1981 GS450E Rebuild

[pete]

Took what was supposed to be a short study break today to take her for a spin around the block to warm up and then have a quick run with the Colortune to see how the jetting is looking.

The quick run around the block was good, but then the comedy of errors started...

Pulled the left plug lead off only to manage to pull the wire out of the crimp and leave the clip sitting on the plug. Cursing begins.

Pulled the lead off the coil and fixed that up only to find that the way the wiring harness routes under the tank combined with the extra size of the Dynatek coils prevents getting the plug back on the coil. Cursing continues.

Popped the tank off and got the lead back on the coil and plug. Cursing eases.

Figured I'd give her a brief 10 second run with the fuel in the carby bowls before putting the tank back on just to make sure the lead's ok. Carbs somehow manage to spit the fuel hose off the T piece. Cursing resumes.

Got the hose back on, tank back on, and all back to square one...

I did persevere though and gave the Colortune a quick run in both cylinders, but due to the... issues... no video this time around.

The mixture screws seem to be ok where they are, just off rich going by the colour, however I'm dead right when I say she's rich when I touch the throttle.

As soon as that throttle opens, the flame turns bright yellow, but it does return to blue at somewhere near what I would guess to be 1/4 to 1/3 throttle or thereabouts. I didn't get as far as marking throttle openings today either.

A few very quick throttle openings leads me to believe my initial assumptions are pretty close.

The pilot jets seem ok, but the beginning of the needle is way rich. It gets ok in the middle throttle openings, but full throttle was hard to tell today. I did see flickers of yellow when I briefly held it all the way open, so I suspect my mains are too big also.

I still haven't gotten back onto Serco yet to see why they didn't follow through and get back to me about the Dynojet kit so I'll try to get that done tomorrow.

Oh, should be ordering the stator tomorrow too... hopefully that can go in on Saturday and the charging system will be back up to scratch again.

[pete]

Oh the Esplanade is a very short walk from Little Creatures! Almost a stagger... Actually my wife and I have wondered where we would stay if we were visitors to Perth, because we just got back from a trip to NYC and stayed in two different hotels in different parts of Manhattan. Your experience is quite different depending on where you stay. The Esplanade is in a great spot - close enough to the pubs, cafe strip and restaurants but just far enough away to be fairly quiet. Unless there's a festival across the road in the park! Freo is VERY touristy these days. I think the Esplanade is a good call. I don't think I would like to stay in Perth city.

Interesting about the pods. I did email K+N about maybe doing a line of more restrictive pods for those of us who want the looks of pods without the hassles of rejetting but they weren't interested! All the bike "experts" I ask about pods steer me away from them. They all say that I'll use more fuel for no gain. I would love to know how much more fuel...

Good stuff! Glad we're not way off thinking of the Esplanade No idea when we'll make the trip yet as I think my wife wants to get back to Melbourne first (she came from there originally), but we do need to get over there for sure.

I think she'd like Manhattan too actually but I don't think I would so much... doesn't appear to be that friendly to us two wheeled folk from the little I've seen...

I'm not surprised K&N wouldn't be keen on that although it would be sorta cool. I think they see the market as freer flowing stock replacements and performance upgrades only...

Interesting that the "experts" say that about pods... I'm finding my economy is pretty much the same as it was when she used to be my daily rider in stock standard form with the airbox and the original exhaust. Somewhere around 6L/100km...

The interesting part about the economy is that she's real rich around the lower throttle openings for sure, and maybe bigger openings too going by the popping on deceleration. So, I reckon if I was to get my jetting spot on, she'd be more economical than in stock trim but with the better midrange I'm getting with the pipe and pods... I wonder how the "experts" would take that? I realise I've probably lost a bit of top end but I don't hit 9500RPM all that often in daily riding...

Oh the Esplanade is a very short walk from Little Creatures! Almost a stagger... Actually my wife and I have wondered where we would stay if we were visitors to Perth, because we just got back from a trip to NYC and stayed in two different hotels in different parts of Manhattan. Your experience is quite different depending on where you stay. The Esplanade is in a great spot - close enough to the pubs, cafe strip and restaurants but just far enough away to be fairly quiet. Unless there's a festival across the road in the park! Freo is VERY touristy these days. I think the Esplanade is a good call. I don't think I would like to stay in Perth city.

