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Sportster Enduro/Scrambler Thread

psykown

psykown

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All right so I've seen a few scrambler builds and wanted to see if anyone with one was on here, I am getting tired of blowing through the stock rear suspension even on the street and am starting to look into a light adventure/scrambler build. My personal goal is to have as lightly modified of a bike as possible basically just shocks and fork internals, but I am very much interested in anyone elses crazier builds! Also any recommended supporting mods to make? Still new to the Harley scene and there is so much that is just lackluster compared to everything else I have owned :lol3

So far I am leaning towards the Traxxion Dynamics fork kit and Burly 15" rear shocks eventually I'll add some spoked rims for that extra flair lol
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My bonestock sportster to get the ball rolling!
 
I prefer the rigid mount for more adventurous riding. I had an 07 base 883. The shocks were the longest from the factory. I always keep an eye out for 99-03 stock 883 and the r model. Most have been butchere with add ons.
 
psykown said:
What do you mean by rigid mount? I still know nothing about these bikes other than they make noise and go slow lol
Click to expand...
The engine is rigid mount vs rubber. 2003 is the last year for rigid mount. Also the cases have a trapdoor to access the transmission vs the the rubber mount and later buell cases that have to be split. The rigids have better ergos, less weight and more ground clearance. The rubber mounts ride nicer on the highway and feel more like a big twin. Early rigids also dont have a rev limiter. The wifes 89 883 will rev over 7000rpm of glorious sound rapped out. Most riders have no idea about how these engines can be built. Mild to wild. It is a dying art. But the parts and shops are still around if you desire over 100hp and a crazy amount of torque.
 
Ok nice that means mine should be a rigid then, I've been tpying with if I want to build the engine but right now the weak link is by far the suspension. Just replaced the OEM from the factory fork oil and that made a huge difference up front but those old rear shocks just too tired lol
 
Out of curiosity I went looking for suspension travel specs and came up empty, then spotted this: XLforum.

Will you mod your forks with spacers beneath your damper rods or go with different forks entirely?
 
I think some xl owners have used the touring bike airshocks. These are take off parts and worth maybe $50 a set. Not sure the length was ever 15in.
 
psykown said:
https://traxxion.com/product/sportster-scrambler-conversion-fork-kit/ Leaning toward this kit at the moment but I saw that a guy just swapped a XR600 front end on as well. For mine I want to keep it as close to stock as possible as it was my dads and has been around and bonestock since I was little.
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I'd clicked Like, but then read the link and liked it a whole lot less.
For $399 and shipping, you get:

A jug of 10wt oil
Spacers
Springs
Cartridge emulators
Long damper rods

Spacer length will vary depending on springs and rider weight.
Springs, even at a set length can be would for different rates and rider weights.
Cartridge emulators, get them from V-TWIN-MFG on ebay for 41mm forks at just over $50 and cut their diameter down on a lathe to fit.
Springs, stay with stock springs until you decide you don't like them.
Fork oil, start with the cheapest ATF you can buy before deciding you need heavier oil. ATF is like 7.5wt they say. Besides that tuning cartridge emulators is as much about oil level as it is about oil grade.
Finding long travel damper rods is going to be a little tougher, diameter can be cut down on a lathe to fit your forks ID like your stockers. Royal Enfield Himalayan dampers allow 10" of fork travel and you can get a pair new for $60, they're for 41mm forks so some mods needed. Finding dampers from big dirt bikes before cartridge forks came out is tough, not many models to choose from and prices can be high. It's tempting to look at Chinese dirtbike parts for better prices, but no.

These ideas can save you $275 to buy some 2" over fork tubes and some longer rear shocks.

I hope I don't look like the wrong kind of guy here. I've been looking at scrambling my Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 for a while now, and most of the same principles apply.

I bought Shinko 244s for my bike, haven't mounted them yet, great reviews from the heavy dirt bike crowd, should be fine for a street bike, and they're cheap too.

