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[Highspeedhamish]

Got the cases apart... finally. Oil sump has some bits in the bottom, mostly from the cam chain runner and some sitting around for years type sludge. Much much better than I thought....

[Highspeedhamish]

Whoever did repairs previously didnt do them well... in the head there are two external type covers with seals off the end of the camshaft that hold the points and advance unit, they are held in by 3 screws each side which were reused. 4 of the 6 were stripped.. the last one had to be cut and removed with a chisel.

[Pee Wee]

Looks good. I know a few people right now making rigid choppers out of different bikes. Do you have to have this bike inspected when it's all done? Or just go in and insure it as if it was a reg XS650 and not tell em it's frame has been modded, doesn't have suspension. Let's say you don't say anything....what happens if you get handed a VI from a cop?

Trust me I'd love to own one of these, just I'd be right pissed if I found out they wouldn't pass it or it was taken off the road.

Reason I ask is I know a guy who bought a big bear chopper kit bike....you assemble at home. $40000 later and he cannot legally insure the bike in Canada, didn't meet Transport Canada guidelines. That was something out of the states though.

[Highspeedhamish]

This bike has papers and is just uninsured. I will have a headlight, tail light, signals, horn, muffler (with baffle and packing) and brakes (front and rear!). So the frame isnt a u-build like the Big Bear chopper. There is also a company in Alberta that makes custom frames with a number (cant remember what its called) that allows you to register the bike once inspection is completed.

Considering Customs (Hog type engined machines) are put on the road everyday and they have hard tails, pathetic signals, headlights that are never turned on and illegal (currently) exhaust... I aint too worried.

Im pretty much following the rules on this one...

Considering Ive seen Norton / Triumph hack pieces on the road last summer riding around in broad daylight with questionable frames , no signals, tail lights the size of a acorn and brakes that couldnt stop a 10 speed... They (Pigums) will have bigger fish to fry.

[VIMS]

I've had the discussion with ICBC many times now, and the story I get from them is that I can build my own frame as long as I have receipts for everything, but at the same time vehicle inspectors have told me they can't pass a homebuilt bike until it's had the frame certified.

It seems like there is confusion about what the actual rules are, even with the people enforcing them.

[Pee Wee]

I've had the discussion with ICBC many times now, and the story I get from them is that I can build my own frame as long as I have receipts for everything, but at the same time vehicle inspectors have told me they can't pass a homebuilt bike until it's had the frame certified.

It seems like there is confusion about what the actual rules are, even with the people enforcing them.

Yeah see this is what Im talking about. I've heard the same crap hamish hear's....oh Joe Blow did this and it's ok. Then someone get's pulled for questionable license plate mount or no signal's, the officer doesn't even know what he's looking at and writes up a VI.

ICBC, deems it Unroadworthy for what ever reason's and your project is benched pending a VI. Our rules for this in BC are a lot more strict than say AB or anywhere in the States.

I've seen some pretty horrible POS roll through my parking lot.

The Gas Town Bike show is coming in August.....will you have your bike ready for the show ??

[Highspeedhamish]

I've had the discussion with ICBC many times now, and the story I get from them is that I can build my own frame as long as I have receipts for everything, but at the same time vehicle inspectors have told me they can't pass a homebuilt bike until it's had the frame certified.

It seems like there is confusion about what the actual rules are, even with the people enforcing them.

Building your frame with regards to what though? Personally Im not building an entire frame like the custom Hog runners do, I didnt cut the steering off and rake it out like the super long raked Hog Customs. All I did was modify the rear suspension. Just like cars with airbags, hydraulics etc. Dont forget about the many Harley 45's running around town with hard tails, suicide shifts and throttles and no signals. I have receipts for EVERYTHING (I added them last night and cried) so no problems there. And what about all the "street fighters" ? Ive seen "custom" tail section almost pointed up in the sky (no really it was redonkulous) tailights made out a neon tube etc etc. Dont forget about the dirtbikes that made it to the street.... saw a CR250 2 summers ago parked at Pluto's.

[Highspeedhamish]

Yeah see this is what Im talking about. I've heard the same crap Hamish hear's....oh Joe Blow did this and it's ok. Then someone get's pulled for questionable license plate mount or no signal's, the officer doesn't even know what he's looking at and writes up a VI.

ICBC, deems it Unroadworthy for what ever reason's and your project is benched pending a VI. Our rules for this in BC are a lot more strict than say AB or anywhere in the States.

I've seen some pretty horrible POS roll through my parking lot.

The Gas Town Bike show is coming in August.....will you have your bike ready for the show ??

Oh I forgot to mention.. I also have 2 mirrors and they aren't for dentistry 

Our laws/bylaws with motor vehicles are ancient. You still dont need to have a functioning headlight on during the daytime, even though all bikes made since... 1965 have an always on headlight. If you have signals you must use them and not hand signals, if you have no signals them you must use hand signals always.. and so on. Dont forget they brought back the mandatory helmet law in.....1990... after being reversed the year prior.

Is Disaster Daze in Gas Town this year? or is that some other meet? I should have in on the road by end of April.. if not Im a failure.. lol.

You should have seen some of the rats that rode from Alberta that made it last year... wow. I was speechless.
When I got the ferry to go over though, there was a younger guy with a GS400 (I think) and he had a glass bottle with the carb overflow tubes going into it, after it filled with gas he would pull it out from behind the carbs and dump it back into the tank.

I aint too worried myself...  the only thing that will leak on my Yamaha is blood from my kindneys.. 

[VIMS]

The same guy that told me he can't pass a home built bike without having the frame certified also said he can't pass a modified frame without having it certified.
When I talked to ICBC I was specifically asking about building a frame from scratch, no numbers at all, just pieces of metal bent and welded together, and they have repeatedly told me that it wouldn't be a problem, just keep the receipts.

You won't have any issues unless a cop doesn't like the looks of you and issues a VI, so just don't piss off any boys (or girls) in blue on that bike and you should be fine.

[Highspeedhamish]

Oh boy chain and sprockets... 120 links of chain. Im always amazed how much chain costs...

[Highspeedhamish]

Tachometer block off plate for mechanical tach drive. I broke off the inner collar that the threads attach to so this was perfect. Made by some guy in Virginia...

[Highspeedhamish]

Oil Sump plate (holds filter as well) and clutch slave. Both painted with high heat engine enamel. Im not sure what Im going to do with the drain plug... chrome or paint it black.. decisions decisions.

[wheelie junkie]

maybe cad plated

[Highspeedhamish]

Engine pictures from after the Jet Wash and Soda Blasting and Degreaser.. and and...  You can see what years of corrosion look like on the front of the engine and the side covers. Left and right side covers will be powercoated black with the Yamaha letters painted gold. The rest of the motor (up to the cylinder head) will be painted high heat enamel.

Side cover right side: You can see the oil filter location, inside you see the oil pump housing. The tach runs off the oil pump gear.

Engine left side: The area at the bottom right is the the starter gear housing.

[adrjunky]

Just a thought to keep in mind the XS650 has an oil filter in the sump these are prone to breaking and have resulted in lots of engine damage over the years. Should be checked everytime you do an oil change. The screens in them are very fragile (hey it's twin it vibrates)... great bike! Yamaha used it for Kenny Roberts Flat Track bike way back then....