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Post by thumperbill on Mar 1, 2008 15:16:08 GMT -5
Thought I would drop in and say hi. ;D Have been working on a project bike that is soon to be completed and thought it would be fun to share with fellow thumper adicts. The bike started life as a beat up 76 TT500 and the only saving grace was it had a clear title. I started to see what would and wouldnt fit from all the spare parts that are kicking around and here is what I came up with. Here are the TT500 parts on the bike now. Frame, tank, rear brake stay (not shown in pics but works with some spacers), foot pegs, aluminum motor mounts, kickstand, side pannels, and rear brake lever. Engine currently installed is the TT but it has a cracked case and is only there for mock up. XT parts used on the project include the seat, tank, clutch perch, rebuilt engine on the bench, and headlamp assembly. Now the good stuff from the trusty SR500. Tripple trees, forks, mags, front and rear brakes, swingarm, Chain guard, fenders (rear was shortened about 4" under the seat and drilled a hole to match the TT rear mount), shocks, and master cylinders. Parts I had to make myself include a mount for the rear master cyl, shorten the kickstand by about 2", exhaust pipe that starts out at 1 3/4" and opens to 2" to fit a muffler removed from a XS400 with a 2 into one header, and aluminum muffler braket. Handlebars are some old flat track bars I have kicked around for several years now. Parts not installed yet since this is a mock up and in the process of teardown for paint and detail work include. A pair of Bridgestone K180 flat track tires, 36mm Mikuni, 76 TT500 graphics, rebuild kits for the brake hydraulics, tapered sterring head bearings, wheel and swingarm bearings, braided stainless oil lines, and some other knick nack parts. All in all it should be a fun bike built on a low budget. Just tearing down to get the frame, swingarm and wheels sandblasted and ready to paint. Seat height is only 30" and there is a lot of cornering clearance for the pegs and exhaust. Not running a tach or speedo and have not decided on a tail light yet. All the parts bolted directly on or needed very minor mods to fit. Havent weighed the bike yet but it feels much lighter than my XT500. Still not sure what to call it as its really not a cafe, flat tracker, street tracker or dirtbike anymore. Only thing I can think of is fun. Going to use it for the back road twisties and the occasional gravel road. Hope to be completed in the next month or so for the start of riding season here.   |
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Post by StewRoss on Mar 1, 2008 16:18:44 GMT -5
Interesting machine...keep us informed....  SR  |
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Post by thumperbill on Mar 1, 2008 21:46:15 GMT -5
Still not sure what to call it though. Its kinda a bit of this and a bit of that and fits no real class of bike I know of.
Stripped it to the bare frame today, ran to the car wash to blast the dirt and grease out of all the nooks and crannys. Off to the sand blaster monday. Should have time to take a bunch of the parts to work and paint them in the booth by the end of the week.
Bill
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Post by chew652 on Mar 2, 2008 14:03:17 GMT -5
I wonder is that seat more comfy than thr SR's plank?
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Post by thumperbill on Mar 2, 2008 17:11:41 GMT -5
Yes the XT seat is far more comfortable. It has about twice the foam right where it counts, my butt. I ride an XT quite a bit and it is a very comfortable seat for extended riding time.
Bill
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Post by wotavidone on Mar 2, 2008 19:58:47 GMT -5
I like it Bill.
I rode both my bikes (xt and sr) yesterday, and I was thinking it would be a great thing to combine the best attributes of both.
i.e. The XT is lighter, and consequently feels zippier despite having less power overall, the seat is definitely more comfortable, etc.
I've been trying to score a project bike to do exactly what you have done here. Bit hard to find a decent starting point without spending heaps.
About the only thing I reckon I'd do different is lose the side covers so you can see the pod filter I'd like to put on it, and score, if possible, some wire spoked wheels. Love those big flat track bars.
I was keen to see what Sr shocks would do for ride height on an XT/TT frame. Looks perfect height.
Given the bars and the K180's I think you have to call it a street tracker.
Mick
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Post by grandad on Mar 4, 2008 2:54:30 GMT -5
looks great is she lower than a stock sr
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Post by thumperbill on Mar 8, 2008 12:19:14 GMT -5
Well Mick,
Thats what I was thinking when the project started. Combine the comfort of the XT with the handling of the SR. I only went with the mags to get the rear disk with minimal effort and like the look. Basically its just a bunch of left over bits from a couple parts bikes.
So far the rims have been painted, tires mounted and ballanced, motor is ready to drop in, still detailing out the small bits and pieces before reassembly.
As for the side covers I thought it gave the bike a factory like touch. Sort of what Yamaha could have built. Besides it will hide the fact I am running no battery even though it is required here.
The SR shocks are used with the SR swingarm, again for the ease of a rear disk conversion. Only real mod for the disk was welding in a bracket for the master cylinder. The TT pivot will work fine with no changes.
