Loved the photochop idea! here's mine.

[Brothermist]

I snagged Odinist's idea for photochopping the GS to get a feel for what it'll look like, and to make the ideas in my head translate better on the forum.

I also cant get to my bike to get pictures at the moment... So i swiped Odinists picture too... If ya want me to delete it I will, I know its your pic.

Stock GS

MY idea of what the GS550L should be.

Should be fairly easy to get done, the mono-shock frame helps bunches the way it is built. I have it cut and modded a little bit already and a temp seat on it.

I will have to fab a chin spoiler (whatever they are called) at the front of the bike... to hold the battery and electrics. With the mono-shock frame there is no room for them under the seat anymore. The bottom of the seat will be about 1.5" above the top of the mono-shock.

I've got a 19" matching mag wheel coming to replace my stock front 16", to me having 16" wheels front and rear just looks goofy. I'll be running either clipons or drag bars. I'll have to play with mock-up pieces to see what works best after i get the seat as low as i can.

Stock gauges are coming off for these:

And it looks as if i may have to lengthen the swingarm a little bit.

Should be fun, and keep me busy(out of trouble) for a while.

Wish me luck!

 

[mortation]

umm

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=111995

ummm

See I told everyone the stock tank would look better

 

[Brothermist]

First mine WILL have full suspention, front and rear. Second I AM keeping the stock tank. I do want to try to keep the lines flowing down the tank into the seat, the photochop i did kinda has a peak where the tank and seat join. That will be fixed.

So... from reading that link, and that thing is fugly, I kinda get the impression that most here are NOT fans of the mods I plan. Is that right, or did i get it wrong ?

Either way, like it or hate it, its a GS and its mine I'll keep ya posted.

 

[t3rmin]

People here don't go for cruisery type stuff. Even the stock "L" is much maligned. ;-)

But on the other hand most everybody agrees that you should do it the way you like, and everybody respects a job well done, even if it's not their style. Have fun!

 

[txironhead]

It will definitely turn heads. Personally, I like it, but at 6'3" I'd never be able to ride it without kicking myself in the chin.

Is your bike a shaft drive? If it isn't, I'd toss the factory star rims as far as possible and get some different style. Even spoked rims would look better on that bike.

I've never cared for the front spoiler look, but like you said there's no other place to mount the battery.

Hope you'll have room for pods behind the carbs. Might have to go with a custom airbox.

Are you planning on going without a rear fender or using a hugger fender? A flat "trailer fender" would really add to the look. Side mounted license/taillight?

And drag bars would fit the look better than clipons, or maybe a dropped clubman bar. I saw some adjustably clubmans in Road Bike recently. Personally, I'd slap a set of low Z-bars on it. Like the choice in gauges.

Overall, I like the design, it just wouldn't work for me. I rode a friend's lowered and chopped V-Star 650 not too long ago and I thought I was going to break my knees. Of course, he's 5'5", so it fits him pretty well.

Regardless of all the nay-sayers, I'd love to see pics of the build and finished product.

 

[Bopi]

Now I am a big fan of bobbers and like the direction he started to take, just not where he ended up. I had tried a little photochopping myself but my results didn't seem fit to publish. so.....

Other than a HD, alot of guys are taking old 650 yamaha's and putting them on a rigid frame.http://www.650motorcycles.com/ They resemble the Brit bikes from the 60's and early 70's. I've never seen a bobbed 650 with a softtail suspension other than on a v-star. That would be a project. Seems the Yamaha twin jugs are easier to work with than four in a row. Narrower too.

The problem with the GS's is that the engine case is really too wide for foward controls. Without them, the sloped/slanted frame does little good. I don't think anyone here is against the cruiser mods but they do need to be done right. It would be real nice to stretch your legs a little. Some cushion helps too. Hence the prep H remarks.

If I had my druthers and did extend and widen the swingarm (bigger rim and tire)and rework the frame, I'd still need to move the controls foward which means running the shift and brake linkage under the engine case which means working around or moving the exhaust. I'd probably keep a shock suspension and just change the angles.

Otherwise your knees will be up to your ears.

 

[Jethro]

That's cool right there- I like it a lot. Is it yours Bopi, or someone elses?

 

[Bopi]

Mine, sure it is. I'll make him an offer he can't rufuse. Then it'll be mine, mine I tell you,all mine. (bwuhahahahaha)


But anyway and more to the point, I went looking and still couldn't find a twin v ( any make) without a driveshaft so that still leaves the yamaha ( transverse two) as the best candidate for a bobber if you want to stretch it a little. And they can be had for cheap.

 

[Brothermist]

I'll try to hit these in order posted.

Is your bike a shaft drive? If it isn't, I'd toss the factory star rims as far as possible and get some different style. Even spoked rims would look better on that bike.

No, my bike is not a shafty. I'm gonna leave the factory wheels on it for now, till i find something that jumps out at me. The bike isnt going to have much chrome/polished anything on it... and I hate cleaning spokes!