Interesting about the pods. I did email K+N about maybe doing a line of more restrictive pods for those of us who want the looks of pods without the hassles of rejetting but they weren't interested! All the bike "experts" I ask about pods steer me away from them. They all say that I'll use more fuel for no gain. I would love to know how much more fuel...

[pete]

At least you are banished to the garage when your in the doghouse. I end up having to watch my little princess while the wife goes and sulks about how mad she is at me....lol. Wish she would kick me out of the and into the garage...lol.

Oh well... if that is an aluminum pan, sand paper is much better at cleaning up the edges than a file comes out a lot smoother. If its steel hit it with the dremmel with the little grinding wheel.

Paul

Hahaha... mate I just got the get out call... so the garage is where I went

Aluminium it is... but I take all the sharp edges off with a file to keep it quiet then sand paper afterwards if it needs it. At the moment it's just to get those pointing bits gone from the hacksaw as the surface will all be covered by the thin rubber.

Pete, how big is that gap behind the lock or whatever that is? If this is a tool tray, it looks like something might be able to fall down in there from all the bouncing around.

It's all good Scott, what you can't see from the angle of the photo is the tail light bracket which slots nicely into that gap

I'll still have all my tools in a bag or something anyway... I actually have the original toolkit for the bike but the bag is a little worn and fragile now and I need to add allen keys as well.

I haven't figured out how I'm going to strap it down to stop it bouncing around yet though...

Hey Pete - finally got to see your build thread - wow! I haven't read all of it but have spent a large part of this evening on it and you really have done a fab job. The pipes are awesome in particular!

It's funny seeing your reaction to tranzac's work. I know you are a fan but I was feeling pretty grumpy about my tranzac pipes after having so much trouble fitting mine. But today I went back and looked at both what my bike came with and the cover of the clymer manual which has a shot of the stock pipes on the cover and I think the tranzacs are better. The way the Tranzac pipes hug the frame is better than stock and I love that I could specify reverse cones. I am very happy with my pipes now! I am thinking that the ceramic coating might be a good idea for the headers too. Is the ceramic coating treating you right?

BTW if you like Little Creatures beer you should come over here and visit the brewery in Freo. We (me, my wife and my son) sometimes have lunch there and the food is very good. The beer is even better on tap of course!

Anyway, really like what you have done with the bike. I thought about blacking out the wheels like you have done but I do like the bare ally reveal for "spokes". Suits your bike though. And the engine looks incredible. I am envious of how good your engine looks - mine is a mess!

Oh - I meant to mention too that I couldn't get a bike like yours registered here. Pods just aren't allowed. So for rego I am making my bike look as stock as possible. Even though everything I have done so far is well within the law they are suspicious of change here apparently.

Thanks Jimmy!

Mate I still find myself looking at the pipes... love 'em! I even got a compliment on them by a guy with a mad Katana on the GSR run the other week.

I'm loving that ceramic coating. My ankle sits at the level of the pipe but with my boots and jeans on I don't feel any heat at all, it's like not having the pipe there. And my leg is just in front of the heat shield...

When I shut her off, the pipes cool down really quickly and I can hold them with my hand ages before I can even bear to touch the engine briefly. The finish is good and easy to keep clean as well. A quick polish with Mothers mag. and alu. polish when I'm doing the crank case covers and it's good as new again...

I've been told it doesn't last as long as chrome but I guess time will tell on that part...

With the wheels, ideally I should have wires on this, but that was going to end up with probably a different front end etc. so I went with blacking them out except the edge of the rim which works well, but yeah, yours is better with the alloy spokes for sure

I love the wet blasted finish of the cylinder and head, but I'm still a little annoyed I didn't get him to do the crankcases, valve cover, and cam chain tensioner as well... would've been a little expensive though!

I spend hours reading through ADR's and also emailed the Dept of Transport about my pods, and all your bike has to do is match ADR's at the time of manufacture and there was nothing back there to say pod filters were a no go, so on they want. Got a safety certificate first time with them on. If you're keen for pods, do a bit of research and you'll probably be fine... ADR's are country wide

As for Little Creatures... yeah love it! We plan on getting over there for a holiday as neither of us have been there yet and we're thinking of staying at the Esplanade Hotel which I believe is walking distance to the brewery... sounds like it's a good idea

Oh - I meant to mention too that I couldn't get a bike like yours registered here. Pods just aren't allowed. So for rego I am making my bike look as stock as possible. Even though everything I have done so far is well within the law they are suspicious of change here apparently.

