Yamaha XS650

I always go to a friend of mine who has a little motorcycle shop in mostly '70's bikes.

The name of the shop is: PHOENIX-AZ motorcycles

http://www.phoenix-az.nl

He's  specialized in the Yamaha XS650

So a couple of months ago, he found a barnfind.

Well he knew the bike was there, but never asked the person what he did with the bike.....

So one day He picked it up and it wasn't looking well

It stood there for over 20 years ...........

BUT......it was original and did not have many miles

To keep the story short: we cleaned it, did some new oil in it, new patrol and the bike started.

To be honest: it runs very well

So I bought it today, because I don't have a bike to work on.

Now I ask myself, shall I keep it original, or shall I make a caferacer of it?

I think I go for the first option, because even the original mirrors(and I don't like them because they so high) are on the bike.

Didn't take original photo's yet, but this type of XS is it (european style)

The only difference is: there's an American flag under the 650 on the sidepanel
Here a picture of a XS caferacer I had with a big bore 750 kit

UPDATE

Did change the XS a bit this last week

Here some pictures of what I did

First polished the engine a little bit and painted the cilinders black

Than changed the petrol tank and buddy seat

Put another rear fender and taillight on

and another mirror and signal lamps

Than other rear suspension

And yesterday chrome healight with headlight holders

Are the things I changed new parts?

No they are used parts but almost in new condition

IS IT FINISHED NOW?

NO

Need anorther chrome front fender and exhaust pipes

and mayby 18" rear wheel with drum brake

UPDATE 14-1-2012

Took this picture just a minute ago

Yes the sun is shining and it's 14-january

In the sun it's 12 degrees at the moment ??????

I had choppers and Bobbers aswell

I know mine heart belong to "classic British" caferacers, but that doesn't mean I don't like other bikes

I had choppers and bobbers aswell

Mine first chopper I made with a friend of mine almost 30 years ago

 was a Honda cb750 from the early 70's

As you can see, it changed a lot.

It looks like a hardtail, but as you can see it had rear suspension

I had a lot of looks with the bike because you couldn't buy a chopper at that time

except a Harley Davidson

So when I advertised it to sell, it didn't take long

Sometimes I wished I never done that......

Another lovely chopper I had, was build with a Yamaha XS650 engine

Ofcourse this is a very lovely engine to build choppers caferacers bobbers dirt bikes etc

Look at the helmet I always used on the back of the Yamaha

A couple of months ago I saw the frame of the Yamaha for sale in Holland on a motorcycle site,

such as Ebay

VW LT28 6 clinder diesel engine

Another hobby of mine is mine VW LT28 camper.
It's a 6 cilinder diesel engine.
I made it mine style ofcourse
Of course with a big sticker (home made by a friend of mine) of my favorite Marlon Brando.
I drive to RnR gigs, classic motorcycle racing an hollidays with it
Been to England with it last summer and visit the Ace with her.
Drove to a friend of mine and stayed there for a couple of days.
Easy because you got everything 'on board'.....incl the 50's music ofcourse

Update 14-12-2011

Me and the LT in front of the ACE cafe in London

The LT on the left site,  I met on a country road near Norwich in the UK

The change this happen is less than one in a million I think

That's why I asked the Lady driver ... yes a woman drove this one,

if I could make a picture of the two together

If I remember well, It was a LT40

D24 models

ID(s)	DIN-rated max. motive power at rpm	max. torque at rpm	redline (rpm)	years
1S, ACT[1]	51 kW (69 PS; 68 bhp) @ ?,???			1988–1995
CP, DW[1]	55 kW (75 PS; 74 bhp) @ 4,000	155 N·m (114 ft·lbf) @ 2,800		1978–1992
Volvo D24	60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp) @ 4,700	145 N·m (107 ft·lbf) @ 2,000	max rpm @5400 rpm before fuel cut

The weight of this engine is 182 kg or 201 lbs.
The D24 was fitted in the Volkswagen range from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, with factory production from August 1978 to December 1995.^[1]
Specific dates of the variants - CP: 08/78-11/82, DW: 12/82-07/92, 1S: 08/88-07/92, ACT: 08/92-12/95.^[1]
The D24 was also found in a number of Volvo cars - specifically the 240 ,740, and 940 and was coupled to Volvo ZF, AW, M45, M46 (overdrive) or M47 and m47 II transmissions.
The D24 also found use in military vehicle applications.
It was used in the early variants of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle, with current Pinzgauers being manufactured with the turbocharged variant - the D24T.

Marlon Brando from the movie THE WILD ONE

Marlon Brando drinkin a beer.
From the movie THE WILD ONE.
He was the one who started me to ride British bikes
So as you can see in earlier blog,
mine Triumph  T 100 from 1953 with all alloy engine and springhub.
Same year as the movie came out.
Here 2 postcards I have of mine idol

Click below to see a part of the movie
http://youtu.be/yCENBce_dls

As you can see, not all of my bikes are in good condition

This is a ARIEL VB 600 from 1952

I found this bike in Belgium and it was very complete.

The man I bought it from had it for years and years.

