Penelope the jailbait bike

[ElvisQuanbeck]

Hey all, this is hopefully going to be my build thread for my '73 Yamaha TX650. I bought Penelope a few months back from a guy that didn't have a title or keys for it. According to him he had been able to shift through the gears when he got it, he showed me once and when he tried again it didn't work so I told him to stop. The license plate had a registration sticker from '89 so no telling when the last time it was actually running. I had some buddies try to gingerly move the kicker as they asked me about compression and it feels stiff enough that I'm willing to bet it's seized. I bought her as a project though so if I have to completely rebuild the top end (or more) then cool, I'm into that. I bought her off craigslist for $200 and everything is present on the bike to begin with, even a compression lever on the brake lever side. So if all else fails I'll just part her out and get my money back. Famous last words, I know hahaaa.

I'm all into trying to use Chopcult as a thread for this build but I've had some trouble (like picture uploads) with the site in the past so I might not be quick to post things that I've done.

This is technically my 2nd chopper build, I'm not putting any time limit on it and I'm just a self-taught garage mechanic. Time to see how it goes.

[ElvisQuanbeck]

Took some time to strip her down a bit ago. Right now she's all the way down to engine, frame, handlebars and wiring. I've purchased a battery, some FnA Customs spark plug wires, NGK plugs as well as a Clymer and a Haynes manual. Next thing I'm planning to do is see if I can get it to make any noise. I'm no expert with a multimeter and chances are a couple electronic components on the bike won't be up to snuff so it's gonna take me a bit to see what's actually working once I start connecting cables. No keys remember, so I'm gonna be hotwiring it while doing so. I disconnected the ignition to see if I could spot the numbers that everyone says should be stamped on it for getting a replacement key but I haven't been able to see any numbers stamped on it anywhere. More than likely I'm just gonna run to Autozone and buy a 4 plug ignition.

The tank had gas in it, and still does since I haven't got a spare gas can to dump it into, so I'm guessing the carbs still have some gas in the float bowls also. I'm probably gonna need to rebuild the Mikuni BS38's to begin with so i'm looking to get a kit here pretty soon. We'll see how well the floats actually work after sitting in gas for the 30 years or so I'm guessing they've had in there.

I'm planning to go full chopper mode eventually with Penelope, but if I'm smart about it I think I might actually be able to get a few different iterations out of her in the journey. Start with a swingarm chop then get into the full hardtail, either way I'm looking to have a set of cocktail shaker mufflers with flaps and make em as tall as the sissy bar I'm gonna be building for her. I still haven't decided what sort of handlebars I wanna settle on. I had 16" apes on my last bike with 10" over forks and I loved it. I'm thinking to put a nice king & queen seat on her so maybe I'll get some good rabbit ear bars or tall risers with z-bars, maybe something else. The stock tank still has a decent paint job so I'm gonna swap out the tank completely. The new tank will eventually get "the Essentials" treatment from Fatman Custom Motors. The stock color of the bike is a pretty sweet 70's metallic blue and it's still in pristine condition on the headlight bezel. I'm planning to keep that headlight setup, with it's color, and have it sweep into the color scheme of the tank with a few other bright, tropical colors overlapping some pearl white. The frame I'll either have match the blue or go some other color option entirely. Of course, all of these ideas could change but this is my initial plan.

[docmel]

Took some time to strip her down a bit ago. Right now she's all the way down to engine, frame, handlebars and wiring. I've purchased a battery, some FnA Customs spark plug wires, NGK plugs as well as a Clymer and a Haynes manual. Next thing I'm planning to do is see if I can get it to make any noise. I'm no expert with a multimeter and chances are a couple electronic components on the bike won't be up to snuff so it's gonna take me a bit to see what's actually working once I start connecting cables. No keys remember, so I'm gonna be hotwiring it while doing so. I disconnected the ignition to see if I could spot the numbers that everyone says should be stamped on it for getting a replacement key but I haven't been able to see any numbers stamped on it anywhere. More than likely I'm just gonna run to Autozone and buy a 4 plug ignition.

The tank had gas in it, and still does since I haven't got a spare gas can to dump it into, so I'm guessing the carbs still have some gas in the float bowls also. I'm probably gonna need to rebuild the Mikuni BS38's to begin with so i'm looking to get a kit here pretty soon. We'll see how well the floats actually work after sitting in gas for the 30 years or so I'm guessing they've had in there.

I'm planning to go full chopper mode eventually with Penelope, but if I'm smart about it I think I might actually be able to get a few different iterations out of her in the journey. Start with a swingarm chop then get into the full hardtail, either way I'm looking to have a set of cocktail shaker mufflers with flaps and make em as tall as the sissy bar I'm gonna be building for her. I still haven't decided what sort of handlebars I wanna settle on. I had 16" apes on my last bike with 10" over forks and I loved it. I'm thinking to put a nice king & queen seat on her so maybe I'll get some good rabbit ear bars or tall risers with z-bars, maybe something else. The stock tank still has a decent paint job so I'm gonna swap out the tank completely. The new tank will eventually get "the Essentials" treatment from Fatman Custom Motors. The stock color of the bike is a pretty sweet 70's metallic blue and it's still in pristine condition on the headlight bezel. I'm planning to keep that headlight setup, with it's color, and have it sweep into the color scheme of the tank with a few other bright, tropical colors overlapping some pearl white. The frame I'll either have match the blue or go some other color option entirely. Of course, all of these ideas could change but this is my initial plan.

No title no keys: And old license plate registration doesn't mean anything: Myself, I would never wrench, spend time or money until I had a title that was in my name, or at least ready for my name, period

If the title is lost there are ways of getting a new one: Be sure it can be yours legally before spend anymore time/money

I have to ask: How do you know its not stolen or under a lien?

[ElvisQuanbeck]

No title no keys: And old license plate registration doesn't mean anything: Myself, I would never wrench, spend time or money until I had a title that was in my name, or at least ready for my name, period

If the title is lost there are ways of getting a new one: Be sure it can be yours legally before spend anymore time/money

I have to ask: How do you know its not stolen or under a lien?

I don't know shit about this bike honestly. I bought if off some kid on craigslist that said he got it a couple years ago from some guy that said it sat outside against a fence with a tarp over it for god knows how many years. Chances of it having a lien or being stolen is I'll bet SLIM to none. If you know how to start the whole lost title process in Illinois then please LET ME KNOW. Otherwise I'm willing to bet the registration sticker of '89 that was on the plate is prooooobably accurate.

Right now I'm working to get my daily rider back in order, once that's done I've got no problem doing smaller jobs on it just to see if I can even get it running. I mean if the engine isn't even worth salvaging then at least I can have fun taking it all apart before I dump money into the project and a title.

And if the worst case happens and the po-po come to take her away then they'll just be getting an engine and frame that I paid $200 for while the gas tank and side covers that look pretty fucking decent are off and stored away so I can recoup the original cost on ebay or wherever jerks my chain these days.

I like to imagine that I've thought of it all but I'm always open to suggestions