Can you help me identify/find this bike?

[Sempertoy]

I don't own a motorcycle, I have never owned a motorcycle, but I have always wanted to. I grew up around Harley's but don't think that would make a good platform. I want something that I can pack around with me in the back of the truck and something I can drive on a daily basis. I just saw something like this last week and fell in love. I think that it is a yamaha xs650, but can't decide what model or year this is. Any help on identifying or suggesting other bikes would be awesome!

 

[zolo]

Actually I think its a custom Yamaha RD. I could be wrong though.

 

[NothingClever]

Despite recognizing I'm no help in identifying what MY and model this bike is, I can't resist responding anyways....that bike looks like a slimmed down TW200 on steroids :sombrero: .

 

[zolo]

Damn I thought the RD was a good guess... Cool Bike and yes I see it now.

 

[sandalscout]

I don't think it's an RD, the RD was a twin, but the jug was at more of a forward facing angle, and the valve covers were flat tins, not finned.

That says XS650 to me all day long. Granted, I'm not super big on Yamaha history, but I've looked at XSs in some detail online.

 

[zolo]

Yeah your probably right, I thought RD cause my buddy just got his going again and brought it by the shop and it looked similar enough to have been a possible custom..

If I read Nothingclever post its his bike and a slammed custom TW at that. Maybe I'm reading his post wrong but it reads funny like its his rig.

 

[sandalscout]

haha, no the "MY" means Model Year, it's not his bike. He's saying it looks like a TW on steroids due to the wheel size and fitment. It definitely resembles one in some ways.


Oh, and sempertoy, the name of the image file is "YamahaXS650streettracksilver.jpg"

 

[zolo]

LOL I'm a **************.
Yes Ive only had one cup of coffee this AM...hahaha well I was very confused and now I'm not. But I feel silly anyway.

 

[NothingClever]

Sorry I dropped off the radar there...correct, not my bike and also correct, I abbreviated model year with 'MY'. Looks like a pretty slick fair weather commuter ride, IYAM.

 

[sandalscout]

LOL I'm a **************.
Yes Ive only had one cup of coffee this AM...hahaha well I was very confused and now I'm not. But I feel silly anyway.

haha, no reason to feel silly! It's only the internets. No worries mate!

 

[NothingClever]

You have good taste in vehicles and motorcycles....POOF!....you're no longer a **************.

 

[Project510]

That deff looks like my XS650 engine, however, the frame has been customized, those are modern inverted shocks.. modified tank and seat.. not much is left OEM..

 

[Ozrockrat]

XS1 from around 1972

Dragging up bad memories here but I am fairly sure that that is a Yamaha XS1 engine from around the early 70's maybe even late 60's.

I had one as a dirt track bike with a 52 tooth rear sprocket and no brakes. Went home more times with knobby marks over my body than trophies. Good strong engine and the only failure I ever had was a drive chain shattering and it took out the clutch pushrod.

But if you like that concept the Kawasaki W2 (I think it was W2) was built along the same lines. A copy of the british twins. 650 upright twin. Substitute and 650 BSA, Triumph and you can have a classic at the same time.

If you like that style you could also consider the new Enfield singles.

 

[RHINO]

hard to nail it down because its a flat tracker, most of them are pretty custom to the owner. if you like that style i say just start off searching for flat track bikes.

 

[STREGA]

Most likely a one off custom made bike, using a old engine and modern parts (inverted forks, disc brakes, etc.). Definately a XS 650 engine (4 stroke), not a RD (2 stroke), which Yamaha made for over 20 years, the engine in the picture appears to be a early version since it has a kickstarter on it, IIRC they removed the kickstarter after going to a electronic ignition in the late 70's/80's. Very reliable engine, darn near impossible to kill with decent horsepower for its day, but being a twin it did vibrate a lot compared to a 4 cylinder Honda of similar vintage. They were affordable, a reason they had such a long production run.

Who ever built that bike did a nice job, I like the retro look of it even though it does have modern stuff on it which would help in making it fun to ride IMO. The vintage 70's style graphics and flat track styling brings back a lot of great memories for me. :bike_rider: