GS 750 Cafe Project I think...

[Beaver]

Still waiting for all my parts to come home so I can get started. After I changer the gasket on the cam cover I found that the little rubber plug at the end also leaked Back to Z1... Luckily it isn't enough that it got noticed buy the WOF/MOT guys that checked it today and it passed with flying colours. A weird thing in denmark. I can't quite remember how often, once a year or every 2nd year in NZ you have to get a Warrant Of Fitness(MOT) for your bike/car. In Denmark that only applies to cars. Motorcycles only need to be checked when they change owners. nice.



Went out for a ride with this guy the other day.






He is the one I mentioned under performance mods with the electronic ignition installed. A nice bike, just more modified than I would ever be willing to go. The previous owner, the one that installed the new front and rear end also had a so highly tuned motor in it that it pulled the chassis to the left. When this guy bought it and shortended the tail the license plate was about 1½ inches to one side.



The silencing effect of the muffler was negligible, I must admit I left there with exhaust envy. Don't get me wrong, my Marshal has a really nice sound, but this one had a bit more of the bad boy sound I am looking for. Sebring exahusts aren't just something you find lying around. Well he did. When Wrench Monkees were chopping his tail for him he found the can in their rubbish bin and asked discretely that if they weren't using it for anything else then they were welcome to weld it on...

[Colin Green]

Still waiting for all my parts to come home so I can get started. After I changer the gasket on the cam cover I found that the little rubber plug at the end also leaked Back to Z1... Luckily it isn't enough that it got noticed buy the WOF/MOT guys that checked it today and it passed with flying colours. A weird thing in denmark. I can't quite remember how often, once a year or every 2nd year in NZ you have to get a Warrant Of Fitness(MOT) for your bike/car. In Denmark that only applies to cars. Motorcycles only need to be checked when they change owners. nice.

Nice bikes. FYI WOF's in NZ are now 6 monthly except for the first two years (which are annual)

[beergood]

A nice bike, just more modified than I would ever be willing to go.

Famous last words. I have found that as I check things I would like to do off my list, another magically shows up at the bottom.

[TheCafeKid]

Thanks for the link. I have just ordered a spark plug cleaner. Of course it depends a little on which plugs you are buying but a plug cleaner from the US is cheaper than 2 cheap plugs in Denmark.

A good set of double straps is the key to getting rid of your brake. You need to feel secure in your pedals (if you do need to brake) and double straps are the way to go if you wanna feel in control (or spd of course). They are cracking down on brakeless bikes big time in Europe, but it just isn't the same having the brake, the fun goes out of it.



I have glassed a bit before so I am not too worried about that, it is more where I am going to do it that I need to solve. I hadn't planned on going the knee insert way to begin with as I love the size of the tank on the GS and it seems a bit of a crime to make it smaller, but now that i think about it it is a little tempting. Can I get back to you on that? I am losing the tail and the side panels (one is cracked) if that is anything you can use?

Is there any specific paint that you would use for fork legs/wheels? It needs to be a canned product as I don't have serious painting facilities.

Cheers

Sure if youre letting go of the side covers and tail piece id be interested in that too...

On the forks and wheels ive had REAL good success using simply Duracolor ceramic 500* motor paint. I paint just about everything with it (this winter my ES will be getting treated to a full resto and updating, and she will get powdercoat on her black bits, but she doesnt seem to mind the paint at the moment!) But, its all in the prep work my friend. Make sure its clean and grease and oil free before you paint, a couple of light dustings and then two nice smooth wet coats and let it set up for a week. Seriously. Then a couple more wet coats and be done. Sh!ts hard as nails. I like it. It WILL chip if you smack it with something hard. But for standard debris, ive not seen any damage yet.

[Beaver]

Famous last words. I have found that as I check things I would like to do off my list, another magically shows up at the bottom.

I hear you there. You are talking to the man that spent two hours on ebay last night looking for Ninja calipers so he could do a Salty Monk brake upgrade, when in fact I am quite happy with my brakes as they are. But a new swing arm and forks aren't in my league. I think I would rather try to make a newer bike(chassis) look older than go in the other direction, too much ****ing around.

Sure if youre letting go of the side covers and tail piece id be interested in that too...

On the forks and wheels ive had REAL good success using simply Duracolor ceramic 500* motor paint. I paint just about everything with it (this winter my ES will be getting treated to a full resto and updating, and she will get powdercoat on her black bits, but she doesnt seem to mind the paint at the moment!) But, its all in the prep work my friend. Make sure its clean and grease and oil free before you paint, a couple of light dustings and then two nice smooth wet coats and let it set up for a week. Seriously. Then a couple more wet coats and be done. Sh!ts hard as nails. I like it. It WILL chip if you smack it with something hard. But for standard debris, ive not seen any damage yet.

Great! I had kind of decided something similar. If I use the same paint for my pipes, wheels, engine, etc. then it will also have the added bonus of being exactly the same colour. When painting the engine, aside from having it out of the frame, do you need to split it up or can you just leave it whole? I am guessing it is the first but you never know take shortcuts where you can find them...

You are welcome to all those miscellaneous parts. I have decided that I will take you up on your tank offer. I like the custom handmade aspect of it. The 'finishing' that you described, is that with a hammer or pollyfilla?

My thermal wrap for the headers came in the post today. My friend with the other GSer found that instead of buying it through a MC shop in Copenhagen for 500kr ($94) you can find the same stuff sold for industrial use in Germany for 10 Euros plus shipping ($10) Nice, I love tips like that...

