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81 GS400 Cafe racer project

  • Thread starter Thread starter oldschoolorange
  • Start date Start date
Thanks, This has been a steep learning curve as I have never done any fiberglass work like this before, I probably could have bought a seat with how much I have invested in resin and cloth and having to redo things. But now I know how to do things for myself so my next one should go a lot smoother.
 
oldschoolorange said:
Hmm must be from a 450 then, Thanks. I wonder if there is a chance that my bike is a 450 instead of the 400 I origionaly thought?
Click to expand...

If you check the pics of the GS400s and 450s the heads are different. I think this may be a GSX450, with 4 valves per cyl.
 
I am going to post the engine serial number and see if that helps, the ownership says 400 so thats what I went by
 
It's a GS400... sorta. It's really a GSX400. It's got the 8 valve head. The picture in the first post IS a GS400, but it IS NOT the same bike that you're making into a cafe bike. :-)

The square endcovers on the sides of the head say 4 valves per cylinder. And then the sticker saying TSCC means 4 valves per cylinder too. So, really it was probally sold as a GS400E.. here. not an L like you posted in the first post.
 
ok so my bike is really a gsx 400 is what I am getting from your post. SHould be finished soon. I cut the foam for my seat today. I just need to finish the seat and wire everything up and then jet the carbs properly
 
Well I ordered a new ignition from dynatek but they might not make it anymore. So I went out and picked up an 89 gs500 someone had wrecked the front end on. My baby is going to get a new heart. I hope to have the new engine in by the end of the week if everything goes well. Knowing my luck it won't.
 
HAHAHA well.. best of luck anyways

holy smokes batman! a 500cc engine in a 300lbs bike?!

Any parts going up for sale? I know a guy who knows a guy whos been looking for mirrors and rear shocks.. amoungst other things.. and who has beer..
 
To anyone interested if you want to put the engine from a late 80s early 90s gs500 into your old gs 400 here are the directions.

1- take out old beat up gs400 engine and wiring
2- install gs500 engine and wiring

I could not believe how easy it was I didn't have to mess with anything
 
As someone who owns a gs500, let me be the first to say...

Awesome
 
I understand taht the GSX400's made as much horsepower as early GS500's.. which is more than the current GS500's.
 
According to some specs I looked up, the 500 I currently have in the bike made 50 hp from the factory and the gsx400 made 44 hp. The 500 engine felt a bit lighter as well
 
So close it is killing me

So close it is killing me

Just like the title says, I am going out of my mind carrying this thing around in the back of my truck as it is so close to completion.

Ok so lets see what I have done this week eh. Put the 500 engine in it, now my SS pipes I had bent up for the 400 no longer fit so there goes $200. Now I send the bike out to have my new pipes made as the down tubes
run directly in front of the exhaust ports. Expecting a bill of approx $200 for regular mild steel pipes I almost died when I received a bill of $341. oh well last time i do business with A&A exhaust, they did nice work but they charged way too much. After that I wrapped my pipes up in fiberglass tape and mounted them on the bike, made a trip over to Ultimate Cycle and ordered in a set of shorty reverse megaphone pipes. I installed those on Friday night after work. I would have had the thing running but I had broken this stupid little plastic "T" that acts as the fuel feed to the carbs. Saturday I headed down to Sturgess cycle on my way to Kevins (BrentRod) house to work on his bike and picked up my carb part. Put the carbs back together with a new fuel feed "T" and fired it up. It took a while the first time as I have no prime setting on my petcock but after starting and my messing with the carbs a bit I let it get nice and hot. For anyone who doesn't know, fiberglass tape smokes like a fiend when it is new. I had to take this thing out for a test drive even if it was up and down the street. DAMMMM this bike is going to be crazy, the front end wants to come up going into second gear lol. After having some fun I ground down my steering stops a bit and changed my bars around a bit as the low speed maneuverability was terrible.

4t9e5nb.jpg


5y1vxcm.jpg
 
I'll have the photo's posted soon..

This guys bike is a damn beast.... you just touch the throttle in second gear, and the ass of the bike just sits right down and digs in.. an absolutely amazing feel

Much thanks to Chris (oldschoolorange) by the way. You should all know how generous this fellow is... showed me around the carbs alright... and convinced me that pods really are better than air boxes... but then.. the pods were free..so..
I definately owe with guy.. dude.. if you need any more sheet metal work done, you let me know.
 
Hey man Anytime, I like seeing the old stuff run. Have you got your tire in yet? Also make sure you talk to Brian and have him get you the nut for your front sprocket from my old engine
 
Alright I know it has been a while but the bike has come a long way from earlier ideas. I have made 4 different seats as I did not know what I was going with when I originally designed everything. Well now I know how everything is going to work so I have torn the bike down again. I figured out what the engine vibration was caused from, I have a tight rod bearing. I need to paint and rebuild the engine, install my rearsets, finish off some earlier temp work with the seat, make a seat for the bike, install a fork brace, powder coat the frame, clean up my tripple clamps, mount a tach/speedo, and a whole bunch of other work. I am hoping to have the entire thing finished in 2-3 weeks as long as I can get the engine parts quickly.




 
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