A GR650 Overhual!... And Improvement!

[Jedz123]

So Off to the races to restore that Valve cover
I used a nice stripper that wasn't too harsh but got the job done in a couple of coats. Unfortunately I did a very good job on the paint so it was reluctant to come off...
Stripper I used

Fist coat with it on and it ate the paint pretty good...

After cleaning up the first coat of remover... Still aways to go

I found using compressed air was very helpful in removing all the flakes and the hard to reach crevices on the engine...

After removing the second coat if stripped and blowing off the flakes it was looking really good... I put it back on my bench to attack the rest of the paint with a wire brush.

After hitting it with the brush!!! IT LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER! I also took the time to micro clean/detail the rest of the engine.

Not done yet. I decided that I wanted to really change the look of the bike so I ordered a 8" Train headlight from Blowerbike on here! Here's the difference in size difference, Stock GR650 light on the left 8" train light from a GS1100E on the right.

And it one the bike with the freshly cleaned engine!!! It's looking sooo GOOD!

So you can visualize a finished product I did a quick paint on the tank blue... It will be sent out soon, the deal of a paint job is on hold until the body guy has an opening...

It's been a very exciting time here in the Jedz garage. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with this project. I'm getting a new motorcycle bench of the course of the next couple of week's. I also just put a down payment on my next daily ridden bike a 2008 Suzuki B-king.

All I got today, I'll be planning to attack the electrical system and brakes next. I have 35mm forks coming in so I can do a twin disc setup. Very excited. Bike is going to look and ride great!

Thanks for tuning in!

 

[Jedz123]

AND! THE TANK IS IN! It looks pretty good. I like the look although I think a cross wire on the exact color got crossed. Anyway covers will be in soon as well.. I think it looks 10X better then it did. Didn't pay much at all for the work so I really can't complain.

Next step will be exhaust and tackling that headache. Then rejet the carbs and put it back together. Should be a good season!!!

 

[Jedz123]

So I did some more work on the ole' GR650, with the smell of Spring in the air I caught on the back of the FZ1 yesterday. I knew it's time to put a crunch on getting my GR650 ready in time.

Today I ran wire... Ugh It's so damn tedious. I also cleaned up the harness before she went back into the bike. I also loomed in the harness into the 1150E train light. I can't believe how much more room there is that thing. Everything came together well North of the steering neck. I'll have to figure an option for directionals.

Anyway the clean harness coiled into the new headlight bucket.

I then installed the polished Brake master and horn, then wired those cats in and put the headlight on when it was all wired in.

I then worked down the frame and re wired in the coils and snaked the harness to the battery box... Where I lost ambition and switched gears to another project, My Stands...

As you can see the center stand doesn't return all the way anymore because the R6 shock is in the way. So it needed to come out...

Two bolts hold it up but they are quite a PITA to get out... After a little struggling the stand popped out.
The Side stand is also dumb. There is little angle to the side stand so the bike won't lean much with it out. It worse now that I've dropped about 2" out in the back with the R6 unit. So I had to bend the side stand out to ensure I had a proper angle to the side stand. This was hard I ended up just grabbing the Side stand and man handled it out by pulling it to the angle I wanted... Good Idea? Not sure if I caused any damage but the side stand and mount didn't suffer from any noticeable damage or cracks... Bike leans in a way I like now.

I also buttoned in the rear chrome fender, why? Well I'm an L freak and I love the chrome.

Next goal is to finish up the wiring and I need to figure out what exactly I'm going to do with the front end. I need to figure if I will swap the front Forks over to 750 forks and run a twin disc setup or just run a stock brake setup with a stainless line. Either way I need a new disc, mine is shot. I also need to get the fueling and exhaust sorted. Also need to figure lighting as in corner lights and brake... So much fun.

My buddy was suppose to bring my welder back to me yesterday but he's reluctant in handing it back. I'll need that to fab up the custom 2 to 1 I intend on using.

 

[oldrookie]

Like what you are doing to the GR. Sold mine last summer when I got my SV650, but I really miss that old bike. Learned a lot about working on bikes (and still couldn't do most of what you are doing,) but a lot of your pictures brought back memories. Particularly the master cylinder--those weren't particularly good memories.

