Schock's XS650

Article By: Tyler Porterl Photos By: Heather Hurst

ith a bike like this carrying a name like Elsa built by a guy like Jake, you’ve got to know W that something is afoot. Is it the icy blue color? Maybe it’s a tribute to a lost relative? No, Jake came up with the name because just like the Disney movie “Frozen,” Jake “Let it go.” That’s right, shortly after this feature was shot, Jake sold this bike to its new owner where it can still pound the streets around Nashville, Tennessee with pride.

That’s not to say that Jake didn’t like his creation, far from it. Jake tells me that this may be his favorite build of all time, even though it went from a Facebook marketplace find to the finished product you see here in a scant 3 months. Jake isn’t a professional builder, though you couldn’t tell by quality oozing from every detail of this bike. The quick timeline of this build was fueled by the 2020 Corona Virus pandemic’s effects, as I’m sure a lot of future features in this magazine will be. Jake is employed by KST Kustoms, a fast-growing aftermarket handlebar supplier in the V-Twin industry. When he’s not on the production floor in Bremen, Georgia, he’s on the

road going to nearly 20 rallies a year across the US installing handlebars while you wait. With so many rallies being canceled this year, Jake had the rare opportunity to really dig into this project and get it turned around quickly, finishing this build just before the 80th Sturgis Rally. You may have even seen him hitting the Sturgis streets on this bike during some rare downtime between installs.

Jake had a very methodical approach to this build. Simple. Clean. Quick. In the simple and clean departments, the thing that strikes first is that Seaside Blue paint laid down by Paul Barber. The next is going to be the chrome, but that’s where the deception lies. Aside from a few parts like the wheels, you’re not looking at chrome at all. KST Kustoms uses polished stainless steel for their chrome appearing handlebars. Jake is one of the best operators of their polishing equipment. The aluminum fork lowers, stainless bars, faux oil tank, sissy bar, triple clamps, and engine covers? Yes, all polished. Quick? While nobody is getting whiplash from an XS650 power plant, the term quick references more to the speed of the project. The motor was in pretty good shape. A quick top end

rebuild, dual Mikuni carbs, an electronic ignition, and custom velocity stacks were all Jake needed to bring the Japanese power plant back into the land of the living. Carburetion and exhaust duties are carried out by a Speed Moto Company air cleaner and a simple set up from Pandemonium, which exits to the left side, bucking tradition a little bit.

The stance of Elsa lies in the +4” stretched TC Bros. hardtail and +6” fork tubes. Jake also sourced the hand and foot controls and headlight from TC Brothers as well. The bike is kept lean upfront by using super skinny triple trees from Twinside Cycles. The fuel tank, seat, rear fender, and tail light are all from Lowbrow Customs and polish off that lean and mean look from tip to tail.

As for the ride, you can see that it’s a foot clutch and jockey shift, keeping things as “old school chopper” as possible. Of course, the bike retains its factory kick start only nature, which greatly reduces any electrical requirements on the bike. Jake fabbed up his own electrical box, which masquerades as an oil tank that houses the minimal wiring,

Owner: Jake Schock City/State: Temple, GA Builder: Jake Schock Year: 1981 Model: XS650 Value: What Someone Will Pay Time: 3 Months

ENGINE Year: 1981 Model: XS650 Builder: Jake Schock Ignition: Mike’s XS Displacement: 650cc Pistons: Wiseco Heads: Stock Carb: Mikuni VM34 Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: Speed Moto Company Exhaust: Pandemonium Primary: N/A

TRANSMISSION Year: 1981 Make: Yamaha Shifting: Jockey

FRAME Year: 1981 Model: Stock Rake: Stock Stretch: +4”

Forks: Stock Builder: Jake Schock Type: Hydraulic Triple Trees: Twinside Cycles Extension: +6”

WHEELS Front Wheel: Moto Iron Size: 21” Tire: Shinko Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Moto Iron Size: 18” Tire: Shinko Rear Brake: Stock Yamaha Drum

PAINT Painter: Paul Barber Color: Seaside Blue Type: Pearl Metallic Graphics: N/A Chroming: Elbow Grease on Stainless