[DMorris]

I like that modded up special except for the ground clearance. It looks like a junkyard dog and I imagine its just as noisy. I just don't like the idea of getting hi-centered on a coin left in the street.....

[TheCafeKid]

I hear you there. You are talking to the man that spent two hours on ebay last night looking for Ninja calipers so he could do a Salty Monk brake upgrade, when in fact I am quite happy with my brakes as they are. But a new swing arm and forks aren't in my league. I think I would rather try to make a newer bike(chassis) look older than go in the other direction, too much ****ing around.



Great! I had kind of decided something similar. If I use the same paint for my pipes, wheels, engine, etc. then it will also have the added bonus of being exactly the same colour. When painting the engine, aside from having it out of the frame, do you need to split it up or can you just leave it whole? I am guessing it is the first but you never know take shortcuts where you can find them...

You are welcome to all those miscellaneous parts. I have decided that I will take you up on your tank offer. I like the custom handmade aspect of it. The 'finishing' that you described, is that with a hammer or pollyfilla?

My thermal wrap for the headers came in the post today. My friend with the other GSer found that instead of buying it through a MC shop in Copenhagen for 500kr ($94) you can find the same stuff sold for industrial use in Germany for 10 Euros plus shipping ($10) Nice, I love tips like that...

the hammer work is done, and alot of the body filler work is done, you'll just need to touch it up. I will shoot some pics of em, you can take your pick. They both have a lil surface rust inside, but nothing horrid. If it bugs you (never bothered me cause they dont peel) you can take it to a radiator shop to get it cleaned out. I did this on a tank once, and i see everyone using all these methods for cleaning them out...yet the shop had it lookin really good in about an hour, and didnt beat my brains in on the cost. Why dont more people do this??

Anyway, Like I said, I will get some pics. If ya like the tanks, so be it, if not no big deal, I have others too.

[Beaver]

Has anyone had any luck using closed cell foam(sleeping mat) for custom seats? The idea being a low dense seat. I am worried about it being a little too hard...

[yaddy]

I ran it on an RSV mille about 3 years back, it falls apart underneath you, kinda rubs into little balls and tears off. Lasted about 4 track days, but easy to replace. I suppose it all depends on how you move about on the bike, my RSV was a track tool so it probably put up with a few weeks worth of road riding? Unless you ride on the road like you do on the track that is..........

Comfort wasn't an issue as you move about a fair bit too, i'll bet it might be a different story on the road though?

[Beaver]

I ran it on an RSV mille about 3 years back, it falls apart underneath you, kinda rubs into little balls and tears off. Lasted about 4 track days, but easy to replace. I suppose it all depends on how you move about on the bike, my RSV was a track tool so it probably put up with a few weeks worth of road riding? Unless you ride on the road like you do on the track that is..........

Comfort wasn't an issue as you move about a fair bit too, i'll bet it might be a different story on the road though?

Was yours covered? I wasn't expecting it to fall apart, I was mostly concerned about it being too hard. It should have the advantage of being water resistant too.

[yaddy]

Was yours covered? I wasn't expecting it to fall apart, I was mostly concerned about it being too hard. It should have the advantage of being water resistant too.

Hey Beaver,

No, it wasn't covered. Mine was just glued onto the fibreglass seat unit. It never had a hard feel to it though, you didn't really notice tbh. It just seemed to rub apart from use, but dead easy to replace. I would expect it to be a very harsh ride on the road, you don't encounter the same sort of lumps and bumps on a track.

[Beaver]

Thanks for that yaddy...

Well I have finally got my mobile to talk with my computer so I have some more pictures.

I got my clubmans in the mail the other day and mounted the about 5 min after. This also included removing speedo, tach and mirrors. Luckily in a flash of brilliance I found our Dymo machine at work and labelled all the wires for future reference, I was so proud of myself.



Wow, I felt like I got a whole new bike! I can understand CK a little better now. Clubmans really change the look and the feel of the bike and with the instruments gone it was hard to put words on. I like riding it even better now than ever before.




Christmas lights. I have ordered Leds, a little more inspiration from beergood, and will construct a little flat panel so that I can still see what is happening while I am riding. I want to keep indicators as I am too lazy to stick my arm out and like keeping my hands where they are usefull, I also am dreadfull at remembering to rurn them off if I don't have a friendly little reminder.




I had bought new brackets for lowering the front light but I actually like it more where it is. When you look over the bars it sits just in the arch of them, continuing the line, nice aesthetics.

A friend is helping cut and weld the frame on Tuesday to shorten it and make a mount for the new light and I will start fiberglassing on Saturday. I have decided to also go with the original tail, but make it a little smaller. It will also be removable, making an extra 5-6 inches of seat available. The plan is to glass a mould of the old tail and then use it to make an exact copy of the original. How I make it removable I have no idea just yet, first things first. My other dilema is how to make the tail work together with the light...

[Beaver]

Question:

Once you have removed speedo/tach cables, can you do anything, should you do anything to plug the holes (at the engine) where you took them from?

[beergood]

Question:

Once you have removed speedo/tach cables, can you do anything, should you do anything to plug the holes (at the engine) where you took them from?

I have seen this debated elsewhere. I didn't when I took off my tach a few years ago and haven't had any problems.

[Beaver]

Oil leaks again...

When I got the bike it dripped from the gasket for the cam covers. Replaced that, problem solved, but it still leaked a little from the rubber plug at the end of the cams. 4 of those come from Z1 yesterday, problem not solved. Does anyone have any tips here?




The gasket is new, the rubber plugs are new, but the oil just can't be stopped...