1978 OR 390 Out of the barn and into the race!

We made it!!! 50 miles on two relics which should be resting quietly in a garage somewhere. Oh wait that’s where they were before an idiot (me) bought them. Bike # 1, 1982 IT465 that I bought last year as a parts bike for my YZ465. Bike # 2, 1978 390 OR. I purchased this bike from the second owner about 4 weeks ago. It had been sitting in a barn for over 20 years. I called my brother and said "If you can fix it you can ride it in the vintage class of the Desert 100 on April 11th. I will buy the parts but I don't want to spend more than necessary." He called a week later and said "I need a throttle cable, clutch cable and air filter." I asked what about tires-chain- brakes... etc. He says they look fine although I may need a rear tube. I am thinking sure... the Trelleborgs looked like they might have been the original ones. Fast forward to Saturday April 10th. He is still working on the Husky. We took the rear tire to get changed but the bead was rotted. So with a new Maxxis on the back we started trying to start it. Well it was a struggle but she fired up with a tow that evening. Finally at 8am we had brakes, sort of. Race at 9:30 am. What about the front tire you ask? 1978 Trelleborg with 20 psi. Crazy...stupid. ..Absolutely! Oh well we had a mission and we were at least going to make it to the smoke bomb! At 9:30 am we are on the starting line. Husky is kick starting by this time WooHoo! It took all day with a crash by me, Husky running out of gas, and quite a few rest stops...after all we are not kids anymore. To the amazement of everyone including us we finished the toughest 50 miles we have ever ridden! A tribute to Swedish engineering! Now to treat her properly before next year 

still laughing!

My brother and I have been talking every day and we are still laughing...between groans. It was our hardest but funnest time in our 5 times at Odessa. I asked him yesterday how we were going to top this and he was quick to reply...we can't and I don't want to! I will say in all our years of riding I have never seen him crawl off a bike and lay on the ground before. When we finally got back to camp he said : I have never worked so hard and hurt so much to go so slow in my life!" I darn near spit out my gatorade! Couldn't even think about a beer, had to drive home. I am very intrigued by all the good ideas I have read here, and I will start a post on my progress as soon as possible.
Geary

After the race.

Sweet! Now that is the way to have an adventure. I like the way you think.

Oh man, you guys rock!! That's the best story I've heard on a dirt bike site in a long long time. I realize now that the first photo is the "before." Good thing, too... considering where that right shock reservoir was mounted, and the fact that the forks only move two inches!!

Picklito
The Ohlins are shot so I had a pair of gas Kayabas from a DR400. My brother put them on upside down, I mean rightside up, I mean upside down. I told him the body goes to the top but he put them on the bottom. I don't think they work so good like that but not sure. forks sure topped out hard, maybe just a tad low on oil, or maybe out of oil. The guy I got it from said it was tired and the last time he rode it was down on power. I can believe it after looking at the filter element. It also came with no carb so we used a spare 38 mik from an it465. It had enough power to do a 3rd gear throttle wheelie about 500' from the start and have my brother squeezing the rear fender with his knees trying to chop the throttle and get his left hand back on the grip. He finally stabbed his left foot and climbed back up the bike just before it went over sideways. I was behind and to the right and was laughing so hard I hit a sagebrush and nearly ended my ride too. Thank goodness for his friend Dave who was on a CRF450. he was carrying the tow strap and babysat us the whole 50 miles. Moderator: I am having fun writing this but it may be in the wrong place. If so feel free to move it or whatever is right.

Ya, I noticed that the Ohlins were "conspicuously absent" in the later photo! Those DR shocks can be installed in either direction, by the way. Won't matter, but shaft end down might save some unsprung weight if the bodies are heavy.

Just dropped off spare motor to Rick at Motocentre. By the end of January will have new shiny heart. Whoo Hoo!

Bad news,
Got an email from motocentre. Right case is cracked. It was my spare so all is not lost. Just have to drive 90 miles to Spokane and pull motor out of bike then 200+ miles to Yakima to get it to Rick. Oh well fill up the truck...again.

Will my 76 360 cases work? I can send them to Rick!

Thanks Scott!
I don't know but I have the engine that is still in the bike. I just need to go to my brother's to get it. Then off to Yakima again.

I talked to Rick and they are different, dang it! tried!!

This is exciting to see! I am restoring a 1978 390 OR as well, and it's fun to see one actually running! Great job!

Any idea if the cracked case can be repaired. I know tig welding is a no go. But what about mig welding electroncally fusing it? Im in the same dillema with my 80 390cr. Tho i may have hit the jackpot with a pair of matching cases. Will find out tommorow.

Awesome! I wish I knew the answer to about welding. Rick at Motocentre said maybe, but I had the complete engine from my running bike. I am hoping to get mine back this weekend. Not much time left till the Desert 100, and I sold my other bike. It is get this running or watch.

A fella in Boise Idaho can weld them in certain cases. Post a pic of the crack and I'll forward it to him!