1981 GS450E Rebuild

[Collo]

We seem to be doing similar projects at the same time - I'm also doing the seat cushion but not so confident about upholstery work so might leave that part. Your bike is looking great and the wait will make the first ride all the more worth it.

 

[Leigh]

Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?



So bloody close now, Pete.

 

[Guest]

We seem to be doing similar projects at the same time - I'm also doing the seat cushion but not so confident about upholstery work so might leave that part. Your bike is looking great and the wait will make the first ride all the more worth it.

Yeah it looks like we are about the same place actually, and as for the upholstery, yeah, certain things I think are best left to the professionals unless you're confident you can do it right. I figured the same for the exhaust which is why I went to Tranzac...

Thanks mate, I'm real happy with her so far and am definitely looking forward to that first ride!

Oh, and I solved our problem of where to mount that breather filter too

Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?



So bloody close now, Pete.

Bloody oath Leigh! Getting all excited and antsy and hopping up and down and stuff and just can't wait to make that phone call to order the tyres and get the seat finished off and up to the upholsterers and get the hand grips on and set the Dynatek timing and fill her with oil and... I think you get the picture... just like Big Kev used to say... I'm excited!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Too bad we all aren't close enough to get a "Package Deal" on upholstery... I'm right there with ya!

 

[Guest]

This is tonight's end result:



The ugly untouched, not cleaned, original horn mounted and connected and working. I wasn't intending to re-use this initially so I've done nothing to make it look nice, but seeing as it works it can go on for the safety certificate so I have less to worry about.

I found the issue with the horn wiring and when I swapped the stock plug over to the newer GSXR left control, I had the wire that's supposed to ground the horn connected to the wire in the harness that's for a passing switch instead which my bike doesn't actually have. Swapped that over to a ground wire instead and all set and fixed.

I also found a couple of pieces of foam on the base of the seat were coming adrift from each other so I gave them another go with the contact adhesive and so far so good.

 

[Guest]

Too bad we all aren't close enough to get a "Package Deal" on upholstery... I'm right there with ya!

Yeah too true! Collo's even too far away for that one

 

[Nessism]

Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?



So bloody close now, Pete.

Hah ha Leigh. My thoughts exactly.

Pete, you are a patient man! Patient to a fault! We want some video footage of this monster of yours blasting down the road.:!:

How much longer do we have to wait? :-#:!:

 

[Guest]

Hah ha Leigh. My thoughts exactly.

Pete, you are a patient man! Patient to a fault! We want some video footage of this monster of yours blasting down the road.:!:

How much longer do we have to wait? :-#:!:

Hahaha there will be video Ed!

I need to provide video to a certain Dynatek man also, so it will be taken...

The goal is ready for rego by the end of November and registered by mid December (pay day)... so far on track ray:

 

[Guest]

Rightio, throttle and choke cables hooked up:



Discovered that choke cable is oh so close to not working with the tank mounted. The tank touches the cable just after it exits the adjuster, so there's just enough flex to not be a problem... phew! I would've been real bummed if I had to do something different there... that whole 'bar mounted choke deal is one of those little things I've done that I'm quite proud of, even if it ain't perfect...

Anyway, I've pretty much got the seat foam sorted. There are some bits that could still use a little bit of a sand, but it's about 95% there. I'll probably need the upholsterer to round off some of the edges a little better as I'm sure they have a better technique than I do, but that shouldn't be a big deal.



Turns out I can't work from home Friday as I have people coming into the office for a meeting, so Thursday's the day instead. Going by how it went tonight it should be no dramas having it ready by then.

And tomorrow is tyre ordering day... :dancing:

 

[Guest]

Ok... tyres ordered and the upholsterer is fine for me to drop the seat up Thursday morning for covering.

Got the shaping finished as much as I can do it tonight and glued the foam to the seat pan as well.



I did a couple of little extra touches after those pic's were taken as if you look closely you'll see the rear looks a little off centre. I fixed that up but couldn't be bothered taking more pic's as I was sweating like a pig by that stage.

I also got the static timing of the Dynatek done and as you can see by the test light in the left of the photo it's on the mark...



Definitely getting closer and closer each day at the moment...

The seat should be ready early next week and unless there's any dramas with the tyre delivery they'll be getting installed mid morning on Saturday...

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Rollin, rollin, rollin!

 

[Guest]

Rollin, rollin, rollin!

Yeah baby! Can ya' feel it? :dancing:

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I ought to suggest some early Goldwing horns over here while I am at it.

 

[Guest]

I ought to suggest some early Goldwing horns over here while I am at it.

Haha cool... haven't quite gotten back to DTT yet, will do that shortly

 

[Guest]

Tomorrow is seat day... I'm excited!

So to keep my mind off that, I finished up the tank paint job by putting some JB Weld around the base of the filler to stop any fuel getting under the paint at that point.



I got this delivered today:



Smoked acrylic perspex, and the purpose shall remain hush hush for the moment along with the 1mm aluminium sheet I got a while back. Trying to keep a little mystery about some things

And, finally, cut the fuel and vacuum hoses to size ready to go on when I get to that point:



Definitely look forward to tomorrow

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I am on Pins and Needles with that plexi and aluminum...
and probably a good step on the JB weld, hides well under the cap. I moved the tape to shoot the clear over the color seam, hoping that was enough.

 

[Guest]

I am on Pins and Needles with that plexi and aluminum...
and probably a good step on the JB weld, hides well under the cap. I moved the tape to shoot the clear over the color seam, hoping that was enough.

Well we shall wait and see, not sure when I'll get to the alu. and plexi. bit yet, might not be before it gets the safety certificate although I'd like to do them sooner rather than later...

Larry's had good success doing the JB Weld thing and it does make sense, so will see how it goes.

Moving the tape should definitely help, and you can always go back and JB Weld it too

 

[Agemax]

hey pete, you trying to copy my clear covers? acrylic sheet is good, oil proof, heat proof and stronger than you think

 

[Guest]

hey pete, you trying to copy my clear covers? acrylic sheet is good, oil proof, heat proof and stronger than you think

Hahaha nup, nice try but no cigar

This is definitely an optional item not required for a safety certificate, but I think I may end up with some thumb twiddling time waiting to get days off and waiting for budget for registration etc. so I don't want to do nothing if I can't ride yet...

 

[Agemax]

Hahaha nup, nice try but no cigar

This is definitely an optional item not required for a safety certificate, but I think I may end up with some thumb twiddling time waiting to get days off and waiting for budget for registration etc. so I don't want to do nothing if I can't ride yet...

perspex jock strap to try and persuade the examiner to give you the registration???????