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Current mood:  animated
We are going GREEN!!!! Going Green in Ohio
Photography & Story by Thomas Matthews
In a time when it's politically correct to recycle everything and anything we can, why not apply that way of thinking to the transportation industry? Taking the old and making it new again…not only in respect to cosmetics, but new in the idea as well. How about building a bobber for women for example? Women have become a big part of the motorcycle culture. No longer is it a macho grease and leather institution. There are even women motorcycle clubs now both Women on Wheels and Women MC come to mind. When a woman decides on a first bike weight and seat height are the two most important things to consider. She surely doesn't want a bike she can barely pull up off the side stand. So why not take an old Yamaha XS 400 and make it something useable again? "Recycle the cycle," what could be greener than that?
PSW Customs is doing just that…. From a decked out garage shop in an idyllic small town, these guys are turning a hobby into a business by taking something old and giving it new life. Jay started off in his backyard shop as a DIY bike builder in Perry, Ohio. He would trick out his own bikes and help out his buddies when he could. His wife Therese was with him one night at a local bike night and saw an old Triumph someone had bobbed and said, "I want something like that!" Therese had only been riding a short time and started out on a Honda Rebel. It was a great little bike, clean and well kept, but it just didn't have that wow factor she wanted. She wanted a cool bike! That's when Jay's creative mind went to work….
Shortly after that, Jay picked up an old 1980 XS400 to use as his "Donor" bike and he went to work on his first XS Custom. Saving the wheels, motor, forks and motor cage, everything got torn apart and cleaned up. If it's truly not needed, it's gone! That's where the PSW Custom "Bare Bones" basic bobber package comes from. The package consists of the following: hard tailed frame, standard bobber seat and mounting kit, standard bars and grips/throttle, electric box & Battery box, XS forward controls/linkage kit, chain roller, head light/tail light/ rear turn signals, peanut gas tank/ flat style rear fender, pipes (low straight back), chain, standard bobber style tires, bobber wiring kit (all wired), powder coated frame and wheels/ flat paint tank and fender with sealer…and with that, the PSW XS Custom was born…. The bikes have been listed as sufficient power range and the ability for a new rider to have both feet planted firmly on the ground. They are good for around town, short road trips and can run on the freeway, although I would be a bit hesitant to do so. Top speed is around 95miles per hour. They have good line acceleration, get from 0 to 60 quickly, and are heavy enough to be stable at highway speeds. Psw recommends XS 400 Bobber for the beginner and even the advanced riders, but if your looking for a little more than the 400 can offer, there is also XS650 available for the more experienced riders. There is no better way to show up in style!
After watching this first bike take shape first hand, I have to tell you, it does everything Therese had hoped it would. My wife and I joined Jay and Therese for the maiden voyage of this first run PSW model and it was a great time. It was trip full of adventure, mishaps, and most importantly, riding! I ride a pretty tricked out HD Nightster that normally turns a lot of heads, and Jay rides a Warrior like no other you've seen before, he's even won show awards with it, but that day belonged to Therese. The XS sounds cool, looks cool and without a doubt, it is cool. However, the coolness doesn't stop there… Jay is also one cool guy and he's all about putting a good product in the hands of everyday people. You don't have to spend thousands on a custom bike from some big name shop. Jay will work with you like he's known you for years and give you everything he says he's going to give you. After one year in business and six bikes later, Jay really has a smooth system in place to get the job done.
If your bike is not running when they get it, it comes back to you that way. That is part of their "No Ups, No Downs, No Extras," Standard Bobber kit. But don't worry, if you would like, they can get it running for you and they charge a moderate shop rate for their labor to do so. If you want to upgrade any of the standard parts they offer, that's not a problem either.
So basically, in a time when money is tight and everyone is looking for a new way to save it, yet still live life, PSW Customs delivers. Think of it this way, if you're riding a 1980 XS Custom from PSW Customs, you're riding a piece of history that is almost 30 years old. You're riding something cool and unique and you didn't have to break the bank to do it. The bottom line is, you're riding, and that's what it's all about…. visit our web site for more info www.pswcustoms.com
2:02 AM
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