the cylinder to break up the remnants of the nests on the piston





I'll let it soak for a while while I clean the carbs and paint the frame etc.

Here's my inspiration for the build
 
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#2 ·
If it ends up half as good as your XS400, this will be a great bike!
 
#4 ·
Thanks Bro, It will be a similar set-up minus the cafe seat. Bare Bones is the name of the game. Knowing me, I'll cahnge my mind a few times once things get rolling. Can't wait to see how your xs400 turns out.

Any other pics of the inspiration bike?
Heres the link for that bike, really rad, really simple. It will be a loose baseline for my build. Only things I don't like are the tires, short ass springs (looks like it could bottom out judging by the upward rear angle of his swinger) and I really don't agree with the NO front brake thing. Yikes.

http://www.klutchrepublik.com/blog/brat-tracker-xs650
 
#6 ·
Not much to report since I'm still soaking that cylinder, did pop the clutch cover off though. Looks nice and clean in there, bearings are spinning nicely. I'll replace the clutch springs and retainers for allen heads, I've found it's a good thing to do for an older bike no matter what the mileage is, and they're cheap.



I'm going to step away from the motor for a bit and focus on putting together a nice roller. I have a 1/4" plate of 6061 that I'm going to make brackets for the highway pegs, I'll bolt them up to the front lower motor mount brackets. I need to get some new spokes too, my friend who lives down the street is going to show me how to lace them up. Rode his '90 FJ1200 yesterday he just picked up and got running to flip, Jesus fuck that bike is FAST!
I stuck my belly to the tank and dug my feet into the pegs and whacked it a bit and that thing still felt like it was going to lift up. Love it. Anyway, I haven't decided on frame color yet. I like gloss black but part of me wants to do something different like cream or something. IDK.
 
#7 ·
Scored a set of BS38's for $85 shipped. Lets hope they're as nice as described.
 
#8 ·
Got that piston unstuck! The piston are good but I'll replace the rings and jugs since they got fucked up during the freeing process. Also my neighbor gave me a 70's Honda z50!
Here's a few pics of it after I stripped it down and pulled/cleaned the grease off the motor. I have all the parts in a box, I'm going to build a little street machine monster out of it.





 
#10 ·
Sounds like that bike's gonna be a pig. ;)
The FJ1200 I rode was totally stock and fast as fuck. Can't imagine that motor on a lighter bike. Makes me want to find a first gen Slabside 1100.
What about CK187?
 
#12 ·
Here's one clean BS38, the other is soaking in dip as we speak. Still going to soda blast them tonight.

 
#15 ·
Berryman's Chem-Dip. Wallmart $18. That's also alot of scrubbing with carb spray
 
#16 ·
No progress on the xs650 but I've been working on my new toy. 1982 xj650R Seca, got it for $125... guy just wanted it gone. I cleaned the carbs, tank, flushed the MC and front brake lines, new oil, superbike bars, new tires (Shinko) and a 4-1 I got and re-painted for $50. Bike runs and handles like a fucking dream. Inline 4 motor in a tube frame has always been cool to me, plus I dig the shaft drive.
 
#17 ·
OK, its starting to cool down a bit and I'm getting the itch to really start building this fuckin bike already. Sold the xs400 and have just been riding my SECA. Anyway, things I have done since the last update is painted the frame gloss black, traded for a standard seat, polishing up all the chrome hardware and cleaned up the motor a bit.

Doesnt look like much but this motor was heavily oxidized.

I ordered new spokes and shaft seals for the carbs so I can continue on the roller and put the carbs back together. Still need piston rings, an intake valve, and a gasket set so I can put the motor back together for good. I got the green light from the misses to start dumping money into this bike so hopefully the next update will have some real progress.
 
#18 ·
you do some very cold calculated work

xs650 is a fucking blast, i own two but i will not DD them due to them wheezing with me on them @70 i still fucking love them either way
 
#19 ·
you do some very cold calculated work
Come on man that hurts, I really haven't started this bike yet. It will most likely be a hurry up and wait thing since I'm gonna need alot of parts.
 
#20 ·
well this looks familiar.... Would you clean the damn garage already!?

looking good bud
 
#21 ·
Hey Bru, I called you earlier today but I got your voicemail. Gimme a buzz buddy
 
#24 ·
OK gotcha, I thought he meant the build was slow/boring. I was gonna say, I built that xs400 pretty damn fast I thought. Anyway Thanks, I flipped the bars upside down just fuckin around waiting for parts. Might caffeinate this bitch after all...


 
#25 ·
Got my spokes, going to lace them up and true them at my friends house who has a stand.


Soaked the top end in 50/50 Pine Sol and water for a few days, took them out once a day to scrub them with a brass brush. Worked pretty good but I still need to get the nooks and crannies. Ordered the rings and gaskets etc. so I can put this motor back together. Didn't soak the jugs since I'm going to paint them flat black.

Before



After




 
#28 ·
Thanks, actually I ended up selling the z50 before I started it. I have too many projects and side jobs going on not mention a full time job, to even fuck with that thing. Any pics of your YSR50?
 
#29 ·
No real pics, it's just a bare rolling chassis at the moment. Sorry to hear the Z50 wasn't meant to be. I've got a build thread for the YSR here, but it's full of a lot of text right now and not much else.
 
#31 ·
Thanks Johnny, the problem with cleaning things is you can't just do one thing, has to be EVERYTHING...


Hope you like black jugs:





Used VHT primer and engine paint for the jugs and resurfaced the tappet covers with Scotch Brite and WD40 (Red to green to white with WD40 in between if anyone's interested). The focus on this bike will be the motor, everything else should look clean and simple, stripped down. I really want the motor to look like it's popping out of the frame. The thing I like about the Scotch Brite method is you get a surface that looks more like stainless steel than a mirror polish.
 
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