Tips On Bobbing Rear FenderAdding Bobber Seat

[D0wn5h1ft]

Let me preface this with I know this community usually doesn't like helping those who want to hack up this classic. When I got the bike I bought it for $250 and it came in boxes and buckets and was going to be committed to the afterlife by becoming a parts bike. After thinking about it long and hard, I just couldn't bring myself to do that to another XS11.

Anyways, I have a vision for this bike but this will/has been my first real(ish) build and I'm curious about how people usually go about the fabrication for certain parts. First, is I've found this thread:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25518

And I want to recreate something very similiar to what he has. Espeically, in this picture:


Bobbed rear fender, "bobber" seat, hacked rear frame, side mounted license plate, etc. If anyone has done a build similiar to this I'd love to hear from them what they've got for me. I already have plans on where/how I want to get the rear frame and I have a few seats picked out. It's really just the execution that's got me a little stumped.

Bottom line question: How are people remounting the shortened rear fender like the above guy did?

[D0wn5h1ft]

Here's what I'm working with for a 'donor bike':





Already added the special headlight and gauges to this '79 Standard.

[fredintoon]

- - - I have a vision for this bike but this will/has been my first real(ish) build and I'm curious about how people usually go about the fabrication for certain parts. - - -
Bobbed rear fender, "bobber" seat, hacked rear frame, side mounted license plate, etc. If anyone has done a build similiar to this I'd love to hear from them what they've got for me. I already have plans on where/how I want to get the rear frame and I have a few seats picked out. It's really just the execution that's got me a little stumped.
Bottom line question: How are people remounting the shortened rear fender like the above guy did?

Hi Gabe,
so long as you don't hardtail it, eh?
When you saw off the back of the frame, keep the removed parts safe so you can weld them back on when you change your mind.
And all those little lugs you are tempted to remove, don't. They can't be seen from more than a yard away anyhow.
The stock rear fender is too short to use as a single unit and it's full of holes and bumps anyway. Save it plus the plastic front half and the rear light for future resale or salvage.
I'd get a plain rear fender from a chopper store and mount it as a hugger.
That is, mounted on the swingarm so it moves with the wheel so it can be snugged down close to the rear tire.
I'd not be happy with the solo seat in your example photo.
Too small (for my fat arse anyway) and the way the frame top tubes show is real ugly.
I'd look for a bigger seat that fitted up to the gas tank and was wide enough to hide those frame tubes.
If you go with a sidemounted plate put another tail light on the other side to match the one above the plate.
Then rig them to be stop/turn/tail lights. Use a 3 lamp into 2 lamp trailer light converter. About $20 from NAPA.

[D0wn5h1ft]

Hi Gabe,
so long as you don't hardtail it, eh?
When you saw off the back of the frame, keep the removed parts safe so you can weld them back on when you change your mind.
And all those little lugs you are tempted to remove, don't. They can't be seen from more than a yard away anyhow.
The stock rear fender is too short to use as a single unit and it's full of holes and bumps anyway. Save it plus the plastic front half and the rear light for future resale or salvage.
I'd get a plain rear fender from a chopper store and mount it as a hugger.
That is, mounted on the swingarm so it moves with the wheel so it can be snugged down close to the rear tire.
I'd not be happy with the solo seat in your example photo.
Too small (for my fat arse anyway) and the way the frame top tubes show is real ugly.
I'd look for a bigger seat that fitted up to the gas tank and was wide enough to hide those frame tubes.
If you go with a sidemounted plate put another tail light on the other side to match the one above the plate.
Then rig them to be stop/turn/tail lights. Use a 3 lamp into 2 lamp trailer light converter. About $20 from NAPA.

I wouldn't hardtail this even if I wanted to because I don't have the fabrication skills to do safe structural welds. Plus, for some reason, these bikes looks like garbage when people hard tail them because they don't stretch the wheel base enough and it looks short and ugly.

I hope I don't make too many people upset by doing this to this bike. It's not worth the money to bring back to 100% stock and that's the only way I could ever sell it to folks who are interested in this model. I figured chop it up a bit, give it a mean look like the guy I linked did, and if/when I do decide to sell it (probably never ) someone will appreciate that chopped look. I really wish I could have been around when that guy was selling it to begin with. I would have bought that bike whole and rode it into the ground; something about what he did just really speaks to me.

Which lugs were you talking about by the way?

[Murphyslaw]

Just sayin' my frame is cut and the bike is modded out. almost looks like a bobber/sport bike. tho it isn't done yet haha. I have no fenders, which doesn't bother me in the rain cuz i wear full armored apparel and a full face. Im also going to cut out the double backbone and reweld a single backbone in to place a peanut tank on. (I also put about 1k a month on my bike, I just don't like any tanks outside of a peanut.) Im sure a lot of people will say youll regret it and youre ruining it, etc. At the end of the day its your bike and its about what makes you the most comfortable and what you like. (obviously) do what you gotta do.

[jetmechmarty]

[fredintoon]

- - - Which lugs were you talking about by the way?

Hi Gabe,
all those little tabs that hold the stock fenders etc. onto the frame that enthusiasts cut off to make the bike look more "streamlined".

[fredintoon]

Hi Marty,
yeah, that seat!
and don't tease, eh? Where would a person get one?

[jetmechmarty]

Da-Bubble is the handle of the forum member who built that bike. The seat is custom made.

Here is his build: http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ight=da-bubble

[fredintoon]

- - - I have no fenders, which doesn't bother me in the rain cuz i wear full armored apparel and a full face. - - -

Hi Murph,
as you so rightly say, it's your bike to do with what you will.
About the fenderless look:-
1) HTF do you see past the vertical waterfall coming off the front tire?
2) The XS11 front fender also acts as a fork brace and without it the forks will be even more flexy than when they left the factory.
The ~$100 you spend on a TKAT fork brace can be a real life-saver.

[Murphyslaw]

Im aware of the front fender acting as a brace, but I feel no difference in the flex of the forks under lateral force. I imagine that the fenders rather flexible design would help it from flexing but only after the fenders material has reached a certain flex point in itself. A tkat brace is def. planned in the future, but for now I have certain "financial limitations".

Also, if you've never ridin a fenderless in the rain, you may be surprised to know that in fact there is no "vertical waterfall" (though ive never seen a horizontal one! haha) coming off the front tire. the only time that the tire is able to hold water long enough in the tread the arc it into the air from the front is at a very slow 10 mph and by that point a few measly drops on a fullface and waterproof clothes doesn't seem to make much difference. (20/20 doesn't hurt) but the real issue is condensation build up at a stop light under 50 degrees. Ive pondered the thought of drilling small escape ports into the visor, but I don't know how this would effect the visors aerodynamics. and by that I simply mean I just don't wish the listen to a helmet whistling 24/7 while I ride haha.

[Murphyslaw]

oh and to add on to the previous post. Tread design of the tire also accounts for how much water it holds ;] fortunately the bt45 battlax high performance has a decent design for not holding water.

[DGXSER]

Find some of the post and threads by Garrett (XS11Lover). IMHO, he does the best work I have seen to make a single seat, boober looking XS11. They truly look like they were factory built. I think he uses an HD seat of a sportster but with some modification.

[jetmechmarty]

he does the best work I have seen to make a single seat, boober looking XS11.

A boober! Now that's funny!


Not too boober looking, IMHO.

I believe this is one by xs11lover.

[Murphyslaw]

My speedo has been relocated lower and is now flush with the handlebars where as in this picture it looks like its a bit high. Ive only been working on this bike for about 9 months and I bought it for $50 so.....id say im doin ok haha.