Turning a Harley Davidson Sportster into a Dirtbike!!! (Part 1)

Building a custom Harley Davidson sportster Dirtbike aka “Dirtster”
On part one I start with a frame and motor donated from a wrecked 1996 sportster. I add a Dirtbike front end, 19in rear wheel and other goodies. I will be uploading many more videos as I progress and test. Subscribe for more videos related to two wheels.

[@kylecrawford2671]

KTM big bike stems/ trees are also a direct fit for sportster necks and bearings. A little easier to source these more modern parts for anyone else tackling a project like this. Looks great dude!

[@paulallegrezza9266]

Like a KTM 690?

[@oldamericaniron5767]

You make it a dirt bike by turning off of the pavement into the dirt.

[@SlappysGarage]

While you are not wrong ground clearance and rider position are my big concerns when I want to hit hill climbs and any jumps I can find

[@oldamericaniron5767]

@@SlappysGarage I understand completely. I don’t know how old you are or if you ever heard of the TV series “ Then Came Bronson” from the early 70s. If you’ve never seen it you should look it up. We used to chuckle how he could do anything with that Sportster albeit in some scenes it was a Sprint. He could even pound out bent fenders perfectly with a rock.

[@SlappysGarage]

@@oldamericaniron5767 this is my first time hearing of that but I will check it out. It sounds like he knew how to get rowdy and have some fun!!

[@mchristr]

Yup, until you tuck the front end. Then it feels like a street bike as you’re trying to pick it up.

[@scottfree8848]

Gonna build me a dirtster. Collecting info now. Also gonna do a Harley 4wheeler.

[@SlappysGarage]

I still think a trike using an atv rear suspension would be a blast

[@scottfree8848]

@@SlappysGarage For sure. Had a friend of mine owns a salvage yard and a Yamaha fzr or something come through. Made a racing 4wheeler out of it. 110mph in third gear. Was a six speed. No one ever got it out of third. Widow maker that one was. Anyway, trike would be super cool of course. I was thinking 4wheelet for the unusualness of it. Not the fat tire type but the independent long travel front end types. Like a banshee frame.

[@scottfree8848]

@@SlappysGarage I like building off the wall things. I also want to do a lifted Harley golf cart.

[@SlappysGarage]

@@scottfree8848 sounds like a fun build. Those old yfz rollers go for cheap would be a good start

[@scottfree8848]

@@SlappysGarage when I was a kid I had that toy called a big wheel. Rode that thing everywhere. Gonna try and design me one that's street legal and looks a close as I can get it to look and be an adult size big wheel.

[@GGT2501]

Not much space between back wheel and swing arm, will trap mud like a blanket

[@SlappysGarage]

I had the idea to extend the swingarm 1-2 inches but for the amount of work to do so I’ll wait until o test ride it first. It’s also a concern that the knob is tire will hit the swingarm

[@nohopeforthekids]

Just watched this and clicked on your channel for more and realized it was posted an hour ago! Looking forward to the rest of the build!

[@SlappysGarage]

Thank you, I’m excited to make more content and post more builds in the future. Hoping to update parts of this build series every 2-3 weeks

[@BlueMountainBandit]

I wish every day I had the knowledge and the finances to do this

[@SlappysGarage]

Finances are hard but hey man the knowledge comes with just trying something out. You won’t learn if you don’t try!

[@BarterBales]

oooo GPR is a very interesting addition, helped on my old r6

[@speedbuggy16v]

your killing me...... I NEED this!

[@edward-7479]

i wanna do the opposite with a Chinese dirt bike but i cant find a nice low suspension to fit it but it looks great lowered but sadly i might not do it 😢

[@SlappysGarage]

Should be able to slide the tubes down in the front and make a linkage for the rear if it has one

[@Thunder_and_Fury]

already starting to look cool...look forward to the next vid.

[@Makermook]

I'm doing the opposite: converting a dirt bike into a chopper :)

[@SlappysGarage]

I hope it’s a big bore 2 stroke 🤘🏼

[@timszlem6986]

What are doing for your front springs? Are you able to get stiff enough springs. For example the 96 kx250 weighs around 240lbs and a sportster weighs 500lbs. I got yz426 forks, but now I can’t find much stiffer springs. Is this going to be an issue? Thanks for your response.

[@SlappysGarage]

I’m going to orient express to revalve and stiffen the front end. I’ve read about guys running yz426 suspension on tr650s which are 406 lbs as an upgrade from stock.

[@timszlem6986]

@@SlappysGarage thanks so much for the response. I’m going to get the stiffest springs I can find and heavier weight oil. I’m not going to be doing anything crazy with the bike but it still needs to perform.

[@jonnymac8925]

There are GPR sportster brackets out there! I plan on swapping from the linear to a rotary stabilizer and it will definitely be a GPR! I'd love to find a set of sport inverted trees with radial calipers to swap to my 2018 but I'm unsure which ones would work with the least amount of work hahaha

[@SlappysGarage]

Yes there are, but the ones seem to be a different style units. I have a hayabusa front end converted using xs650 bearings and a custom axle for a tracker but it’s a little shorter than I would want to go

[@timszlem6986]

Hey man looks like its going to be a dope build. Looking forward to seeing more videos on it. Do you know if the 1999-2002 yz426 tipple trees are also plug and play in the sportster?

[@SlappysGarage]

So trees may be easy as a shim and taper bearing but off hand I do not know. These husky trees are as cheep as 150 on eBay

[@timszlem6986]

@@SlappysGarage For sure. Thank you for replying.

[@Harley1Mike]

Hey man, love the dirtster vids. Part 3 coming up?

[@SlappysGarage]

Yes, I would love to do them a lot faster but I need more money to fund the build. After my next 2 videos I should have enough parts to get back on track with the dirtster

[@methinjgti1]

This is awesome!

[@rp75heavy]

🎉🎉nice ..!

[@jamesmacpherson8467]

U have a good phone number for slimfab? Prolly buy two of those oil bags.

[@SlappysGarage]

instagram.com/p/Cgxrc1pPHBf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[@SlappysGarage]

I direct messaged his instagram

[@JordanRay]

Nice work.

[@SlappysGarage]

Thanks man, a lot more to come but I will be uploading more as it goes along

[@bbroelke]

Great video!!.. eagerly awaiting Part 3!

[@SlappysGarage]

I will be pulling it back in soon for part 3 but need some more parts for the next part.

[@timszlem6986]

How did you modify the triple trees? I have an opportunity to get a cheap set of 96 KX250 forks so I may go that route and I was able to get the same trees as you.

[@SlappysGarage]

I bought a wrecked TR 650 and these trees stayed on the bike. They milled out the tree for the legs to fit. But I think it was in the video the yz426 forks swap over into these trees

[@ranchodeluxe1]

You have a lot to learn, Son.

[@SlappysGarage]

If you ain’t trying, you ain’t learning

[@ranchodeluxe1]

@@SlappysGarage Good attitude! YOU'LL do fine. If you come to Sturgis, stop by and have a look at mine.

[@nicholasgilson1412]

Can you email me? I need help with my dirtster Thank you so much

[@SlappysGarage]

If you have instagram a direct message on there slappys_garage

[@nicholasgilson1412]

Why wouldn't you use the husqvarna forks it is a adventure type bike I'm building a dirtster just curious this is my first build

[@SlappysGarage]

They are kx250 tubes. I had the front end off another bike I bought they were milled to fit the tr650 trees.