GS400 build... advice?

[Guest]

Hi all. New to the forum. Been checking out some of the build posts and you guys have some really great stuff.
I recently inherited my friend's GS400. I think it's a 1984. It runs, barely, needs a new rear tire and some good brake work.
I was thinking about doing a pretty basic rat/cafe facelift to it, and I had a few questions for anyone who knows about this bike. I don't have a garage of my own, just a parkade where too much mechanical work is frowned on, so for the major stuff I'll have to pull it into a local co-op garage. I'd like to either paint over or rust out the tank, install clip-ons, replace the gauge cluster with an Acewell, and then put some spoked wheels on with bigger tires. Aftger that I can worry about changing the seat and signals, etc. What I wanted to ask was:
-does anyone know a good place to order cheap spoked wheels and bars that'll fit this model?
-Can I remove the plastic panel under the seat without causing major issues with the airbox? I've seen some GS400 builds that have an empty space there and they seem OK...

Thanks!!!

IMG_0148.jpg

[Big Rich]

Hmmmm..... I would update the brakes, tires, electronics, and suspension then just ride it. But maybe that's just me.

For spoke wheels.....they are never as cheap as you might think. You'll need hubs to fit (look at earlier GS400 wheels, they will be your best option), spokes from Buchanan's or eBay, and the proper rims for the tire sizes you want. By the time it is all said and done, you're probably looking at a little under $1000.

[T8erbug]

Hmmmm..... I would update the brakes, tires, electronics, and suspension then just ride it. But maybe that's just me.

For spoke wheels.....they are never as cheap as you might think. You'll need hubs to fit (look at earlier GS400 wheels, they will be your best option), spokes from Buchanan's or eBay, and the proper rims for the tire sizes you want. By the time it is all said and done, you're probably looking at a little under $1000.

Big Rich is right on with what he said. Spoked wheels are a fantastic look but they come at a price. Spoked wheels alone are usually a relatively inexpensive swap if your particular bike came with the standard in earlier years BUT when you throw in the fact you want a bigger/wider tire you can plan to spend much MUCH more. My cafe racer build was going along great before I decided I just had to have spoked wheels haha. I bought a set of nice spoked wheels from an earlier year GS750 for about $220. From there I had to price out a nice set of rims which I found through sunrim. For both I would have spent about $400. After all that then add in the price for spokes and the hassle of having your rims drilled to match your hubs and you're over $1000. One thousand smackers.. Just for wheels then add in the price to wrap those nice new puppies with some more expensive rubber. At that point you just have to ask yourself, is your bike worth it? Or a better question, is it worth it to you? For me it was so I sold the rims I had bought and instead bought a built set from Warp9. I then had to do some custom machine work, bearing swaps, and cut spacers to make them work on my bike. Cost for my whole setup (brake rotors, wheels, and tires) was right around $1300 plus time and machine work.. OUCH.

Smaller displacement bikes like the GS400 only have so much power and as such I wouldn't overbuild it just for the look. I have an XS400 and have similar plans for a build with it but have already decided against spoked wheels because of the cost and time associated with them. Plus the XS400 was built as a commuter bike. Not necessarily a born and bred race machine so rather than try to make it something it's not I'm going to keep it a commuter but with an attitude. My plans are to throw some knobby tires on it, a brat style seat, and do some weight reduction. Whammy. Pretty cheap, pretty cool, and I won't be pulling my hair out trying to make a thoroughbred out of a mule (which is basically what I've been doing with my GS750) Anyways, I don't want to discourage you from going for your vision for your bike. Do what makes you happy! That's what I did. Just remember often times it comes at a price and it's best if you decide in the beginning what kind of money you're willing to throw at your bike. Budget your build as thoroughly as you can from start to finish and decide on the route you want to go. Good luck and have fun!

[Chuck78]

Although I may eventually get a first gen kickstart only roller bearing crank GS400/425 and eventually put spoked wheels on it after rebuilding the entire rest of the bike with suspension/front brake mods galore, GS1100E swingarm, barebones featherweight stripped down bike, and then dumping $1600 into building a 545cc or 559cc high compression custom piston'd GS500-sleeved block ported head with bigger valves and megacycle cams and GS500 carbs engine.... At which point I may decide to track down a drum brake rear hub and a stock spoked front wheel, and try to find a used 3.00x17 rear rim and 1.95x18 or 2.15x18 front alloy rim and get Buchanan's or Woody's Wheel Works to drill the rims to match the hub diameter and get some custom made s.s. spokes for them... That is the last thing on the list of mods for my pipedream brainstormed next personal bike build project.

Since these bikes are pretty lightweight to begin with, wider rims aren't as critical (unless building a fairly radical modded big bore engine out of one), so you could really suffice just tracking down a set of stock GS400X/GS400B wire wheels. Maybe even some GS250 wire wheels would have the same rim size for all I know. GS300 single's and GS125 twins may also. Not sure. Search ebay for some, or post a wanted ad on here for a set of stock rims. There used to be a GS400X and GS250 parts bike at the junkyard here with both wheels intact, but someone from Japan came and bought up all of them and a bunch of other vintage japanese salvage bikes to take back to Japan and rebuild, since they go for major inflated prices over there and are getting scarce... GS400's are like a seriously hot cult classic item over there, like CB360's, SB750's, and Z1's are here in the USA.

[GSX1000E]

If you decide to sell those stock gauges, please send me a PM. Perhaps they can be used on my 185GT project.

[Nessism]

OP made one post and hasn't been back here since making it.