1982 XJ650 stock to bobber project - on a budget

That is a very good question
1) It took me around a month and a half, start to finish.

2) I kept track of everthihng I bought, nuts, bolts, paint, parts.... everything

Yamaha 650 Costs
Cost Description Date Notes
$250.00 cost of bike 3/10/2008 Ray 309-533-1233
$50.00 pay Brad for help 3/10/2008 dissasemble and clean carbs
$65.00 title transfer 3/11/2008 DMV
$25.00 bike taxes 3/11/2008 DMV
$11.40 spark plugs 3/11/2008 four NGK's
$31.88 frame material 3/12/2008 round tubing - Morris Tick
$30.00 pay Brad for help 3/15/2008 dissasemble and clean
-$75.00 sold covers, bars, pegs, signals 3/17/2008 Xjbikes.com
$37.98 seat 3/19/2008 ebay
$71.62 air filters 3/27/2008 online
$2.65 battery box hardware 3/27/2008 steel and aluminum
$59.11 clean fuel tank 3/28/2008 Maas radiator shop
$9.00 tail lights 3/31/2008 truck stop
$17.39 3" seat springs 4/1/2008 Ebay
$88.00 license plate and registration 4/10/2008 DMV
$12.47 handlebar grips 4/11/2008 Sportland dealership
$83.06 paint and engine oil 4/12/2008 flat black and primer
-$111.07 sold seat 4/14/2008 factory recovered seat
$8.06 brake parts cleaner 4/15/2008 Oreillys
$15.98 electrical and switch 4/19/2008 headlight switch, etc
$39.00 master cylinder rebuild kit 4/23/2008 Xjbikes.com
$63.83 diagnose and repair no start 4/24/2008 Sportland dealership
$121.00 carb rebuild kit and jet kit 4/24/2008 Xjbikes.com
$17.00 resistors, paint 4/27/2008 Oreillys
$38.83 black header tape 4/27/2008 ebay
$18.39 clutch and brake levers 5/5/2008 Sportland dealership
$185.00 ignition coils 5/12/2008 Xjbikes.com
$7.27 bulbs 5/6/2008 Oreillys


$1,172.85 Total Cost To Date

 

Wow, Fast and cheap. Now have to talk the old lady into letting me. And finding a show/space to do it.

 

crath,

i have the same exact lights on my bike and im wondering how you you have them wired? the lights came with a single filament and a bulb so i bought a double filament and im having trouble finding a double filament bulb that will fit in the beehive. a suggestions from you or anyone else would be appriciated.

thanks in advance

 

Is there a single wire going to the back of the fixture? If there is, you can only mount a single filament bulb in the housing. This is likely your only option. You have to wire in a resistor on the running light circuit to get a dimmer illumunation for the running lights vs. the brake light. Try several different combinations of resistors to get the brightness you are looking for in a running light. Both the brake light wire and the running light wires (positive) get wired to the single wire at the back of the housing.

 

any idea how long it took you, in hours, to do this mod? was this a 4 hors a night for a month thing or a 8 hours every saturday build?

 

It was pretty much 4 hours a night almost every weeknight and at least 8 hours every weekend. I didnt keep track of my hours as precisely as I did my cost. It took me somewhere between 80 - 100 hours.... I was pretty meticulous about some things. There are some details I could have skipped to cut the time down.

 

Man this is my inspiration this winter. This has to be my favorite XJ to date. What do you drive in RA?

 

Thanks for the compliment. What do I drive it RA? What's RA, lol?

 

What do you have in Relaxed Atmosphere?

 

I sang for 3rd World Lover, you heard of them? "Whipped cream, put it all over yo bodayyyy...."

 

:lol: hehe

 

oh, duh.... I have a bagged, stock floor body dropped, fully shaved, and painted 2001 Sonoma on big billet wheels

 

PICS!!

 

Lot's o pics

I'm in the middle of finishing up the stock floor body drop, so all these 'finished' pictures or taken before I started. I have also included some of the under construction pictures from the past few months. I should have the truck completed by the middle/late end of the summer.








Hand laid striping around the whole truck





air actuated tilt bed






Rear end






two 15's






At the shop






Here's some recent under contruction pics, building the new frame section for the stock floor body drop



Stripped and ready for the frame table...





new rails with the rockers 'on the ground'






Old garbage frame rails





New frame rails installed








I've got other work done since these pictures were taken, just havent had a chance to take any. I've been pretty busy

 

Thats a bada$$ mini.. My mini's never were finished..

 

dont worry, no mini is really ever "finished"

 

hey, was looking at the movie of you on your bike and was wondering how tall you are. i' 6'5" and im trying to imagine posture.

 

Brother that is one nice bike! I gives me some great ideas for mine.

Thanks and Keep Up the Awsome Work!
Sam

 

Thanks for the comment mtmadman

I am a short 5'6". I would suggest stretching the swingarms and some forward controls for someone taller. I let everyone ride this bike, anyone over 6" looks a little big for it honestly

 

nice beer pong table in the 13th pic sweet trucks too

 

Sick sonoma!

I'm lookin for the envoy front end for my S10 as well... Mine isn't anywhere near yours though... I just have a 2/3 drop for now, trying to get the body ready for paint. I'll be doing stock cherry red top w/ black down... And I see your bed tilts for the gas filler? Nice touch.
I just signed up over on S10 forum.com... I have a page under "new members" titled "New from Newfoundland" if you want to have a peek at my POS.

