Tyre question, street tracker project

[Zerode]

Hello! I had been looking for a R65 to make a street tracker out of for a few months and I found a R65LS about an hours drive from my place. My buddy and I went to check it out. It was advertised as having 120 000km on it, full service history and was a good price. It turned out to be super tidy, showing 29000 km on the clock. It had a receipt for a full service done at 126500km. After a bit of haggling we loaded it into the back of the van and brought her home.
I went through the full service history and it went from 24000km to 126500 in 2 years, on closer inspection and dating the tyres purchased in 2002 I am pretty sure the bike has only done 29000km instead of 129000km, the service guy had mistaken the speedo reading.
Now I'm at a bit of a dilemma. I got the bike to turn into a street tracker, throw away all unnecessary bits like the fairing, seat, instruments, luggage racks, repaint or powdercoat everything black, new mini speedo, small lights and wider bars. Now, since I have discovered the low mileage and the fact there were only 6000 or so of the LS's made it has giving me second thoughts.
It is is near perfect condition so now I' trying to decide wether I should be brave and Street Tracker it, or sell it on with its current low mileage and find something a bit scruffier to restore.
Does anyone think the R65LS will ever become a collectors bike?

Also I have a tyre (tire) question. I cant get the tyres I want in the correct size, they are Continental Twinduro enduro tires but they only make the 18" sizes in rear specific tyres, how dodgy would it be to run a rear tyre on the front? They do a 3.50.18 rear and a 4.10.18 rear that I was considering running respectively.

[nhmaf]

It does look pretty nice, and you've even got the rare kicker transmission on it to (you Euro guys get all the luck!!)   Personally, I would never chop and LS model - though I am also admittedly biased in this regard.  Over here, they do have a certain cachet - not quite to cult/collector status yet, but I think it might get there.   Mechanically, they are the same as the same year R65, save for the special wheels and body parts, but I tell you, anywhere I ride mine people come over to look at it and offer positive comments, even at places with alot of Harley-Davidson presence.

Of course it is your bike, so do what feels right for you - I just might have to look away and shed a tear quietly.

There are Chen Shin and Kenda knobby/dual-sport type tyres/tires that will fit these bikes front wheels.
At least with the LS wheels, the front wheel width is 2.15 inches (regular R65 snowflake wheel is 1.85) so that slightly wider rim may allow a broader fitment of possible tires.

IF you do (gasp) decide to put her under the knife, I'd recommend that you handle the various LS body parts with care and resell them - a number of those pieces are no longer available anywhere except used parts, and if in nice condition, people will pay decent money for them.

[marcmax]

And I am from the other side of the coin. I have an 82 R65LS that I turned into my vision of what an R65s would have been with an "S" style fairing and an 84 R65LS that has been stripped down to the bare minimum. I was never fond of the LS bodywork but liked the dual disks. I will say that neither of mine started in as pristine a condition as yours is.

[Motu]

I have set my Mono up as a streettracker - but I have changed nothing, I often convert it back to a completely stock bike for 2 up or touring with panniers. 30 minutes to change seat, wheels and front guard....sometimes I fit the stock exhaust, but normally use a 2 into 1 . I also have panniers for the streettracker. The bars are Slideways from Omar.

The Mono has 2.50 x 18 rims front and rear - so I use the same tyres both ends.

[interiorak]

Nice mono !  What kind of screen is that ?  I'd like to fit one to my blue 1986 R65

[Motu]

Smallest Givi I could find.

[Motu]

I put some Dunlop K180's on yesterday - 120/90x18 front and rear.  The K70's had more traction, they would hook up soon as it saw some hard pack in the wheel tracks, the K180's spin up pretty quick in the loose.  The K70's have more contact patch and get through to the base better - but they wore out quickly...or at least they became ineffective before half worn.  I'm sure I'll get some fun out of them though.

[MR.E]

Hello! I had been looking for a R65 to make a street tracker out of for a few months and I found a R65LS about an hours drive from my place. My buddy and I went to check it out. It was advertised as having 120 000km on it, full service history and was a good price. It turned out to be super tidy, showing 29000 km on the clock. It had a receipt for a full service done at 126500km. After a bit of haggling we loaded it into the back of the van and brought her home.
I went through the full service history and it went from 24000km to 126500 in 2 years, on closer inspection and dating the tyres purchased in 2002 I am pretty sure the bike has only done 29000km instead of 129000km, the service guy had mistaken the speedo reading.
Now I'm at a bit of a dilemma. I got the bike to turn into a street tracker, throw away all unnecessary bits like the fairing, seat, instruments, luggage racks, repaint or powdercoat everything black, new mini speedo, small lights and wider bars. Now, since I have discovered the low mileage and the fact there were only 6000 or so of the LS's made it has giving me second thoughts.
It is is near perfect condition so now I' trying to decide wether I should be brave and Street Tracker it, or sell it on with its current low mileage and find something a bit scruffier to restore.
Does anyone think the R65LS will ever become a collectors bike?

Also I have a tyre (tire) question. I cant get the tyres I want in the correct size, they are Continental Twinduro enduro tires but they only make the 18" sizes in rear specific tyres, how dodgy would it be to run a rear tyre on the front? They do a 3.50.18 rear and a 4.10.18 rear that I was considering running respectively.

Running a rear tyre on the front won't be too bad, it might handle poorly in corners due to different dimenions etc.
Have a look at the Continental trail attacks, i got an 18" for the KTM & i think they do a front to go with it.

Looking forward to seeing more