G'day mates, Tracker build for ya's

So as the title suggest's, i have a tracker in the build. She is a 74 Tx650 which i picked up in a terrible state with alot of stuff missing. I have done a build thread on another local forum so i'll be coping the previous updates from there, so bare with me.....

Here is something i've been messing with lately. It wasn't something i was initially wanting to buy but it was at the right price and i figured i could make it into something i could enjoy riding. So its a 74 TX650 which is an XS650 but for 73-74 they changed the name for a different marketing approach. The plan is to have something more upright to ride so i can enjoy it for more than 45 minutes at a time unlike my other bike so i am going for a flat tracker look. I drove to brisbane to pick it, it was bought from a guy i work with and he had the intention to hard tail it and go the bobber route so it came with alot of stuff i wasn't needing which i've managed to mostly sell off. Anyway, i drove to brisbane where his mate pulled it out from the side of his house and it had been in the rain and all gone to shit as you can see in the pics.







Motor left in the weather unsealed.



My brother hungover as fuck questioning the shitheaps potential



Quickly knocked up a bench to hold the frame



Free horsepower



What was left of the engine oil....



Ahhm yeah, first time for everything







The new front end with dual calipers.



As it sits at the moment....

So yeah, the motors stripped, frames detabbed and 98% done. Just waiting on parts which have been a fuck around, that seat was a month long saga and the main stuff like gaskets and pistons are still on their way, once they get here i can get my barrels back from the machine shop and reassemble. After that might be slow going, saving to tie the noose and a house hopefully one day (been saying that for years).

Christmas came early!

So i did this,





And this also happened,

Just a quick update to keep this alive. I haven't really been taking many photo's because to be honest it has been fairly straight forward. The head was sent away the other week for new stainless valves, guides and a clean up and is costing alot more than i had hoped but at least i know its being done right. Ill be happy once the motor is done and i can focus on finishing the frame. Also the workshop forman has been on my ass about the timeline, he is in the last picture checking the VIN legitimacy.

double post

Okay, the 'long motor' is finally complete all bar the charging and carbs. It took alot more time and money than i had hoped but i think it looks great. The oil cooler and speedflow stuff should suit the flat track look quite nice.

motor looks great! can't wait to see final
results.

Your 'inspector' looks pleased.

Thanx for posting a pic of that failed double-row trans bearing, the one behind the clutch.
I snagged a copy for my files.

Yours is the first that I've seen here that needed attention. That bearing absorbs the lateral forces of clutch disengagement, like a throwout bearing, of forces in the 300-500 lb arena. Lateral forces of that magnitude on radial-type ball bearings are normally a no-no, hence the double-row design.

It should be an important inspection item during a bottom-end teardown. It establishes and maintains the lateral positioning of the clutch and mainshaft. I'm actually amazed that we haven't heard of failures with that bearing...

No worries 2M. I knew something was suspect when i dropped the oil so everything got a good going over and the only two bearings that needed replacing were the one in the picture and the needle roller on the end of the shifter linkage shaft.

Today i have spent most of the afternoon trying to fit this front end. Whats the easiest USD fork conversion for an XS? Cause ive sure found the worst haha

Also, i was thinking i haven't done an introduction on here since i joined up so here is a quick run down. I'm 28, living in Queensland
Australia (the sunshine state). This XS650 is my first real 4 stroke bike, its usually the other way i know but i cant wait to ride it on the daily. Im only a pup when it comes to bikes and i still have a lot to learn when it comes to building them but at the moment it is a passion and i am enjoying it. Here is a picture of my RD350 cafe which i built around a year and a half ago.

Wow, not a single RD fan in the house..... Okay, back to out scheduled program then. Suspension is finished and fitted, USD's took alot of modifying to fit. I done a quick mock up to see how it all sits.

Bike looks amazing - can't wait to see it finished!

I am an RD fan, hope to scoop one someday! Yours looks super clean. Well done.

Love the RD...sweet build!

Thanks guys, i love the RD myself, its a real hoot to ride https://vid.me/e/jXlA Now with the XS, i am going with Dunlop K180 tires but they aren't a popular tyre over here and i had a little trouble finding them. I have the rear paid for and on its way but the front i am going to have to order from a bike shop in another state which has a different distributor.

Definitely a fan of RD’s (have a 400 still considering what to do with in the shed). I like yours and also like some of the stuff you are doing with the XS. Thanks for posting.

Today there was alot of cutting, bending, adjusting and now we're exhausted.

Okay. This dirtcycle now runs to some exent. It quickly back fired and sprained my ankle, i've had time off work and have been cursing it. When it did run, it sounded glorious and intensified my need to complete it and terrorize the neighborhood. Once the Vm34's have been dialed in and the braided lines for the brakes have been made and fitted, ill be ready for paint and its first proper test ride!!

I didn't generate too much interest here but ill finish off this thread for self gratification, cheers.

you make it look too easy mate. i had a look at your headlight video. post that one as well, it's damn clever. worth attention all by itself. enjoy your ride, it's great.

You must be just up the road from me, if your down my way give me a yell, love to see your finished bike...