WTF? Which Tracker Forks?
- Thread starter Kev Nemo
- Start date
Kev Nemo
Honda Hacker
examples:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-Can-Am-400-Qualifier-Motorcycle-Front-End-Forks_W0QQitemZ260492314868QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3ca68d48f4
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AHRMA-MONTESSA-BULTACO-CERIANI-BETOR-FRONT-FORKS-END_W0QQitemZ140353340542QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item20adb6047e
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-REDWING-34MM-COMPETITION-FORKS-CERIANI-REPLACEMENT_W0QQitemZ320435956077QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item4a9b78a96d
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-Can-Am-400-Qualifier-Motorcycle-Front-End-Forks_W0QQitemZ260492314868QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3ca68d48f4
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AHRMA-MONTESSA-BULTACO-CERIANI-BETOR-FRONT-FORKS-END_W0QQitemZ140353340542QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item20adb6047e
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-REDWING-34MM-COMPETITION-FORKS-CERIANI-REPLACEMENT_W0QQitemZ320435956077QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item4a9b78a96d
Kev,
I know nothing about tracker stuff...so I won't even pretend. What I can say though from what I've seen is that the old grnugy dudes with gnarly ratty bikes from the 70's seem to take the pole. Maybe it's due to experience or maybe there is something to the simplicity and age old designs. I'm all for mixing new technology with old bikes but for flat tracking...if I were building one I think I'd stay pre 1975 for anything I put on it.
Just my .02.
Not too mention - an old Bultaco front end would be sick on a CB...
I know nothing about tracker stuff...so I won't even pretend. What I can say though from what I've seen is that the old grnugy dudes with gnarly ratty bikes from the 70's seem to take the pole. Maybe it's due to experience or maybe there is something to the simplicity and age old designs. I'm all for mixing new technology with old bikes but for flat tracking...if I were building one I think I'd stay pre 1975 for anything I put on it.
Just my .02.
Not too mention - an old Bultaco front end would be sick on a CB...
klx678
Been Around the Block
Kev Nemo said:
Seems like there's a lot of confusion about what a street tracker really is.
It isn't always "old", it isn't supposed to be a grungy rat bike, nor does it have the fattest tires you can squeeze on it.
What it is - simply a bike that could actually be put on a flat track and actually put in some good laps. A minimalistic bike with a dirt track type or similar tire. If someone doesn't know what that is simply go to any flat track site and look at the bikes then imagine putting lights on it. In addition the classes for flat tracking covers virtually any size bike, so doing anything from a Kaw KD100 to a 1000 V-twin fits the bill for that. With the advent of vintage racing, any age bike fits too... Just make it look the part - as if it just came off the track after the heat race, but with lights.
In Nemo's case the only negative is the 4 cylinder, but in 74-75 there was experimentation wiht the 4s... until the AMA banned all multi's bigger than twins. So he can display some trivia knowledge by stating the unobvious - they did play with the 750/4.
Now to answer your fork question, actual flattrackers are using a wide variety of forks from shortened travel MX forks to sportbike forks and everything in between. They put in different springs (and travel limiting spacers on MX forks) to suit the use. I'ts more a case of what you can find and afford. All there is for "true track suspension" is simply a set of forks and shocks that work well. There's nothing magic.
If I had the money I'd do some measuring and consider getting some beefy late 80s sportbike forks with the brakes. It's likely they can be had fairly low buck They will most likely be standard fork setups instead of inverted, but will be much bigger diameter than the CB forks. You should be able to find them for low buck. I have a friend who's bought inverted GSXR forks brakes and wheels for la couple hundred.
The other option to go on the cheap is to find a pair of Bultaco forks (Betors) or similar dirt type forks from the 70s that are 35 mm like your 750 forks. The negative is that it will be tough to fit a set of disc brakes on them if you want discs. You can find the offset 35 mm
Betors from an early Matador or the like for under $50. They normally show up o ebay usually under $50. Fact is I have a set of Sherpa S legs in the garage myself... They could disappear for about $30 plus shipping. They would actually fit the Honda triple clamps with no modifications.. Another plus is they will fit Honda CL77 fork seals making them leakproof.
The cheapest is if your 750 has internal fork springs, pull off any covers on the stanchion tubes and polish up the sliders.... probably what I'd do if I didn't have the money to buy a CBR FZ or ZX 600 fork set.
klx678
Been Around the Block
Kev Nemo said:
The Can AM forks would need to have travel shortened. The second set are some Japanese forks, not any of the listed names. Look like some Yamaha or Suzuki enduro forks. The third set are trick and will be through the roof at the end of the auction. Probably a few hundred.
