1986 Sportster – Complete

In the last post I detailed the new swing-arm I was building, with the swingarm all finished up it was time to give it a paint and get this thing finished!

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With the wheels in and the chain on it was time to add the aesthetics and get it moving.

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But to move you need to add some fuel to the 1200cc of fire!

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So I selected a tank that I originally bought simply because I like the shape. If your into Vintage Flat Track bikes then the name Trackmaster might mean something to you, the early Trackmaster frames and tanks always looked the business, a Trackmaster tank though was going to set me back close to $1500, this one cost me $40, It had the shape but just wouldnt fit.

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So I cut the tank and kept only the outer shell.

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Adding a new sheetmetal tunnel and mounting point.

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After that I made a foam seat plug and covered it in Fibreglass, a quick and easy solution to get some shape and comfort, then hit the road to give the bike a shake down.

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After repairing a few pin holes in the tank (drain the fuel, flush with Wax and Grease Remover, then leave cap off for welding) I added some rattle can satin black.

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Oh remeber that trailer I built, still works a treat!

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The seat took a lot of sanding, one major downside to making fibreglass setups like this.

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But it looks great from a distance and cost me very little.

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The CBR1100 front end is just perfection.

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Helped along by the headlight arrangement I made.

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I took the bike out to RidePark for some photos.

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Its at home on the oval.

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The new wheelbase is compact.

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Along with its minimal design, it doesn’t feel like the bike it once was.

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On the road its a blast to ride.

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Sometimes difficult to restrain.

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But it handles like a dream.

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And I enjoy every moment.

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That’s a wrap, I love this bike and plan to use it whenever I get the chance, I would love to do more flat track stuff on it too, just need a track now!

Thanks Dean Walters for the rolling shots, sorry about the carbon monoxide poisoning…….

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