Yamaha XS900 Triple Cafe Racer Build......."SHAFTY"

[pugeyed 0]

just bought this unfinished project from evil bay.
1980 xs850 triple

doesnt need much work to finish, although i may change a few bits and bobs.

Photos are crap but you get the gist

[fr499y 0]

ooo lucky git!! let me av a go when its done lol.

[dick65 0]

nice one mark,looks good

[Gazman 0]

The race is on, looks cool mate, can't wait to see what you do with it Mark. Do you think we should ask Dave for a cafe racer section on here ?

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

@Gazman wrote:

The race is on, looks cool mate, can't wait to see what you do with it Mark. Do you think we should ask Dave for a cafe racer section on here ?

/t2855-project-section#33357

[lee1 1]

nice one mark,sure it will be a good one

[Stue11 0]

Another project excellent cant wait

[haveugot1 0]

Thats going to look really cool m8

[pugeyed 0]

thanks people, im really excited, cant wait to get it home.

[sweban 0]

nice one






Hat of for all of you that put all that hard work and skills
on your bikes and project

[BanditMike 0]

Good luck with the project. Looking forward to seeing the progress

[Gazman 0]

You've gone quiet Mark. Are you plotting and planning the new project ?, tell us more mate. Gaz

[pugeyed 0]

haha just thinking of things id like to do to it
nice video here of one being turned into a racer

[Stue11 0]

@pugeyed wrote:

haha just thinking of things id like to do to it
nice video here of one being turned into a racer

I like

[trebor4460 0]

nice project, love the cafe race look, good vid too.

[madsod 0]

i had the old xs 750 a few years back but done a rebore and took it out to stock 850 pistons , best of luck with it m8 , nice old mill ,

[maxnod 0]

I had an XS750 a few years ago,if you had it cranked over on a left-hander and you gave it a handfull of throttle, the torque reaction of the shaft-drive made it sit upright! I bet the lad on the RD350 behind me wondered WTF I was doing!
He kept well back after that!

Be warned !!

[pugeyed 0]

lol will do!
hopefully be getting it this weekend.

[Stue11 0]

@pugeyed wrote:

lol will do!
hopefully be getting it this weekend.

[day101 0]

@Stue11 wrote:

Another project excellent cant wait

[2wheels 0]

Looks Nice. I must admit iv been watching the program cafe race and really liking the style.

[Gazman 0]

Hi Mark,

Have you got it yet mate? let us in on a few of your plans when you have, oh and a few pics mate, can't wait to see it. I'm gonna make you jealous, I'm polishing stuff today, yehhhh.

[pugeyed 0]

no not yet matey, the chap has picked it up from the seller , is gonna deliver it to me early part of next week. will post some pics when i get it, see you sunday!

[XS1100 0]

Any thing XS makes life entertaining tea trolly handling I love it!you can covert to a chain drive and have a wider choice of rear tyres as the swing arm shaft gets in the way ups the hp a little to.
after reading your xs project got me at it and just had to drag the xs11 out the cave and fire her up sounded wicked makes the Bandit sound tame :)Good luck with XS8 1/2

[smilinjack 0]

I think my mate's still got most of an XS850 in his shed. Let me know if you need owt

[dick65 0]

theres a xs 750 which became an 850 great bikes

[smilinjack 0]

@dick65 wrote:

theres a xs 750 which became an 850 great bikes

Agreed-I had a 750 Custom, US style thing which I fitted T bars to. Well, it was the 80's

[pugeyed 0]

FINALLY! she has been delivered!
lots of photos folks.
new cone filters and clamps

new fork brace

stainless rear lamp

brand new raask rear sets (£136!)

speedo and rev counter (dont know if im using these as wanted to run a digital one)



and pics of the bike.
am gonna tear it apart though, seller said the frame was sprayed in 2k paint, but is blatantly just rattle can.












seat isnt long enough so dont know bout that yet and the tank is mahooosive!

oh and engine, only done 16000km which works out to about 10k miles
all will be pulled apart and rebuilt.

[fr499y 0]

2k can be spray cans my zed pillion cover is done in 2k paint

[madsod 0]

if the tank is to big put the xs 750 one on it will fit as i had both on my xs750 , when i had it . just 3.3 gallons i think as the 850 is 4.5 gallon from what i can recall .

[XS1100 0]

Great pics nice project

[pugeyed 0]

@fr499y wrote:

2k can be spray cans my zed pillion cover is done in 2k paint

i know matey but this stuff you can scratch off with your nail.
not good, plus im not into the whole silver frame thing
black is much better

[dick65 0]

shaping up nicely mark,love those old yams

[pugeyed 0]

ok so the first thing im gonna do is put new wheel bearings in the front wheel and new seals and tyre.
back wheel has brand new metzler tyre on but front is a shinkyo/shinkiyo something like that lol, would really like the tyres to match.
taken the seals out of the wheel but bearings are being stuborn as always. more to come soon folks........

