R80/7 - Slimmer profile?

[Hogberg]

Hello,
Last winter I bought a R80/7 from 1978 in need of some love.

In short it went from this


through this


and to this.


I really enjoy the bike, it is fun to ride and surprisingly capable on dirt roads

I am now looking for a more narrow tank to give the bike a nimbler look.
Would a R65/R45 tank fit without too much work? Any other suggestions?

Best regards
Anders

 

[Rob Farmer]

Anders,

That bike of yours looks like great fun.

If nobody else replies I'll fetch my R65 tank and offer it up to my /7 frame to see if it fits. I suspect the rear metal hoop that secures the tank to the later frames my need modifying if it fits at all.

 

[solidstate100]

Cool!

What are the forks?

 

[mikeyboy]

Cool!

What are the forks?

Look like DRZ

 

[Steptoe]

Anders,

That bike of yours looks like great fun.

If nobody else replies I'll fetch my R65 tank and offer it up to my /7 frame to see if it fits. I suspect the rear metal hoop that secures the tank to the later frames my need modifying if it fits at all.

The frame is too wide at the rear for a R65/45 txnkbto fit straight on, the tank will also be a bit short .

 

[Hogberg]

Thank you for all your replies.
Looks like I have to search for another tank option.
I have not bought any fuel tank yet, still searching and planning for the winter job on the bike.

The front end (forks, triple clamps, wheel and brake) comes from a DRZ400S with the forks shortened 70 mm.
In the back I have a set of 360 mm YSS shocks to match the change in geometry and it works really well.

I am full of admiration and gratitude of the generosity and good spirit in which the secrets and knowledge about our bikes are shared in this forum

Thanks once again!

Anders

 

[PaulRS]

The frame is too wide at the rear for a R65/45 txnkbto fit straight on, the tank will also be a bit short .

Does a /7 differ from a /6 frame in that area?

I have fitted a similar, square tank from an R45/65, the one with the single tap on my /6, only thing to be modified is the tube that holds the front of the tank, that needed to go up a bit.

At the rear two rubber pads and a loop that hooks under the frame tube.

If required, I can post up some pics, but not until the weekend.

Looks like you have the same set-up as me, shortened DRZ forks and longer shocks at the rear, great little bike.

Paul.

 

[Hogberg]

Paul, some pictures of your tank would be highly appreciated.

Anders

 

[Rob Farmer]

Thinking about it.

I'm not sure you are going to gain anything. I think the /7 tank may actually be thinner at the rear.

I fitted a R65 tank to my paralever GS a few years back as a temporary modification (its still on it) I had to beat the rear of the tank to spring it enough to clear the frame rails and also knock in the inner section to clear the paralever electric tray.

Its fatter than the ST tank at the rear and gets in the way when standing on the pegs. I think you'll find you aren't gaining any advantage over /7 tank (which looks better to my eye)

 

[Hogberg]

Rob – thank you for bringing light onto the tank swap mysteries.

It sounds easiest to keep the /7 tank on this bike and ride it as is, which definitely isn’t a bad option.

But I keep coming back to the idea of transforming it to a slimmer bike, more in the style of early GS works bikes/ISDT bikes, so we’ll see what happens next

Anders

 

[Florence]

Rob – thank you for bringing light onto the tank swap mysteries.

It sounds easiest to keep the /7 tank on this bike and ride it as is, which definitely isn’t a bad option.

But I keep coming back to the idea of transforming it to a slimmer bike, more in the style of early GS works bikes/ISDT bikes, so we’ll see what happens next

Anders

Like this one

 

[Hogberg]

Florence - you know what I am thinking of

That bike is awesome but takes more money and skills than I can come up with to realize.

My idea is to get something in the same direction but with minor steps and tweaks.
I guess that its the old husky tank I have lying around that tickles my mind whenever I look at it

Anders

 

[costellon]

I want to do something similar and i'd really like to cast an eye on yours - but I can't see the pics .... bummer !

 

[SnowMec]

Love your bike!

in Swedish:

Va, är det fler svenskar här?
Boden är ganska när dig? eller inte?
Min hoj är också överraskande bra i skogen. ha det!

 

[Florence]

Pay ya £12 worth every penny !!

 

[costellon]

without a paddle

Pay ya £12 worth every penny !!

I let my sub lapse as I was buying too much stuff !!!

Anyroad, i'm literally "at sea" until October - WITHOUT a credit card ... another precaution against getting divorced.

I wonder if the op has uploaded any pictures anywhere else ?

Thanks

 

[Hogberg]

SnowMec - Jäpp, jag kikar runt här. Bland de bästa forumen för bumsar tycker jag. 650 km mellan Boden och Järpen så nästan nära Ha det fint!

And now back to english

 

[PaulRS]

Pissing with rain here, so took a few shots.

Now some way to get them up here?
Is there a how to somewhere?

Paul.

 

[Hogberg]

Paul - I saved my pictures in Photobucket and then just linked the adress to the pictures in the text.
A somewhat vague description but it is more easy to perform than to explain

Anders