what is the average age of xs riders

[jeepurze]

im kinda noticeing theres a lot of young guns picking xs to modify , chop or restore , so why? usually a bike or car gain huge popularity after a tv show or movie features one, notice the high dollar chops after shows featuring exile cycle, the tuttles and jesse james. So why the 650? they arent powerhouses, not smooth, guess that leaves cheap, but how did it spread, man these bikes are on every board, I dont think theres many bikers that havnt heard about the xs. If japan or h.d. victory ect could bottle it theyd have something .Im amazed at the frapper map , everytime I open mail , bing another newbi.
oh well just a thought.

[spyug]

Jeep,
I think there is some kind of gen "X" conspiracy going on to deny us old farts our little bit o pleasure.

I only started thinking about a 650 a couple of years ago after stumbling across one of the 650 specific sites and seeing some of the tasty "cafe" styles. I was going to build one of those but finding a donor proved to be tougher than I ever imagined. Mostly because everytime I called on one it was gone before I got there. I once made arrangements to see one 3 hours away from home only to turn up on the guys door to be told " I just sold it to a young guy who saw it as he was driving by" Man was I pissed. Happened a couple more times after that.....and always to "some young guy".

The price on the bloody things has gone crazy too (at least around here) and any piece of crap is worth a grand minimum. I was lucky finally getting my Special. I put a wanted ad up in craigslists and a guy who was moving down your way agreed to hand it over for 5 c notes with manual and some spares. I felt privileged for a change.

You know the sad thing is that as an old fart I'll only get to enjoy it for a few years (hopefully) and some "young guy" will get it in the end. I guess that's the "cycle" of life. ;D

Cheers,
Spyug

[pops]

X-ers gotta do SOMETHING. They have no cool clothes, their music is just angry noise, and have you looked under the hood of cars lately? Intimidating spaghetti and emissions testing. Even new motorcycles have become too complicated to tinker with. It's no wonder they have latched onto the old 650s. I think that's good as it helps spawn parts suppliers to keep up with the demand and that helps us old farts, too. Imagine trying to breathe life back into one of these old beasts using just the Yamaha dealers for parts.

pops

[zman]

YEA, GEEP and POPS, i feel proud to have sported around on my 71XS way back in 77. of course times were good back then so i could be off by a couple of years. maybe 78 or 76. but anyhoo, nobody liked it but me.
girls hopped on the honda 750`s, kawai 900`s and there i was waiting for all the rear seats to fill up before a chick hoped on my ride.
well finally some chick or no chick arrived but i rode it proudly and like a gentleman.
but i must say my group of friends/riders were all really good/cool on the road. no hot dogging if a girl was on board.
i spend some time remembering with a smile on my face of the years ive had. I think i`m one lucky guy to have lived my life how it went.
but as to the resurgent of the XS i think its just a matter of the fact that its out of production. Couple that with the fact that the prices of the triumps are out of control, the sound, acceleration and mystique of the XS is every bit as good as any vintage bike and you have a combo for classic. and classic = price. might be wrong on that but thats been my take.
jeff

[jack]

The old XS is a man's best friend other than old yeller and either would be difficult to put to rest. I maybe becoming an old fart but the XS brings out the youth in me at times ....Jack

[skinnycowboy]

I'm 34. I don't know if that makes me young. I don't feel young. I like the xs because of its classic style -- chrome and metal. I've been pleasantly surprised at the bike's popularity, making parts cheap and plentiful. Plus, there are a lot of people who have restored them, making it easier for a newbie like me to find help.

My Special still isn't running. But living in Wisconsin, I have lots of winter left to keep trying.

[druid]

Zman, I think you hit it pretty much on the head, after reading this I wondered to myself what attaracted me to the 650, I suppose I am one of the X'ers you all are referrin to, and yeah if I could afford a vintage Triumph I would, but when ya can find a bike so versatile, with the good looks of the engine, no water cooling, and no shaft drive, for around the $500 mark, ya just cant beat it.
And as far as the fancy crap on tv..well that just draws the dip's with huge pocket books, that usually havent a clue how to turn a wrench, they get all excited with the all the billet aluminum and flashyness.
There is Zero engineering and people like that that use old school stuff and you see a lot more of the mechanisims and mechanics of the bike and just the style of how they are built, clean..simple.
And I used to get tons of compliments on the 73 650 I rode last year even some lady's that rode in with some harley guys at the bar and wanted for me to give them a ride, it was bone stock, even had a old 70's throwback narrow King/queen seat, and I had to leave it that way cause it was a loaner, I have to admit, I was super embarassed when I first started riding it, but it grew on me, and I definitely had to snag another to atleast motor around town on, and so I am here with this 79 now.
Plus, it's a lot easier(mentally) to cut one of these up and have fun with it, compared to findin a Triumph and cuttin on it.
and haha Pops...that was an amusing post "angry music"

[Burns]

We just got cool sooner than they did that's all.

Nothing sez "Real Deal" like a Yam 650 Twin.

[5twins]

I'm a bit of a late comer to these bikes having aquired mine only a few years ago. I've always liked and wanted one ever since they came out but the right deal (meaning cheap) never came along. Other bikes were higher up on my "want" list so I ended up buying and riding them. Finally, an XS650 did come my way and after my first season on her, all I can say is I wish I would have gotten one sooner. What a great do-all, all-around general purpose bike this is.

