New Member - '82 GS850G

[vectordude]

G'day,

Just wanted to introduce myself and say hi to all. I'm starting a Caf? Racer project and coming to that with no experience but a willingness to learn and enjoy the process as a whole.

Looking forward to gleaning as much of your good info as I can from everyone that has made the same mistakes that I have/will make along the way. Thanks in advance for you patience and thoughts.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Steve]

Greetings, welcome and all that.

Now, save yourself a bit of grief. :-k

If you are looking for a "cafe" project, you might have picked the wrong bike. That happens to be the HEAVIEST GS around, except for the 1100GK, which came with fairing, saddlebags and trunk. Yes, the 850 is heavier than the 1000 and the 1100 shafties and quite a bit heavier than any of the chain-driven bikes.

On another note, if it is in good shape, there are many that would appreciate a nice, stock bike that is not cut up. However, if you dragged it out of the creek and want to get it back on the road, it's probably not worth the effort of a restoration, so hack away at your "cafe".

Don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT bike. I have two of them here now (we have had up to five at one time) and I have no plans on getting rid of either one, it's just that it might not be the right bike for your project.

.

 

[vectordude]

Steve,

Thanks for the info, but 1. I've already got the bike and 2. I don't really mind that it's a bit heavier - it's more of a caf? style project, rather than a true caf? racer.

I may regret both of those at a later stage though.

Matt

 

[80GS850GBob]

I have an '80 GS850G and know that she's a heavy girl, so lightening this one up is just a lost cause.
My worry is your comment- "I may regret this at a later stage"...I'd have to ask why? You could chop the frame off in back to accomodate the correct look, and even have it welded back on later if you changed your mind...keep that piece just in case...or is it something else that worries you.
Not trying to be nosey, just hate to see someone start a decent project and stop along the way and say "nevermind - I don't like it"

 

[vectordude]

Hey,

Personally I'm not really bothered by the fact that it is a bit heavier at all. I really like the lines on the bike and by all reports they are excellent. I was just thinking out loud in response to Steve's post being new to this kind of thing, that I may find for reasons that I'm not even aware of yet, that I could have a picked a slightly better bike with a bit more research to start with that would have made this project easier. However, regret is perhaps not the right word for that and I have no intentions of ending the process early which you can follow here.