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'80 GS550L to Cafe Racer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Colorado CJ
  • Start date Start date
Really starting to like it, nice work on the whole thing. Are you set up for forks now?
 
Yeah, I posted over in the Wanted thread that I found a set for $30.00 shipped. I found a set of '82 Katana forks that should be here any day now.

I really appreciate the offer though, I just couldn't pass on this deal.
 
Here's a couple of pictures of the bike. I have the LED above the license plate. It is a Hyperlites S16 LED and is extremely bright, even in daylight. It strobes for 5 seconds, then stays fully lit when I apply the brakes.

I shot some rattle can paint on the seat pan so that I could ride it around for a while to see if I need to change anything before breaking it all down. (sandblasted steel rusts instantly if it gets wet).

5716408814_03e592c978_b.jpg


5715845117_fb8a8e6ee7_b.jpg


Here's a picture of the LED running light on. It is MUCH brighter and more red in person, my camera didn't like to pick up on the red light for some reason.

5716445228_f5be19c8ea_b.jpg
 
Great job on the bike. It's a GS classic, and a great re-imagining of the L profile and use of the space left by raising that peanut tank.

Don't forget to turn the petcock to "run."
 
I was looking at that same LED kit for my bike. How did you mount it?

I'm mounting my license plant horizontally to the lower shock mount and thought these brake lights would work well.
 
I made a bracket for the license plate that mounts to the top shock mounting bolt. This bracket has a small piece of steel welded to it and the light is stuck to that with heavy duty two way foam tape.

Here's a couple of pics.

racer41.jpg


racer40.jpg
 
NICE!
That's all the more that needs said but too short to post alone so...
Awesome!
Brilliant!

:)
 
Colorado CJ said:
I made a bracket for the license plate that mounts to the top shock mounting bolt. This bracket has a small piece of steel welded to it and the light is stuck to that with heavy duty two way foam tape.

Here's a couple of pics.

racer41.jpg


racer40.jpg
Click to expand...
Man, you are a champ about sharing your ideas, and with pictures too.

Thanks!
 
Well, I got my forks in and installed them, only to find out that the calipers on the "L" model don't work with the regular forks since the wheel is mounted more forward on the "L" model. So, I'll either have to fabricate up a bracket to use the original caliper or try to scrounge up a correct caliper.

I really like the stance now with the new forks. Besides having a regular axle location (instead of leading axle), they are shorter as well, so the bike now looks "right" in the front end, not all stretched out looking.
 
I like the looks of your bike.

But I would have made the stoplights on the lefthandside of the bike. So it is beter visible for the cardriver behind you.
But I live in Belgium and cardrivers are crazy around here.
 
No, I've driven in Belgium quite a bit. It's pretty tame. They do get a bit rude if you are hauling ass through Belgium in a car with German plates, though.
 
I found my new forks waiting for me when I came home from work last night. I installed them and found that the calipers wouldn't work. I should have thought of that since the mounting would have to be different on the calipers because of the leading axle forks. No problem though, today I machined up a new bracket so that I could use the same caliper and not have to try to find one for a Katana.

These forks are MUCH nicer than the stock forks. No more brake dive and much better all around handling. I also filled the forks to 28 psi, they are nice and firm with good dampening. The new forks were also about 1.5" shorter, so mounting them dropped the front end and gave me less trail, so the bike really handles much better.

Well enough talking. Here's a picture. Don't mind the tape on the headlight, I burned out the bulb on my way home last night. I turned around and went back to the shop. Turns out my jeep lights plug right into the socket. A little electrical tape to hold the light in the fixture and I was able to ride home (it was late and dark).

5720109569_593f5fe4cd_b.jpg


Here's a picture of the bracket I machined to make the stock calipers work. The part I made is the dark black bracket that is mounted to the bottom caliper bolt.

5720667436_24c2ac0598_b.jpg
 
I missed this somehow while I was camping last month I guess.

The bike looks awesome dude. You should be very proud of it, and ride the heck out of it. It looks incredibly better than the L you started with. :clap:
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate it! Yeah, the bike is much better looking. It performs much better as well, more power, better handling, no more brake dive.

I've done some shake down rides now (about 250 miles or so), and everything seems just right, so I'll be breaking it down shortly for sandblasting, paint and polish.

Here's a pic of the bike on one of the shake down rides


racer44 by coloradocj, on Flickr
 
Great picture. Wish I had scenery like that around me...

Just noticed something, your not running a front fender. While I know it's not 'needed' per say and don't get me wrong I love the look of the naked wheel, what about the fork brace? Have you found the forks to be flexing at all without the fender?

Maybe its a non-issue but I'm just asking.
 
Tim Tom said:
Great picture. Wish I had scenery like that around me...

Just noticed something, your not running a front fender. While I know it's not 'needed' per say and don't get me wrong I love the look of the naked wheel, what about the fork brace? Have you found the forks to be flexing at all without the fender?

Maybe its a non-issue but I'm just asking.
Click to expand...
Are aftermarket fork braces even avaialble? I had one on my '78 XS, but wasn't able to find one for my GS.
 
I haven't looked in great detail for a brace for a 550. I think tarozzi may have something but I don't think its cheap. I do recall someone removing the brace from a GS fender though I think it was on a bigger bike.
 
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