76 fork question

[wes63bug]

Bought some forks off ebay from a 76, I noticed his other ad for the trees from the 76 and they are the clamp style on the upper tree, mine are solid and require a bolt to toighten them down. If I remove the allen bolt from the tube, will these forks still work on my solid trees? Are they same length and threaded the same on the inside of tube? Ill post pics, cause maybe. I'm not making sense, lol.

My 76 tree, bolts come through top and screw into fork tube

These r the style forks I got with the allen screw in the tube that use the clamp style upper tree

I just thought since they were both 76 650's they had same tree setup, guess not, lol, thanks in advance

 

[5twins]

Well, they did have the same tree set-up at one time but it appears yours has been changed. That top tree style on yours is '73 and older. I don't know if your top bolt will fit into the new forks you got, you'll just have to try it and see.

 

[cros36]

and i would suggest using 7/8 handlebars. yours look to be 1". what size are your new forks? i have a 74 and the forks have that 17mm allen tops and they are 34mm. it was either 76 or 77 when they switched to 35mm forks.

 

[mouser]

I owned a 76 for many years and it did not have a triple tree like that one...how many mm diameter are those tubes?...a better picture of the lower tree might be helpful and the distance center to center of the fork tubes....

I agree with cros 36....don't trust that handlebar setup.....get 7/8" bars.....or 1" risers

 

[gggGary]

+2 that's an "early 73 older top clamp. That's an early gas tank too. Couldn't QUITE read the whole vin to see what year the frame is.

 

[wes63bug]

i was told it was a 76 and i google how to check vin last 2 numbers are 76 on the vin, so i dont know, lol, i knew it had an early tank didnt know about the trees, this is my first bike so i had no clue, im new to all this. So my best bet is to get some later trees then? maybe buy the ones he has on ebay that came off these forks, lol. Oh and the bars are just to move it around, it had some hilly billy bars that made it hard to move so i used what i had which was too big, lol.

 

[gggGary]

That appear's to be an early bike, 73 or older, does it have electric start?
Compare vins here: http://www.xs650.org.au/general%20info.HTM

Go down the page a bit for vin vs year comparo's Do you have a title or can you get one in your state? Titles are getting harder to replace all the time.

 

[wes63bug]

yeah has electric start, and thanks for that gggGary, but now i feel totally stupid, it didnt have a title, old lady lost it, her husband has been dead a long time, she said 76, last 2 numbers on vin said 76, i didnt think twice of it. Its just been sitting, it is early, im an idiot, Vin is S650-104476, so between 72 and 73 and please tell me the tank isnt worth anything? if so i wont show you what i did to it.

 

[650Skull]

Bought some forks off ebay from a 76,


These r the style forks I got with the allen screw in the tube that use the clamp style upper tree

I just thought since they were both 76 650's they had same tree setup, guess not, lol, thanks in advance

These forks are off the 74TXA/75XSB. The left side fork has the clamp bracket for the axle and that would make your caliper brackets facing forward. The 76C's have the calipers on the rear of the forks.

Ebay sellers often have no idea what year or model is what. The link Gary set you on has a very good model and year by year changes, these are mainly for Aus, we have the twin disk models,(starting from 76C ), where the US only have the one disk. The other thing it doesn't cover is the 78E/79F, 79Special 2, 80G/81H US models that didn't come to Aus.

 

[wes63bug]

well im thinking since my tubes are rusted in the forks, tried everything they wont come out, and yes the allen screw underneath was removed, lol, i should maybe just buy some 76 trees and sell these early trees. Prob be the best thing since i already bought the 76 forks and im making it into a chopper and not restoring it. The trees are interchangable right? or are the necks or bearings different from 72 to 76?

 

[XSLeo]

The 70-73's have a shorter steering head. To install the later trees you will have to add a spacer under the lower bearing.
Or swap the stem from your trees into the later stem. Spacer is easier.
Good time to put in the tapered roller bearings.
I can't recall just how much difference is between the stems. If you buy the 76 trees you can measure the difference. Split the difference , put that much spacer at top and bottom, or all at bottom. Which ever feels better to you.
Leo

 

[gggGary]

You don't want to know what early tanks are going for anymore.................
Good thing that one looked pretty rough.

 

[wes63bug]

Thanks for the spacer info, prob be the best bet run the 76 trees, do the tapered roller bearings and space it, oh and actually the tank was in good shape, previous owner just coated it in bondo to cover the side badge spots. I didn't know it was early til I cut it and started taking it down to metal, oh well lesson ltearned, thanks everyone for all the info, really cool of u guys.