Gsx750 cafe/street bike

[bda4130]

Went and picked up this 1200 bandit today. My plan is to put the engine, swingarm, forks, all the electrics, wheels , brakes etc onto my gsx 750. Reason for doing this is because my forks, rear shocks and engine have had a hard life and are pretty tired, For less than the price to Rebuild the engine I bought this whole bandit.

I'm also going to convert the rear to mono shock. Some people will probably think I'm a complete cock for doing this, but I'm gonna try and do it as tastefully as possible and retain all the styling that makes the gsx the cool looking bike that it is.

Over the next week I'll pretty much just be doing measurements and planning, but once that's done itll be all go! Watch this space.....

 

[gs58]

I really like the proportions that you've created, and the paint work really suits. It has the true cafe racer look, but a set of rear sets would be the finishing touch.

 

[elcornus]

Love the way it turned out!!
I was thinking of doing the same tail treatment to mine, and after seeing how it looks completed, I'm prob. gonna!!

A word of caution about HOW the mono-shock is set up on the frame;
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1575308&postcount=146


Not saying it can't be done, just saying make sure it's bullet-proof!!:-k

 

[bda4130]

I'm gonna cut all the mounts off the bandit frame and weld them in, thanks for posting up the link to those photos, definitely makes me think a bit harder about the bracing I'll need to do... Mega amounts of leverage on a section of the frame thats designed for none!

 

[bda4130]

Love the way it turned out!!
I was thinking of doing the same tail treatment to mine, and after seeing how it looks completed, I'm prob. gonna!!

A word of caution about HOW the mono-shock is set up on the frame;
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1575308&postcount=146


Not saying it can't be done, just saying make sure it's bullet-proof!!:-k

I notice on your frame, rather than the cracks being on the welds they are just next to them. This suggests to me (correct me if I'm completely wrong) that the welds are good and strong, but the twisting forces generated by the leverage of the shock has cracked the main frame tubes that were never designed to take these loads. Was wondering if a good bit of triangulated bracing of the shock/engine mounts would solve this problem??? Heaps of people have done mono conversions, I wonder how many have cracking issues and what bracing has been done? All the searching I've done hasn't really turned up much, but after seeing yours I'm thinking about serious reinforcement!!!

 

[bda4130]

Started doing a bit of stripping of the bandit today, got the loom out and labelled so hopefully we know where it all goes at the other end! Got the exhaust and carbs off too. Gonna get both bikes stripped down to basic rolling chassis so I can sit them next to each other and make some comparisons and do some measuring.

 

[bda4130]

Not much progress today, but got some measuring up done. Noticed that the bandit engine is slightly offset to the left of the frame, so when it goes into the gsx frame I can move it over slightly go the right to help with chain clearance, I will however be machining down the rear sprocket carrier and running a narrow chain to get clearance if needed.

 

[landshark]

I like the project with the bandid. But silly question, with the condition that the bandit is in, i know you said it was cheap, couldnt you flick it to pay for the repairs the other bike needs?
Only reason i say it is that i cant see it being a "costless" conversion?

Still, i will look forward to reading about it.

 

[bda4130]

It's definitely not a costless conversion.I couldn't justify spending 3 grand on the engine when the rest of the bike is a completely fu%ked (don't let the pretty photos fool you). So this way I'm replacing the engine, suspension,electrics, wheels etc and "future proofing" my old pig of a bike for the same price as an engine deep down I know that I'll end up spending another couple of thousand on it before its finished, but that's just part of the game and I'll end up with something pretty unique I hope.

 

[landshark]

Nice man, its good you're expecting it. i think it will be an awesome conversion.

 

[saffa]

pop the original light and clocks back on but drop em down the fork legs slightly. gives the old girl her identity back, gives a bit of oldskool menace too, specially with the clubman bars. i recon the bandit upgrade bits will do her some justice and bring her kicking and screaming into the future. good job so far. if you need more info on your bandit conversion check out oldskoolsuzuki.info.....been done a few times there.

 

[bda4130]

pop the original light and clocks back on but drop em down the fork legs slightly. gives the old girl her identity back, gives a bit of oldskool menace too, specially with the clubman bars. i recon the bandit upgrade bits will do her some justice and bring her kicking and screaming into the future. good job so far. if you need more info on your bandit conversion check out oldskoolsuzuki.info.....been done a few times there.

Cheers, I have had a bit of a sniff round on the old school site, found heaps of good info that are definitely gonna save me a few headaches down the track!

 

[jwhelan65]

Funny, I have had many thoughts of how the 80-81"s would look shortened with that small plastic piece removed. Great looking machine!

 

[jwhelan65]

Seriously that thing is cool

 

[bda4130]

Seriously that thing is cool

Thanks! But remember... I can't take credit for how it looks, cause I copied someone else's design, I do however hope to do it justice by making it go and handle as good as it looks.

The bandit is stripped down as much as I want to do right now, it's down to bare rolling chassis with engine still in. I want to strip the gsx750 down to the same state so i can nut out the geometry, but won't be doing that till next week as I have a ride on the gsx planned for Monday... It's last one ever in its current state so I think there's gonna be some sick burnouts going down!!!!

 

[bda4130]

It has begun.

 

[bakirkwold]

I like it! That Bike is nasty!

 

[DannyMotor]

It has begun.

Epic! Love it!

 

[bda4130]

Got the gsx stripped down to the same state as the bandit tonight... It's quite interesting to sit them next to each other and see all the difference in mounts, dimensions etc. gonna do ****loads of measuring now so when I transfer everything over it all works out.
An interesting point to note(haven't got a photo of it) is that the front sprocket on the bandit sits way closer to the swingarm pivot point than on the gsx, however, the bandit engine is not as long as the gsx engine so the sprocket should end up roughly in the same spot that the gsx one is at currently.
I think that in an ideal world the sprocket should be as close to the swingarm as possible, but I don't want the engine sitting too far back in the frame... So many factors to think about!!!!!!!!!

 

[bda4130]

Both bikes a bit more stripped down