For ALL of the info on setting up cartridge emulators go to https://racetech.com/page/title/Emulator Tuning Guide
 
Last edited:
Alan F. said:
I'd clicked Like, but then read the link and liked it a whole lot less.
For $399 and shipping, you get:

A jug of 10wt oil
Spacers
Springs
Cartridge emulators
Long damper rods

Spacer length will vary depending on springs and rider weight.
Springs, even at a set length can be would for different rates and rider weights.
Cartridge emulators, get them from V-TWIN-MFG on ebay for 41mm forks at just over $50 and cut their diameter down on a lathe to fit.
Springs, stay with stock springs until you decide you don't like them.
Fork oil, start with the cheapest ATF you can buy before deciding you need heavier oil. ATF is like 7.5wt they say. Besides that tuning cartridge emulators is as much about oil level as it is about oil grade.
Finding long travel damper rods is going to be a little tougher, diameter can be cut down on a lathe to fit your forks ID like your stockers. Royal Enfield Himalayan dampers allow 10" of fork travel and you can get a pair new for $60, they're for 41mm forks so some mods needed. Finding dampers from big dirt bikes before cartridge forks came out is tough, not many models to choose from and prices can be high. It's tempting to look at Chinese dirtbike parts for better prices, but no.

These ideas can save you $275 to buy some 2" over fork tubes and some longer rear shocks.

I hope I don't look like the wrong kind of guy here. I've been looking at scrambling my Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 for a while now, and most of the same principles apply.

I bought Shinko 244s for my bike, haven't mounted them yet, great reviews from the heavy dirt bike crowd, should be fine for a street bike, and they're cheap too.

For ALL of the info on setting up cartridge emulators go to https://racetech.com/page/title/Emulator Tuning Guide
Click to expand...
I thought sporty tubes were 39mm. I have a set with trees on my softail frame
 
Yes I think they're 39mm as well, if you measure the ID of those tubes, I'll measure my emulators to see if they've got enough meat to cut down. You're not going to find a better deal on emulators than these, I've tried.

Here's a video that deals with Triumph street scrambler fork mods:

 
That I will definitely look into! and I've got a freind with a lathe so it'll be a great excuse to go mess with it lol
 
I just found some Royal Enfield Himilayan forks, complete with gaitors and bent fork tubes that I can get for about $75 delivered.
Damn you ebay!

Those springs and dampers will drop into my Interceptor forks it's been done before. I guess that's the route I'll be going. Longer fork tubes might be nice, not sure if they'll be needed though.
 
Sounds like a win to me! If you havent ordered it enjoy a drink or two, for me things miraculously appear a few days later in the mail :lol3:lol3
 
I'm searching for the place I read about it, I'm hoping I didn't imagine the whole thing.

There's probably a drop-in solution like this for your 39mm forks too, I'll keep an eye open.
 
All the internals are swappable. Longer tubes from a c model could be used or even the 21" front wheel . My experience with the sporties is not the front end suspensiin but the rear. The 883 race bikes dropped the front and raised the rear. But I liked all base model 883. I got to pdi 300 bikes in 2007 plus some used bikes. The street glide and the 883 base or low were my favorites. I even rode my 2007 xl883 in the snow.

The biggest problem is the ergos. The rigid mount is much better but still suffers from a low seat and far from the bars for true offroad unless standing. A jacked up bench seat would do wonders. Maybe mix a vanvan style seat with large overlap on to the tank on a stock 883 sporty with 705 tires and ...it might be that easy. Besides tire pressure changes. That is the cheapest route. Check out the airshock reviews maybe. The bikes are great. But the stock ergos suck! That said we have 2up the 89. It has done everything. But the rear suspension was an issue at least once. Kinda the ultimate bike. And with the right parts could be very ideal. And scrapes on the pipes is normal...Now I want another sporty
 
It looks like for rear shocks 13.5" is stock for my 96, so I am leaning toward the 15". From the scramblers ive found online the 15" with a TC bros. scrambler spoked 18"x2.5" rear wheel looks like decent enough clearance for me. The extra tire options are a plus as well. May need to go back to the stock foot controls as well, the forwards are going to be awkward lol

Are there any appreciable differences between the same year 883 and 1200? it looks like for the gen I have the rear shock length is a little shorter on the 883 and thats about it.
 
Oh ya..the rigid mount has the right foot peg mount with the sprocket cover. The wife hit a dog and cracked the mount. I met her after and had a friend heli arc the cover. It might be best to check your mounts and modify or be careful. Having some extra parts would be nice. That was a $10-20 swap meet part not long ago.
 
Oh shoot I didnt even think of that :lol3 it sounds like the versys 650 rearsets but even worse
 
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