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