GS 550L Gets a make over

[Tim Tom]

The bike looks awesome! I really like the green and black scheme, it somehow is 'slimming.' Although that could also be the lack or carbs and brakes

Congratulations you must be stoked now that the end is in sight.

 

[Guest]

I love the color scheme and it worked really well in my vision of the bike and it seems for once I have been able to get the picture in my head to come to life. Still working on that Redhead.

I will say my only regret at this time is the dent on the left side. I really wish I would have sent it to someone to have them pull it now. Oh well chicks dig scars right.

Thanks everyone,

Paul

Dint? Mate I had to go back and look closely... missed it altogether until you said so! It's hardly noticeable in the pic's... and yeah you could use that to attract the Redhead

The dint is something you could do down the track once your next project is on the road

 

[Redneck]

Well show stopper of not having a oil pressure switch has been alleviated. I found it over at Adam's yesterday. I have been looking for it about a week and a half now. We could not put the carbs back on till it was found. So hopefully tonight we will be able to get that installed and get the Carbs back on and the carb intake box on. We are going to make some modifications to the air filter box. We plan on stripping off all the brackets on the side of the box that were used to mount the electronics and then remount the new pieces I have. Between the Eastern Beaver fuse box and the kawasaking R/R there is no room for other electronics so we are getting creative. I will provide pictures of how we decide to work this, when we figure that part out .

Paul

 

[Redneck]

Oil Pressure switch installed, Carbs installed, air intake to carbs installed, clutch handle and cable installed and adjusted, throttle handle hooked up and adjusted. Next we are going to get the gauage clusters installed and the ignition. Pictures tonight, it was too late when I got home and had to be at work too early.

Paul

 

[Redneck]

Pictures of Carbs installed.

 

[DannyMotor]

I love the blacked out look... simply great job so far!

 

[Redneck]

HOLY SMOKES I HAVE FALLEN TO PAGE 3!!!

Okay so maybe I need to make some updates. This past saturday got some garage time in at Adam's. Got the guage cluster put together. Almost made a big boo boo, I almost forgot to replace the light bulbs. Had to make a quick run up to NAPA, and they had one box left of the size I needed. We also got the coils installed. Hand grips on. As we were getting ready to mount th guages I realized that the ignition had never gotten a fresh coat of paint. DOOOOOHHHH!!!! So I was painting the rear brake calipers anyway so I painted the ignition also. I also manged to get the Sissy bar installed and we sandblasted the battery box in preparation for paint then forgot to paint it. I am an airhead at times. Going to swing by and paint some tomorrow. Well rolled out the bike and took some more pictures in the sun. I also put on a couple of the valve cover end caps. Was going to paint them black also but when I saw them on the bike polished I decided to leave them that way.

Valve cover ends polished

Working on the wiring harness tonight till I ran out of spade connectors to put on. I am replacing all the bullet connectors with spade connectors.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Wow she's looking real good Paul!!

 

[GateKeeper]

HOLY SMOKES I HAVE FALLEN TO PAGE 3!!!

Valve cover ends polished

Paul

Looking good there Paul.....

You do know she won't run right, with that missing Plug.....

and the hanging wires could be a potential problem as well....

but your way further than I am, so great job......:dancing:

 

[Good Times]

Good work Redneck. You'll be ridin' before you know it.

 

[Redneck]

GK,

What you mean... plugs schmugs.... whoo needs em...lol

Thanks for the compliments. Hopefully my battery is in this week and I can put on the wiring harness and start checking out the various systems.
I still need to figure out exactly how to wire in the fuse box and R/R. Hopefully that won't completely kick my azz.


Paul

 

[Redneck]

Well the battery did not come in as a matter of fact my local parts store can not even get hold of the supplier they ordered it from after three weeks of waiting. So the offer was made for them to get me a Maintennance free batt that was really one step down from the Mottobatt gel or go top of the line and get a Lithium Ion battery. Well since I had been given such a run around on the Mottobatt the parts store is going to sell me the litium Ion batt at cost. So instead of paying $170 USD I will only have to pay $115 USD. I think I am going with the upgrade.

