Operation Street Tracker

[Street Tracker]

Okay guys pretty new here but I thought after talking to a few of you I had better get this thread going. I am going to build me a street tracker. You all are really too kind on this forum and very helpful so I though well here I go I am not alone. That damn Pregrid Dave and his build just took me back to my past racing roots and I have the bug bad! There are a lot of other absolutely beautiful bikes and builds going on here and I would like to join in if I may with such a great group of people.

It won't be the fastest build or the one with a war chest of dollars associated with it but I hope to produce a respectable street tracker with all of your help I think I can get something together. This is going to be a tribute to my first my Dad who has past on he wrenched on my Uncle's Triumphs in our garage every week so my ultra fast Uncle Ronnie my Dads twin brother could contend professionally week in and week out in the late 60's and 70's. Secondly to my Uncle Ronnie he was famous at Ascot to say the least a district AMA 37 legend, thats him in my avatar at Ascot back in the day. First guy to run a sub 20 second lap at Ascot running with all of the legends of the time on their factory supported machines. I have my Dads tool box that he did all of this with to help me along and it is one of those things that just feels really good for me to go out in the garage and use those Craftsman's just as he did and come out with something he would be smiling ear to ear from. My Uncle is still running some selected legends events and I will have him throw a leg over this thing when I am done and have him sign it as the National number 37 of that era and it will carry the logo of Moore and Moore Racing which was on the side of all the Triumph's they fielded in the day. So I bought an 82 Yamaha as they look so much like the Triumphs and parts are pretty available. With not much there, a frozen up motor and.... here we go!

These pics are from the CL ad I bought it from and when she came home. The left side head and cylinder has some rust so I have been soaking it in Marvel Mystery oil and gathering some parts to get a roller started. I am also not sure where I will end up with a motor yet know at least it will have be a 700cc or who knows could turn into a full re-phased 750cc. I know that it will have PMA, electronic ignition, 34 VM Mikuni's, TT style exhaust, seat and tank still deciding, electric start only with a vintage look but with with modern goods mixed in for suspension and other various things.

I have a color scheme figured out to follow with all of my other stuff my HD Ultra Classic and my HD Edition Cadillac Escalade EXT complete with Rinehart true dual exhaust. It will be black and contrast cut aluminum or polished aluminum it should all go together well for a nice looking trio. I guess you can guess what National Number will be on the plates no mystery here.

I will have to learn how to get pictures on here and keep up with the postings as I am still a working man with family obligations like many of us. I will have some parts for sale out of this deal also I will put in the classifieds for those who can use the parts. I have found quite a bit of the parts I have gathered there for getting started.

So if you could please bear with me assist and comment me when and where you can and lets see where I end up.

Ready, Shoot, Aim!!!!!

 

[Street Tracker]

Here is the first day I got to do some work on it cutting and removing stuff I don't need.

 

[Street Tracker]

Removed the old drum brake swing arm and converted to disc brake swing arm with Omar's 19" rear wheel kit currently under way. That swing arm bolt removal was a 3 hour tour!

Threw on some black # 10 bend bars waiting for Hugh's user bushings should be here any day.

I am going to mock up to a good point before I tear it down for power coat while I build the motor.

 

[Street Tracker]

Got the engine stand done today

 

[Street Tracker]

Now here is some shots of what you can see in the motor want to try to free it up before I take it out, been soaking in marvel mystery oil for weeks and gave the crank bolt a couple jolts of the impact not go may have to just tear it apart on the bench any input here guys would be good. I have no chain to rock the motor!

 

[Street Tracker]

Some more

 

[Street Tracker]

Some parts are looking good though!

 

[Street Tracker]

Here is my HD stuff where the color scheme comes from.

 

[Street Tracker]

It would be real nice to build a modern day water cooled street tracker after this build like Brian Smith's shown here.

 

[racerdave]

Good luck with your build. Great idea to build in your Dads memory and a tribute to your Uncle. Plenty of bobbers,brats and chopped here. Good to see another tracker. Pre's build is a good example to follow.

Looking at your last 650 pic, that is a front rotor on the rear.

 

[jd750ace]

Wow man! your starting with the motor? A lot of people could learn something from you! Remember, the first word in motorcycling is motor! Lots of folks seem to get all wrapped up in the "look" and forget that it is just garage trash without an engine to take it down the road. Engine and electricals first. Everything else is peremeter. Many have a 90 day wonder chop that has been sitting for 6 months trying to get a motor or electricals sorted.

 

[BruceDeuce]

Good luck man Iwill be watching your progress.

 

[therealjamesdean]

Street Tracker, keep the pictures coming. And by the way, your uncle Ron was one of THE dudes...

 

[teamkandy]

Street Tracker,

Your Awesome! I am going to get a little emotional with you. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my dad and I going to flat track and TT races in Illinois and Missouri, before I started racing motocross. My dad built a tracker a few years back and gave it to me last late September because the weight was to much for his failing joints. He bought a small Ninja 250 and called me for a ride. We rod on a pretty day for 200+ miles. I was going to build a brat style out of it. His suggestion was to leave it alone. 4 weeks later my dad died suddenly. I am just getting ready to get it on the road. My first thought was I wanted to not touch a thing then I thought he I am going to do it wright. I kept it as a tracker just reworked it. I guess what I am trying to say is take your time and do it wright you will be so much happier in the end.

