XR600R Street Tracker Build

[Kellen]

Building a street tracker out of a 83/86 franken bike. I've done a lot of research on shortening forks and I've always added PVC spacers to my old KZ650's to lower them a couple inches. My questions is since I'll need to drop the front end about 3.5 inches, should I just do spacers or should I also cut the springs? The bike is going to be on the street 90% of the time. I understand the implications of lowering with regards to spring rate and travel. Just looking for some advice.

You can see my build progress at MCCBoise.blogspot.com

Thanks

Kellen

Edited March 29, 2011 by Kellen

[Bob K]

Nice project , Kellen !

I wish I could help you out on the suspension but I have

no experience. I read on your blog you had to use a different

rear shock. What did you finally end up using? And when you said

it was 2 inches shorter, is that shock length or how much the bike

is lowered?

( I would like to lower my bike a couple of inches too.)

Bob K

[Kellen]

Well, I think a stock xr250 rear shock should be about 1" shorter than the XR600. The one that I ended up putting on there came out of a box of shocks at the local salvage yard. No reservoir on it so I think it came off a CR125 but I can't be sure. It was an inch shorter than my stock shock and it lowered the rear end at least a couple inches.

[Kellen]

Pulled the forks apart today. There were 4" preload spacers in there, so I just made my 4" pvc spacers and put the forks back together without the preload spacers. lowered it nicely but it's a little squishy so i may just put the preload spacers back in. You can see the before and after pics on my blog.

[Bob K]

So, you used like, 1 inch schedule 40( or80 ) PVC?

[jtkardel]

Slap a f2 wheel on the front wheel, it'll drop it 2". A little cheap machining and you've got an inexpensive tracker.

[Kellen]

I used what I had around the garage. Happened to be 1.5" schedule 40. I pulled the cap off the tubes, removed the washer then pulled the springs out, drained the oil. Then I used my impact wrench to removed the bolt on the bottom of the sliders. That bolt screws into the bottom of the damper rod and unscrewing it will release the fork tube for the slider. Pulled the fork tube out, tipped it upside down to get the damper rod out. Put my pvc spacer on the damper rod, put it back in the tube and reassembled the fork. Pretty simple process.

When I lace up my 18" front wheel tomorrow, it will lowering the front end by another .5".

[ThumpNRed]

I used what I had around the garage. Happened to be 1.5" schedule 40. I pulled the cap off the tubes, removed the washer then pulled the springs out, drained the oil. Then I used my impact wrench to removed the bolt on the bottom of the sliders. That bolt screws into the bottom of the damper rod and unscrewing it will release the fork tube for the slider. Pulled the fork tube out, tipped it upside down to get the damper rod out. Put my pvc spacer on the damper rod, put it back in the tube and reassembled the fork. Pretty simple process.

When I lace up my 18" front wheel tomorrow, it will lowering the front end by another .5".

I have a new build to watch! Are you in Washington or Boise?

1A plates on the car in the garage... answered my own question. Hope to see the bike on the road one day!

[Kellen]

I have a new build to watch! Are you in Washington or Boise?

1A plates on the car in the garage... answered my own question. Hope to see the bike on the road one day!

You're right. Boise now. Been here about a year and a half from Tacoma before that. If you're local, you're always welcome to come over and talk shop or work on your bike. I'll provide the beer. Just become a follower on my blog and you can get a hold of me.

Don't know if you're familiar with Pro Power Performance, but Todd, Casey and Adam there are super nice guys and aren't stuck on Harley. They're open to all kinds of bikes and they new shows and swaps in the summer. I'll have my bike there for sure. Had my Harley chopper in the show last year and will do a 180 this year entering a Honda dirt bike.

[ThumpNRed]

You're right. Boise now. Been here about a year and a half from Tacoma before that. If you're local, you're always welcome to come over and talk shop or work on your bike. I'll provide the beer. Just become a follower on my blog and you can get a hold of me.

Don't know if you're familiar with Pro Power Performance, but Todd, Casey and Adam there are super nice guys and aren't stuck on Harley. They're open to all kinds of bikes and they new shows and swaps in the summer. I'll have my bike there for sure. Had my Harley chopper in the show last year and will do a 180 this year entering a Honda dirt bike.

Yep... Boise also. I'll get in touch through the blog. Always looking for another shop to visit. ?

[Kenzo]

removing or reducing the preload spacers is not gunna leave you with a well handling bike on ur proper current spring rates...heavier springs w/ shorter spacers will help but you are losing travel...springs can be cut but u still need minimal preload so the spring ain't ratteling at full droop.

...an aquaintence modified his dirt bike for novice flatrack racing and with proper 19" wheels he only had to raise his forks in the clamps about 1/2" still using stock springs and preload spacers...

...i believe he cut/shortened his shock spring ~3/4"

?

[Kellen]

removing or reducing the preload spacers is not gunna leave you with a well handling bike on ur proper current spring rates...heavier springs w/ shorter spacers will help but you are losing travel...springs can be cut but u still need minimal preload so the spring ain't ratteling at full droop.

...an aquaintence modified his dirt bike for novice flatrack racing and with proper 19" wheels he only had to raise his forks in the clamps about 1/2" still using stock springs and preload spacers...

...i believe he cut/shortened his shock spring ~3/4"

?

Yeah, I could have achieved a decent look doing what your buddy did, but for my tracker I really envisioned a slammed look. Only way to get that was to drop the front end quite a few inches. I didn't end up cutting the springs though.

[Kenzo]

?

[ThumpNRed]

?

Strange how that bike was sold and seems to have just disappeared. Nobody's seen for a few years now. Awesome looking scooter.

[Kellen]

I laced up my front hub to a rear rim last night with some new spokes I got from Buchanan's. It all went real smooth but just as most folks know and as Buchanan told me, you will get some bowing on the spokes where the angle of the hole in the rim is different. I asked Buchanan if this is a major failure point but they told me they lace wheels up like this for people racing and don't have any issues.

There are 9 spokes where the angle is just too much for the nipple to seat good enough so I'm gonna go home and tweak those holes a bit today. Got to love aluminum. I don't even have to use a drill since a small round file will remove aluminum fast enough. I'm not going extreme with the holes though. I don't mind a little bowing, I just need the nipples to seat.

[Bob K]

So, what do YOU use for a truing jig?

[Kellen]

So, what do YOU use for a truing jig?

I use whatever I have around. I've used 2x4s made into a little frame. The majority of the time I just put the wheel back on the bike to true it. Once in a while I bust out my dial bump caliper but most of the time I just slap a piece of wire on the fork or use some rubber bands to attach a ruler and go from there.

On my blog I have a link to the Knuckle Buster website that has a great video tutorial for lacing and truing wheels.

[Kellen]

Finished up my front wheel today and mounted the tires. I am using the rear wheel from my 1986 XR250R. Same wheel and everything but when I went to put it on the bike, I realized that the wheel from the 83 is 3/8" wider than that of the 86. Identical in every other respect. Weird. Anyway, I threw in a couple washers to center it and got in on there. When I put on the front wheel, the tread was rubbing the sliders a tiny bit so I'm going to go ahead and shave the lowers.

[Johno33772]

What size tire are you running?

Picked up a clean XR500 today to start my build...

[Kellen]

What size tire are you running?

Picked up a clean XR500 today to start my build...

I'm running 18x5.10. You should start posting pics of your bike. We can just make this a general street tracker build thread.

Update on mine. I just picked up a really nice complete frame with the swing arm and forks from a 1987 XR600R for $75. It's in awesome shape so I'll be cutting it up and transferring my motor and other parts to this frame. Will also have some pics of my tank mod to post soon as well.