International The Red Rocket- 1985 XR build

[drheilman]

My entry, a 1985 Honda XR80.

 

[owend]

Looks like you are going to re-power it with a flat head

 

[manchester1]

Nice part pile. Looks like you have been doing some gathering of parts. Good luck with your build.

 

[chipper]

that's a ton of parts , nice , is it a mini bike ?

 

[drheilman]

Hello again OldMiniBikes. It has been a loooooong time. I havent done a build off since I won back in 2008. I entered this year in a effort to keep me focused. I'm going to try and enter the 'Gambler 500" up in Prineville this year. The good folks at the Gambler define a mini as anything with 2 wheels powered by an industral style motor(pull start). Sooooooooo instead of chopping up a mini frame to put on better suspension, I'll chop up a XR frame and ad a pull start motor. I got this old XR80 at a garage sale for $25. The motors locked up, suspension. rims and tires are shot, It was left out in the Nevada sun to die. Every thing needs reworked. I'm wanting to have a bike worthy of The Gambler when I'm all done. Here is my general idea of what I'm wanting to do.

 

[drheilman]

It will be a close fit. A frame cut here should do the trick. I might get away without chopping up the intake.

 

[45t]

Very cool build! I’ve seen this done before many years ago and have always wanted to try it. I’ll be watching what modifications you need to do to get that flathead to fit. Ive always wondered if there needs to be a jack shaft setup of some sort otherwise the chain would be super long?

 

[drheilman]

I'm wondering the same thing on the Jackshaft.I would like to build it without but I dont think that the Comet TAV will allow that. I ran out of "Thinking Fluid" last night so I'm off to get another 12pack and ponder this issue.

 

[drheilman]

I got some thinking fluid and I did a little more cutting. I think that it might just fit at about a 15% angle.

 

[drheilman]

Half the spokes were bent or broke. The 35 year old chrome appears to have a little rust. I'm just gonna start looking for a new rim for the rear.

 

[drheilman]

The front rim was salvageable. New bearings, a brillo pad, some rust inhibtor, and alot of scrubbin'.

 

[drheilman]

I was gonna try to do an all Honda build but it is just not going to fit.

 

[owend]

A GC series should fit in there or a flat head.

 

[drheilman]

A little time on the wire wheel, A little primer and a little paint.

 

[drheilman]

A GC series should fit in there or a flat head.

I like your idea about the GC series and keeping the stock exaust but I dont have one laying around. I do have a few old Raptors, so B&S it is.

 

[owend]

P,M, sent

 

[drheilman]

The Nevada sun gives no mercy to old plastic fenders. My trick, razor blades, wet sanding, heat gun then a little polishing.

 

[drheilman]

A little more progress.

 

[manchester1]

Those plastics came out great. I would try soaking those rims in evaporust. You might be surprised.

 

[chipper]

Good work on plastics , the dead plastic scrapes off easy with a blade !!