I did get some things done this week. I replaced the screws in the tank emblem with new allen head stainless and even managed to get both tank emblems on. Put the blinkers on the back of the bike. Moved the blinkers from the side of the bucket down to the bucket brackets where the stock ones mount. Looks better there anyway. Got the ignition installed and the guage cluster properly mounted. Installed the wiring harness and I am currently finishing up matching what goes where. I still have to figure out where I am mounting the R/R and the Eastern Beaver Fusebox but at least the harness is in. Valve cover has finally been torqued down and valve cover end caps put on both sides. Slowly but surely she is getting there.

Paul

 

[DannyMotor]

Looking really good... the all-black, minor polishing REALLY sells it! Great job!

 

[Flyboy]

Wow Paul, that is looking good, excellent, excellent work there, congratulations, I am greener than your bike with envy right now, and you are are on the home stretch now for sure.

 

[Redneck]

Literally, I have electrical to finish up, brakes (which I believe I have all the parts for), and the gas tank. Then final go through of all bolts and nuts and make sure everything was tightened properly. Unfortunately battery is not in till tomorrow then I can re-evaluate my electrical nerve center construction. The lithium Ion battery is suppose to be a different size so I want to see how much different when I put it in the battery box. If it is as then as it is made out to be I may end up mounting my R/R and My Fuse box in the battery box with the Battery. Have to wait till tomorrow to figure that out though. I have decided I probably should use a tank liner in the gas tank so I am ordering a POR15 kit tomorrow when I go to get my oil filter, air filter and spark plugs so that I can see if she will crank this coming weekend.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Literally, I have electrical to finish up, brakes (which I believe I have all the parts for), and the gas tank. Then final go through of all bolts and nuts and make sure everything was tightened properly. Unfortunately battery is not in till tomorrow then I can re-evaluate my electrical nerve center construction. The lithium Ion battery is suppose to be a different size so I want to see how much different when I put it in the battery box. If it is as then as it is made out to be I may end up mounting my R/R and My Fuse box in the battery box with the Battery. Have to wait till tomorrow to figure that out though. I have decided I probably should use a tank liner in the gas tank so I am ordering a POR15 kit tomorrow when I go to get my oil filter, air filter and spark plugs so that I can see if she will crank this coming weekend.

Paul

So close Paul! C'mon, you can do it!

Do yourself a favour with the POR15 and follow the instructions 100%. Get a hair dryer or something you can use to force warm air in to dry the insides out before you line it. If you think it's dry enough, dry it again. If you're going to shake any rocks/washers/whatever around in there to get any chunky rusty bits out, remember that they have to come out again, so don't make them too big... I'm very happy with what the POR15 did for my tank.

 

[Redneck]

Thanks for the advice Pete. Going to call the bike shop here in a few minutes to ask about the status of my battery and make my order.

Paul

 

[Guest]

No probs at all Paul, you don't want that liner to go in a damp tank...

 

[cowboyup3371]

Literally, I have electrical to finish up, brakes (which I believe I have all the parts for), and the gas tank. Then final go through of all bolts and nuts and make sure everything was tightened properly. Unfortunately battery is not in till tomorrow then I can re-evaluate my electrical nerve center construction. The lithium Ion battery is suppose to be a different size so I want to see how much different when I put it in the battery box. If it is as then as it is made out to be I may end up mounting my R/R and My Fuse box in the battery box with the Battery. Have to wait till tomorrow to figure that out though. I have decided I probably should use a tank liner in the gas tank so I am ordering a POR15 kit tomorrow when I go to get my oil filter, air filter and spark plugs so that I can see if she will crank this coming weekend.

Paul

When you are done with your electrical, you willing to come do mine? I'm really starting to hate this part of the project. Those dang terminals just don't like me.

 

[Redneck]

Tell you what Cowboy you are probably doing a much more professional job than I am. I am using Pep boys spade connectors. Along with that life needs to go on hold so I can finish this. I had to spend every day this week at home in the house with the teenager to make sure he caught up all the work he "forgot to do", "forgot to turn in, but now I can't find it", all in order to try and make sure he passes the 11th grade. There is no summer school when moving from Maine to Florida the day after school gets out. Hopefully this weekend the electrical will get done.

On a good note went by and picked up my new Litium Ion Battery and man is that thing small. Now it has me re-thinking where I am going to put that thing. I will have to get a picture of it next to the standard old lead battery I have sitting on the shelf. I will try to do that tonight.

I will fill you in later.

Paul