Hey Pete - finally got to see your build thread - wow! I haven't read all of it but have spent a large part of this evening on it and you really have done a fab job. The pipes are awesome in particular!

It's funny seeing your reaction to tranzac's work. I know you are a fan but I was feeling pretty grumpy about my tranzac pipes after having so much trouble fitting mine. But today I went back and looked at both what my bike came with and the cover of the clymer manual which has a shot of the stock pipes on the cover and I think the tranzacs are better. The way the Tranzac pipes hug the frame is better than stock and I love that I could specify reverse cones. I am very happy with my pipes now! I am thinking that the ceramic coating might be a good idea for the headers too. Is the ceramic coating treating you right?

BTW if you like Little Creatures beer you should come over here and visit the brewery in Freo. We (me, my wife and my son) sometimes have lunch there and the food is very good. The beer is even better on tap of course!

Anyway, really like what you have done with the bike. I thought about blacking out the wheels like you have done but I do like the bare ally reveal for "spokes". Suits your bike though. And the engine looks incredible. I am envious of how good your engine looks - mine is a mess!

[cowboyup3371]

Pete, how big is that gap behind the lock or whatever that is? If this is a tool tray, it looks like something might be able to fall down in there from all the bouncing around.

Managed to get myself in the doghouse tonight so... that meant I got a little time in the garage...



It finally fits...



Got some filing ahead of me to take off the sharp edges and get some final little shaping touches done, then it's glue on the rubber and bolt it in time...

At least you are banished to the garage when your in the doghouse. I end up having to watch my little princess while the wife goes and sulks about how mad she is at me....lol. Wish she would kick me out of the and into the garage...lol.

Oh well... if that is an aluminum pan, sand paper is much better at cleaning up the edges than a file comes out a lot smoother. If its steel hit it with the dremmel with the little grinding wheel.

Paul

[pete]

Managed to get myself in the doghouse tonight so... that meant I got a little time in the garage...



It finally fits...



Got some filing ahead of me to take off the sharp edges and get some final little shaping touches done, then it's glue on the rubber and bolt it in time...

I expect to order my stator on Wednesday too which means in theory I should have it in time to hopefully install on Saturday and I can have a functioning charging system again...

In the meantime, I've got an industry certification I have to upgrade which means I have an exam on Wednesday... can't believe I'm nearly 40 years of age and still taking exams! Geeez... the things we do for our employers hey? Oh well... looks good on the resume right?

That means I'm logging off in a few minutes to start studying... and I get Tuesday/Wednesday off for study leave, and unfortunately I really will have to study... I'm completely unprepared funnily enough...

[pete]

Pete, You're right on the 16/45; just thought it would pull the 17/43 and drop the revs a bit. If it struggles, I'll pop the 16 back on. Sorry you're so far away but buy a lottery tricket every so often, then you can join us on a Texas hill country ride. Of course that works both ways; I'd love to spend a month or two riding upside down.
Niels

Definitely let us know how it goes with that gearing. I have no dramas with the stock gearing but a bit of extra knowledge and experimentation never hurts

I'd love to win the lotto and come for a visit... I'd have to win enough to ship the 450 over and ride it around and visit all the guys on the forum who have helped me so much along the way... and yes a ride in the Texas hill country would be cool and I reckon we could drag Chuck Hahn along as well and you could both leave me behind

Pete, You're right on the 16/45; just thought it would pull the 17/43 and drop the revs a bit. If it struggles, I'll pop the 16 back on. Sorry you're so far away but buy a lottery tricket every so often, then you can join us on a Texas hill country ride. Of course that works both ways; I'd love to spend a month or two riding upside down.
Niels

[pete]

Pete,
Thanks. You guys are going to save me a lot of tjme on this project. I scored an NOS master cyl. on ebay for $40. Also ordered new banjo ftgs. and steel hose and the piston seal and dust seal. Think I'll rebuild it stock,get it running and then look at upgrades. Took a shot and ordered 17/43 sprockets and a new sset of Bridgestone Spitfires for $109.99. I have the trunk of my car full of other goodies and I bring them in the shop one at a time; You understand. I've promised myself to photo document the build. One of the other guys is going to tutor me on the pic upload process. I think I was riding when Bill Gates was in diapers, so some of these things are a bit challenging.
Regards,
Niels

Good stuff Niels, that sounds like a good start.

