Yamaha XS850 - good or bad?

[wackyrider]

Might be thinking of buying a Yamaha XS850 as a Project Cafe racer.

Thought on this as I don't really know the bike. Good or bad?

Parts easy to find?

[stiffsimon]

Absolute shite mate. Shaft drive, overweight, underpowered and if it's anything like the 750 not very reliable.

[TurboKat]

I like the way you're thinking outside the square... but a shaft drive?

[Tony Nitrous]

Crap.

I would walk away from a free one.
Gutless, fragile and piss poor handling.

[wackyrider]

Cheers guys, was worth asking as I don't know much about them.

Just on the lookout for a project and it popped up on the radar. I'll keep looking then

[wackyrider]

I like the way you're thinking outside the square... but a shaft drive?

Yeah, shaft drive isn't really my thing to be honest, but was worth asking about

[hyofighter]

whats with all the café crap going on since when did skinny leg jeans and shitty beard become cool , wacky go out the driveway get on your fighter do a burnout and put your mangina away lol

[wackyrider]

Since when do I wear skinny jeans or give a shit what's hip.

I've been wanting to build a cafe racer for a while, prob is it's taking me so long that they are now becoming common. I still ride the fighter and whilst not doing burnouts, still do other shit that makes me smile like a little kid in a candy store.

I want another project that i can do on a budget and that's different to what i have. Had a bandit frame before leaving Vic and the thought for that was a modern take on a cafe but had to offload a lot of crap when i moved states.

Currently only have a tiny shed under the house, but as soon as my visa (hopefully) goes through and i can actually look at staying in Aus, then I want to buy a house with a garage to be able to start having fun in there again.

[wackyrider]

Oh yeah....
CX 500... shitheap?? Bloody shaft drives everywhre it seems. Otherwise they all seem to cost a fortune nowadays

[Tony Nitrous]

CX500 /650
XS250 / 400 / 750 / 850
CJ250/360
CD200
Z750 twin
Z400 twin

If I had any of the above I'd pay you to remove it !

[Tony Nitrous]

Since when do I give a shit what's hip.
.

[hyofighter]

shaft drive isnt that bad , the one on the g hasnt let me down with all its abuse sure they dont look good but no chain lube all over your rim

[Tony Nitrous]

Extra weight.
Extra power loss.
Not beneficial to handling.
Restricts rim / tyre sizes.
Restricts gearing options.

[wackyrider]

lol Tony

[hyofighter]

fair enough but its going to be a cafe racer so its going to be
slow and only for show
extra weight maybe but dont cafe racers strip the crap off making them lighter anyhows
handling haha
rim size ? budget build so i wouldnt be swapping rims
gearing well theres your downfall

[Redmohawk]

The XS850 is prob more suited to a chop cruiser than cafe. My xs1100 was a quick beast for and old school shaft bike once up a few gears.

Make an easy trike build.