My GS 850 GL Cruser Project Journal

[mortation]

Well it looks like my old thread (http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=104537) is gone So I have to start all over! Just a recap, this is my bike when I got it:

Non running of course.

Here is what she looks like at the moment:

The paint job & decal was/is just temporary I just needed to cover up that ugly tank lol.

Where I am thinking of going is to chop of the top rear of the frame like:

BUT with some changes (see next post)

 

[mortation]

I think I am going to go with these bars:

And instead of just mounting the short fender near the chopped backend I will install these fender mounts just above the shocks bolted directly to the frame:

To hold up this fender:

And use this seat:

Thoughts?

 

[PAULYBOY]

R U making a rigid? I was in on your other thread. Checkout Ballistic Fabrications for heim joints, etc., if you want adjustable struts to replace the shocks. These pegs okay?

 

[mortation]

R U making a rigid? I was in on your other thread. Checkout Ballistic Fabrications for heim joints, etc., if you want adjustable struts to replace the shocks. These pegs okay?

I am in need of a matching set of passenger pegs so those wont work for me but thanks! I am still up in the air on the rigid part.

I want to because I like the slammed low look and tight fender. But I already hit one giant crater on the highway at 65 and that sucked WITH shocks. Makes me a bit hesitant to put struts on which probably would have cause be to crash or at the very least sent my spine some where up near the top of my skull

 

[PAULYBOY]

That's why you should get one of those saddle looking seats with the big springs in the rear! If the bikes not sprung, the seat should be.

 

[mortation]

That's why you should get one of those saddle looking seats with the big springs in the rear! If the bikes not sprung, the seat should be.

I thought about it, but there is a SLIM chance in hell I may some day get my wife on the bike (or a new wife....) so I want to retain a pillion position

 

[mortation]

OK I must be crazy or a glutton for punishment. I stripped my bike down to the frame lol.

Well almost. I gotta pull the engine tomorrow if i can ever get the damn swing arm off. But thats all thats left on the frame.

It was really not the plan But I wanted to pull some pieces off to polish and one thing led to another and before i knew it there wasnt much left on the bike. So I went all the way.

I am giving myself 4 - 6 weeks to finish it and put it back together. So as to not miss any riding season. Sure as hell hope I can do it!!!

 

[mortation]

OK, swing arm & drive shaft are now off. Only thing left to do is pull the engine off and put it on the bench tomorrow then get to work on the parts!!

Does anyone know if there is anything special I should do to the engine once it is fully out and on the bench? I don't know if I will ever have such full access to it again


I am definately a bit nervouse about this. I am really going to freak if I miss any riding season. But I figure say it took me 8 - 10 hours to fully disassemble it and I gave myself 4 - 6 weeks just to clean/paint parts then put it back together one would think this should be not all that hard We shall see.

 

[mortation]

OK, come morning I am rethinking the whole frame painted as aluminum. I think I have decided to repaint it gloss black, including the fenders, headlight ears/bowl, and maybe the lower forks...

 

[GSJake]

just wondering because i'm looking for new handlebars and seats. what do you know what kind of seats those were and what kind of handlebars? they look good

 

[mortation]

just wondering because i'm looking for new handlebars and seats. what do you know what kind of seats those were and what kind of handlebars? they look good

If you search eBay for 7/8 bars they will pop up. There is a site I found to that has some:

http://www.chromeandleatherplus.com/store/product.php?productid=805

The seat is just a regular old sportster seat. Wont bolt up, will have to be modded. And if you bike is smaller than an 850 I doubt it will fit at all.

 

[mortation]

Well I just got my T bars today. Crap, total crap.

I ended up getting a "great deal" on these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110237897186

"THESE ARE AMERICAN MADE. THE CHROME IS WONDERFUL."

Yea right.

They are not smooth to the touch all over, some bumps, the surface under the chrome was gouged in a few spots which you can see after it was chromed, the risers are strait up not curved back, There are little as fudge, and to top it off the packaging job was $HIT. The left end of the bar was sticking out and got rash and wee bit o rust.

Well that was a waste of money

 

[mortation]

OK Time for some pics.

I did not clear coat the valve/breather cover because I am going to pull those off this week and re-paint/clear coat and do my valves.

I used low floss engine enamel and an engine enamel clear coat on top. Dupli-color brand black, plasti-cote clear.

Crap, looks like from the pic below I may have missed a spot

 

[mortation]

No way I missed that much, will have to check tomorrow. Maybe its the flash.

 

[mortation]

OK here are som updated pics showing progress, my crappy ability to polish and my jury rigged ignition switch

 

[mortation]

Yer bikes comin along! What did you decide about the frame mod and the seat? Here's some pix of my son's suddenly resurrected 450.

I have no idea why your post didnt show up But I got the email saying this post lol.

The bike looks good

As for me i have sunk so much time into just cleaning up the bike and modding the front end I dont think i am going to get to the back this season. We shall see as I would really like to chop it down and do the bobtail. I did just get two yami 650's to playwith though lol.

 

[mortation]

OK, more pictures

 

[cranemonkey]

850

850

Mort!
I got one in exactly the same condition! I am preparing to paint up the engine. Tell me, how do you manage the silver fins on the engine? Is that the original color scheme? Did you shoot each piece seperately or put the whole engine together an tape?
Keep the pics coming...

 

[mortation]

Mort!
I got one in exactly the same condition! I am preparing to paint up the engine. Tell me, how do you manage the silver fins on the engine? Is that the original color scheme? Did you shoot each piece seperately or put the whole engine together an tape?
Keep the pics coming...

I painted the engine in the frame all together. I pulled the valve cover off after it was painted and then put in a new gasket. Same with the pressure switch, oil filter cover, cam tensioner, etc. I taped anything I didnt want painted.

As for the fins I just sanded them down after painting the black then clear coated.

The bike is an 83 so I do think the engine was originaly painted (well powder coated). I have done some more work and will post more pics tomorrow night

 

[mortation]

update 3, hoping like all hell to wrap this up b the end of the weekend!!!!