• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

The Beginnings of a Little Cafe Racer ..... GS250 Twin ...Cafenated

  • Thread starter Thread starter bhppy101
  • Start date Start date
OK....before I post any pics I gotta tell you guys a story :).

I got some things done today... re-jetted and tuned the carbs so I thought I would take it out for a spin near to the beach....a short ride ....5 minutes away.... turned out to be over an hour trip! :-D

This little bike is a HOOT to ride!!!!!! I took it out to my local twistes next to my house and I was flicking this bike around like I was on the Tour De France on a bicycle!!! It was so manouverable and quick..I fell in love with it.. I definitely need to change the fork oil and stiffen up the front end...but it still handled smoothly!

Well...heres the funny part of the story... As I was comming back home and the unmentionable happened..... I GOT PULLED OVER BY THE Cops!

I had no plates on.....no turn signals.....no.....speedo....no brake light!! I was adding up the fines in my head as Mr. police man (Steve) was by his car calling something in. Luckily I had my drivers license and insurance card.

As he walked back over to me he started checking out my little cafe racer and was curious what it was.

After telling him that I build these and that it was a little Suzuki GS250 he about fell over and said that He didnt know that these 250's could go so quick!... My thoughts started spinning again and added speeding to my total. He said that he was following me through the canyon....little did I know because I HAD NO MIRRORS ON EITHER.....LOL... another addition to my ticket!

So after about 20 minutes of conversation...another patrol car pulls up and gets out of the car! I started sweating bullets.

To make my long story shorter...... Steve...the first cop....never called in to check out that everything was legit......He called his partner to come and check out my bike! I was laughing my @ss off.... they were so intrigued with a cafe style bike that he asked my for my # so that he can comission me to convert his Honda CBX 6 cyl classic!

He's swinging by on monday to let me check it out8-) ... So after the panic and tally of the fines that was going to cost me more than what I put into the bike....I ended up getting some business out of my stupidity of riding on a bike that wasnt street legal yet! Good thing I was wearing my helmet! LMAO!!
 
I did the first stage of polishing to the engine cases....got my exhaust pipes (mini tapered ends)....I think the where perfect for this little bike!....I primered the front fender.

So now I am waiting for my mini speedo (not the kind to wear...lol) that should be here on tuesday... I have to polish the forks....add my signals and brakelight that I picked up today and think of a paint scheme and I think I will be done with her!

Heres some pics of the stage 1 of the polishing.....I used a buffing wheel with white compound....The second stage will be with red rouge compound.

 
Heres what the whole thing looks like with the tapered end mufflers.

Tell me what you guys think!...

I was going to go with some tapered reverse cone mufflers...but they were about 4" longer and I thought it would be too much pipe.





 
*thrusting in the direction of my computer screen*

Man, that's a sweet looking deal! I was on the fence about installing clubmans on my CB500...I bought clubmans and superbars for it...but I think I'm gonna have to do the clubmans after seeing this. :D

Great story about the cops...that's hilarious! Lucky break for sure! :)

~Adam
 
AOD said:
*thrusting in the direction of my computer screen*

Man, that's a sweet looking deal! I was on the fence about installing clubmans on my CB500...I bought clubmans and superbars for it...but I think I'm gonna have to do the clubmans after seeing this. :D

Great story about the cops...that's hilarious! Lucky break for sure! :)

~Adam
Click to expand...

Thanks again Adam.....Clubmans look great....but superbike and eurobars are usually way more comfy for longer trips.

Lets see a pic of your CB!
 
Ha ha! Little do you know that when he brings over his Honda he's going to bring over all of the tickets he has waiting!

Actually, he probably got to thinking "I want this guy to build me a bike, but if I bend him over with tickets he'll either refuse or find some way to screw up my bike. I'll find some rich kid in a Mercedes to fill my quota.":-D

Love the way the bike turned out. In a way it looks like an old BSA or Enfield. I'm almost expecting knobbies and a round racing number plate on the side. You know, a "faux" Royal Enfield paint scheme on that bike would probably turn a lot of heads......

I was just reading an article in Roadbike about how a guy fell in love with small bikes all over again. And how we all catch the "bigger is better" fever and end up with litre-plus bikes and forget how quick and nimble the smaller bikes are. The smallest bike I've ever owned was a Shadow 500, but that article and your bike have me keeping an eye out for a little twin-cylinder to play with. But at 6'3", some modifications would definitely be in order!

Keep the bikes and the pics coming. If I ever make it out to California, I'll definitely have to stop by and see what you're cooking up. I'd still love to see what you'd do with an Intruder 1400.....
 
txironhead said:
Ha ha! Little do you know that when he brings over his Honda he's going to bring over all of the tickets he has waiting!

Actually, he probably got to thinking "I want this guy to build me a bike, but if I bend him over with tickets he'll either refuse or find some way to screw up my bike. I'll find some rich kid in a Mercedes to fill my quota.":-D

Love the way the bike turned out. In a way it looks like an old BSA or Enfield. I'm almost expecting knobbies and a round racing number plate on the side. You know, a "faux" Royal Enfield paint scheme on that bike would probably turn a lot of heads......