I never finish it, because when somebody heard about the bike I had

he made me an offer I couldn't refuse at that time

Little bit of a pity

But than again, you can buy something else for it

 

As you know I'm also into the 50's music.

I had my own radioshow called:

Cowboys Guitars & Cadillacs

I went to a lot of RnR gigs in europe

Cruise Inn Amsterdam

Rockhouse meeting Eindhoven

Rockin ballhouse Utrecht

But also Caister Skegness Great Yarmouth & lots more

But also every weekend in our own Rockin wooden place in Eindhoven

called VLUCHT

We had a lot of bands playing there

Flying Saucers Crazy Cavan Blue Cats Mac Taple Freddie Fingers Lee

and a lot more

Yes we talkin about 70's-80's

Abouve picture from that clubhouse and

the rockin boys and girls 

Ok as you know I live in Holland.

I went with my Triumph T100 from 1953 to England.

When I'm over there I always try to go on a friday to Heydon.

This is a very little place near Norwich,Norfolk.

Why I go there, well look at the picture.

That's what you see for example, if you visit the pub.

On a good day (summertime) you have easy between

100-200 bikes coming to the pub.

You can see than a Goldstar or Vincent just outside the pub.

Of course also  a lot of Triumphs BSA Norton TRIBSA NORVIN

TRITON etc.

So don't forget to go there if you can.

This is not a postcard, but a picture I took

in front of a castle in Aarle Rixtel Holland.

The Bike is a Matchless G80 from 1957

So it's a 500cc single and did easy 60mp/h

This bike was completely restored.
UPDATE
I just had contact on email with the man who restored the bike.
and I try to tramslate as good as I can...
He wrote:Hello Peter, here a number of photo, s of the engine in the State in which I bought it. I have the photo, s reshooting with camera, because the original were already (long) erased from the computer. I'm not so handy with a computer so..... The photo, s I did use as a reminder how the everything was mounted. It was the first engine that I have fully restored. Of rebuilding the bike, I have no photo, s. It was a bit tricky frame but the rest was not to bad to do. All the time , I had a lot of  fun at the job. It took me  around 8 months to restore it. Some other bikes afterwards done, but now my interest is more to motorcycles before 1940. Whole restorations I don't  do anymore, that is (for me) become too pricey. Another thing, I believe the BSA Gold Star displayed by your (and then the CB type 1954) is one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever created (unexplained too expensive for me) I had  a very nice A7SS BSA also had a very nice bike I am not, however, and do so again. I had over the years a lot of fun doi'it.
Greetings, Andre van der Zwan

Thank you Andre for the response and it was a pity I couldn;t use the photo's of you on this blog
Here an photo of the bike in my back garden

Ridin the Matchless G80

This is my first bike (30 years ago)

It is a Suzuki GT 750 from 1976

It had 3 cilinders and was a 2 stroke with  water cooling

Now this is a picture how it looks today.

I tell you the story about that picture and the bike.

A year ago, I found the registration number of the bike at my mums house

I checked the RDW registration and the bike was still on the road.

I put an advertise if somebody knew where my first bike was

The 'new' owner e mailed me, that he was the happy owner of the GT750

He also did send me this picture and I'm very proud of the looks.

Than somebody else phoned me as well and he is a well known person of mine

He said that he bought this bike 2 years after I sold it from a man in Eindhoven

Now that was the same man I sold the GT to.

He told me also it was his first motorcycle............

Than he told me, you know Remi too..

I said: Yes

He said: I sold the GT to him aswell

So my first bike was also the bike of 2 people(mayby more) I know but just found out 30 years later.

Anyway the owner also said:  You don't have to ask if I'm selling it......because I don't

He was very pleased with it . 

Me on the XS 650 caferacer I build several years ago
Home made exhaust with a beautiful sound
Listen for yourself
By the way this bike had an "original dirttrack" 750 kit from the US
also responsable for the sound ofcourse
The bike is still running by the demo races

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/embed/KF3deg_m4dw

This bike is a Panther M120 from the early 60's

Little bit of a story

Always wanted 2 bikes

A Triumph like Marlon Brando had or look a like

or a  Panther M120

 

The day I bought this bike I was in heaven

I didn't drove it because she needed new primairie chain

The same week, somebody sold his T100.....

Well , I'm into the 50's aswell and a T100

was more a Rockers bike than the Panther was

So I had a choice to make about a bike I wanted for quit awhile

The story is: Sold this one and bought the T100 as you can see in earlier Blog

But still can say: I had one.......... ;-)

This is a Triumph T100 from 1953 with all alloy engine and spring hub.
This photo was taken when I was riding with the Triumph in the UK.
It was on the A149 from Wells next to sea(where they have lovely fish & chips by the way) to Cromer.

Here's a picture of me on the T100 with my leather jacket.
I lost my quiff when the needle hit the ton HA

Below you can see a picture of the spring hub and an open picture how it works

UPATE 2 pictures of the bike in my back garden

This is a Hillman Minx 1.6 from 1963 I used to ride

and a BSA Rocket from 1964. 

Here's a original poster of the ROCKET and a picture by the shed