[XS1100 0]

Get rid of the skinko skunko tyre well bad! I run BT45 Rear and mezler lazer tek front thats the best Ive found over past 30 odd years of running my XS BT on the front feathers to death although higher tyre pressure may help.BT45 on the rear is well sick for 3000 mile then it loses it profile and your back to wheelie bin handling good shox and progressive front springs help the fork brace is a must but tighten with care it can snap the top off the forks!

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

its better than porn mark

[pugeyed 0]

@madsod wrote:

if the tank is to big put the xs 750 one on it will fit as i had both on my xs750 , when i had it . just 3.3 gallons i think as the 850 is 4.5 gallon from what i can recall .

madsod, does this tank look like it will bolt straight on?

seems to be so many different sorts for different years etc....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150653359624?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_997

[madsod 0]

@pugeyed wrote:

@madsod wrote:

if the tank is to big put the xs 750 one on it will fit as i had both on my xs750 , when i had it . just 3.3 gallons i think as the 850 is 4.5 gallon from what i can recall .

madsod, does this tank look like it will bolt straight on?

seems to be so many different sorts for different years etc....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150653359624?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_997

As said mine was a 750 , but i put the XS 850 ON Mine fits the same as the 750 tank as the front part of the frame is the same on both bikes , so cant see why it will not work the other way round , yes that one will fit but the 850 fuel cap will not fit that tank as the caps are not the same

[lee1 1]

great stuff mate,keep us all updated

[XS1100 0]

My XS11 as a 5 gallon tank which got me a range of 150 mile just, Untill I fitted ZXR1200 carbs which as much increased MPG and alround engine performance.You made need the bigger tank if you want a decent range.

[pugeyed 0]

so "what have you been doing today?" i hear you ask well

i took off all the stuff from the frame i wont be using,
still undecided on the tank but will see how it goes.



found this nice fibreglass front mudguard in my pile of bits, needs a rub down but its in nice nick.


changed the plated bolts in the fork clamp for stainless, and did a trial fit (see what you mean xs it would be very easy to over clamp it and snap the top of your forks off!




took the cam cover off the engine to have a quick look see and its all good in there as far as a quick glance can tell, cams look good , no score marks .
underside of cam cover is clean which is nice.




oh and found these plastic things in the rear shocks are they meant to be there or not?



more to follow........

[XS1100 0]

Looking good the plasic things are ment to be there.

[lee1 1]

[pugeyed 0]

so took the front wheel bearings out and old seals and ordered new from simply bearings.

took the old exhaust studs out , they all came out withought any drama (thankyou plusgas)

took the back brake caliper off and dismantled it, piston was stuck in like a good un, was knackered anyway so took it out with molegrips.

ordered new stainless piston, new seal kit, banjo and nipple.

oh and kickstart rubber as mine was perished.

got outbid on a set of 3 into 1 headers , never mind.

couple of crappy phone pics.

[dick65 0]

excellent progressing nicely

[pugeyed 0]

cheers dick,
same with the front calipers it seems, need ripping apart and re-doing

didnt want to give up its piston

haha it did in the end!


only good thing about this bike is all the calipers are the same which makes it nice and easy.

works out to about £50 a caliper.

[dick65 0]

that looks/ed pretty serious ive had some like that on my old bandit! at least its a straight forward fix

[Stue11 0]

Good work Mark

[Gazman 0]

Hello mate, you got it at last then. Looks good mate and I see you've been busy spending money as well. I saw that rear light unit a couple of weeks ago, nice choice, well smart. Seat unit looks long enough mate, is it a bit of a squeeze or do you just want to get the rear of the frame out of sight ?, Might be worth looking at taking a bit out of the rear of the frame if that's the reason mate, just a thought. Looks good though and looking forward to seeing the progress. I've been away and so progress is at a stand still on mine.

[pugeyed 0]

hey gaz how are you?
where you been anywhere nice?
yeah been busy spending money as always.
ive got a plan with the seat so will see how it goes, will end up using it on one bike either way.

small update,
dismantled , de-greased and blasted all the calipers,
came up better than expected tbh.
sprayed them up with metalic enamel paint my mate had left over .
they are now ready for rebuilding.
bit of a bonus, one piston wasnt knackered so only have to replace 2, think ill put the stainless one's up front and have the original steel one in the back brake.
sorry to drone on lol.