As for grandad, yes it is lower than a stock SR. Seat height is only 30 inches.
Bill
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Post by wotavidone on Mar 8, 2008 18:00:23 GMT -5
I see your point on the side covers Bill. We too are supposed to be able to operate lights and horn and stuff without the engine running.
Is the SR swingarm shorter than the XT? Wait, don't answer that stupid question, after I've finished posting, I'll get my tape measure and go and measure my own bikes.
I'm OK with running drum brakes believe it or not. Swear my XT stops just as well as my SR.
I even went so far as bleeding all the fluid out of the SR brakes and putting in new stuff, and I still reckon the XT stops nearly as well.
SR front forks look absolutely vital though, so you can mount the SR front guard.
The more I look at your project, the more it grows on me. I think I'll log into Ebay and see how my latest attempt to score a project bike is going.
Mick
PS, on the subject of brakes, the local suzuki dealer has a DR650 that scored a dent in the tank in the showroom. Don't ask how. Anyway its made the bike hard to sell, so he and a mate started messing around making a motard. They laced a rear rim (fat 17 inch rim) onto the front hub. They then put an even fatter 17 inch rim on the back. They reckon it cost 2 grand with tyres. The end result was a bike which absolutely flies through the Gorge, he reckons the other day on a ride he got through the Gorge and instead of continuing on he turned and went back though.A total of 6 times it was that much fun. This is from a guy who can take a Hyabusa or a V-Strom for a ride pretty much anytime he likes. He isn't converted to the Big Single roadster camp yet, but this bike has helped push him along.
But an unintended result of the road wheel conversion is the front brake is deadly strong. Apparently, the 17 inch rim exerts far less leverage against the braking force of the disk than the 21 inch rim did. Result, anyone who squeezes the brake lever as hard as they do on the stocker gets a bit of a shock as the nose dives and the rear tries to leave the ground. So there you go, an alternative way to improve the braking, don't go for two disks, go for a smaller rim.
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Post by thumperbill on Mar 9, 2008 12:13:43 GMT -5
I also have no problem with drum brakes but prefer the look of the disk. My XT has no problem in the braking department. Yes the SR tripple tree and forks are vital to get the front end lowered. You might be able to shorten the XT or TT forks but I think the effort would not be worth the final result. The DR650 sounds like a fun toy! Here is a pic of the freshly painted rims and tires. Pic does not do them justice.  |
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Post by wotavidone on Mar 16, 2008 6:34:51 GMT -5
They look good. K180's are chunky looking things. This bike is gonna look the duck's guts I reckon. Can't wait to see the finished product. I wish I could be there at its first outing. When you pull up for drink or a smoke and all the armchair experts tie themselves in knots trying to decide what it is:).
Mick
PS, I've decided that when I get my project going, mags will be the go if I can find some.
Ran the tape measure over my two bikes. Very interesting results - the swing arm on the SR was actually longer than the XT, not by much but definitely longer. If you consider the top and bottom shock mounts and the swing arm pivot bolt as a triangle, the differences in the measurements of the three sides were quite educational.
My XT is the leading axle fork. Not as much difference from axle to top of clamps as I expected, but I would definitely want the SR forks, or maybe the very early XT forks with the axle at the bottom. Depends on whether I scored the mags, I guess..
No doubt about it - I want to build one that looks like yours. Ive decided to compile a shopping list of SR parts, start grabbing them on Ebay, in anticipation that one day I'll score the XT donor bike from somewhere.
Can you do me a favour? Measure the distance from the front axle to the top of the top triple clamp?
Mick
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Post by thumperbill on Mar 16, 2008 12:43:24 GMT -5
Well since the weather has been very wet around here and not good for any riding I have been busy with the bike. Tore it down and painted just about everything. Now its time to start building the wiring harness from scratch since most of the factory wiring wont be used. Here are a couple pics of how its coming along. Still have quite a bit to do but its getting closer.    |
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Post by marlon on Mar 17, 2008 7:18:40 GMT -5
Those tyres look real mean!
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Post by caferacercarl on Mar 17, 2008 23:57:55 GMT -5
Bits of this and bits of that, have a little sticker made for the tank that says " bitsa" and then get the tuning fork stickers off an early WR or a yam jet ski? a bit of colour maybe? and bingo!!the best bikes I have seen are parts build ups with a theme, keep it up.
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Post by thumperbill on Oct 22, 2008 9:25:09 GMT -5
Ok so I haven't got the bike running and riding this summer. Too many nice days to hop on the other bikes and go play. With winter setting in its time to finish the project. Some stuff got finished over the last several months and its starting to come together nice. Still need to make the wiring harness, get some grips, install a chain, and rebuild the calipers/master cylinders. Not much more to go on this one but just picked up another SR500 for cheap for parts to also finish a cafe bike also. Here are the results so far.  |
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