Cheap and easy modern naked bike makeover BLACK WHEELS!!

[isaac]

ard, still haven't found the battery. I'm guessing it's in one of the tires.

Doze, unfortunately that trick didn't work, but I found one that did: Take a flatblade screwdriver that's just small enough to jam into the inner end of the turn signal shaft (the end with wires poking out) hammer it in good, then hold onto the screwdriver handle while you break the nut free with a wrench. It worked great for me. I'll post that up in tips and tricks.

Anyway: I did the turn signal mod on the front today. My bike is officially shaved of those enormous OEM signals.

 

[bobo]

isaac, your bikes' looking real nice but man you have to do something about the colour!!!...b.b.

 

[solo suzuki]

keep on keepin' on!

lookin' better all the time...

 

[dig dug mx6]

how did you lower the font when i slid my forks down it would hold the air pressure in the forks

 

[Anonymous]

I've done something similar to my '78 gs 750,here's a couple pics to ponder. I too use cycle computers on my bikes, they are awesome!!My front is dropped 2.5" and I run 11" shocks on the rear.[/img]

 

[Anonymous]

oops messed that up well try thishttp://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fastisusracing/album

 

[crayonjota]

This is a beautiful thread, I love your bike and your attach on it. As it happens it is absolutely cats n dogs for some reason today, full on tropical downpour (you get that in the tropics I guess) and buy I into hacking the stupid big indicators (reminds me of a girl in school, great legs, great face but f&^% off great big lugs that spoiled an almost perfect image, yeah, she was sweet hearted too, but I was far to superficial for any of that). Lowering the light pays dividends too.. How cool is that.

I actually raised my instrument cluster about an inch and run bars that have allowed me to drop the forks in the yolks by an inch, though on full lock the throttle cable touches the tank now. The back is raised by the same amount thanks to the Marzochhi piggybacks. I like the way that when tucked in I can actually get my head more or less out of the wind behind the clockswithout resorting to a fairing, and I still have to climb all over the bike to get it to turn, horrific tank slapper cresting a hill the other day aside, it is planted and doesnt get nervous...

So keep everyone up to date with your work, especially the rear end, and leave the paint alone, even if some people dont like it, its unique... CJ

PS. Its stopped raining and the roads are already drying out nicely. Soon it will be too hot to walk barefoot on the concrete!

 

[isaac]

The tail is now very close to finished. As you can see here, the taillight has been replaced with a tinted black plexi panel. I've got red see through tape behind it now to give it a brakelight glow, but am probably going to settle on some manner of red sheeting to finish it off.

The license plate holder is a one-off by me, integrated into the zinc plate reflector used for the light. It's flexible so I can bend the plate any way I want it, or just tuck it under the tail.

For the light itself, I've got a 3 bulb setup working, and an integrated light actuation system. The center bulb is the running light and a brakelight. The side bulbs are integrated brake and turn signals. I used the broken tail's bulb housing plus two chrysler replacement bulb housings to get a dual filament integrated effect.

 

[bobo]

getting better all the time man !!!...b.b.

 

[crayonjota]

My wife

: looks better than yours!

Thanks mate! Love the way bike is turning out.. Maybe I can get some money (doubt it though she freaked at the idea of a new chain that wasnt for use in the bedroom....) for a minimum of loosing the giant turn signals..as i dont use them anyway... Maybe I should wait till after inspection in June though..

I also want to paint the fork legs black, but I am afraid I will not like the look, and they are nice and easy to polish...

CJ

 

[isaac]

Thanks for the compliments.

CJ, yanking the turn signals definitely does wonders for the appearance. To maintain some semblance of safety, I still put modded ones back on.

UPDATE: I painted my wheels semi-flat black yesterday. I think I might start calling this bike the black mantis on account of the green and black contrast.

Cost so far: $43

 

[Hoomgar]

Lookin good buddy. Very GS

 

[crayonjota]

Just keeps on getting better and better... I was thinking of going the easier route of tacking on some late date Honda CG125 indicators which are rectangular and about an inch by inch and a half on inch long stalks.....

I also thought about cutting down the original stalks, but the humungus lamps would remain.. CJ

 

[crag antler]

Isaac, I went through page by page and I must say I am most impressed.
Very nice jobs you have got going.
Just a thought.
Have you thought of putting a 82/83 GS1100E headlight on. The big 8 inch one.
You can still pick them up on eBay.
I think it would really make a bit#hin addition to an already sweet looking bike.
Keep up the pictures and the posts

 

[AOD]

As much as I love the look of polished alminum and chrome, the black wheels look awesome on the bike with a black engine! Very nice! 8)

I like the way the back is coming together too. I've thought for a while of removing my turn signal stalks, they just don't fit my bike either, but with the front fairing they're not as obvious.

I do enjoy hanging my helmet on the back ones though!

Re-doing a front fairing now I just purchased...now to find some turn signals...

I was supposed to be finished with this thing!

~Adam

 

[beby99]

Isaac.....looks cool man...question for ya....whats that
right below the horn? (I enlarged your pic but still can't
make it out).

 

[Poot]

looks like an oil cooler.

good stuff isaac.....especially love the wheels.

a lot of great ideas here!

 

[solo suzuki]

Wooaaah!
lookin' meaner by the minute :twisted:

good job!

 

[isaac]

Thanks for the compliments, guys. I'm definitely going for a "meaner" look to it. I want people to say "what is that?" when they see it instead of saying "oh, that's just some old bike from the ay-tays."

Doug, 8" headlight? I didn't know such things existed. Got a pic of a bike with one on it?

Beby, as poot said, it's an oil cooler.

Adam, yeah the black and green really works with this bike. I'm wondering if I should black out anything else or leave it as is. It seems to all work together right now. Are you considering blacking out yours? I think black and blue on your bike with the engine and wheels would look pretty damn nice, not that yours isn't nice already. I've already used it on this forum as a reference point to your wisdom.

BTW, the more I think about it, the more I believe that I could probably slice and dice the tail section (or just make one out of sheet steel) to visibly raise the rear even more, and possibly fit a gixxer or R1/6 tail light in there. Apparently the stock ones go for pretty cheap on ebay due to people replacing them with clear ones. Not enough people 12 o'clocking their bikes to make for a feverish market I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Issac,
looking good. If you want a look a the 8 inch headlights, check in the GSR photo gallery. I know that the 83 1100E's had the big head light, but am not sure what other years. There was also a big octagon headlight in 82 I think. that would loo good too.

Derrick