I wish I would have taken more pictures and started a build thread. I just kind of read the post others leave and figure it out from there. There are some awesome individuals on this forum so don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

[wheelhouse8]

Wow...It is pretty bad. That is what my motor looked like. One mine the head wasn't worth saving to me. Just FYI, mine needed new JUGS (the damaged side sleeve was cracked), You will likely need new connecting rods too, not to mention the pistons.

So far what I can see:

New head
jugs or re sleeve with new bore
rebuilt crank w/pistons and connecting rods
might as well replace cam chain too while your in there

 

[wheelhouse8]

One more thing...don't bother freeing it up before dismantle it is likely going to need some beating and maybe breaking out the seized piston...at least mine did.

 

[Street Tracker]

Good luck with your build. Great idea to build in your Dads memory and a tribute to your Uncle. Plenty of bobbers,brats and chopped here. Good to see another tracker. Pre's build is a good example to follow.

Looking at your last 650 pic, that is a front rotor on the rear.

Dave,
Thanks glad to be here and yes your right about the rotor, do have a couple of front and a rear coming from a clean 80-81 model should be here soon. I will then drill them out for weight removal, heat dissipation and aiding in brake pad cleaning.

 

[Street Tracker]

Good luck with your build. Great idea to build in your Dads memory and a tribute to your Uncle. Plenty of bobbers,brats and chopped here. Good to see another tracker. Pre's build is a good example to follow.

Looking at your last 650 pic, that is a front rotor on the rear.

Wow man! your starting with the motor? A lot of people could learn something from you! Remember, the first word in motorcycling is motor! Lots of folks seem to get all wrapped up in the "look" and forget that it is just garage trash without an engine to take it down the road. Engine and electricals first. Everything else is peremeter. Many have a 90 day wonder chop that has been sitting for 6 months trying to get a motor or electricals sorted.

Thank you very much and I just want to get a handle on everything then I can focus what dollars where go where so I can keep going my interest up and hopefully all come together in some organized fashion.

 

[Street Tracker]

Wow...It is pretty bad. That is what my motor looked like. One mine the head wasn't worth saving to me. Just FYI, mine needed new JUGS (the damaged side sleeve was cracked), You will likely need new connecting rods too, not to mention the pistons.

So far what I can see:

New head
jugs or re sleeve with new bore
rebuilt crank w/pistons and connecting rods
might as well replace cam chain too while your in there

One more thing...don't bother freeing it up before dismantle it is likely going to need some beating and maybe breaking out the seized piston...at least mine did.

Jeff,
Yes its a mess for sure, I am leaning towards a 750 kit with new rods, This will save on machining and make it simpler for me to put together but at a little more cost but it will be a 750, probably just have Hugh do me a re-phased crank and Shell #1 cam, timing chain components and find a new clean head with its mating valve cover I hear it is good to keep those two things together as they came from the factory always from the old school guys. So I know you have a couple parts I want!

 

[Street Tracker]

Street Tracker,

Your Awesome! I am going to get a little emotional with you. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my dad and I going to flat track and TT races in Illinois and Missouri, before I started racing motocross. My dad built a tracker a few years back and gave it to me last late September because the weight was to much for his failing joints. He bought a small Ninja 250 and called me for a ride. We rod on a pretty day for 200+ miles. I was going to build a brat style out of it. His suggestion was to leave it alone. 4 weeks later my dad died suddenly. I am just getting ready to get it on the road. My first thought was I wanted to not touch a thing then I thought he I am going to do it wright. I kept it as a tracker just reworked it. I guess what I am trying to say is take your time and do it wright you will be so much happier in the end.

I wish I would have taken more pictures and started a build thread. I just kind of read the post others leave and figure it out from there. There are some awesome individuals on this forum so don't hesitate to ask questions.

Man I'm glad you can relate sounds real similar to my past. While my Dad was in the garage every day after work and me after school I was running around first on a tricycle in the garage in the beginning then on a mini bike going in a left circle in the back yard, then onto a 50 then a 90 going in that same circle in the back yard always with one of Uncle Ronnie's old helmets must of logged a million laps believing I was Uncle Ronnie too funny! Dad finally felt I was ready to get on a KX 125 at the age of 12 and head out to Perris and Elsinore raceways for some short track and TT racing. So he built me one lowered the frame put a champion seat and tank, and famous Jim Wood in his early 20's probably then and at the awesome at the two stokes back then ported tuned the holy crap out of it and I went undefeated at for a very long time only got beat once at Perris, Elsinore the blue grove was a little tougher for me but had my share of wins there too, but had a get off I still deal with today. Man I will never for get how stoked my Dad would be with that big smile on his face as he would grab the bike and go get it ready to go for the next race in a methodic hustle only he could perform, but the bike would be ready just like we loaded it up from the garage for the next heat, semi or main event. Had to be real similar to what him and my Uncle shared I am sure but they were on another level being twins and ours was Dad and son, I remember my Uncle always getting off with that giggling smiling and saying man this thing is fast and look at that guy go! My Dad was just as focused and dedicated as Uncle Ronnie. All the advice he would give and the hours and endless laps at tracks all over watching Uncle Ronnie go around and the talking he would give sure sunk in as it was like second nature for me, I had seen every pass, every line, every drive and every result for years and I can till see it still today. Glad we have something to share motorcycles sure break down barriers that people have in general and it is the coolest thing to be a part of.