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Hillsy's GS 450 cafe build

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    #1

    Hillsy's GS 450 cafe build

    Hi fellas,

    I've been a member here for several years (and have owned a few GS's in my time) but have only recently returned to Suzuki as I have now got a hold of one of these:




    It's an 88 model 450 and I'm looking at a cafe conversion, but this will be over some time. Here's some more (kinda scary) pics:

    Oh dear.....


    A bit of wiring to clean up (and a few important bits missing)
    Last edited by hillsy; 12-04-2008, 09:52 AM.
    Current:
    Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

    Past:
    VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
    And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....
    Tags: None
    #2
    Some more pics:






    Holy crap!
    Last edited by hillsy; 10-24-2008, 07:52 AM.
    Current:
    Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

    Past:
    VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
    And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....

    Comment

      #3
      And a box of FZR bits I've had sitting in the shed waiting for a rainy day.....


      Which includes a serviceable M/C and some neat rearsets..


      A set of clip-ons


      And a set of wheels (not sure if I will use these or try to find spoked ones)


      I had originally thought that I would get it back on the road as stock, and then cafe it. But after a brief inspection, it's too far gone for that. Which means I'll start the cafe mods straight away.....Well, straight away for me means maybe before Xmas..
      Current:
      Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

      Past:
      VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
      And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....

      Comment

        #4
        Not bad. Most of the bits missing or broken you would remove to make a cafe anyway.
        Should be a nice little project.

        Comment

          #5
          Progress?


          ten characters

          Comment

            #6
            Haven't had much time in the garage of late as I fell off my bicycle some weeks back and broke my right collarbone (OUCH!)

            Anyway, I've been stripping the bike a little (probably not the best thing to be doing with a busted collarbone but I like to think it is somehow "therepeutic")

            And you wouldn't believe it, but the FZR swingarm is EXACTLY the same width at the pivot....


            And it looks like this....

            Now, do I go monoshock or keep the twin shocks?????


            Also I got lucky with the FZR rearsets - they line up to the GS mounts....


            And another piece of luck - the stator off the GS was missing, but I kept the FZR stator....which fits! (both are 88 models)

            I guess this build was meant to be.....
            Current:
            Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

            Past:
            VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
            And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....

            Comment

              #7
              very nice, keep it up. i might try to find that rear end if it looks good after its all done

              Comment

                #8
                i wonder if the 88 frame is the same as the 81 frame? If so, I will have to keep an eye out for some FZR rearsets!
                1982 GS450E - The Wee Beastie
                1984 GSX750S Katana 7/11 - Kit Kat - BOTM May 2020

                sigpic

                450 Refresh thread: https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-GS450-Refresh

                Katana 7/11 thread: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...84-Katana-7-11

                Comment

                  #9
                  Great start, gonna keep an eye on this one.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    sir, you have our attention.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Collected a few parts today - nothing too exciting but progress nonetheless...





                      Also measured up GSX250F front and rear ends. Here's an example pic of the potential donor:


                      The FZR wheels have smaller axles and bearings compared to the Suzukis, so this is why I have been scoping this one. I will probably go with the GSX250F rear wheel and use the twin shock swingarm off the 450 (same size axles, axle plate spacing identical). And the front end uses the same headstem bearings as just about every GS, so the complete front end should be a relatively easy swap.
                      The only problem now is that I have to wait until I'm fit / well enough to be able to take the front and rear ends out of the donor bike by myself before I can continue (my wrecker works alone - and I get the parts at a VERY good price if I can do this).

                      Have also lined up a cafe tail and a few other things off EvilBay so things are moving forward (albeit tenderly with this broken collarbone.....)

                      Thanks for your interest - more work and pics soon!
                      Last edited by hillsy; 12-04-2008, 10:01 AM.
                      Current:
                      Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

                      Past:
                      VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
                      And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I would keep the fzr swingarm and wheel. Score the Suzuki front and go monoshock. Not really cafe I know but how cool would a small cc fighter be? Light nimble and dead sexy!

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by briyenkieth View Post
                          I would keep the fzr swingarm and wheel. Score the Suzuki front and go monoshock. Not really cafe I know but how cool would a small cc fighter be? Light nimble and dead sexy!
                          I had thought about a fighter conversion - but I've already got one...




                          Whilst I have all the bits for the FZR rear end, the bearings, bushes and shock are flogged. And the FZR rear wheel is a little narrower than the GSX front (believe it or not), so this might give me some headaches with tyre fitment / sizing.

                          Cheers....Hillsy
                          Current:
                          Z1300A5 Locomotive (swapped my Intruder for it), GS450 Cafe Project (might never finish it....), XT500 Commuter (I know - it's a Yamaha )

                          Past:
                          VL1500 Intruder (swapped for Z1300), ZX9R Streetfighter (lets face it - too fast....), 1984 GSX750EF, 1984 GSX1100EF (AKA GS1150)
                          And a bunch of other crap Yamahas....

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Droollll!!!!!! That's sweet. That's hard to believe about the rim width, shows times have changed since the fzr's day.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Originally posted by BentRod View Post
                              sir, you have our attention.
                              how similar are the older (77 GS) frames to the later models? i am in the process of looking for rearsets, and if the FZR's bolt up i will be set.

                              Comment

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