 

[Jedz123]

Thanks Rookie!
It's been a thorough project for sure. When I'm done she will be a fair weather ride only. More to come over the next few days. I need to custom fab the exhaust and I think I'll be running stock air-box to keep it simple. Those projects I hope to be done by the tail end of Monday. I would like to get it to fire up. Front rotor should be in @ some point during the tail end of this week. I need to order a front tire... It's closer to being done then it looks. Side covers are still out getting painted, you get what you pay for, cheap and good doesn't equal fast...

 

[Jedz123]

Header fabbed!!!

Header fabbed!!!

So i finally got around to fabbing up the custom header for my 2 to 1 exhaust I want to run on this bike. I cut a piece of stainless piping from a LO down pipe I had off a wrx. It has an 02 bung on it which may prove helpful down the road if and when I convert to Fuel injection on this guy. It was kinda a tricky thing to do. I used the stock header pipes cut them at an angle so they would meet then added the down pipe to exit where I wanted. Tac welded the bits to where I wanted them and then made a few welds to hold the pipe in place... ONce the exhaust was set I pulled it off the bike and finished welding.

With it off the bike I was able to weld the pipe completely together... Man I hate my booger welds (yes go ahead tell me how much it sucks) But it's fabbed together, solid and secure. I'll be wrapping the header pipe and I need to decide what type of exhaust I want to run... I have a little more welding to get it to my liking then the exhaust wrap will go on and she will be put back on the bike!!!

Nice to see it together! I was pretty impressed with my self...

I also wired in the ignition circuit and will be installing the rest of the harness tomorrow. I also am ordering brand new tires front and rear, a new tail light assembly and a new stainless brake line for the front. Hoping to have her back on the road by next weekend!!!

Thanks for you indulgence!

 

[Jedz123]

So I've ordered all the parts I need to get the bike MOVING. I intend on continuing this thread but the bike will be a ridden machine! Parts that are coming for install:

1. GS750 leading axle forks with twin caliper brackets (I'd like my bike to ride as smooth as my old 750L)
2. LED front turn signals
3. Rear solid LED brake light with integrated turn signals LEDs
4. LED Adjustable turn signal relay
5. Rotor for the right side
6. Front tire
7. Extended mirrors
8. Exhaust wrap for the new headers

Loads of pics to come!!! Can't wait to get my twin back on the road!

 

[Jedz123]

Buttoned up allot, Everything is all connected... Just need to finish up the exhaust and swap the front fork and tire. It's looking soo good!

 

[Gorminrider]

hey, cmon. the suspense is hurting...you've hadaweek fer pitys-sake...jus kidding -do the good job you are doing!

 

[Jedz123]

Done!

Done!

For now anyway... She had a fall today when I got it out and all polished up... Broke the clutch lever (second one to break in the last 6 months from a fall) and scratched the paint... UGH But here's it is. Going to have to wait to order new parts for it. The GR project well has been running dry. All set finally... Till I get a new firckin' clutch lever. Did take it out for about 10 miles... Runs great and sounds awesome!

Picture:

Better shoot to come once I get more time, I was on this thing for 5 hours today to wrap it up and had to go straight to work...

Video:

 

[Chuck78]

Looks great, sounds great, idle is smoooooth! I love the choppy twin sound coming from a bike that can be made to handle pretty darn well!

A fella on DoTheTon named the Tempter as the " If I had to have only one single bike to handle all of my riding requirements" nomination! I can't wait to tear into this GS425 I have late this year. If I'm lucky, I can get it on the road this year & maybe do a swingarm swap & gs1000 wheel swap (3.50&50x18 rims), & get some megacycle cams, CP-Carillo pistons, &;head work done by Rapid Ray over the next winter... Going for 502 or 516cc's & 10.5:1. The guy on DTT was saying I should just go with a Tempter for the great engine, more power, monoshock, & very excellent frame design... I agreed on those points, but the twin shock look & kick start roller bearing engine is very appealing for me still.

 

[Jedz123]

Looks great, sounds great, idle is smoooooth! I love the choppy twin sound coming from a bike that can be made to handle pretty darn well!

