1981 XL185S Pooched Parts Bike

[XLsior]

Trying to find a Decent parts bike to have some spares around incase my XLCG250 needs them.

I found this and payed a deposit so basically committed to purchase site unseen.

It was close enough that fuel and time wasn't a major pain.

No Idea what the history is other than it's a 1981 (same Vintage as me)
The seller had bought some lawn mowers and this was part of the sale agreement(take away)

I was mainly interested wheel/rim/drumbrake assemblies and I think the chrome will polish out and they seem straight. Triple tree is good front shocks usable, rear shocks seem fine.

The engine turns and has compression.

The box of miscellaneous parts had a gasket kit and piston rings...so i think someone was prepared to have a go fixing it but then tapped out.

The engine has been coated in some heavy black enamel paint/bed liner coating with no masking effort aka PITA.

But there is no ignition wiring.

most of the hardware has been replaced with discount hardware's finest.

Taking the non matching seat that was screw bolted into the side off the frame and fuel tank that is dented beyond hope...

The discovery is the frame had snapped near the top engine mounts and was welded back...I suspect it was ridden with the missing front engine mounts...

Any what this means is this frame is no good for roadworthy.

However I think I might try to make this poor clapped out 81 into a twinshock trails/backyard basher bike.

The project XL/CG250 road legal bike is still main priority.

going to sell off the non used original parts to recoup some costs first.

[Moto1204]

Wow! Nice buy. I was going to say depending on what you paid it might be worth to freshen it up and get it running to flip it. Doubt it came with a title though.

[XLsior]

looks are deceiving, Most of the bolts are not original.

the frame has snapped and been welded...will not pass a road safety inspection.

The motor is missing the sprocket cover, points/CDI cover and some case bolts.

I am hoping the black heavy paint will respond to paint stripper. not So sure about dumping $ more into a beater.
However I have no problem hacking into it.

Some other bits like the rear brake return spring ,wheel adjustment/chain tension bolts are gone.

I would probably have to get another bike just to save this one. It's basically junk but might be able to sell the non essentials like the side plast+airbox, splash and rear guard as-well as the gauge cluster and loom to a point where the wheels, hubs, swing arm and front shocks were worth the effort.

The rear tire holds air...I guess that's something.

I spent more on this 81 parts bike than my 92 model but that pre pandemic prices...and that being said my 92 wasn't perfect but at least it was mostly original and structurally sound.

[XLsior]

I thew some remaining paint stripper on the engine to see if it will clean up ok...

Results look promising.

however the back sprocket is cracked. So any intentions of putting time and finances into this particular bike is pretty much dusted.

However the sum of its parts is still justified.

The rims should clean up ok and there are a number of legitimate spares for the main bike now.

The current rolling assembly will be rolled under the house for storage.

In case another better spares/parts bike perhaps becomes available.

I should be able to hobble together 2 runners with spares out of 3 bikes but I think I will be drawing a line after that.

[XLsior]

So I was searching marketplace...as purveyors of rust buckets often do...

And well ... found another abused XL185. Was sold to me as a 78...but the compliance plate is 12 month 1981

It was cheap...the frame is solid (ticked the box)...Just what is in the photos...no engine,seat or tank.

a rolling frame...

everything is pretty crapola...Frame and mounts is what I paid for

Might be able to sell off the complete airbox.

So what are the odds i can make 1 beater bike out of 2 ragged on 1981 bikes and some 92 leftovers...?

The old man I bought it from had a shed full of restored to partially restored to dead XL185/250 and XR200s...And I really mean a shed full...like packed to the rafters full.

think I found my parts guy.

I'll just chip away at the beater bike for a couple of years and see how it pans out.

[XLsior]

My second project bike is coming into focus...

It will be another XL185 with a China clone engine...

But this time I am going to be cutting and shortening the frame...

Less Dualsport more Trails/Scrambler...Something for around the yard that won't mind taking a beating...

No roadworthy requirements/electrical equipment.

So the frame has about 4 different forms of paint coatings...

Oringnal frame colour is red, rear fender is white...which is an 81 color...but also the sellers 78 claim...I think its an 81...

Well... I decided to shift the rear fender closer to the suspension mounts... cutting out the middle section...

found some solid barstock and made a pair of support pins, then cut and bent them to the right angle...

dressed the frame cutoffs/cut and shut any gaps and welded it all into place.

then multiple coats of paint stripper and pressure washing...

[XLsior]

Paint stripper is pretty horrible stuff...but it does the job.

I know you're supposed to scrape it off...but I don't wont to get in contact with it any more than I have to and a pressure washer makes short work...

My weedy driveway will probably be fine...

2 applications got back to original frame paint and almost bare metal fender...

with a mock stance of the finished frame cut shut and rear fender position..

I also found an engine on marketplace....1.5 hour round trip and $100aud

sneak peak photo...

[TominMO]

I like your paint stand too.

[XLsior]

Originally Posted by TominMO

I like your paint stand too.

Old ironing tables are very useful especially if you never do any clothes ironing.

[XLsior]

with 2 sets of 81 rims was hoping for better...

but they are all rough...

the 2 rims without tires came from the original pooched 81...
they looked decent from the outside but when the rubber came off it was evident they were roached....hubs/bearings were decent though. spokes ok.

The recent 81 wheels looked rough on the outside...few loose spokes, more rust etc...

But the tires hold air pressure...so I deflated them to see behind the side wall...and though its a bit crusty, there is decent rim tape...so I squirted some lanolin rust inhibitor around and pumped them back up...

the rear wheel is the roughest externally and the bearing was not rolling...

But the other rear rim was cactus...

I did not want to bother with swapping/replacing bearings...

So I managed to degreaser blast and pick out the grunge in the bad bearing to where they rolled albeit a bit ratchety, packed with fresh grease and called it good.

These are not road going wheels just for beating around the yard. cant do much about the couple of loose spokes (nuts are seized)

just going to clean them up as best as I can with a wire wheel and hit them with spray paint...

The other better condition hubs will go to a new rim and spoke replacement job when my 92 road xl185 needs new rubber...