I've never cared for the front spoiler look, but like you said there's no other place to mount the battery.

I'm not real thrilled about the spoiler either, I'm trying to find room somewhere else.

Hope you'll have room for pods behind the carbs. Might have to go with a custom airbox.

Definatly going with a custom aircleaner, there's just no other way. I refuse to let little stuff like aircleaner/battery force the whole design of the bike to change. I'll figure it out.

look better than clipons, or maybe a dropped clubman bar.

This IS going to sound weird... I might leave the stock bars on it. I took them off, flipped them upside down and backwards, bent them awy from the tank a bit... and I kinda dig it! I wish the bike were here to get a pic, it actualy looks good. the final resting place of the seat and forward controlls will decide the bars used, but I like the down low close to the trees look.

alot of guys are taking old 650 yamaha's and putting them on a rigid frame.http://www.650motorcycles.com/ They resemble the Brit bikes from the 60's and early 70's.

OMG I love the old XS650's one day i'll find one close enough to buy. My "little" brother (i'm 6' he's 6'5" and has 100lbs on me) has an old Norton 750 Comando bobber sitting in the garage next to my bike. I hate him

The problem with the GS's is that the engine case is really too wide for foward controls.

Yeah, i hear you on that. I will come up with something, no idea what yet, but ...

Some cushion helps too. Hence the prep H remarks.

The bike is not a hardtail, it has a mono-shock out back, like a crotch rocket, thats why ya see no shocks.

If I had my druthers and did extend and widen the swingarm (bigger rim and tire)and rework the frame, I'd still need to move the controls foward which means running the shift and brake linkage under the engine case which means working around or moving the exhaust. I'd probably keep a shock suspension and just change the angles.

Swingarm probably needs to be extended, but i am not interested in a wider tire, so no need to widen it. 140 is plenty wide for this bike. The controlls will be moved, where there's a will there's a way, and the exhaust needs to be custom anyway... again its the whole "stock" thing. Stock is perfectly fine, just not for me.

 

[badbrown]

Much better ideas.

 

[txironhead]

Hey, if I can fabricate forward controls on my old CB750 chopper, a GS should be no problem. Your legs will be sticking out a bit, can't be helped if you want forward controls. I had a cable-operated rear drum setup, but don't see why a Harley-style rear MC wouldn't work for rear disc. I guess you could even use a cable there, too. And running a couple of Heim joints on a shifter shaft isn't that hard, either.

I hear ya on cleaning the spokes, if I ever get my Intruder 1400 first on the list is finding a set of aftermarket rims. Unfortunately, the Intruders are shaft drive so finding a set of rims is significantly harder. I love the Invader mags that were popular in the '70's. Square-tube five-spoke were my favorite, but they were available in four and six spoke, too. Running a chain, you can pretty much run whatever rim you want as long as you can find it in the size you want and fabricate the adapters, brake mounts, etc. As they say, anything will fit with a torch and a welder. And I agree, you really don't need wider than a 140 on that bike.

Definitely post some pics of the project. I'd like to see how those handlebars look. My GS came with a set of K&N "Staghorn" bars on it, I didn't like them at first and thought they'd be really uncomfortable but they're perfect for my stance and the bike. I'm going to have to powdercoat them black or rechrome them at some point, but for now they're fine.

 

[Mike_H]

Mine, sure it is. I'll make him an offer he can't rufuse. Then it'll be mine, mine I tell you,all mine. (bwuhahahahaha)


But anyway and more to the point, I went looking and still couldn't find a twin v ( any make) without a driveshaft so that still leaves the yamaha ( transverse two) as the best candidate for a bobber if you want to stretch it a little. And they can be had for cheap.

Yamaha roadstars (and RS Warriors) are belt drive, and all Harleys are belt drive... Were you looking for a parallel twin?

 

[Bopi]

I went looking as in paging thru the bike specs page, I've also scanned craigslist in 5 states just to kill a little time. I'm just looking for an affordable bike to chop.

Actually mike, I'll likely go your route and buy something big and cushy for next year. That'll leave the Gs (or some other bike) for some full blown frame mods.

A little welding goes a long way. Wider rims and spokes can be threaded to existing axle assemblies for a wider tire without extensive digging for compatible parts. The swing arms ,if extended will also get wider as they get longer. I just can't figure out how the 650 from the page one pics got those trees to fit. i should e-mail him.

