Ghetto brat build...

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I wanted to build a brat style bike on the cheep so that me and the wife could ride together,so this will be an unconventional brat with provisions for 2 up riding

Here is my second 1982 Heritage special the day I brought it home from near Austin TX,,

 

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MY-O-MY looky what I got today!!!!!!!!!!
3 boxes of mystery parts and some new meats.. How bout them bars baby????????

OK bud's is it gonna be a Brat style???? Street tracker????

Fong bros type bobber?????? Mag wheels ???? Spokes????? Who knows?????????????????????????

 

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Well I spent a couple hours out in the garage today. These bike have a real touchy clutch on them if they are not set up just right they are finicky about going in neutral. So I worked on it a bit and removed all the components and cleaned them,re greased it all up and put on a new shorter clutch cable while I was in there..

Then I pulled off the front fender and started trying out a few sets of bars on it.
I tried the t-bars (see them in the first pic) and some motocross bars and then the super pimp retro bars. I am gonna go with them till I hartail it and then see if they feel right then..

The motocross bars had too much pull back and to much rise on the end of the bars. They could be cool but I would have to take them to work and bend them down and forward. I think I will do that someday and check them out on the bike.

The retro bars...

Then I went and got the pimptastic tank I got and checked it out. Just remember I have to cut the tank mounting tabs off the frame when I put it on for real so the tank is setting up real high in the front in the pic's. It will be about 2-2 1/2 inches lower and farther forward when I mount it..

 

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So I went to the shop today and chopped up the two swingarms I had to make one long one...I made a simple temporary jig to fab this up on and a plug for the inside from 120 wall dom. Then I just added to the factory gussets. As with all my stuff I like it to look like it was hand made not factory.. So this is what I fabbed...



Here is a stock one...

3 1/2 inches longer than stock.......

 

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Well I did not have time to pull the motor this weekend with the bedroom project. But I did ride it to the shop and try out my new soda blaster on it..

Ghetto style with the motor still in the bike.... I will follow up with a better job when the motor comes out.. I just wanted to see what baking soda was like to blast with...

BEFORE......

After........

 

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Just won this on ebay for $130.00 shipped!!!

It's a 2 into 1 Mac exhaust....SWEET!!!

 

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Yep got this rim in the mail today..Got it for $50.00. Bummer is I got a flat on the rear tire Monday now I can't ride this bike.. But I'm gonna steal the one off my buds bike for a bit!!!

 

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Well spent 1 1/2 hours tearing down this morn..Still gotta do the swingarm swap and some stuff to the front end...

Here is one box of the parts...

 

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Got the swingarm mounted!!!!

If you'll notice I have added some speed holes in the gussets. Each one is good fo 1 horsepower right?????

Before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After!!!!!!!!!

 

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Got the engine all cleaned up and shot three different kinds of black on it....I have new point covers,valve covers etc so I just shot paint on these but they are coming off for the super shiny ones....
I used crinkle paint on the case, flat on the jugs then put case paint on the head to give it some texture....Also did a little sanding on the fins to add some bling to it...

 

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The extended swingarm lowered it about 2 3/8" Just what I wanted.. It made the swingarm level that was what I was looking for.. Those are the stock shocks. I'm glad I did'nt order the rebel shocks I was looking at. It would have lowered it almost 4"......

 

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Sent the wheels out and got them back freshly blasted

So here's the rear in primer....

Rear painted

Front painted

 

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Here are some shots of the ghetto frame paint!!!
I used a semi gloss on it just a tad duller than most bike frame paint..

Here is a shot of the forks. I used ace hardware high heat paint on them. Most of the parts on my hardtail were painted with this. It is kinda semi flat..

 

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Got the tires mounted on the wheels!!!!!
Black on black.....

 

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OK guys here is my how to lower your XS650 forks post...

This is how I did it. This is not the only way to just how I did it!!!

I removed the forks from the triple trees then pinched one in the vise. Used a large flat blade screwdriver to release the preloaded to the minimum..

Then used a wrench to loosen the nut that captures the spring and removed it by hand. I kept the palm of my hand on the nut while unscrewing it. This will not allow it to shoot off and fly away..

Then I pushed up the slider about 2 inches to raise the spring and washer up to where I could remove them..

With those out of the way I pored the oil into a cup and marked the level.

Then pinched the lower leg/slider in the vice using the caliper mounting brackets..

I bought a 12mm bolt and nut at the hardware store and welded the nut to the bolt. It has a 17mm head on it to fit the inside part of the forks that needs to be removed. Then I used a 8mm allen on the bolt on the bottom of the forks where the Axel goes through it....

I then got a few extensions for my 3/8 drive ratchet and a 17mm socket. You then put the nut and bolt that I welded in the socket and slip it into the top of the tubes till it mates with the damper rod inside the legs. Then use the 8mm allen wrench to hold the bolt on the bottom......
Twist and remove the bolt. Then slide the tubes out of the sliders..

 

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I then cleaned all the parts well.
I use the stock buck horn handlebars off of this bike to make my spacers. I cut them 2"long. You will have to adjust the length to your needs.

I then installed them on the damper rods as seen in this pic..

Then I cut 1 1/2" off of the springs . I cut 1/2 inch less length than my spacers were to add extra preload to them.

Next was to drop them in the tubes and install the allen bolt that goes in the bottom of the lower legs. You need to put a drop or two of thread lock on these you do not want them coming loose down the road..

I poured out the 25+ year old oil in the cup out and refilled the cup with new oil to the marked level. Then poured it in the top of the tubes...
Basically that is it just reassemble in reveres order!!!!

 

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Here is a shot of the lowered one next to the stock one..

 

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It only took about 35-40 min's to do both of them....
It had been quite a while since I tore a set of forks apart.....

I forgot to tell you guys that I drilled the holes out larger in the dampener rod and loaded them with 15 weight oil. This is supposed to help a great deal..We'll see.....

 

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OK buds I got a little done tonight.
I popped the forks on and mounted the front and rear wheels so I could get a look at the stance.. It is close,, the rear is about 1/4 - 3/8 to low I'll have to adjust the forks just a tad on the trees,,

The pic's don't do it Justice. Remember I am gonna clean up the front of the bike wires,gauges,headlight and all that crap later...

 

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Got the powerplant loaded in..