6/29/13

He's back

Rossi takes his 80th victory...


...and Lorenzo shows what it takes to be a World Champion.

photo source: http://www.motogp.com/

6/14/13

Bultaco 250 TSS

source: http://www.retromotoonline.com/#/archives/1605

I'm thinking something like this is what I'm going to do with the YR-1 project.

6/8/13

today

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maybe

The '79 XS650 is just a tank/seat/wheel swap, so looking at getting more of a long term project going. Thinking ultra minimalist street 2 stroke for this one, using mostly parts I already have on hand. So, I dug out my titled 1967 YR1 chassis.
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This is with a '72 DT2 250cc engine and '73 RT3 tank. The engine swap looks like it would be very easy. the bottom mounts line up, needing only spacers, and I'd just need to make the front and rear mounts. The sprockets will line up, and the front sprocket is in the perfect location for the chain to clear the swingarm pivot. As it sits I can pick it up easily, and it should only need an additional 30-40 pounds to make a running bike.
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This chassis came with a 350cc twin, so why consider a swap to a 250 single? Lighter, simpler and less expensive to build.
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With my '73 DT3 for comparison. Just looking at options right now, but this might be it.
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6/6/13

XS650 Special project

Here are the front tank mounts cleaned up and ready to go on the frame...
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...and making sure they are just right before tacking them in place.
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And tacked in. Gotta make a rear tank mount and the seat mountings. The petcock mounting position isn't going to work. I want to run this tank with the original paint, so I'll likely make a block-off plate rather than welding the old opening, and figure out a new one that minimizes paint damage.
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I'm lovin' these big bars. The swap meet tag says they are from a Bultaco.
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The paint is flaking from the back of the tank badges. I think I'll be able to peel the rest off and repaint them.
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6/5/13

Mountain Horse


source: http://www.bikebros.co.jp/vb/offroad/ofeat/ofeat-20130215/

XS650 Special project

I started getting the 18"/19" wheels ready for the '79. I bought these at the Boone County swap meet, and thought I'd relace the front with an aluminum shouldered rim to match the rear, but I think they'll look fine on the bike as they are. I checked them for trueness and tightened them, and started cleaning them up. The rear needs a bit more work to finish up.
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6/4/13

Dirt Quake II

today

I figured out where the seat and tank will be mounted on the '79. When I was thinking about fitting the tank to the SR last year I cut the rubber mount tubes from the tank to make it fit the larger SR backbone, so today welded some new ones back in place. I removed the front tank mounts from the frame, and they will get repositioned for the CT tank.
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I also hit some of my favorite backroads on the '75.
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6/3/13

Indiana sunset

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XS650 Special project

I think I finally nailed down the direction of the '79. I'm going to use the '71 CT-1 tank that I'd decided not to use on the SR last year, and the seat will be the $10 swap meet seat I picked up last March. I didn't know what it was from at the time, but looked around on ebay and found it is from a '72-'73 Kawasaki G5. It is a nice fit on the XS frame and with the CT tank. It will get spokes with an 18" rear drum swap. I'm thinking a set of Gordon Scott high pipes eventually to finish it off.

The tank and seat are just sitting in place here, but roughly where they'll end up. I'd test fit a larger RT tank awhile back, but it would require major work to fit low on the frame since it has a much narrower tunnel than the CT tank. With this tank I'll still need to make narrower top engine mounts.
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