Reader Ride. Possibly The Nicest XS650 Street Tracker I've Seen Yet.

Folks are making this really easy for me. I'm getting quite a flood of outstanding pics lately so if you're bike isn't getting on right away doesn't mean that it won't. I'm NOT complaining so please keep em coming.

Ken Fontenot of Cycle Sports Huston sent in this jewel of a build. As XS trackers go, I don't believe I've seen it equaled.

Ken Writes:

I read that you were always looking for interesting bikes to post to your site. Here is a bike we built over the winter months. Several pics attached as well as a story about how it all happened.
Everyone knows things have slowed down a little in the motorcycle business lately as well as many other businesses so this past winter we decided to take on a project to occupy any down time we might have.
We have had an independent shop here in Houston Tx for the last 29 years and have worked on several Flat trackers and Street trackers in the past and everyone here liked that style so after looking around we pulled out a rusty 1975 Yamaha XS650 rolling chassis that had been outside for about 16 years.
We had a starting point. We tried to accomplish this by using as many parts as possible that we already had around the shop, simply refinishing, replating, repainting and restoring. Well after about 6 months this is what we came up with. Its a real conglomeration of parts from many different bikes that we made work.

* Frame is a 1975 Yamaha XS650, gusseted and modified
* Engine & carbs are from a '77, Both left stock but painted polished & carbs rejetted
* Front suspension & fuel tank '81, steering stem bearings,seals & progressive springs
* Swingarm '86 Yamaha Radian with needle bearings
* Kaw ZRX 1200 Shocks, Repainted and re cadium plated
* Foot controls are Kawasaki Ninja 250
* Tailpiece XR750 Harley, seat recontoured , firmer foam inserted and recovered
* Tailpiece is also rubber mounted to the frame on viabration absorbing Iso mounts
* Headlight & Brow from a Harley Sportster, custom mounts made
* K&N Air Filters with custom adaptors made to mount to the carbs
* Pipes were built down the street from us by John Easton at Jemco Exhaust Systems
* Stock front caliper and rotor with Grimeca mastercyl & stainless lines
* Brembo Rear caliper with custom water jetted hanger and stabalizer bar, stainless lines
* Stock front brake rotors turned, drilled & painted
* For the wheels we used two stock front Xs650 hubs & Spokes
* Custom built billet sprocket adaptor made by James Moody at Leeco Springs
* The Rims are rear Honda CRF450 Excell 19" take offs donated by Honda of Houston
* Paint scheme graphics were designed by Shane Davis at Graphtec Inc in Houston
* All paint was done here in our shop, the only powdercoated parts are rims and fuel cap
* Trailtech computer for speedo, tach, odometer, tripmeter, clock, temp, shift lights
* Trailtech also has an optional bezel with all the idiot lights needed, rubber mounted
* We custom built the turn signals and lic plate & taillight brkt.
* Hard to spot the front signals but they are there
* Custom built the electrical box and wiring harness.
* Hi performance YTZ10s sealed battery, electric start only.
* All lighting is LED except for H4 Quartz headlight.

This has been a very fun project and of course we ended up spending more time that we expected but we are very proud of the final result. Considering we have spent very little (under $1800) in actually parts & supplies, this bike runs, handles, stops, and rides exceptionally well and really turns heads where ever we park it.

Ken Fontenot, Jeff Wisenbaker & Ben Brooks
Cycle Sports Ltd of Houston
9802 Clay Rd
Houston, Texas 77080
713-690-9802
www.cyclesportshouston.com