XT500 MX project

I'm getting started on another XT500 project, this one will be a motocrosser. Here is the bike when I bought it back in '09.


Here it is stripped down and ready to begin.


The tank I'll use is from a '76 YZ125. It'll need a fair amount of tunnel work to fit the XT500 frame.


The swingarm is from a '77 Suzuki RM250.


The RM swingarm is 3" longer from pivot to axle, and 1" shorter from pivot to shock mounts.


The first thing will be to fit the swingarm, doing a test fit here. It has a smaller diameter pivot bolt, and is also a bit narrower at the pivot, but shouldn't be too difficult to adapt.

Vintage Motorcycle Swap Meet - March 2

http://www.bcswapmeet.com/

DT1 flat track project

During mock-up I'd slid the forks up in the trees about 1.5" to get the bike to sit right, so I wanted to internally lower them. These forks use a long spacer at the top, so I cut a 1.5" and 2" spacer from 1/2" pvc. The shorter one goes on the damper tube, and the longer one on top where the old one was. Normally you'd get new aftermarket springs, or at least use a longer top spacer to increase preload, but during mock-up the sag felt about right, and since the TX650 the forks are from is about twice the weight of the DT, the old springs might be alright. If not, it is an easy swap later on.


This spacer pulls the fork tubes 1.5" lower into the legs at full extension, which lowers the total length.


Later Yamaha forks use a 17mm hex key to hold the damper tube from turning when tightening or loosening the bottom damper bolt, but for the early forks you can use a 12mm 6 point socket with 4 sides ground off.


I'm using All Balls fork seals, but got genuine Yamaha dust boots from boats.net for about $30 for the pair.


Here they are ready to go.

TX750

source: http://auctions.search.yahoo.co.jp/search?p=tx&auccat=26316

DT1 flat track project

The '73 TX650 forks I'm using have lots of tabs that need trimmed off since I don't need any of them for this bike.


I removed them using an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel.


The fork lower after the trimming.


Next was to smooth out the cuts. I started with a flapper wheel, then finished with a fine metal file. The important thing here is to avoid any scratches that will take more time to polish out later on.


Then was wet sanding with soapy water first with 400 grit, then going to 1000 grit, and then some Autosol metal polish.

The Glory Days of British Motorbikes

DT1 flat track project

I trued the rims and spooned on the tires. Once the forks are done I should be ready to start final assembly later this month.