78 XS 750...special to tracker/scrambler

Psycrow

Been Around the Block
So my main bike is a 2015 Mag wheel Bonneville but here in Nova Scotia we have some beautiful scenery along the fundy shore bit it's all only accessible from grated gravel and fire roads. After banging my exhaust on the bonnie a couple of times I figured I better look at something else for my off road adventures. Well in the garage I had this 78 XS750 triple that I was thinking about a café build for but the "Special" version of this bike that was more popular here in Canada than the " standard" version the UK enjoyed made a cafe build more expensive and difficult. So a tracker/scrambler build began to take shape in my mind.
I've lurked here a while so I thought it was time for a build thread. Now I didn't take many pictures of the starting point but here are 2 to kick off the build.
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Earliest pic I have of my starting point.

I've since stripped it down some. This is not going on be a frame up powder coat restoration at least not yet. I don't have the funds at this point and the motor is in dubious health so ill get it on the road and see how it goes before I commit to a complete teardown... maybe over the winter.
I touched up the frame with Tremclad, cleaned up the forks and painted the lowers. fork seals are not leaking yet so a complete rebuild will come later. Cleaned up the triples with much rust removal and new paint, it has tapered roller bearings already and they were in decent nick so they were washed in wd40 then repacked with grease. Forks will see new ears and gaiters. Headers were sanded and painted with VHT header paint... may get wrapped later. Rear fender was bobbed but the plastic inner fender was cleaned and retained. This in not California and this bike will see bad weather so I want to maintain some crud protection. Stock airbox was in rough shape so it is getting pods (yeah yeah i know). Seat pan was completely rotted so it was trimmed and will be covered in plastic and used as a fiberglass template for a brat style seat.
I'm cheap so I reworked the stock tail light and I'm looking for signal light that will work with the look I'm after.

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Also got longer shocks from a triumph Thruxton to bring up the rear to improve the lines and balance the longer "Special" edition stock forks. Will also increase ground clearance.
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Here's how it sits now...

Psy

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Thats cool! I still have my stock thruxton shocks lying around, maybe i can make mine a bozochop-scrambler?
 
Looks like a good project making progress, cool.

If you're thinking about changing the tyres, it'll end up looking a lot like my CBX550, full guards due to UK spring/summer/autumn/winter rain :-(

 
Oh yea these tires are all dry rotted they are just on it so I can roll it around the garage. It's getting some dual sport rubber. As of right now I'm thinking Shinko 705 's or some Hidenaeu Scouts. This bike will be doing gravel roads.

Psy

Ps. I've been watching your build Noriders looks sweet I love the CX's!

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Some minor updates. Got the headlight bucket painted and mounted with some generic ears. Tank was derusted, found some pin holes around the filler cap so out came the MIG ( no pics because my welds are ugly). It got some minor bondo and a thick coat of primer to tell me where to spot putty. The fiberglass seat was trimmed and cleaned up some then wire frames added form the rear shape for stage 2 of the fiberglass. Front brakes are also rebuilt and back on.
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That's it for now... next job will be to wet sand the tank spot putty any little spots and start applying primer and topcoat. Then rebuild the petcocks converting them to manual (vacuume elimination).

Psy

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Thanks! I realized I haven't really posted many progress pics so here are a few..
The tail chop....
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Rough...
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Much cleaner...


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Cleaning up and painting the triples and the the forks.
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Stage 1 of fiberglass seat pan..

Psy

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Ready for trimming..

And a pic of the 1980 Goldwing 1100 I did two years ago.
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Psy

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Some more progress. Got the tank painted.
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But I think it needs something more than just a solid color.. Yamaha logo in black or white maybe and some sort of stripe maybe?
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Got the rear brakes back on so the next step is to get some fluid in there and bleed. I rebuilt the petcocks but at least one is from a different year later 850 maybe... in any case in converting them to manual following the guide on triples.org I still buggered one up and drilled through the casting. I think it will still work in off and on position for the short term but I think I will bite the bullet and get a couple of new ones from Mikes xs. Net. Starter button is broken in the switch housing so that need repaired and the clocks are apart getting some flat black. There is some rust damage to the chrome cups that I made a quick and ugly repair to with the MIG but I slapped paint all over it anyways as I don't think they are staying long term. New fuel lines and inline filters for extra protection for those clean carbs and its time to test that tank and petcocks next... see if she will fire. Still have to do something with the exhaust mufflers and get back to that seat!

Psy
I'll take more pics I promise..

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It's looking tidy now. Tank could do with something, you're right. Yamaha stripes would work, maybe stylised and stretched a bit?

I've just compounded my rattlecan painted tank and it's come up rather well.

What's your plan for side covers?
 
Got antsy put some fuel in the tank and fired it up... cleaned up petcocks were leaking like a siv... local guy has several of these XS'S and gave me a couple of used ones off of a 850. left still has a small leak but they are way better than the two mismatched beat up ones I had. Took some cranking (I think my starter clutch is in need of some tlc and the starter switch is busted) but I got it running for the first time is over a year. Carbs will probably need another cleaning and a sync but she is growling pretty. Number 3 header is cooler than the other two tho so that will have to be investigated. Also I seem to have some bad connections in the loom as the lights don't always come on with the Key. I strongly suspect the manky looking non origional fuse box. I think I will cut it out and wire in individual weather proof inline mini blade fuses.
As for the tank I think Yamaha in white with some kind of vertical black stripe will do then I think I will distress it to make it look like painted on military lettering clear coat with some mat clear I have... I have the original left side cover so it will be cleaned up and used but the I'm missing left. I have an idea for a military surplus bag to be mounted in its place to give me some storage for paperwork and sunglasses and a tool or two.

Psy

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https://vimeo.com/177125014
 
Some minor progress yesterday. Front brakes installed and bled however the rear does not seem to want to bleed. Master seems like it's sealing but it's not pumping and filling the line..
Some minor bits painted black.
Curiserish slash cut exhaust was trimmed flat.

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They were test fitted but will need be pulled back off for paint.
Most work was done on the seat. Old foam was reused with much trimming and shaping to the new made by me Fiberglass pan. (first time fiberglassing so be kind)
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as it sits now.
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Psy

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Hi Psy
You look a lot closer than me getting it on gravel. What tyres are you planning to get. There appear to be a reasonable selection for rears but not much for fronts!
Cheers
Tim

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XS750AU said:
Hi Psy
You look a lot closer than me getting it on gravel. What tyres are you planning to get. There appear to be a reasonable selection for rears but not much for fronts!
Cheers
Tim

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I'm looking at some combo of Shinko 804/805's or Kenda 700 series... have some issues finding a matched set in stock sizes however... tough to play with over sizes as well as there is very limited space between the tire and the drive shaft

Psy
 
Yes, a lot easier to get road tyres! Very difficult to find a 90/90 x19 for the front. Looks like it will end up being 100/90 up the front. The rear should being standard at 4.00 which is only 100mm! There are bugger all 18" rears down to 100mm. 110 and 120 are about as small as they go! What width are you going to try?
Thanks
Tim

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Not sure yet. Probably 100/90 on the front or 100/80 if I can find one. Rear is an issue. It has a set of Kenda Challengers on it now and the rear is a 120/90 and there is about 2/8s of an inch between it and the drive shaft. Ill update the thread when I decide.

Psy
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I got a 120 avon road rider on the one I built and it was tight. But there was enough clearance and it rides real nice. Pretty crazy that stock was only 4"/100mm.
 

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wow Jadus where can i see more pics of that bike?!?

Psy

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