ACCESSORIES Bars: KST Kustoms Risers: N/A Hand Controls: TC Bros. Foot Controls: TC Bros. Gas Tank(s): Lowbrow Customs Oil Tank: “Electrical Box” Jake Schock Front fender: None Rear Fender: Lowbrow Customs Seat: Lowbrow Customs Headlight: TC Bros. Tail light: Lowbrow Customs Speedo: None battery, and switches. Jake chose a classic 21” front and 18” rear wheels from Moto Iron, wrapped in vintage-inspired Shinko rubber. There’s really nothing on this build that doesn’t scream “classic chopper.”

So, why get rid of such a quickly built, clean, and effective chopper? Because Jake is a man of many projects. He’s already sourced an Ironhead Sportster with the proceeds from the sale of Elsa, and from the parts I’ve seen him collecting over the last month, that’s going to be yet another show-stopping build. Maybe with the Ironhead, he won’t be able to Let It Go.

ello once again dear friends. Well, here we are at the beginning of another riding season depending on h where you are in the country. Last, I heard that Phil had reared his head and well you know what that means. Here in Texas, it’s a lil warmer but for the first time in fifteen years we actually had a real snow fall. Now, not like the kind some folks are used to out East but a substantial fall that even stuck. I mean what a strange site to see actual snowmen being built by kids, especially when just a few days earlier it was 75 and clear. Once again here in Texas “If ya don’t like the weather, stick around 5 minutes, it’ll change.”

As I write this, it’s thirty days until Daytona Bike Week 2021. From what I gather, the masses are ready to throw down and get back to some riding and hell raisin’. I’ve been slammed at the shop with not only finishing the High Seas Rally build but a few other projects. I’m starting my first long bike with a Sugar Bear front end for my buddy Fast Freddy. His goal is to have it done for Sturgis to go into Sugar Bears Ranch. I’m also working on my first FXR. Yep, you read that

Article By: Xavier Muriel

right. Now before you go screaming and yelling that I’ve gone to the dark side I assure you that I have no intentions of imitating all the other FXR’s that are out there. Don’t get me wrong, they all have their place. Most of those cats are performance based, wheelie riding, shredders and that’s dope for them but I’m not that guy. I am and will always be a chopper guy. I just wanted to try my hand at doing something a little different to an FXR frame. So, we’ll see what the chopper Gods inspire me with. Now, back

to the HSR build, you’d think that it would be done by now. As most of you know, when the cruise for 2020 was rescheduled due to the pandemic it allowed me to have some more time to rethink some things. Well, in true X form I rethunk a whole mess of things which led me to trying and creating some really cool and I feel distinct pieces for the bike. Part that I don’t feel would have come to mind if it would have been on track for the 2020 cruise date. With that being said, those new do-dads pushed back the ability to move into final assembly and now it’s crunch time. Back in August, I was thinking “Ah yeah this is going to be a piece of cake.’’ Well, here we are thirty days till it has to be in the High Seas Rally Van headed to Bike Week. Hey, who doesn’t like a challenge?

Speaking of the van, I ordered an internal swivel ramp from Fleet International. It’s got to be one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a long time for loading and unloading bikes. If you’re not hip to this set up check them out at www.nationalfleet.com. They have all kinds of different ramps to fit different vans and sprinters. Basically, it makes loading and unloading your bike a one man or woman gig with no chance of error unless you do something to cause it. The fabulous part of the set-up is that once it’s installed it takes less than 7’’, and also swivels out to give access to the rear of the van. All in all, it is quite bad ass if I do say so myself.

I will be taking the Van as well as the High Seas Rally 2021 Build to every possible event this year starting with Daytona Bike Week all the way up to jumping on the cruise in October. If you’re not familiar with the High Seas Rally Cruise, then I suggest that you visit www. highseasrally.com for more info. It is a great cruise benefitting a great cause, the High Seas Rally Dialysis Fund. Stay tuned in the coming issues for more pics and more rallies that I’ll be at. Hope to see you at an event near you! As always be kind to one another and yourself. God Bless X.