Holey Roller XS650 Build
Holey Roller XS650 Build
Holey Roller is no stranger to the alter! Created from a humble XS650, the running theme here is weight reduction and metal removal for performance and aesthetic reasons. We think of the XS platform as an excellent entry-level chopper candidate. They’re easy to find, mechanically simple, and can be reworked into cafés, trackers, scramblers—or choppers. We started with this example that had just 5,000 miles on the odo before we took the knife to it.
This bike features a number of XS-specific items like a PMA, our hardtail kit, forward controls and a hand-fabbed exhaust that began with our weld-it-yourself kit for the Yamaha. But we also kept it clean and custom and well within a modest budget by adapting some inexpensive universal staple items to the Yamaha, like the tank, air ride seat, fender, and DIY strut kit.
But part of chopping on a budget means investing time instead of money for a primo look that doesn’t strain the wallet. We got cozy with the drill press, and added speed holes to many otherwise factory components, like the wheels, neck gusset, stator/chain cover, and our controls. The faux oil tank, which houses some electronics, didn’t escape the hole punch and of course you’ve likely noticed the coup de grâce, the hole-y fuel tank. Made with some tubing carefully welded in place, we think it’s a great-looking custom piece that costs very little other than time to produce.
It’s a little ripper and a testament to the idea that good planning and some hard work can produce a really nice finished product without raiding your kid’s college fund.
