77 GS400 to Cafe Project

A little off subject, but I have a new twin to ride. Picking it up Saturday






I may not be working on the 400 this week !

Mark

[pete]

That's great Mark! maybe not mind blowing but very productive and I must agree on your comments re: materials for the seat attachment.

I've seen a few done with wood and have always thought that's not such a grand idea... and I've seen seats attached with industrial velcro... also something that just doesn't sound like a great idea...

Nice work on that seat pan, it will definitely start coming together once you get that finished up

Mark,
You've been awfully quiet. We're expecting some mind blowing revelations soon.
Niels

Nothing blowing minds here unfortunatly

One of the issues most Cafe conversions have to solve is securly attaching the flimsly glass seat to the frame rails. In my case the seat was designed for a different bike so there are minor clearence issues to consider too. Also, I have a pet peve about conversions not looking clean under the saddle when say the bike is on the side stand and all you see is messy wiring and the scruffy underside of the glass fibre attachment. Here is my fix adapted from something I saw elsewhere -

Ground off most of the seat brackets and other metal interfearing with the seat install



Make a template that fits on the frame rails accomodating the brackets I will retain and inside the seat unit. dont worry about the square hole, its from my first attempt that failed!


Basically, Im making a flat platform that sits on the frame that the seat fits flat onto as well. Plywood would do the job, but obviously not water/weather proof. I came across a material called HDPE. A thick plastic that you can work and cut it exactly like wood, but very strong, wont rot and comes pre colored and textured. Draw back is you cant paint it or glue it. The material is used for things like cutting boards. I bought 4 black textured sheets for $40 on ebay.

Transfered the template to the HDPE sheet and using the table saw I had purchased for cutting a hardwood floor to size (I knew I would find a good use for it one day)....


A little further work with a jigsaw, a file, a knife,a drill, and....




And she fits ! Added a second piece to take the HDPE all the way to the tank (a poor joint I know) and hey presto !


This little piece will be secured to the seat unit with screws and I hope will allow the seat to be taken on/off the bike and locate and hold the front of the seat in position. The main piece will attach to the frame with clips and wont move.

Added some small strips with metal screws to hold the battery in position - I will add a strap....


I also figured the way to hold the Ducati tail light onto the tail unit. I know its looks like a black hole but the tail light is in there.....


So next up is the part Im not looking forward to, playing with glass matting and epoxy to extend the seat 4 inches and another chapter in the conversion is complete

+ this is my 100th post and I have had the bike 1 year this month. Another year and 100 posts and I may be there !

Mark

Mark,
You've been awfully quiet. We're expecting some mind blowing revelations soon.
Niels

[pete]

Mark,
As much as I'd like to meet Pete and ride with him, we are probably better off with him some distance away. I have an Aussie neighbor across the street who has started brewing his own beer. A couple of months ago, he set up his bottling operation in the garage. One of the bottles blew it's cap with such force that the bottle richocheted off the front of my house. In Pete's own words," I'm sure I could find a way to lead you astray". I rest my case.
Niels

He was just giving you a free sample Niels...

Mark,
As much as I'd like to meet Pete and ride with him, we are probably better off with him some distance away. I have an Aussie neighbor across the street who has started brewing his own beer. A couple of months ago, he set up his bottling operation in the garage. One of the bottles blew it's cap with such force that the bottle richocheted off the front of my house. In Pete's own words," I'm sure I could find a way to lead you astray". I rest my case.
Niels

[pete]

Pete, if I need any help on bracket design, you'll be hearing from me. Of late your da bracket man

Niels, nothing wrong with red. Makes you look fast and with these little twins we need all the help we can get. I forgot to reply to a previous post, but yes we are not too far away from each other . When we get these things road legal again, we can scare some of the cursers on a weekend

Mark

Bracket man? Oh that sounds dodgy... hahaha

Definitely will chip in if you need it, although I'm sure I can find a way to lead you astray and up the most complicated path... That's where my ideas typically lead me...

Would also be good for you guys to catch up once your bikes are done, there's definitely a lack of twin get togethers so would be great to see a pair together in the same photo!

Good stuff Mark, nice and easy!

Given there's just the single mounting bolt on the rear, it should be real simple to make a bracket that would lift it the required inch or two.

Pete, if I need any help on bracket design, you'll be hearing from me. Of late your da bracket man

Mark,
Today, my color of choice is safety red but as my bride says, it will be the color I'm excited about the day I start painting. I saw a fire orange the other day that looks good. And the orange bike you posted is growing on me. Obviously she's right.
Niels

Niels, nothing wrong with red. Makes you look fast and with these little twins we need all the help we can get. I forgot to reply to a previous post, but yes we are not too far away from each other . When we get these things road legal again, we can scare some of the cursers on a weekend

Mark

Mark,
Today, my color of choice is safety red but as my bride says, it will be the color I'm excited about the day I start painting. I saw a fire orange the other day that looks good. And the orange bike you posted is growing on me. Obviously she's right.
Niels

[pete]

Good stuff Mark, nice and easy!

Given there's just the single mounting bolt on the rear, it should be real simple to make a bracket that would lift it the required inch or two.

Aaaaah yes! The 450 tank is definitely the way to go Mark! Lookin' sweet already. How hard will it be to actually mount? Can you use any of the existing mount points?

Pete, yes it get my vote too. Actually it fits the front cup type mounts up front just fine and mates up to the rear bolt perfectly. However as Niels comments, overall it points down at the back end. In the pic there is about half an inch or 12mm or so of packing holding it up to give it a more lined look that you see.

Englishman, I'm raising the back of the tank and the seat as well to get a nice straight belt line and to give my long legs a bit more room. I'm also filling the area where the badges mount and making the tank completely smooth and then applying one of the thousands of decals on ebay. But if your bike ends up looking like the orange one you'll get 5-stars from me.
Regards,
Niels

Agreed that the 450 tank slopes down. In the pic mine is raised as above. I'm doing the same to the tank re no badges. Colors not yet final but will be Orange in there somewhere. 5 Stars is the goal then


Mark

Englishman,
I bought my 450 because I got that tank in the deal. It has a classic Dunstall look to it. I'm raising the back of the tank and the seat as well to get a nice straight belt line and to give my long legs a bit more room. I'm also filling the area where the badges mount and making the tank completely smooth and then applying one of the thousands of decals on ebay. But if your bike ends up looking like the orange one you'll get 5-stars from me.
Regards,
Niels

[pete]

Aaaaah yes! The 450 tank is definitely the way to go Mark! Lookin' sweet already. How hard will it be to actually mount? Can you use any of the existing mount points?

More pics at http://s1125.photobucket.com/albums/l596/mgodfrey119/

Mark

I made a post a few weeks back that implied that a 450 tank did not fit the 400 frame. That was wrong. Its close but it does fit. You have to be careful otherwise the petcock will take paint off the frame, but it does fit.....rather nicely in my case...


Compaired to the route I was taking with a 550 gas tank......


and remember the look Im trying to achieve.....


The 550 tank looks larger but reminds me more of a BSA, low and wide look. The 450 looks ....... well just more like what I need. Having more hardware installed on the front end for me brought the perspective together.


Thoughts ?

Mark