Ringo_60013
XS250 owner
Hello all, thought it was about time i posted something about me and my XS250. I'm from Newcastle, UK, I'm 21 and my bike is 36 this year, a 1977 model XS250 with less than 13000 miles on the clock. Bought her 2 and a half years ago for the princely sum of £300. She wasn't in bad condition when i got her, but didn't start too well and needed a general tidy up.
Once i'd done a little work she looked pretty good in standard trim, only one small dent to the left side of the tank. Unfortunately i dropped her at a junction at about 15mph and did all sorts of damage. Bent frame (non structural), smashed indicators, mangled rear mudguard... the usual. The cause? Worn out steering head bearing plus a pot hole on an oily bit of road in the wet.... I wouldn't mind but i wasn't trying to get anywhere fast. You live and learn.
Anyway, i took the opportunity to rebuild cosmetically in such a way as i could put her back to standard if i wished. I did all the work myself, including building the seat and tail piece from scratch.
I rode her like she is in the 2nd and 3rd pictures for almost a year until a couple of sods decided to half inch her, taking a 14 mile joyride round Middlesbrough where i was staying at the time. I got her back but with damage.
Once i'd repaired the wiring loom and gotten her running again i took the chance to do something different. Since i'm a little short in the leg, i wanted to try to lower the seat as much as possible, and also fit a fairing for motorway driving. So over last summer, 2012, I stripped everything cosmetic off her, from the tank and seat, right down to the head light and switch gear. I also took the chance to lose the battery box and air boxes as they were shot.
Again i did all the work myself except for the lacquer coat on the tank as my previous attempt hadn't gone too smoothly. I built the tail piece for the seat from wire mesh, covered in 3 layers of fibreglass, and then body filler till smooth. Chopped the frame and bent up the tube to create the loop. The fairing is a race fairing from a TZR250 1975 model if i remember right (sold by Mead Speed), though i cut the holes for the alternator and headlight and built up the brackets myself. The battery is now situated under the rear of the tank, under a folded piece of steel sheet, silver soldered to the rear of the fuel tank.
I've been running her like she is in the last 3 images since October and so far the only problems i've encountered have been electrical... not my forte. I've had her jetted and run on the dyno and she makes 20BHP at the wheel, which i'd like to improve on eventually. This year i've so far started getting parts together to upgrade to twin disc brakes at the front (thanks Drewpy for the info), and i'm hoping to have a new exhaust system built up specifically for her. I'd also like to improve the handling if i have enough budget left.
That's clearly enough talking, so here's some pictures.... Any questions?
Joe
Once i'd done a little work she looked pretty good in standard trim, only one small dent to the left side of the tank. Unfortunately i dropped her at a junction at about 15mph and did all sorts of damage. Bent frame (non structural), smashed indicators, mangled rear mudguard... the usual. The cause? Worn out steering head bearing plus a pot hole on an oily bit of road in the wet.... I wouldn't mind but i wasn't trying to get anywhere fast. You live and learn.
Anyway, i took the opportunity to rebuild cosmetically in such a way as i could put her back to standard if i wished. I did all the work myself, including building the seat and tail piece from scratch.
I rode her like she is in the 2nd and 3rd pictures for almost a year until a couple of sods decided to half inch her, taking a 14 mile joyride round Middlesbrough where i was staying at the time. I got her back but with damage.
Once i'd repaired the wiring loom and gotten her running again i took the chance to do something different. Since i'm a little short in the leg, i wanted to try to lower the seat as much as possible, and also fit a fairing for motorway driving. So over last summer, 2012, I stripped everything cosmetic off her, from the tank and seat, right down to the head light and switch gear. I also took the chance to lose the battery box and air boxes as they were shot.
Again i did all the work myself except for the lacquer coat on the tank as my previous attempt hadn't gone too smoothly. I built the tail piece for the seat from wire mesh, covered in 3 layers of fibreglass, and then body filler till smooth. Chopped the frame and bent up the tube to create the loop. The fairing is a race fairing from a TZR250 1975 model if i remember right (sold by Mead Speed), though i cut the holes for the alternator and headlight and built up the brackets myself. The battery is now situated under the rear of the tank, under a folded piece of steel sheet, silver soldered to the rear of the fuel tank.
I've been running her like she is in the last 3 images since October and so far the only problems i've encountered have been electrical... not my forte. I've had her jetted and run on the dyno and she makes 20BHP at the wheel, which i'd like to improve on eventually. This year i've so far started getting parts together to upgrade to twin disc brakes at the front (thanks Drewpy for the info), and i'm hoping to have a new exhaust system built up specifically for her. I'd also like to improve the handling if i have enough budget left.
That's clearly enough talking, so here's some pictures.... Any questions?
Joe
