How do I build a Drifter?

[CDNRatMan]

   We will assume that this is a chain driven bike. Have you seen what your sprockets are? If it is 17/40 configuration you should then consider swapping them to a 18/38 comb for highway riding.

[CDNRatMan]

   Ok so you lads are learning fast no pictures it never happened, but which is which who is the older looking gentleman and who is the shavetail.........lol.....

you should have seen his 800 it is even better looking.....

[Vulcanpunch]

Picked up the exhaust from OR Seedman, he showed me his 1500 which looks super nice, and gave me since tips on my build and how to kill mold on your grass...copper sulfate!

[CDNRatMan]

   ok and they start....lol.......be nice.......

[greenbarn]

I always post questions and thoughts on here, of course you will get the odd person with a dumbass comment but .........

HEY, I resemble that remark....

[CDNRatMan]

  Ok just saw that your ride is a 95, so it is well aged. One way to check the dampeners is to lean the wheel over to the hub side and if the hub slides out time to replace the dampers. When you put it together, the hub should b hard to press into place it should not just slide in....want a tight fit. This will prevent that clunking sound from the rear end when you accelerate or slow down.

With a 23 year old bike and doing all this work to replace the rear shock can not be a bad thing either, I will be doing that as soon as I have the front springs replaced. Suspension is really important in my mind on any bike, and never skimp on the parts, same as tires.

I always post questions and thoughts on here, of course you will get the odd person with a dumbass comment but for the most part you get some really good info and some really awesome ideas.........

[Vulcanpunch]

more work then I would care to take on. Depending on the year take a look at your rear hub damper's and see if they need to be replaced at this time.

lots of fun to met other Drifter riders and to put a face to a name.

with blue rims it sort of limits you to the colour of the bike eh!............

Good call on the rear hub dampeners, just took a look at them and they look like they need replaced. Also, maybe I should go ahead and replace the rear mono shock with a progressive mono?
You guys are awesome, I appreciate your input. Sometimes you have your head wrapped around just one thing that you forget to check other stuff even if its in front of your face.

[CDNRatMan]

  more work then I would care to take on. Depending on the year take a look at your rear hub damper's and see if they need to be replaced at this time.

lots of fun to met other Drifter riders and to put a face to a name.

with blue rims it sort of limits you to the colour of the bike eh!............

[Vulcanpunch]

Like the blue wheels...

Thanks! The color of the bike is still up in the air. But I'm leaning to some shade of blue.

[Vulcanpunch]

Had to go to harbor freight to buy a motorcycle wheel balancing stand and some measuring calipers. So far it's not too bad. It just takes time adjusting because you can't make big adjustments or you'll throw everything off. I started by tightening all the nipples by hand. Proceeded to adjust my lateral dimensions and then my vertical dimensions. Unfortunately I won't be able to adjust the offset until I mount the wheels to the frame because I need the break calipers to see how much I need to adjust for offset.

[greenbarn]

Like the blue wheels... 

[Vulcanpunch]

Front wheel is laced. It was more of a pain then the aft wheel because of the spoke pattern. I'm sure there is a specific order in which to start but as a newbie I had to unlace and relace alot. The best advice I can give is to have a picture of a rim in front of you so you can copy that.

[Vulcanpunch]

Thanks!. Going to visit OR Seedman this weekend. He is going to hook me up with an OEM exhaust for my build. Also, excited to meet new fellow drifter riders...I say even though i don't technically have one yet lol. Here is a picture of what my bike used to look like before I took it apart.

[CDNRatMan]

  Then to true them and then mount the rubber back on.......looks good and seems you have a grip on the job.......

[Vulcanpunch]

Ok, laced up the aft wheel. Still need to adjust the nipples for correct offset and distance from the hub to the rim.

[Vulcanpunch]

Ok working on figuring out what spoke goes where. Thankfully I had taken a picture I'm going off of before unlaceing. Also, bough a bunch of spoke nipples because the old ones where far too rusted to be of any use.

[Vulcanpunch]

If you do try to re-spoke the wheel yourself, don't forget to set up the correct offset.

Double check that you have been given the right gauge of spokes - don't take it for granted that they are the right ones.

I have rebuilt a couple of wheels in the past, but quite honestly, without the right kit, it's difficult to get right.  In future I'd get it done professionally rather than do it myself.

Thank you for the tips. I looked up a website that explains how to check for correct offset and what to look for. The reason I was struggling to get the spokes in is because they are powder coated and the holes on the hub are as well making the diameter tighter. But I'll double check to make sure I have the right spokes. It does seem like it's gonna be a process.

[Pete]

This is as far as I've gotten on the aft wheel. Getting those spokes through was kind of a pain. Also I'm hoping they are in the right place. First time I have laced any wheels.

If you do try to re-spoke the wheel yourself, don't forget to set up the correct offset.

Double check that you have been given the right gauge of spokes - don't take it for granted that they are the right ones.

I have rebuilt a couple of wheels in the past, but quite honestly, without the right kit, it's difficult to get right.  In future I'd get it done professionally rather than do it myself.

[Vulcanpunch]

Will be watching your build.
Where did you find the spokes?

They are the original spokes that came with the wheels I bough off of eBay from a Drifter.

[tj]

This is as far as I've gotten on the aft wheel. Getting those spokes through was kind of a pain. Also I'm hoping they are in the right place. First time I have laced any wheels.

Will be watching your build.
Where did you find the spokes?

[Vulcanpunch]

This is as far as I've gotten on the aft wheel. Getting those spokes through was kind of a pain. Also I'm hoping they are in the right place. First time I have laced any wheels.

[Vulcanpunch]

ok some pictures of the bike would help. Have you considered the cost of the fenders? Would it not be cheaper and easier to just buy a Drifter?

It would but what's the fun in that. Plus I have the fenders already. The mono shock I belive is the same as the Drifter.

[CDNRatMan]

  ok some pictures of the bike would help. Have you considered the cost of the fenders? Would it not be cheaper and easier to just buy a Drifter?

[Vulcanpunch]

Well first off to post pictures I think the easiest way is to have them the correct size and then at the bottom of the box where you are typing your story there is a + Attachments and other options click on that and follow the instructions very simple.

Now the hard part of your question,you are going to turn a 95 Kawasaki ? 800 into a Drifter.....what model of the bike do you have.......the Drifter has a mono shock......

Yes the model I belive is just a plain 800 not classic or anything.

[CDNRatMan]

  Well first off to post pictures I think the easiest way is to have them the correct size and then at the bottom of the box where you are typing your story there is a + Attachments and other options click on that and follow the instructions very simple.

Now the hard part of your question,you are going to turn a 95 Kawasaki ? 800 into a Drifter.....what model of the bike do you have.......the Drifter has a mono shock......