I was just reading an article in Roadbike about how a guy fell in love with small bikes all over again. And how we all catch the "bigger is better" fever and end up with litre-plus bikes and forget how quick and nimble the smaller bikes are. The smallest bike I've ever owned was a Shadow 500, but that article and your bike have me keeping an eye out for a little twin-cylinder to play with. But at 6'3", some modifications would definitely be in order!

Keep the bikes and the pics coming. If I ever make it out to California, I'll definitely have to stop by and see what you're cooking up. I'd still love to see what you'd do with an Intruder 1400.....
Click to expand...

Wish I could get a hold of one of these Royal GT250's




I'm polishing the forks and rear drum brake right now...I'll post some pics in the morning.

I need to find some gators for my forks!!
 
http://www.raskcycle.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl?db=british.dat&category=Fork+Boots

This place has a ton of parts for Triumph, Norton, BSA, etc. and some parts for Japanese and Harleys. They specialize in 60's era stuff I think. You can contact them and see if any of the gaiters will fit your GS. They also carry some "chopper" parts, but since it's "era chopper" parts that could include chopper, cafe, bobber, etc. Worth a look and their gaiters are between $30-40.
 
After my run in with the law...lol.....I thought that it might be a good idea to make a tail light/License plate bracket and also weld on some tabs to mount my short stalk mini turn signals.

I welded them together and painted the bare metal with some rustoleum.


 
I did a little more polishing to the rear wheel drum hub.....Mounted a brake light.....and mounted some mini stalk signals to the front and rear.

I'm almost legal!! I just need some mirrors and I'm good to go!




 
I changed the fork oil and performed a little trick that I've done in the past to give the tired front springs a little more stiffness.

I added 2 quarters under each fork cap to put more pressure on the springs....almost like shims. I've done this a billion times with better than expected results!

Took her out for a spin and WOW! What a differece in handling!! I also stiffened up the rear to the max position...I didnt even bother to look before...but it was set on the softest setting.

BEST $1 I've ever spent fixing up forks! :-D

 
Last edited:
$1 suspension upgrade, eh? :D

A few of us have had some other lessons-learned with the front suspension. You can use PVC pipe cut 0.5" to 1.0" for a spacer. The quarter trick does just the same!

Other things you can do besides flushing the fluid is using something like "motor honey" to thicken the fork oil. I personally didn't do this on my 1100E...but I may in the future.

Lets see a pic of your CB!
Click to expand...

Don't laugh at the ape hangers...I haven't pulled them off yet because I'm working on oil, fuel, and carbs right now. I'm on hiatus for a week though...as I'm heading to the West Virginia GS Rally on Thursday, so I spent most of my time on the GS this week.

1971 Honda CB500:
1971-honda-cb500-003.jpg


1971-honda-cb500-005.jpg


1971-honda-cb500-007.jpg


High res here: http://www.supermotors.net/vehicles/registry/1538/58124

I wrote a big list of what needs to be done and what nees to be ordered. Mainly I need shorter throttle and clutch cables to get the shorter bars on.

~Adam
 
Since I mentioned the 1100...it's worth showing how the superbike bars and Napoleon bar end mirrors came out.

aod-83-gs1100e---new-bars--26-07-017.jpg


aod-83-gs1100e---new-bars--26-07-019.jpg


aod-83-gs1100e---new-bars--26-07-020.jpg


I'm gonna try the clubmans first on the CB500... :)

~Adam
 
I took some more pics behind my house today... I am digging this lightweight bike!... I got to ride throug the hilly canyons you see in the background.




 
Nice work! Love that done in a garage rat bike look! ;) At first blush you look and see a simple cafe strip.. then you start seeing the many custom touches... fantastic!
 
AOD said:
$1 suspension upgrade, eh? :D

A few of us have had some other lessons-learned with the front suspension. You can use PVC pipe cut 0.5" to 1.0" for a spacer. The quarter trick does just the same!
Click to expand...

The "Proper" way to stiffen up the front end is to pull out the springs and cut off 1-2" of coils. To make up for the lost height, cut some PVC spacers (typically eliminating any factory spacer than may be in there). This mod is basically free and increases the spring rate, not just the preload which changes ride height.
 
That thing just looks like fun on 2 wheels. When I get my GS850 right I may have to start looking for a small bike, maybe a 450, & see if I can't do something similar.
 
The CB is a 1971 model. I just realized a few days ago it was SOHC...pretty cool! :D
 
I think the end product is wonderful. I must say I almost didn't open up this thread when I saw "250", but I'm really glad I did. I keep a photo file in my computer of bikes that appeal to me-60's Triumphs, BSA's, Ariels, the new Norton prototype, etc, etc, as well as some select photos from this website, and this bike just made the team.

I would have to pad the seat a bit more as my sixty-two year old back would never survive, but other than that it looks like a complete blast to ride. I would say that a good sticky set of tires, combined with its light weight, would make for a fun and foolish afternoon.

Have the police been kind so far?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top