Wife got a bike!!

[T99Ford]

We went and picked up a bike for my wife today! I thought this day would never come. Here it is:





It is a 1977 XS360 with 12,000 miles on the clock. It just had documented forks, carbs, chain, exhaust, etc done to it by a PO. It starts on the first kick, and runs like a Swiss Watch.

But, it will soon look very different. She has asked for a full frame off Cafe job. So her wish is my command!!

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Dude

With that between her legs your love life is so OVER.

Congrats to the little lady.

Be sure to teach her all the ins and outs of riding.

Keep her safe!

[Wildkat]

With that between her legs your love life is so OVER.

Phhhhhhhhhffft
Don't listen to him... that is SO not true


Congratulations to her!

Gonna have to put some snow tires on that puppy though...

[dpotter58]

That's a sharp looking bike.

[tarzan]

Nice looking bike.Too bad you gotta tear it apart.
But if it's anything like you're other work,it should turn out sweet.

BTW-I'm glad you are keeping all that snow on you're side of the mountains.lol

[1st bike]

congrats!!! i haven't even talked the wife into a ride yet, let alone a bike of her own! i hope the two of you have some great times together. that bike is damn near perfect, almost a shame to tear it apart, but i am sure you will do a great job on the reno, and it will be a beaut when you are done! keep us posted!

[T99Ford]

I am happy for her. The whole reason behind the 360 is so that she can learn with something she can manage. I hope to keep her confidence up so that she stays enjoying it.
I am a little sad to be tearing it down, myself, as it is in such nice shape. But, I am excited about the project, too. She has requested the frame be painted Tangerine Metallic, and all Black bodywork. There will be some minor airbrushwork, but nothing too extensive. I am going to keep it a little more purist that way. It will sport a full cafe seat, clubmans, all new lights, and rear sets, but the exhaust will stay the same. And lots of polishing, of course.
We about went off the road going to get it last night. We had a doozy storm here last night, and were in 4X4 almost all the way there. It was tough even getting it in the garage. Darn snow anyway...But now I have plenty to do! I will post pics as it progresses!

[CatatonicBug]

That's one NICE bike! Definitely a shame to tear that classic apart. Congrats on getting the wife on a bike though!

[xs11lover]

Kat "Phhhhhhhhhffft
Don't listen to him... that is SO not true"

Yeh I would think all that rumble between her legs may help your love life when she gets home......Maybe my wife needs a bike!

[Crazcnuk]

Yep another classic will bite the dust. What part of 'start with a basket case' people don't get, I could never figure out.

On the up side, that's why the few that are left get more valuable.

[T99Ford]

Oh, this one will bite it, and bite it hard! I just have this major aversion to starting with crap all the time, and since I am trying to do something nice for my wife, I figured I wouldn't make her start with crap either. She might ride with me then.

BTW, if you are looking for investments, try gold, not XS360s.

[Crazcnuk]

Before you get all retarded with it, let her ride it for a month or two as it is.

She will have outgrown it before you destroy it that way.

She will not be happy with a bike that small for very long. The summer at best.

[T99Ford]

Geez...

You know, I got on here to share an exciting turn of developments with a few "friends". My wife has actually agreed to partake of a sport which I enjoy WITH ME. She has picked a style she likes, and that is what she is going to get. She told me the other day, that it means more to her that I am building something completely custom FOR her, than having a bike at all. If I can take an insignificant $700 bike and do that for her and my relationship, I don't see what ANY arrogant forum member has to say about it. Some (including myself, see above) have expressed some for of regret at taking a clean stocker and changing it. But all, with the exception of this joker, have done so in a way that is courteous, kind, and supportive.
I would kindly suggest that you keep your ignorant, uninformed, rude, and intolerant comments to yourself, until such a time as you are able to are able to express yourself in a manner fit for interaction with others.
It is too bad a few rotten eggs have to spoil the whole crowd...There are more important things in this life than a few stupid motorcycles!

[Crazcnuk]

Methinks thou doth get a ittle defensive.

Don't take my gruff style too seriously, as others here will attest.

However, I am not sure what people expect. They come on here with bikes in awesome shape, old enough to be collector's items and start telling us how they will hack them up.

Then we try and share EXPERIENCE and they get all bent out of shape.

I drove a CB360 Honda for about 4 months, then moved up to a CB750. My ex girlfriend rode a Kawasaki KZ400LTD for one season, then moved up to a Shadow 750. I've had multitudes of friends and myself who have gone through several smaller bikes only to move up. Even my XJ650 was too small to be comfortable over long distances. We've all rode small bikes, when we HAD to, but moved up to more usefull units as soon as we could.

I don't know anyone, who hangs with people with highway bikes, who has been happy for more than a season with a bike this small. YMMV

I think it's awesome your wife is willing to get her own bike, and if all she wants is a bike to putt around town, this one will be fine. However, there is NOTHING you can do with this bike that will make it anything much more than a customized moped to the majority of the biking community.

So instead of umm, customizing the bike, THEN moving on, why not use it to learn, first, then see how she feels next year.

[T99Ford]

I think what people expect is a little acceptance. I do not recall this being called the "Stock and restored only XS forum". It is open to everyone and should be treated as such, whether you agree with them or not. Remember that you don't have to post. It is OK by me if you don't like my bike. I probably don't like yours either. The difference is I won't harshly condemn you for riding what you want.
Secondly, advice from experience might be better placed in ones first post, than last. It might help the understanding a little better. Starting with a harsh condemnation and then trying to correct it later places the proverbial "egg on one's face".
Thirdly, one might want to get all the facts before grossly condemning any action. Here is the scoop: My wife is 5' 5" tall, and weighs on the small side of appropriate for that amount (she would kill me if I put the actual figures online). She has never ridden a bike before, and wants one to commute around our town (of 5000 people) back and forth to work on occasion (about 3 blocks) and the occasional ride to get ice cream or recreation. She specifically stated that she did not want an old "70s ugly bike", but she did want an affordable one. So she needs the small bike in order to feel in control enough to learn how it works, does NOT need a big bike to commute around town, and wants a (in her opinion) good looking bike that she will not be embarrassed to be seen on, and wants this all on a budget. I think what we got her, and the plans we have are pretty darn close to the mark. For longer trips, she would rather ride on my bike (which you probably won't like either) and would rather not actually drive. I appreciate your advice in this regard, although it most likely will not be a concern. If she wants a larger bike at some point, she will get one, and we will probably make that one look how she likes, too.

Craz: I hope that we can agree to disagree, and use this whole episode as a lesson to the XS11.com community in civilty and online etiquette. After all, we should all be friends. But a little diversity will keep it from getting boring.