Grittty not pretty build

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

I'll post up here as dawdle along  with this project. Already had some good advice here. I havent found so many FT's going my way, so any inputs good 
Pretty pleased I chose the FT500.  Wanted the touque & frame, and the age...and the cost. 60% cheaper than an XL500s / XR600r here.

Touque: needed something that was going get me into the mountains at a good rate on the slab, haul arse up dirt / fire roads  camping and hunting down ghost towns & ruins... The age, I needed a 30yr plus bike to get me into a local Vintage MX / dirt track / beach race  thingy we have throughout the yr... my old girl has deserves a better life and she'll be rebuilt for my yongest son.
( picture here ... young kid pumped & pestering for his first bike lol )

I found the bike had been sitting for quite a few yrs & had a few parts spirited away (starter pinion & clutch bits ) cracked fork brace, busted fork valve, nothing major.
Picked up a FT400 motor cheap enough to fill in the blanks, new piston and rings, everything else looked pretty good, blasted & paint, started up well enough & confirmed  a low milage motor 

Now at point where I'll register it, here it must be done in complete original form or it wont pass. From there I'll start to fool around ( measure twice, cut once ) with changes I'd like to make. As the Subject says.. this is how I expect it to turn out.. no disrespect to the purists 

[thumperdh]

Subscribed, this one looks interesting. Keep us posted.

[J6G1Z]

Sounds like an interesting build. I'm not a big fan of taking Ascots off-road, but that's because they make such a good handling canyon carver with sticky street tires on them. I suppose with some real shocks on the back & some fork work they would do all right off-road, just a bit on the heavy side. When you get going on modifying the bike, make sure you check out the Ascot Essentials: http://ascot500.com/index.php?topic=10.0  and perform the jetting & countershaft swap. I use a 16 tooth & I'm quite pleased with the results.

Good luck with your build & please post up plenty of pictures.
J.

[Lefty]

Welcome brother! You mentioned an FT400 parts donor, I never knew or heard of a 400cc FT?

[Lefty]

New Zealand! Here's  a stock shot

[Lefty]

It must be a sleeved down 500? This is very cool to find out!

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Cheers fellas, I'll post along.

Here they released the 400 & the 500, the 400 being more common, mainly because the Japanese bike licence goes by cc class; 250, 400, 400~ and by related cost and differculty. 400cc licence being the most common.
Exactly the same bike, same piston & crank etc,  just a shorter rod & barrel.

Seems like always one being parted out localy .. Just about crapped myself when I saw some of the price gouging on US fleabay though 

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Thought I was scr@wed getting a fork valve but the CBX250 had the same. Loverly little Honda engineers

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Made the little beasty road legal today, passed inspection, and took it for a first spin.
Had a ball, really impressed by the torque & and the turn in,
shes geared for the highway ATM,  really long legs.

I'll see if I can fit the Supertrapp & XL pipes on tonight.
All good

[J6G1Z]

That's a good looking FT!

Did you have a chance to change the jetting & the countershaft gear yet? That will wake that engine up a little bit. As you are finding out... They are really great bikes!

Good luck
J.

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Cheers,

Had to bring the headers in about 10mm and fit bigger flanges.

I have to take out the airbox tomorrow to see if I can wind the Supertrapp behind the cylinder.
So I'll stick on a K&N.  Any recommends for jetting with that?

[J6G1Z]

What are you trying to do? Mount up a high pipe or mid pipe? Why are you wanting to do that? Down pipes don't let water get into the engine.

The stock bikes run pretty good with the stock twin-wall down tubes & an after-market muffler.

There is also a very nice performance header available from ThumperStuff: http://www.thumperstuff.com/FT500.html

The common jetting upgrade is the Main & Low-Speed jets changed to a #145 & a #58 like is described in this posting: http://ascot500.com/index.php?topic=10.0 This works well with the air-box in place. I removed my air box & fit a UNI filter (I do not recommend K&N filters. They pass too much dirt into the engine.) and my jetting needs to be worked on. I have a dead spot about mid throttle that needs to be resolved.

Good luck
J.

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

when I get the jetting right with the K&N I'll post it up

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

The XL Supertrapp was APIA to wrap around the frame,  so I went with a slimline Japanese "Supersound" / 7 disc's.
So didnt remove the airbox & fit the K&N filter.

Sounds good, same throttle response. Paint and prettyness later

[Lefty]

That looks wild! Why are you going upswept with the exhaust? Looks like you might need a heat shield for your leg, lol

[J6G1Z]

That looks wild! Why are you going upswept with the exhaust? Looks like you might need a heat shield for your leg, lol

That's what I was thinking. A heat shield will probably be needed.

J.

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

That looks wild! Why are you going upswept with the exhaust? Looks like you might need a heat shield for your leg, lol

Cheers, always had Triumphs,   Bonnies" & Trophys with twin side pipes, they've always been my favorite setup...  and if I'm having a single its going to sound like a thumper    .. we're making sweet thumper music now..

I got the leg covered, I'll work on a full length sheild after a bit of thought.. headlight this week

[scottly]

Cheers,

Had to bring the headers in about 10mm and fit bigger flanges.

Is the port spacing different from the XL to the FT?

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Cheers,

Had to bring the headers in about 10mm and fit bigger flanges.

Is the port spacing different from the XL to the FT?

well it shouldnt have been.... I got that header & a Supertrapp on an Auction as "82 XL500s", .. XR600? maybe? not much effort anyway

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Frame loop & taillight.
Sliced & diced 18kgs off so far but... but backslid a tad on this old taillight...eh what the heck

[Lefty]

Slick, I love it!

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Seat & mudguard mockup; lost 8"X 2" of the seat, and will go with this guard from a Kawasaki 250TR 

[Lefty]

Very cool, I'm liking the seat!

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

Cheers EL Lefty! found this, same era, should cut down on front mass 

[wrk2ride_ride2wrk]

40% less mass + 1/4 the weight