I picked up a decrepit, f-ugly 1987 Sportster the other with the purpose of knocking it down to the last nut and bolt and building something cool and fun. This is bike #3 in my "Stable" so it doesn't need to be a long distance thing by any means. Since it is in such a sad condition and I got it pretty cheap, I don't feel the least bit apprehensive about cutting into it. Worst case scenario is that I'll part it out and make a bit of money on it.
Since I have pretty good metal fab skills, if I can't find what I want, I'll make it.
I have a model of how I want it with some differences. It'll be sorta like the bike directly below. Below that photo is the bike as it sites now. Yep. F-ugly!
Will do Bryan
I bought the thing without being able to hear it run, so that was the first order of business. It's got a rats nest for wiring, so I was able to bypass the starter relay and got it fired up today. Now that I know it runs, I can start gettin' 'er knocked down and begin sourcing some parts! Fun stuff!
I'd like to say I was shocked at the mess of wiring I found once I removed the tank…..but I wasn't. There were three wires hooked up. The three colored ones visible in the photo. The rest, all black wires, were disconnected. Every one of 'em. It matters not. It'll get a complete rewire anyway. But I had to laugh!
I've also been researching a GSX, Hayabusa or Buell front end….just because I can. Besides, I think it will look b!tchin'!
Looks like I'm off and running with a GSXR fork swap. One just happened to come up for sale on the local craigslist site. Complete with the triple tree and two brake calipers.
After doing some measuring, I decided to make a new triple from solid aluminum bar stock. Partially because the bottom tree was a bit tweaked, but also it would just be better. The fork tube to steering stem offset is about an inch and a half less on the Gixxer tree than the sportster. I don't want to mess with the stock geometry too much. Other considerations are making it to fit the stock HD steering stem and easier to fit standard handle bar risers as well as custom fork stops.
So……about a half days work on the milling machine to make up a set of billet trees.
Fun!
Pretty cool Ployd. You'll have to post up some of your stuff!
Here's my initial schematic for the tree lower. The upper will be similar but have drilled and tapped holes for the risers, gauge mount etc, as well as being thinner.
I don't have a controller for the mill, so the shape will be angular.
Got 'er knocked down most of the way over the weekend. The Craigslist pile is growing!
Not many surprises, although I expected the steering stem to be able to be pressed out of the lower tree. As can be seen in the photo, it's welded in. Nothing a little lathe time can't remedy!
I also got the material to make the new trees from. Two 12" long chunks of 1.5 X 5" 6061 Aluminum. The chips will be flying shortly.
I'm gonna wait to pull the motor out of the frame until I've fitted a lot of the new pieces. By doing that, it'll be easier to check fit, including that of the related stuff like plumbing and wiring.
But first up, cut away everything from those blocks of aluminum that don't look like trees!
07-05-2015, 11:57 AM
New Project, '87 883
