1981SH Special Illinois

[IanDMacDonald]

Hey don't knock my Craftsman tools, lol. Actually, I have Husky from Home Depot, Stanley black chrome from Walmart, Craftsman from Sears, Pittsburg from Harbor Freight, Snap-On from my dad's garage and a bunch of German/Austrian stuff I grabbed from my dad's garage as well. And, every tool has held-up to the demands I placed on them.

Either Don/Steve posted a link last year to a site that showed tool brands and where they went (belly-up, etc.). There was a cool store in Royal Oak called "Leichtung" on the back of the American Woodworker store. They carried exotic tools, etc. Very cool place. There is also a tool store in Livonia that carries ONLY foreign tools. They are usually in bulk containers.

[Hak]

No kidding! I've always wondered what a mechanics tool box is full of in different countries around the world haha. I know they have some torx bits in Europe I've never even imagined before because our selection sucks! Definitely not knocking the craftsman tools! Some of my favorite tools are craftsman, but I know many have their limits. I do love those husky black series too haha

[motoman]

As has been said before in this thread, the reason some folks get quite disenchanted with the "customizers" is that over the years I have been a member here, I can count MANY MANY MANY folks who came in asking for help with their custom build, only took the advise they wanted to hear, and kept coming back asking the same thing over and over. Big one is usually exhaust, they always want to run open pipes, which these engines do not work well with, but they don't want to hear that, so they keep asking how to tune it to run smooth and nice with open pipes.

Most....I did say most and not all.....end up trying to sell the bike they got on the cheap, for thousands of dollars, as an incomplete, hacked up, mess of a bike. So, we see frames cut to hates and back, fenders cut up, seats hacked to death, sometimes gas tanks hacked and welded or beaten with a hammer to simulate the trendy indents, nice parts hacked up or pitched. And then what was a decent bike that was for sale at $1000 or so is now a piece of goofy hacked up metal to every one but the builder and they wonder why no one else appreciates their "Custom" bike and will not pay $3000 for it, as a project to finish. "just needs the carbs tuned is all".

Now, we understand you have a different approach. And certainly appreciate that you have been through this with cars, so you have an idea what your getting into, unlike a lot of those folks I eluded to.

We have seen some good custom bikes made from members. And I certainly appreciate you not wanting to start with a completely abused and rusted out bike. So, we look forwarding to seeing what you do with this one.

+1!..........seen this happen here WAY to many times. Being a 'purist', over the yrs. here there's only been two of these scoots 'bobbed', by the same individual that IMO were done nicely and definitely had my approval. Most here know what two Specials I'm talkin' about, just can't locate the past pics of them......one red, one black, and IIRC both were either 80 or 81 Specials.

[DGXSER]

I can name a few...DaBubble did a nice job on his. And I believe you are referring to the ones I like by XS11lover. And for real customed hardtail version John in Virginia, around the area TC lives (I can not recall his handle right now) did a nice and completed custom.

HERE is an example of the ones I am eluding to though...He has listed it here several times, will not hear that is it not worth the asking price due to the "customization". Did you note he has straight headers, cut the mufflers off it. And what is one of the hardest parts to find for these bikes? Exhaust.

[Rasputin]

All I know for sure is that it was not me who bought the bike out from under you. I do understand the need to make it be yours and I hope you do a wonderful job of making an XS11 be the bike of your thoughts when you are done. No ill intent was meant by my previous post and yes I do appreciate a custom bike. I have 9 here now and three of them are unlikely to survive a cull. I do have enough parts to get a basic bike put together from the hulks, but the cost of all the missing parts would be prohibitive.
With your ideas in mind maybe one of the less perfect queens you have viewed will suffice. I have a few here that started out as $300 dollar parts bikes and they are now pretty darned nice. Maybe you look at the other bikes available with a different eye. As long as it runs and the important (to you ) parts are there it could be a windfall. There is far more to look at than the beauty of how it started to consider. JAT

[Hak]

Haha definitely. Believe me I would have loved to save the money on the initial purchase to go towards the modifications, but the other bikes in the area had such modifications as: JB welded camshaft chain tensioner. Classic leaks fixed with globs of RTV. Rusted frames at the swingarm pivot from a battery leaking and oozing acid all over it. Modified wiring that looked like there were birds living in between the side covers... and more! The guy with the cam chain tensioner mod said all the intake valves hit pistons, but not to worry! He got used valves and hand lapped the cylinder head! haha. There was one other I had found with 20k that was in very good shape but I didn't have time to schedule to look at it before the guy ended up moving with the bike, but it was the same price as the one I got anyway. I was actually going to try to get his since I already understood that modding a good example of an original just didn't feel right. It still doesn't sit very well with me but I couldn't let the deal go by. I'm not going to be modifying it until it warms up anyway, I think I will keep scouring craigslist and if another one pops up I will buy that for the project and just pass this one on to someone who will keep it as is.

[Hak]

Hmm... maybe this one haha

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/4299536514.html

[IanDMacDonald]

Hey Hak- I know of two standards in Michigan. One is in great shape for $800, the other is not so much.

[Hak]

That would be a bit of a drive for me and I don't have my own trailer or anything. Do you have pics or a listing for the one in good shape? Might be worth while

[IanDMacDonald]

I have neither anymore, but I do have a phone number. PM and I'll give it to you.

[DGXSER]

In Reality, any bike you get that is going to be in the kind of condition you want, will be in to nice of a condition for some folks to be comfortable with you modding it. So, do whatever you feel is the right thing to do.

As stated earlier, whatever you decide, we will offer any help we can to you to get it running and riding like you want.

[madmax-im]

Wow Hak...some purists are a-holes...sorry you've had to endure such bullsheeet...I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone stooping that low to try and steal away a bike purchase...just because of their own self righteous-ness.
Maybe its your screenname ha ha....just kidding.

[Hak]

Haha I actually thought of that! I've had this handle forever it's become kind of ironic. I've actually decided I want to go a different direction with the bike I think. We'll see what happens in the following weeks but seeing the thing strapped down low on a trailer really gave it that muscle bike stance. One of my dream bikes being a v-rod I think I may try to manifest the route I built that one in my head on this bike. Makes more sense anyway, being a special. The bike's a little big to be a cafe bike anyway. I really fell in love with a few virago cafe builds I saw. I think if I do a cafe I'd rather use that platform. Looks so good cleaned up with that monoshock swingarm

[jetmechmarty]

The Virago appears to make a great cafe platform, but it's too small for the likes of me.

[IanDMacDonald]

The Virago appears to make a great cafe platform, but it's too small for the likes of me.

Holy smoley that's beautiful! I think a 750 is as big as you should go on a cafe.