The saw in it. Just change a motorcycle drastically? A Yamaha XS650 for example? Is that allowed?
As long as there are motorcycles, there have been motorcyclists who changed their motorcycles to their own taste. The most famous example from that angle are of course the 'choppers' and the cafe racers. In the beginning, choppers were Harleys, the owner of whom had chopped off everything that he found unnecessary on board. As everyone who has ever read a motorcycle magazine has noticed, the entire motorcycle trade nowadays supplies convection choppers with a guarantee. But TOCH: An old chopper can also be a classic. A lot of money was paid at an auction for the 'Captain America' from Easy Rider.
And on a Tribsa, Triton or Norvin, nobody is driven away from an English encounter. While the engines, no matter how beautiful they are made, are nothing but bastards.
Vandalism or craftsmanship
But what is the emotional experience when you put the saw in a motorcycle today. For example because you have always had one Triumph Wanted to have Speed Twin with a stiff rear frame but don't have the money for it. Do you know that feeling: Nurturing priceless dreams? Then you can sit and soak, but you can also think 'out of the box'.
That out of the box thinking happened with what is now called the YamaHALF.
The machine is called that because it is actually a Yanaha XS650 SE cut in half. And that is exactly the kind of Yamaha XS650 that is rated the lowest by the XS enthusiasts. And they are right. The latest generation of XS650s have lost their slender beauty and have become some swollen monsters. But the XS650 block is now also legendary and almost indestructible. And there are many parts for sale for good prices.
The engine was found under Eindhoven as a forgotten project. Everything on it - and that wasn't much - went into the container. Subsequently, an (almost appropriate) XV 920 front fender was scored on a minimal budget. The rear fender was purchased new through the booth of JV engines at Hardenberg. The open suction gullies also came from Hardenberg. The tank came out of the Woesthoff engine run, the key for the fuel cap was also new. It came from Key Prof Luke.
Low budget and no budget
The tank was adapted within the circle of friends for the pan saddle that came from someone who had a relationship with an HD driver for years. The rear light was fished out of a box at Loods 8. The mufflers came from our own shed. The wheel was delivered from old stock by Roadrunner Motoren. The other parts came from this and that. For nothing. And then heiden tuning ordered some gaskets and filters. Oh yes: the spraying is done with spray cans from the Action. Just in the open air of course.
A happy owner
The builder / owner is as happy as a child with his toy that he now knows to use more oil than gasoline. "Oh well, it's just like topping up oil and checking the fuel level." Would the Postcode Lottery unexpectedly bring so much that there would be money for an original Speed Twin? "Mwah ... I would leave him. Here I can roam around nicely. And motorcycles are made for that. But I would buy a Russian sidecar again ... "
People keep dreaming. But if you learn to live with your limitations? Then you can also turn reality into a party.
