Mike R's GS550/650 bare bones street racer

[Tim Tom]

Good idea using the pinch bolts as a mounting point. Looks alot cleaner than using a clamp on the forks, just make sure those bolts are tight and wont vibrate loose. You don't wanna have your pinch bolts loosen up while riding!

Question what did you source the forks from? Were they from the '92 GSXR donor bike?

 

[boontonmike]

Good idea using the pinch bolts as a mounting point. Looks alot cleaner than using a clamp on the forks, just make sure those bolts are tight and wont vibrate loose. You don't wanna have your pinch bolts loosen up while riding!

Question what did you source the forks from? Were they from the '92 GSXR donor bike?

I'm probably going to throw some blue loctite and/or lock washers on the bolts of the headlight bracket when I get it finalized.
The pinchbolts still work like stock. I stuck a spacer to pull the bolt out just enough that I can thread the headlight bolt in from the backside.

Yes, those forks are off the 92 GSXR 750.

 

[boontonmike]

Started work on the seat pan. still in the early / developmental / thought stage. Unsure of how I'm going to go about much of it but figured this was where to begin.

Started dissassembly and dip on carbs. On the last carb in the bank I ended up with a beyond stuck pilot jet and a couple other snapped off bolts / screws from some bad corrosion. Ended up finding a mint set of the same carbs for a good price on ebay. Don't have a picture right now but they are clean, just a matter of jetting them properly.

 

[boontonmike]

began slimming down my rearset brackets. Left side is 99% done:

Right side cut the brake lever cut down length and width wise along with removing the spring from the footpeg to allow kickstarting (which is very important on a kick only setup). Was a minor oversite that turned into a bit of a hassle. Probably going to cut down the rearset mount to match the left side and tuck the master cyl somewhere.

 

[boontonmike]

Small update:

I haven't done much of anything to my bike lately but for very good reasoning. Besides for spending the holidays with family and the normal shopping, I've aquired a new job. Starting Jan. 3 I will be working in the automotive industry for a local performance suspension and engine parts supplier assisting people ordering and installing kits over the phone/ internet. Should be a blast as it's something I've always enjoyed. The pay and benefits are great.

With that said my build should kick up pace as soon as my new job gets rolling. Last year working as an electrician and things going downhill fast I only managed to pull in about 10K for the year. I'm looking to triple, possibly quadruple that with this new oppurtunity. Things are looking alot brighter for 2012.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone on the board. This place and others like it havekept me sane during a pretty crap year and I'm thankful for it.

 

[boontonmike]

So I've been loving my new job and finally took some time to go check on my bike. We have a bunch of spare parts bikes laying around and I decided to try out a seat off a 70's CB350 twin we had. After a bunch of tinkering with custom seats I plopped this sucker down and it fit nearly perfect. All I have to do is some light bracketry removal on the bottom and fab up some mounting points. I'll integrate a taillight into the seat back. I think it works out good and gives it a little more of a retro look.

 

[TheCafeKid]

You might consider re-routing your cooler lines up and over the motor. I dunno how much it would really matter but the header temps around the areas you have them run now are pretty high. Might actually nullify that nice oil cooler...

 

[brslk]

Got the bearings in the mail today. Props to Allballs, I ordered them at noon yesterday and they were here by noon today. I can't believe how quick the install went. The hardest part was getting the old race off the stem but that was only about 10 min. of me and bill hittin each side with some chizzles and a hammer. It went together perfectly along with some waterproof thick grease. All thats left on the front end is to remake up the steering stops which shouldnt take too much time.

Mocked up the top triple, guages, and some other small bits you cant really see in the picture.

Looks like a crate motor.

 

[boontonmike]

Finally have some more progress on the project.

Shinko SR741 150-70r17 - 90 shipped off ebay. Nice looking tire for the price:
My friends and I mounted it with 2 tire spoons, electric tape, and soap water. All thats needed is to balance which a budget homemade balance stand is in the works. Also mounted my rear brake strut to the frame:

Just another eye candy shot of the bike barn:

Have 3 different rear sprockets on order ( 45t, 46t and 49t). will be ordering a 14t and 15t front sprocket and chain shortly. I really wanna get the gearing spot on so I figured i'd get a whole bunch to mess around with.

More fun to come thanks to my new job kickin ass.

 

[boontonmike]

I came across www.gearingcommander.com and it's quickly become one of my favorite toys. Made this chart. Don't know if i'll be able to push her up to that RPM but I'm thinking why not? What's everyone else pushign their 550s and 650s to?

 

[TheCafeKid]

You can push it up to past red line but they're pretty much done making any real power at 9...

 

[tkent02]

That would depend on cams and intake and things, his engine isn't stock.

 

[Tim Tom]

The bike is looking good. Are you planning on keeping the two up seat? If so cool, its a bit different than the current trend of solo cowls everywhere, and I think the long lines of the seat suit the massive tank.

Keep of the good work man!

 

[boontonmike]

That would depend on cams and intake and things, his engine isn't stock.

It will have 673 pistons/bores, 34mm mikuni flatslide cvs from a 750 gsxr port matched the intakes to the carbs, hi flow exhaust (havnt made my mind up yet on which), dyna 2000 with dyna coils and wires.

It's mostly bolt ons. I guess the only way to tell will be to drive it and find out. What I want to know is a good place to put the rev limiter the dyna 2000 will alot me.

Tim Tom,
I'm keeping that seat. I was going with a cowl for the longest time, but prefered the more classic look of the two up. Thanks man.

 

[DMorris]

I really like that seat. First real japanese cafe bike I ever saw (LONG time ago ) was a built 750 Honda with an upholstered bumstop. I've carried that image ever since. It looked great and HOWLED! Very cool!

How about a side on shot of the bike with that seat??

 

[boontonmike]

I really like that seat. First real japanese cafe bike I ever saw (LONG time ago ) was a built 750 Honda with an upholstered bumstop. I've carried that image ever since. It looked great and HOWLED! Very cool!

How about a side on shot of the bike with that seat??

I'll work on getting a side shot next time I'm working on it. I still need to make mounting brackets for it so I may tweek the position a hair. Same with the tank, it may go up or down during final mounting.

 

[LoopGaroo]

This bike is looking great

 

[TheCafeKid]

Do the head. Get if flow-benched. The head is the bottle-neck. If it can't breathe a BB kit and larger carbs are not quite a waste of time and money, but almost.

 

[boontonmike]

Do the head. Get if flow-benched. The head is the bottle-neck. If it can't breathe a BB kit and larger carbs are not quite a waste of time and money, but almost.

I port matched the intake side to the large inlet of the 34mm carbs. It took out quite a bit. I remember reading somewhere too about intake to exhaust ratios and how the GS could use alot more intake air flow to get to the right ratio without touching the exhaust. If I come about that article again I'll post it.

To my point... without actually getting a head done professionally and flowed I think for a dirty barn garage mechanic job it should do well. Don't get me wrong if the bike turns out as well as I'm hoping I'd like to keep a good thing going with some more stuff like an actual head job ( port and polish , larger valves, possible cam upgrade etc.) Then again I also have turbocharging on the back of my mind constantly (( I love turbos and miss having one.)The Dyna2000 would have me prepped for turbo ignition) Maybe head work and turbo? Those are all just pipe dreams at the moment. I'd like to just get her on the road before I add any more complexities to my forever project.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Well, relatively speaking, for the future, head work, depending on how hardcore you want to go, isnt extremely expensive. With just a better flowing head on an otherwise stock bore with some slightly larger carbs, and even with a stock exhaust, people have achieved a fair gain in HP. Just food for thought.