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'80 GS550L to Cafe Racer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Colorado CJ
  • Start date Start date
Very cool. The shorty's look awesome, cant wait to see them on the bike. Did you rejet the carbs to deal with pod filters and the shorter exhaust?
 
I'll have to rejet the carbs, I haven't found a good place to buy jets yet though. Do you know anywhere I could buy them?

I'll be running either pods or velocity stacks as well. I'm not sure the pods will fit without hitting the frame though, so I may have to go with velocity stacks.
 
I think I'll just drill the stock jets for now. I'll just drill one size up at a time, then test it out until I get it running like it should.

Once I find the right size, I might buy a correct size set to replace the drilled ones.
 
I know nothing about jets, but there are plenty of people where who do. Some the drag builders might be able to help you. I think there is a formula for re-sizing jets based on breathing and pipe. Try posting a question in the Carb section. At the very least I'm sure someone can point you in the right direction.
 
Colorado CJ said:
Today I sandblasted and painted the headers/mufflers with some high temp ceramic header paint. They are hanging up in my storage shed drying.





Note: sorry for the mess, this is just a storage shed next to my shop

Click to expand...
Maybe I missed you saying so, but what mufflers are those? Are they the shorty's from jegs?
 
Thanks for the links jus1087, I'll be sure to look them over.


Krunk Kracker, those are shorty mufflers made by Wyatt Gatling. I picked them up from my local custom bike shop.

They look exactly like the Emgo shorty cans though, but they didn't come with any muffler clamps (that is all right since I welded mine on). These might be made with a little thicker metal though as they are pretty heavy for their size.
 
Colorado CJ said:
Thanks for the links jus1087, I'll be sure to look them over.


Krunk Kracker, those are shorty mufflers made by Wyatt Gatling. I picked them up from my local custom bike shop.

They look exactly like the Emgo shorty cans though, but they didn't come with any muffler clamps (that is all right since I welded mine on). These might be made with a little thicker metal though as they are pretty heavy for their size.
Click to expand...
Are they typical straight through with baffle design? How do they sound? Those are exactly like what I am wanting for my bike, accept the Jegs shorties are chrome and I'd rather not go through the trouble of stripping them.

Love the bike, it looks awesome!
 
Yeah, they are straight through with a perforated baffle wrapped in fiberglass. They are like a mini cherry bomb car muffler if you know what those are.

I don't know how they will sound yet. I am in the process of rewiring the bike. Once that is done, I'll be able to start it up and ride it a little before stripping it down to the frame for sandblasting/painting.

BTW, these were chromed to, I sandblasted them to paint them.
 
Haha, I wonder how those small "16 cherry bombs would sound? Still too long for my tastes.

How hard was it to remove the nickle and copper under the chrome?

Looking forward to the finished product, sub'd to the thread.
 
No need to remove the nickel, I just sandblast it lightly to etch the chrome itself. It does get into the nickel a little, but it isn't necessary. This gives enough "tooth" for the paint to hold to the pipe very well.

I only sandblast chrome off all the way if it is cracked and chipping up. I'll then usually just sandblast around that area until I get to a solid surface and lightly sandblast everything else. Good chrome is VERY hard to blast though and would take forever to do.
 
Colorado CJ said:
No need to remove the nickel, I just sandblast it lightly to etch the chrome itself. It does get into the nickel a little, but it isn't necessary. This gives enough "tooth" for the paint to hold to the pipe very well.

I only sandblast chrome off all the way if it is cracked and chipping up. I'll then usually just sandblast around that area until I get to a solid surface and lightly sandblast everything else. Good chrome is VERY hard to blast though and would take forever to do.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for explaining that to me.
 
I installed the pipes today and went through the carbs, painted the float bowls and tops of the carbs and installed them.

I should have all the controls and most of the electrics delivered in a few days. I can then start in on the rewiring job.

It is getting close to being finished. I see a day or two of rewiring. I'll then ride it a little to make sure everything is the way I want it. If it is, I'll strip it down for blasting and painting.

I think I'll go with blacked out everything and polish the motor up real well. I might make a shadow racing strip, or a very subdued racing stripe. Don't know yet.

Here's how the pipes look now. I like the look of these MUCH better than the big megaphones. They fit right up snug with the frame.



 
Man o' man, I love those pipes. That bike is awesome, what handlebars are those?

Can you get a video of it once it's running? I want to hear those shorties.
 
They are bikemaster clubman bars. Only $26.00 and are actually pretty comfortable.

Yeah, I'll try to shoot a video once it is finished.

I appreciate the comments. Building this bike has been a whole lot of fun :)
 
Are you running rearward controls, or are they in the stock locations? I cannot tell really...

You don't feel like you're leaning to far forward to where it's uncomfortable?

I'm wanting to run drag bars on my bobber build, but I'm liking those bars on yours.
 
The pegs are in the stock location. I'm a big guy at 6'4" so I don't think rearsets will work for me. I've sat on the bike and tried to place my feet where rearsets would be, and I felt much more cramped than I did with the stock pegs.

The bars are much more forward and lower than the originals, but again, I'm a big guy, so that actually makes it more comfortable for me because I can stretch out a little.

I really don't have to lean too much forward. I might try to take a picture tomorrow of me in riding position and post it if you'd like to see if they'd work for ya.
 
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