 

[ron bayless]

I dig the bike, i think it looks great,and if i had a second gs to customize i would do just about the same thing you did.Forward controls are possible, i have made some for my 80 gs 1000L.I gave up on the project for making them for other people.Basically you take some stainless rod,4 rod ends(looks like tie rode ends) make a door hinge type deal by welding a one inche steel rod onto where the crash bars use to be,only make a new backing plate that is a little wider and for sure thicker cause the controls wont have that 3rd mounting point like the crash bars did.Then hhave some sturctural tubing that goes over the steel round bar and it is the moving part of the forward control mechanism.weld a tabl that hangs down from the fornt of either side of the front hinge pieces to hook the stainless rod/linkage into,make a new brake pedal stalk,a new shifter pedal stalk,weld them at about 45 degree angles from the mobing part of the door hinge type mechanism,and you can make the shifter side much more easily because all you have to do on that side to get started is turn the shifter peg down at 90 degrees and cut the shifter peg off,drill a hole in the inverted shifter peg mounting mechanism to hook the stainless rod into, and there you go.I wish I could post pictures of mine.To be sure, your feet do get kinda far out on top of your new forward pegs since the engine cases make it that way.But I ride mine very comfortably.I would never go back to having my feet back all the time.My braks side looks like crap if you want to know.My friend heated the heck out of it and bent i multiple times until it would hang down and out enough for linkage to clear the cases on the right side.A new piece of flat metal about 3/16 inch thick and welded onto the botttom of the brake splined mechanism after cutting off the stock brake pedal would look much better.I have seen that done on a 750 chopper and it looks way better than the heated and twisted version.Your bike is very cool.Now only if you had one of those tall sissybars that had twisted metal side pieces and a spike on the top...

 

[Bopi]

We've discussed this idea before Ron. The problem i have is that the stock exhaust prevents any downward 90 degree rotation of the shift or brake lever.

Down is the way to go on these bikes to clear the housing. I'd have to redo the exhaust with a 4-1 likely for everything to line up.

Now if I can just get access to a welder.

I can even go so far as to machine a new set of trees for a wider front tire.
We've got three cnc milling centers at the shop and my employer has a two bay garage in the back complete with a lift and a tig/mig. Likely a lincoln.

Hmmm, a full blown bobber over the winter would be possible.

Really dangerous to start thinking this way.

By the way, the Bo in Bopi is an acronym for what else, Bob

( among other things)

 

[Brothermist]

Ok, I finaly got over to the "little" bro's house and got some work done to the bike. I also got a few pics, but forgot to take them till after the work was done.

First thing I want to mention is the bike is FAR from done and still needs a lot of work. I'm still playing with things to see how they work out.

On to the pics.

 

[Brothermist]

MORE

And the bike looks VERY TINY !

I have to do something about how small the bike looks, it looks silly with me on it, and I'm only 6' tall.

I have a matching 19" front wheel coming that is going on her, and plan to lengthen the swingarm a few inches to drag the rear tire away from the seat. I'll be throwing on a set of drag bars to bring them up higher too.

So far I have $33 into the bike, that was for the 19" front wheel and tire.

I still have a long way to go, but I'm having a blast working on her. I bought a bike last night for a semi-daily rider, a '79 XS650 (I know, not a GS or a Suzi) so I can now take my time and get this one right.

So far I've cut the rear of the frame off, lowered the seat height, lowered the front end 3", removed the fenders, removed gauges, cleaned a lot, cut the rear pegs off, worked the kik stand so it wont fall over now that its lowered, and a few other things.

The seat "pan" and padding is the rear, passenger, part of the stock seat. I cut it off, and flipped it, cut it to shape a little bit and re-used the stock mounting hardware. I still have to fab a bracket to mount the origional keyed seat release.

Front end was lowered like the crotch rocket guys do, by dropping the trees. I went down 3", but after the 19" wheel goes on it will bring the bike back up 1.5" for a total drop, under stock height, of only 1.5" I am not sure yet if the 19" front wheel/tire is going to fit and look right with it dropped, I'll have to wait and see.

I love the look of the stock bars flipped and turned, and it's even comfy. But looking at the bike with myself on it... the stock bars flipped and turned add to making the bike look like a pocket bike. Thats NOT good!

Lastly, for now, I know what a lot of you are thinking... "OMG WTF you used Tire Wet on the tires! Your gonna die!"

The tires are trash. They hold air, and the tread is good, but both have cracks in the sidewalls. Since they are garbage, and I still need to clean the carbs and buy a battery (no kik start) I might as well make 'em purdy.

Let me know what ya think so far.

 

[txironhead]

You have the lines of the tank flowing into the seat perfect. I would definitely go with drag bars, they'd fit the lines of the bike. Or maybe some short staghorn bars.

The exhaust needs to be straightened out a bit, pointing up like that clashes with the "swoop" of the body now.

Not sure how to make the bike look bigger. Bobbers were small. It's a minimalist thing. It does look weird when your 6'+ though.

Definitely not bad for $33 total mods invested. Are you going with a swingarm taillight/plate bracket?

 

[Bopi]

Well, one pic is worth a thousand words. You've got about 8k there.I gotta say i really like the agressive chop on this bike and haven't seen one similiar on a gs yet. ( send pics if you got em) My suggestion would be to get some tube and stretch the frame for the seat along with the current plan for the swingarm. This would help the tiny problem and set the seat back a little more. I'm guessing you have a welder but i can't tell if the rails are already set. Sleeve the tube on both ends and run a bead. You've already gone this far.

By the way, I like the pipe angle.

 

[Bopi]

Here's a photo hack for you with a set back frame.