Calling out all who are running Harley 39mm front ends.

[RMS621]

ok all,

I'm having a hard time getting the right roller bearings to make this front end work. I just left my local bearing shop and they told me that there are no bearings that will go down to the size I need.

I have a 39mm front end off a 1998 sportster with a 1" stem

My bike had already been switched over to roller bearings. So I pulled them out and took them up to the bearing shop to pick up the same bearings but with a 1" I.D. well that's a no go.

So to all that are running the 39mm front end swap. What did you do or what bearings are you running to get this to work... I know it has been done.

 

[Holywhitebread]

I think its all balls racing will tell you. Put your frame and look up that front end. I believe its that site will tell you what bearing will work.

Posted via Mobile

 

[RMS621]

I think its all balls racing will tell you. Put your frame and look up that front end. I believe its that site will tell you what bearing will work.

Posted via Mobile

Already tried. They don't list any Harley front ends. It goes from Ducati to Honda. no Harleys listed when I just ran the search.

 

[L_Brown]

Look at this thread that I had started.

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35560

I am dropped my frame off at Voodoo Vintage Fabrication in Austin Texas last Saturday. He is going to do a hard tail and this neck mod.

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34136

 

[RMS621]

I just emailed David over at VooDoo and he is sending me the custom insert to do the conversion.

Im going to order two of them and do it to my other bike as well.

Thanks L_Brown

 

[L_Brown]

Yeah David is a cool guy. Drove down to his shop to drop off the frame. Very nice guy and a cool shop.

 

[member3480]

OK here is what I have done and if you follow the directions for installing a springer its the same.
I buy a new set from ALL BALLS for a xs650 and buy a set of 1" bearings for Harley
Use the race from the all balls kit for top and bottom PUT the XS650 bearings on the side for another build . Top fits fine bottom of the neck tube on XS650 has to be 1/16" cut shorter because when you put the race and the bearing in its too deep. I always put race in then cut off the amount needed so bearing is flush with lower tree. Not hard to do you can grind it down or use a cut wheel DONE. This is a 2000 SPORSTER front end with 21" front Harley wheel and 18 " 4" wide Harley wheel on back using Harley brakes.
Keep Choppin RICH

 

[krazykane]

you think the sportster front end is better then the xs ???

 

[member3480]

For me 100% because of design change from 1970's to 2000
The one in picture was off a 2000 883 and installation is the same as a springer. I did one with a GSXR front end and that handled great too.
The years changed everything as far as damping-springs-travel-air pressure and some newer ones like GS1100 have anti-dive on them.
The great thing of the XS650 is you can put parts on it and change the ride for not a lot of money. I buy up 883 and 1200 fronts all the time so I can do the 21" front wheel. Now I am looking to buy a 26" wheel and a 30" wheel for two projects I am doing. Right now they are both more than the cost of a complete stock XS but I know its going to look different and that's what I build . I built a bike 2 year ago and got blasted on another thread of how bad it looked and will never work. It was a XS650 with a 6" over mono shock GPZ1100 ass end. Now everyone builds them.
I build what's in my head and I wish I would have taken pictures back in the 70's and 80's I built some crazy CB750 with 20 over springers and my shop built a bike for a outlaw club with a 36" over girder and bike was a crazy looking bike and the guy rode it. So for me I CHOP and CUT and I don't knock the guys who like to keep stock and ride that way. There are so many bikes out there with the same parts on them from factory. Me I just like to mix it up a little.

 

[scabber]

Nice bike Rich. The sportster front is the better looking front by far. Who made the forewards ? I like that the best out of the many you have built.