1980 GS450 "Sport" - Resto / Mod

[Big Rich]

Thanks to BarnbikeTom, I have a spare rear hub. After lacing up and painting the rest of the wheel assembly, I got some Kenda dual sports mounted up. I'll need them towards the end of July, but it's always nice to have a spare set of wheels / tires around "just in case".

[jeffasaurus2]

Awesome bike! Looks fantastic!

I was wondering what forks you're using to have the dual disc set-up? My hub has the holes to mount a rotor on the other side but the fork lacks the mounts for the caliper, I couldn't just buy a second set and switch one around, I'd lose the fender mounts.

[Big Rich]

Thanks Jeff! I have it written down somewhere, but off the top of my head I want to say they are from a GS650. Couldn't say what year or model though.

I used the triple tree from a GR, and the forks from that GS650.....which I advise against. I had to mess around with the wheel spacers along with spacing the calipers out from the forks. It works fine now, but it would be easier to just get a complete front end to swap out.

[Guest]

You're right Rich, about time!

Good stuff though, still lovin' your work and a dual disc front is very nice... still finding my single enough for the moment but good to know it's an easy swap!

[Big Rich]

Cheers Pete! If I wasn't doing a lot of highway miles (and didn't have all the parts for the swap laying around), I probably would have kept the single caliper. Rebuild it with stainless lines of course.....

Paint progress this week. After stripping the tank down to bare steel, I sprayed etching primer first:



Wet sanded it down, then applied the metallic primer (sorry about the dark pics - I work mostly at night):



More wet sanding before the metallic red was sprayed:



I'm doing all the plastics in the same red, but here is a pic of the quarter fairing in the same stage:



I'm also working on a custom airbox for the GS500 carbs. I want to make sure I'm heading in the correct direction before posting a bunch of pics....

[Guest]

Looking good Rich, you like your metallic colours don't ya'

[Big Rich]

Ha! You noticed, huh? I've found one thing about metallic paints - magnetic tank bags "ruin" the paint fairly quickly. It looks like little fingerprints where the magnets rest.

I sprayed the clear coat this morning, but I'll wait til everything is back on the bike before posting pics. It will need to cure and be buffed anyway.

[Guest]

That sucks! I'm not keen on my magnetic tank bag any more either after I got some grit between it and the tank and it made some marks. I tend to stick with my saddlebags and use the tank bag very rarely now.

Looking forward to the clear coat pic's

[Big Rich]

Yeah, that's certainty a drawback with the magnetic tank bags. I will probably end up with some orange or red decals (maybe even the stock GS450 E decal set) to put under where the magnets rest.

Sprayed the clear coat the other day, and let it cure for a couple days. Just had to put everything back together since it's so nice out:



Sometime this week I'll be pulling the exhaust off to sandblast and paint the headers / crossover pipe.

[Guest]

Again Rich... excellent

[Big Rich]

Like I said, sandblasted and painted:



I started the curing process, but didn't get any pics yet...

[Big Rich]

Headers painted, installed, and cured:

[Guest]

Much better Rich, nice work!

[Big Rich]

Thanks Pete! For the most part, this one is done. I bought an actual heat gun today so I can start working on an airbox. I tried my wife's hair dryer (not hot enough) and a propane torch (WAY too hot) but the airbox work will be in my "spare time". No rush....

[steve murdoch]

You sure do work fast.....and what might the gold-spoked wheel lurking in the background belong to?