To me, this is a real, honest motorcycle. It looks, sounds, and feels the way I think a bike should. I love the look of the motor and the fact that I can do all the maintenance and work myself. Easy to get and reasonably priced parts are also a good thing. Having groups like this for tips and advice is priceless. In fact, just the internet in general is a wealth of info for us old bike riders. All the bikes I own are older, mostly '70s, models. There really aren't many new ones that do anything for me. Besides, the way I look at it is that 7 or 8 grand could buy me lots of XS650s.

[skinnycowboy]

pops said:

X-ers gotta do SOMETHING. They have no cool clothes, their music is just angry noise, and have you looked under the hood of cars lately? Intimidating spaghetti and emissions testing. Even new motorcycles have become too complicated to tinker with. It's no wonder they have latched onto the old 650s. I think that's good as it helps spawn parts suppliers to keep up with the demand and that helps us old farts, too. Imagine trying to breathe life back into one of these old beasts using just the Yamaha dealers for parts.

pops

I have to agree with you, Pops. The simplicity of the machine has impressed me most. I haven't encountered one computer chip. Refreshing.

I'm a complete numbskull mechanic, yet I've learned so much about the 650 in the last month of trying to rebuild it.

-Skins

[orygun]

Well, since this year marks the age where I can order off the "senior" menu that tells you my age. I bought my XS several years ago because I had always liked them but never had one. I've been glad ever since. I also have to confess that the fact they are cheap to buy and easy to get parts for helps. A co-worker was a little offended the other day when I asked him what he paid for his new full boat Harley, $15,000.00!! Based on what I paid for my XS and what I put into for a frame up restoration and rebuild I could buy 10 XS's for that.

[motormike]

I've been on my 1977 D model since 1981.....I've had other bikes during this time...bigger..faster..ect ect....but none had a bigger "grin" factor...I only had to tralier it home twice..both electrical germlins....and if it has a problem...I can fix it....I don't have to buy a collection of vavle shims and a $60.oo valve cover gasket....Mike, MN

[Polamnus]

I'm 29 and fast chasing 30, this is my first bike aquired only 2.5 years ago. I can honestly say that the late chopper craze of OCC and WCC was a true inspiration to me, but not ever in the sense that I wanted emulate the billet barges, but because it brought motorcycling into the arena of something that the "everyman" could enjoy. The thought of a 12' long raked ape-hanger is not something I'd ever want to entertain, but the freedom and accesability of the two-wheeled experience is something the countless chopper-TV-shows really brought home. I'd never even changed the oil in a car before embarking on my first motorcycle, but somehow these shows showed me that there was more than clip-on pony tails and leather to this experience(aka "lifestyle").

At first glance, I wanted only a few things; affordability, servicability, and availability. Doing some web research led me quickly to the XS-650. The aftermarket parts trade, the online brain-bank, the seeming ignornace of those of the "lifestlyle" at large, and last but not least, the fact that its style was that what a motorcycle should be just sealed the deal.

I didn't want something that I'd have to take to a dealer, but someting that was universally accessable and most importantly forgving to the machinations of one who had almost no experience with things mechanical while at the same time providing a sense of immense satisfaction and enjoyability.

The XS-650 has given me all that and more.

After completing my first stocker, I'm now looking forward to obtaining the foundations to my next bike; something I can customize into something near unrecognizable to what rolled off the factory floor. That's the beauty of these bikes, an ultimately their appeal. They're the lego-blocks of the motorcycling world. They can draw positive comments in stock formation as well as radically modified.

I'd be willing to bet money that in 5-10 years folks will be beating the bushes for 650's and related parts in decent condition. My 650 is now 28 years old and I have every aspiration to be riding and maintaining it in as close to pristine order as possible in another 30.

Best to all,
Pol

ps: I just convinced a friend of mine(aged 27) to pick up a 78 standard for $1000 that he's thrilled to death with and similiarly intends to be riding for decades to come.

[xs650sf]

Age 44.

I bought my first XS bike because it was cheap. I guess the corelary to that is it is a DIY bike--I can "mech" it myself. I can't afford a mechanic, I can't afford scheduled dealer maintenance, and I can't afford gas, hardly! LOL

I had a few choices when I bought my bike--A 79 suzuki 750, a 80 honda 550(?), but I chose the XS because it "looked" the best to me. I wasn't interested in chopping, so I wanted it to look nice just the way it was.

When I finally got to wrenching around on it, I felt lucky: the machine is tough, easy to find parts for, mildly collectible, respected by most other riders, fast enough for commutes, little enough to save gas, etc....

Oh, and it is still good-looking and cheap! I know that not everyone agrees my taste, but mine had the high-back king/queen seat when I got it.....that sealed the deal. It reminds me of the '70's.

[miker]

There aren't many bikes that lend themselves to so many styles as well as the XS650 does. Combine that with cheapness and durability, it's the Fender Strat of motorcycles. And having owned a few Triumphs myself, I can confirm it does indeed give you a classic vintage feeling ride.

miker