street tracker guys

Didn't mean to be "Off-putting?" but with experience, comes knowlege and sometimes thats comes accross in a straightforward manner. :)

Not taking sides in any argrument here gents but; Grandpa taught me long ago....
When one of these talks...............listen.

Moreover, when it's Richard...........take notes!
 

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You're killin' me! :)

On the KZ parts, a large caution based on a long legacy of making bad judgements and doing the wrong thing many times.

Free parts can be a curse sometimes. "Wow, look at these free....(insert part description here)! They didn't cost me anything!" Problem now is redesigning half your bike to make them fit. I learned a while ago that ANY part can be made to fit ANY bike, ANYwhere you want to put it. However, all it takes is every cent you have to machine up or have machined up all the interface or junction parts to make it happen. ANYTHING can be built! ANYTHING can be designed and fabricated, but at what cost in either time, effort or dollars?

So, that said, it's much easier to start with, using the Omar's wheel kit as an example, something that may cost you some investment, but you know (hope), it'll fit without any fuss and a minimum of frustration.

Having built a streetracker or two, I've had a bit of experience with things that work out bitchin' and some stuff that ends up really being a pain in the butt. That's why I suggest the Sportster rear hub. Maybe a KZ hub will work, but that's one I've never tried. Like to see a picture of it.

Here's some wisdom: figuring out wheel spacing and wheel centering is the hardest thing on earth to do. I've tried 118 different ways and it always requires remaking the spacers at least once!! Every time. I'll get it eventually. In concert with this is caliper hanger fabrication, disc and sprocket spacing, chain to tire/chain to inside of shocks, inside of frame rails in the swingarm pivot area, etc. Going to Super-Moto wheels could create wheel width, tire width or chain interference issues as well as the chain dragging on the swingarm issue. And you can't just run a teflon pad on the top of the swingarm and have the pad heavily loaded by the chain under power or the pad witll literally evaporate!
 
Yeah you are right I am going out and buying a ( insert any modern sport bike here) and stop messing around, not. I am sure my shop to riding time is at least 5 to 1. If I didn't force my self to ride now and then it would be higher. I get what you are saying and even appreciate it. Riding season is coming to a rapid end here and the dark months cometh. So what's a guy to do? Sit and watch the tube all winter? Nope! Spend some quality time in the shop fitting and tinkering? Yup sounds better. I may have to make room for the lathe and welder in the heated basement this winter instead of their summer residence out in the shed. Like my wife says "better than you sitting in a bar somewhere" I'll shoot a pic or two of the KZ750 set up.
 
So back to tires, and wheel sizes, I myself am going to stick with the 18 rear and 19 front. Going with the following for sizes. 120/90-18 Rear & 90/100-19 up front. Going with the Vee Rubber VRM-163's, I've read some positive stuff on them and I think they will fit the bill for my street tracker project.

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I just got a set of the 27.0 x 7.0 x 19 Golden Tyre DOT approved dirt track tires from Chris Carr. They're awesome! Running a front stock mag on both the front and rear with this same tire. They are quite wide, only about 1/4" clearance in the rear and front.
 

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I'm using 4.00 x 19 Heidenau K34s on my bike. They look like the old flat track tires before the 'treaded road race profile' that is a modern flat track tire. They come in a street (but still slightly soft) compound and a R race compound, the latter being about $50 more a tire. Here is the tire side-by-side with the old 110/90/18 tire that was on the back of the bike:

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They feel really great on the road and they're a modern construction.
 
Hoffman900,
That is the same tires I used on a "Mini Street Tracker" I built together with my youngest son, when he was 15. A Suzuki GN125, which can be considered a miniature single cylinder XS650 Special. With an 18" rear wheel from a GS125, I was able to fit 3.25x18 Heidenau K34 front and rear. With 3" shortened forks, 1.5" longer shocks, a low, flat handlebar and a seat from Omar's it looked good. And with a 143 cc 11:1 Wiseco piston, 24 mm DellOrto, homemade pipe and muffler and a big K&N it went pretty good too :)
Top speed went from 90 km/h to 125 km/h plus :)
 
I'll let you know once I get my bike finished and on the road!

Seems like it will like more like a real DT bike, or a motard. Not like a stocker at all.
 
I don't notice the 19" rear wheel on the street. It's all about getting swing arm and shock and fork geometry where it should be anyway. With that in mind, it might turn in a little quicker.
 
Hello guys!
I really need your help. I saw, that you are intrested in street trackers like me, but I have some questions, what needed to be answered.
I have got an original XS650 type 447 from 1977, with original wheels. Front 19 coll, rear is 18 coll. I would like to know, wich are the fattest tyres what can be installed. I have read lots of datas about this, but I do not know wich were fake ones. I don't want to modify my forks and nothing else. Except that front fenders wont be used.
Thanks a lot!
 
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