The only non stock part of my front brake is I used a master cylinder from Mikes XS as mine was beyond repair. For second hand parts over here we typically need to get them from the US so I figured $US76 was a good price and got one with a 13mm diameter piston. Very happy with that so far.

If you have an E or S, I think the stock sprockets are 16/45...

To get your photos up, use this guide on BassCliff's site:

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/how_to_post_pictures.pdf

And Bill Gates in diapers hey? Hahaha nice! Glad to see you still riding

Oh, and I just found your intro post... can't believe I didn't see it earlier! Will post on there in a minute too

Pete,
Thanks. You guys are going to save me a lot of tjme on this project. I scored an NOS master cyl. on ebay for $40. Also ordered new banjo ftgs. and steel hose and the piston seal and dust seal. Think I'll rebuild it stock,get it running and then look at upgrades. Took a shot and ordered 17/43 sprockets and a new sset of Bridgestone Spitfires for $109.99. I have the trunk of my car full of other goodies and I bring them in the shop one at a time; You understand. I've promised myself to photo document the build. One of the other guys is going to tutor me on the pic upload process. I think I was riding when Bill Gates was in diapers, so some of these things are a bit challenging.
Regards,
Niels

[pete]

Well, at least you have all our sympathy! And the ride will be so much sweeter!

Hahaha thanks Andre... I think I'll bite the bullet and go the new one this time... however I'll hang onto the old one as I could always rewind it for a spare

And I'm 100% certain it's the stator now... each leg at 5K RPM was 56VAC, 52VAC, 48VAC... they were all around 75VAC when I tested the charging system before getting her registered...

Pete,
Blame Spyug, he sent me looking for you. I'm starting a 450 cafe project. I have not been able to find a caliper kit; CycleBrake says they are no longer available. I found your thread regarding the 250 Ninja caliper and 550 rotor. Is this a match or will I need to fab a caliper carrier? That's not a problem. Are there other combinations for the 450 front brake. I never rode a bike with "too much" stopping power.
Thanks,
Niels (ndaugbjerg)

Hey Niels, in that case Spyug's punishment can be sending me his 750 popup Katana

Have you started a project thread on it yet? Would love to keep up with how it's going.

As for a caliper kit, do you mean rebuilding the existing 450 caliper or replacing it with something with a little more stopping power?

If it's the latter, the key is whether you have 450L/T forks or 450E/S forks.

If it's an E or S, you should be able to get one of Salty Monks adapters, a left hand Kwaka twinpot caliper, a 550 or CBR disc, and have a nice brake upgrade.

This should be the thread you saw:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=185121

And the measurements and things should be in this thread to help you make sure it will fit:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=181521

I was thinking about doing it myself but so far I've been happy enough with the braided steel line and new master cylinder... let me know how you go though!

Pete,
Blame Spyug, he sent me looking for you. I'm starting a 450 cafe project. I have not been able to find a caliper kit; CycleBrake says they are no longer available. I found your thread regarding the 250 Ninja caliper and 550 rotor. Is this a match or will I need to fab a caliper carrier? That's not a problem. Are there other combinations for the 450 front brake. I never rode a bike with "too much" stopping power.
Thanks,
Niels (ndaugbjerg)

So, figured it was about time I put a proper rebuild thread in here for my 450.

This started way back in January 2005, after it had been sitting for a couple of years due to needing a new rear sprocket, chain, and rear tyre and not having the cash or time to get new ones.

This is what I started with:





This is where I'm thinking of heading at the moment, but that may change, and I'm also thinking blue rather than green:



Anyway, this is just the start and a lot has been done over the intervening years (very slowly though), which I will update over the next few days up to where I'm at now.

There's another thread in Appearance regarding engine paint that I have some pic's in too:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=135476