Can't imagine taking on a SFBD myself. Great work!

 

Ths bike is pretty bad ass.

 

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll check out your thread Ease. I just sold that Envoy front end a few months ago, sorry, I could have got it to you some how.

Not an XJ, but here's the Kawasaki KZ550 I am finishing up right now.

 

Nice, kept the suspension I see.

I really like those tails (in the frame). Got any more info on them??

 

I relocated the upper shock mounts to bring the ride height down. It makes for a very cushy ride, so I stiffened the shocks to the max adjustment. The tails lights are just the multi LED bulbs you buy at the parts store to replace common conventional bulbs (1157, 2257, 2157, etc).

 

that KZ550 is ganna look sick! got any more pictures of it? ive got a KZ of my own and im lookin to do somethin like that to it. any info and pics help!

 

Yeah, here's a couple. Let me know if you have any questions. These are some pics from a few weeks ago. It's not done, but rideable. A few little changes still need to be done.

 

your bikes look great dude...love the budget bobbers...where did you get that seat on the kz?

 

Thanks for the comment, the seat is home made from sheet metal and solid round rod

 

Hey crath the tail lights on your black xj where did u say u got those and are they the dual filament style?

 

They are just single filaments from the truck stop. They are used on trailers for marker lights. Only 5 bucks each. You just have to wire in a resistor on the running light circuit to make a single filament bulb work for brake/running lights.

 

did you relocate the shocks on the KZ to where the whole for the LTD cover goes? thats just how it looks in the picture...what other things need to be done to it?

 

I just stuck them in a location where it would lower it where I wanted it to be. The lower mounting point is in the stock location

 

Can you send me the resistor because i have the single filament style on my bike and love the look.

 

forgot to proof read i meant resistor info.

 

To Crath
I've just started to stripping down my XJ900, originally to Trike but with all the hassle my mate Paul’s had with the SVA classification for new vehicles, there making him jump through hoops like you wouldn’t believe.

After lookin at you XJ bobber that’s the way I want to go!

So if you have any build picture or advice on how to go about build a similar bike to yours it could you send me them
My email address is windus1@googlemail.com

That goes for anyone else who might be reading this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also where did you get that tank?

 

It's actually just a stock tank from this bike, 82 Maxim 650. Let me know what type of pictures you would like to see that I havent already posted in this thread.

 

Thanks for replying so quickly I’m new to this website and I haven’t had a good search of it yet. I’m hoping you can help because like you I’m also doing this on a budget and I’d like to have it ready for the Bulldog Bash next year.

The Photos I was after were any you might have of the early stages of the frame, for instance where you might have had any chopping or welding done.

Plus I’m a complete novice to this so any knowledge or photos you are willing to pass on

My email is: windus1@google.com
Cheers
Amendment: I've just seen the what I need at the begining of the forum page Nice job!

 

If you click through all the pages on this thread (there are 10 of them now), you should be able to see all the pictures I took. If you are having a problem finding or viewing them, let me know, I can email them. Or if there is something not clear, let me know. I have posted most, if not all the pictures I took.

 

Hi, Crath.
Congrats.. your project goodsearching in inet.. ) I'm from Russia(Moscow) .. nice work... very impressive .. in RF bobbers are not popular, but have place. And I hope this winter helps me to build one .. and your experience will be useful.

Now I'm looking on Yamaha XS 650(prefer) or Honda Steed 600(water cooling confusing me) as on donors.

sorry for my English
WBR.

Max.

 

Mask, let me know if you have any questions. I'd like to see how your project goes in Russia. It's too bad bobbers are not as popular there. The XS650 is a very popular donor bike for a bobber project. They are fairly easy to find in the states. Good luck!

 

I didnt see it mentioned but is the front stock height?

 

Yes, front it stock height

 

crath i will be bringing my bike over next week so you can start on doing a full hands on step by step DIY for everyone you do the welding i'll snap the pics deal ok deal.......lol that thing is off the charts love it can't wait till next summer when i get that far hats off to you brother 8) and your truck pic brings back memories of my toyotas and s10 :cry: i miss indy bash and dayton cruisefest :roll:

 

alright yamaha4life, I will clear a section of the garage out for you ...yea, Indy Bash is a great show, although last year wasn't what it used to be. I used to live in Dayton for almost a year (actually Brookville, OH) but never made it to cruise fest. Pretty bad, I know. Thanks for the comments!

 

An update on my truck... ...a work in progress

Stock floor body drop, 20" Bonspeed billets, interior work, hydroboost brakes, and all new air ride. Fun!

 

Looks great man...
My S10 is hung up in the garage right now with some rear end problems.
Might end up swapping out for a G80 for the disc brakes + limited slip.
... And remove a leaf.

 

damn that this is low...crath, you did most or all of your bikes with pods and short exhaust cut striaght from the headers...im doing this too like the looks seems cheaper than new exhaust...any tips? or on did you have any odd problems?

 

No problems really, people probably hate it when I pass them at high rpms. Mine throws small 6" blue flames when deceling with no throttle, in gear, at higher rpms. But that may be a carb issue, which I do not plan to fix. I would suggest it, lol

 

Amazing...truly a beautiful bike...