A fella on DoTheTon named the Tempter as the " If I had to have only one single bike to handle all of my riding requirements" nomination! I can't wait to tear into this GS425 I have late this year. If I'm lucky, I can get it on the road this year & maybe do a swingarm swap & gs1000 wheel swap (3.50&50x18 rims), & get some megacycle cams, CP-Carillo pistons, &;head work done by Rapid Ray over the next winter... Going for 502 or 516cc's & 10.5:1. The guy on DTT was saying I should just go with a Tempter for the great engine, more power, monoshock, & very excellent frame design... I agreed on those points, but the twin shock look & kick start roller bearing engine is very appealing for me still.

Chuck
The R6 shock made a HUGE difference in handling, The plush/soft ride is now gone but it's not too hard either. The bike dropped a couple inches which helps with the stance. Handles very well... The 35mm front fork are ok I'll be swapping to the stiffer 79 GS750E Forks I have once I go to a twin disc setup. But because of budget that will be held off for a couple more months. IT's rideable which is where I wanted it.
Sound like you got a good plan on the 425. I WISH I had the kick start on the GR650. I dropped allot of weight by making my own 2 to 1 manifold and mid/muffler pipe. Doesn't interfere with hard turns so might be a good idea for you as well... Dropped the center stand and the passenger pegs, it's real real light. The stock shock was a beast too...

 

[Gorminrider]

that is a super idle. You must have it tuned pretty well but even then I wonder if the counterbalance(?) weight I've read about on these bikes tosses it through like a heavy flywheel engine because I can't imagine that slow ever working on my bikes.
somewhere I've read online that counterweight "disappears" after 60mph and the bike gets vibration then per higher rpm - I'd be really interested if you find it so.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Years agooooooo
1984 to be exact
I was touring around htre country at night
defeaning myself listening to Genesis
met a guy on a gr 650 that I knew
he wanted to try her
his rationale that he had 100 cc Per the badge in displacement and could kick my ass
now admittedly the 550 has 572 so it aint quite fair
also a markedly higher potential rate of impulse
anyhoo
blew the bastard away

 

[Jedz123]

that is a super idle. You must have it tuned pretty well but even then I wonder if the counterbalance(?) weight I've read about on these bikes tosses it through like a heavy flywheel engine because I can't imagine that slow ever working on my bikes.
somewhere I've read online that counterweight "disappears" after 60mph and the bike gets vibration then per higher rpm - I'd be really interested if you find it so.

The carbs are perfect, I got them sorted last year. Up in the pilot and the main shimmed the needles. Modified air box, The bike never had a stock muffler (aka it was rotted beyond repair so it was very free flow, Hey what ya expect for a $500 bike???) so I got it perfect. Runs good, The counter balance is always spinning through gear drive. The GR is equipped with a centrifugal flywheel that deactivates around 3K rpm. Meant to increase low end torque (which it does). The bike is very very torquey (for a 650). HIgh end is not it's forte in any situation.

Years agooooooo
1984 to be exact
I was touring around htre country at night
defeaning myself listening to Genesis
met a guy on a gr 650 that I knew
he wanted to try her
his rationale that he had 100 cc Per the badge in displacement and could kick my ass
now admittedly the 550 has 572 so it aint quite fair
also a markedly higher potential rate of impulse
anyhoo
blew the bastard away

LOL Jeep this bike is NOT FAST... 0-60 is like 5 seconds. It will hit it's top speed pretty quick, doesn't take much to top out the 5-speed gearbox. I got it to 110 mph indicated. That's red line in 5th... Stupid. I will likely go up 1+ in the front and down in the back just to make it a little quieter during 60mph cruising.

 

[Big Rich]

Jedz, you probably already know this but check out JT Sprockets online catalog. If I'm not mistaken, there is a 520 conversion if you look at the sprockets measurements (I think a 520 sprocket from the newer TU250x fits the GR shaft?).

 

[Jedz123]

Jedz, you probably already know this but check out JT Sprockets online catalog. If I'm not mistaken, there is a 520 conversion if you look at the sprockets measurements (I think a 520 sprocket from the newer TU250x fits the GR shaft?).

I'l likely look for a 530 sprocket for I just put a brand new chain on the thing... I have it stored somewhere. I want to say it's 17t in the front is a good upgrade to drop RPMs. Brakes will be the first upgrades though...