Kev Nemo
Honda Hacker
Those Redwings are sweet, huh? I figured they wouldn't stay that cheap though :-\
Let me give you some background on my "tracker quest". I posted my bike on the SOHC4 board and had a guy promptly tell me there was nothing tracker about my bike and I need a cobra head seat,tires, bars, suspension, forks, blah blah. So I asked him-what is the big difference between the stock forks and the track forks? And I never got an answer. I could see the visible difference between the triple clamps and that something I definately wanna change, whether that's buying some on ebay or having some machined. But if the tubes I have are essentially the same with a beefier spring, I'll keep 'em. They even have tabs for dual disks already.
Let me give you some background on my "tracker quest". I posted my bike on the SOHC4 board and had a guy promptly tell me there was nothing tracker about my bike and I need a cobra head seat,tires, bars, suspension, forks, blah blah. So I asked him-what is the big difference between the stock forks and the track forks? And I never got an answer. I could see the visible difference between the triple clamps and that something I definately wanna change, whether that's buying some on ebay or having some machined. But if the tubes I have are essentially the same with a beefier spring, I'll keep 'em. They even have tabs for dual disks already.
Swagger
Putting boot to ass since 1967!
I dunno man....don't buy into that crap.
Look at some old pics of cool trackers.
Rework your bike to suit.
Unless you're building it to race in a specific class then screw'em and build it the way you want.
Call it what you want a fly'em the bird as you blast by on yours...while they're still collecting "Tracker specific" zip ties to hold on their "Tracker Specific" recycled number plates.
Purist wankers are the funniest whiners!
Look at some old pics of cool trackers.
Rework your bike to suit.
Unless you're building it to race in a specific class then screw'em and build it the way you want.
Call it what you want a fly'em the bird as you blast by on yours...while they're still collecting "Tracker specific" zip ties to hold on their "Tracker Specific" recycled number plates.
Purist wankers are the funniest whiners!
klx678
Been Around the Block
Kev Nemo said:
If you want a flashier look on the triple clamps you could see if you could snag some from a set of Bultaco Betor forks. Otherwise, consider taking yours and grinding off all the little mounts and crap to clean them up, then polish them to look flashy, if the bottom one is steel paint it silver or titanium. By the way, if you noticed, those Red Wings have cast triple clamps much like the Honda's are. They just don't have any of the mount castings for instruments and such.
Don't take any crap about your forks, guys who raced ran whatever they could afford. I've seeen stock SL350 and CL77 twins running short track before. It was more about "Gettin' sideways" than how much bling we had. Guys ran stock framed Yamaha Enduro frames and forks with hopped up motors in the 100 -360 classes back in the 70s. It's more about that stripped down flat track set up than about Ceriani or Betor forks. It's the look for the street going versions.
By the way, if anyone should feed you any BS, here it is Hocking on a Champion framed CB750/4:
Here's the thread where they talked about it. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=60242.msg655835
klx678
Been Around the Block
Swagger said:
Believer me when I say those guys aren't purists. I've been giving you the honest to goodness "purist " point of view when it comes to flat tracing from the 60s-70s. It was just short of "run what you brung" racing. Sometimes the fastest wasn't the trickest. Same is frequently true nowadays in the Vintage arena. They all aren't pros with big money to blow, nor were we back in 1972! Lots of garage tricks...
Swagger
Putting boot to ass since 1967!
Don't misunderstand my comments, they weren't aimed at anyone really, just the concept of "Have to have XXX part to be right"....
in line with what you've said and shown, if you build the bike as suits you and if it looks the part I'd bet any 'real' dirt track guys will give you the thumbs up.
KLX: Neat pics!
in line with what you've said and shown, if you build the bike as suits you and if it looks the part I'd bet any 'real' dirt track guys will give you the thumbs up.
KLX: Neat pics!
klx678
Been Around the Block
I knew that, no slam on you. I was just pointing out that those guys aren't "purist dirt trackers", they're more about the profile than the fun.
And yes, a lot of guys rode bikes just like that Yammie. Plus this was the first time I'd ever seen the CB750 flat tracker... amazingly cool. Now Nemo can "one-up" any know-it-alls out there.
And yes, a lot of guys rode bikes just like that Yammie. Plus this was the first time I'd ever seen the CB750 flat tracker... amazingly cool. Now Nemo can "one-up" any know-it-alls out there.
klx678
Been Around the Block
Kev Nemo said:
No, I don't believe so. They look more like the Pirelli MT53, and based on the age of the bike in the picture they are probably authentic ones, not the Duros. I recognize the front tread, it is a match to what my old 175 short tracker had, which was the MT53.
