Yowzer, finally done my 1979 GS1000 Custom Brat/Cafe Racer Project

[lmari]

So this was a ton of fun but also a crap ton of work! I just wanted to thank this forum and the many members who answered my frantic questions, this site was truly a resource and I am very grateful.

Now to the details

- 1979 Suzuki GS1000, not sure which sub-model
- Took the bike down to its bits...
- media blasted the frame, swingarm, rims, top end, gas tank, front fender
- re-painted most things black
- Hagon rear shocks
- Progressive front springs
- Custom triple
- Steel lines
- Took the dual vented callipers off a '81 GS1000
- New Mac exhaust (thanks rudeman!)
- Carb rebuild (thanks cycle orings!)
- Top end rebuild
- Brake rebuild
- Nickel plated caps
- Wrapped the exhaust
- Chopped the front fender and subframe
- Custom made seat pan and seat
- LED tail lights and signals
- New headlight, grips, Acewell gauge, mirrors and a bunch of other little things
- New tires

By far the most work was hand sanding the engine down to get rid of all the 30+ years of grim, dirt, oil, and paint. The goal was to get down to the original cast aluminum. The design I was going for was to subdue all of the bike except for the strong looking engine, seat and tank.

I've named her Winchester, you'll see why haha.

Here is a picture the day I picked her up:

Annnnd the finished product:

 

[Chris]

Nice job. That's a good looking bike!

 

[bonanzadave]

OK cafe haters, start laying down yer sawzall and blow torch comments....kinda hard to find one.

Mr. Imari, sweet looking ride. The shotgun shell is classic.

 

[loud et]

Very nicely done. I know you must be a proud (and broke) pappa. I am almost done with my similar 850 project.... those last 300$ for the bits I need have completion on hold.
Clean machine. Looks nice.

 

[lmari]

Thanks for the kind comments! I didn't know there were cafe haters, I think the GS1000 has the coolest looking engine, perfect for a cafe project, just my .02 though

Very nicely done. I know you must be a proud (and broke) pappa. I am almost done with my similar 850 project.... those last 300$ for the bits I need have completion on hold.
Clean machine. Looks nice.

Tell me about it...the cylinder head cover caps, they were chrome and I wanted them to be more matte, so I bead blasted them and then hand sanded them but the media blast destroyed them so I got them nickel plated, $130 just for those tiny caps but they are central to the bike's look...

 

[steve murdoch]

I keep reading about parking garage thefts.
You need an "anchor".
I don't see any shoulders...what is the front wheel?

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Well, it's very neatly done, and a useful redo of an L model.
I look for performance improvements, not so much pretty polishy stuff.
I see some performance things, I like the top end rebuild, and the flatside carbs!
The L forks…meh.
I like the gauge change.
Is that a Bridgestone Spitfire front tire? Really scary bad grip from those, had them on 2 bikes I bought.
That green looks like a nice color for a bathroom, kinda fem.
Sorry, I only like some of it.

 

[BADJACKSON]

Holy crap that's awesome!
Very well done!

Don't listen to the 'nay sayers' cuz most on this site only like stock looking bikes or ones with bags & huge stupid farings on them. As soon as they saw Brat or Cafe in the title, they shouldn't have even looked. I started an official Brat thread in the appearance section, just so people that like them can post pics & not be vilified.
The green looks good!

I like it.

 

[ttfraz]

Great looking bike. Where did u get that gauge headlight combo? I was looking for something similar but might have to make it. I was thinking of a similar color scheme

 

[tkent02]

Well, it's very neatly done, and a useful redo of an L model.
I look for performance improvements, not so much pretty polishy stuff.
I see some performance things, I like the top end rebuild, and the flatside carbs!
The L forks…meh.
I like the gauge change.
Is that a Bridgestone Spitfire front tire? Really scary bad grip from those, had them on 2 bikes I bought.
That green looks like a nice color for a bathroom, kinda fem.
Sorry, I only like some of it.

What he said, I like some of it, some of it not so much but it does give me a few ideas on a few things for mine. Hell of a lot better than what you started with, so overall I like it.
I have an L chrome headlight bucket and I have been wondering what to use it for, I think I'm onto an idea here thanks to your picture...

It will be on the R80ST that just showed up so it will be a while.... It's missing a lot of parts.

 

[lmari]

I don't see any shoulders...what is the front wheel?

The wheels are stock off the '79, bead blasted then painted.

Well, it's very neatly done, and a useful redo of an L model. I look for performance improvements, not so much pretty polishy stuff. I see some performance things, I like the top end rebuild, and the flatside carbs! The L forks?meh. I like the gauge change. Is that a Bridgestone Spitfire front tire? Really scary bad grip from those, had them on 2 bikes I bought. That green looks like a nice color for a bathroom, kinda fem. Sorry, I only like some of it.

How can you tell it's an "L" model? I took the forks off another bike for the dual caliber mounts, do you know the difference in the "L" forks? Yeah the tires are S11 Spitfires, it wasn't easy finding new tires in the stock size in Canada but lots of positive reviews on the tire, we'll see how it goes. The tanks color has to be seen in person, it is the perfect olive color but I guess it's subjective.

Great looking bike. Where did u get that gauge headlight combo? I was looking for something similar but might have to make it. I was thinking of a similar color scheme

The headlight is the 7.5" inch round kit off dimecitycycles.com and the gauge is an Acewell 2853 off eBay

 

[Guest]

L forks because they are "leading axle" style, where the axle is on the front of the leg as opposed to the bottom of it, all L models had them. My guess was that they kinda gave an appearance of longer forks, like a chopper. BTW '81 1100E had leading axle forks.....

 

[Guest]

Well, it's very neatly done, and a useful redo of an L model.

Not sure what makes you think it started as an "L". The forks in the first picture did not look like "L" forks.

How can you tell it's an "L" model? I took the forks off another bike for the dual caliber mounts, do you know the difference in the "L" forks?

The forks are just one of the differences for the "L" models. Simply putting "L" forks on your bike and changing nothing else will change the steering geometry a bit. Although the wheelbase is a bit longer (less than an inch), the trail is also shortened. "Trail" is what helps the bike keep going straight. Lessening the trail is like adding power steering and might make the bike a bit "twitchy".

L forks because they are "leading axle" style, where the axle is on the front of the leg as opposed to the bottom of it, all L models had them.

But just because a bike had them does not mean it was an "L".
The '80/'81 750E and 1100E had leading-axle forks and were definitely NOT "L"s.

 

[Fjbj40]

First picture is a 78 with a 79 tank. Not an L

 

[Weasel]

Excellent job. As others have said, the transformation from the beat up bike in the first picture to what you have now is amazing. It's tough to get much input at all here on anything but stock & racing builds but it looks like there are enough folks who appreciate it.

I'm not a fan of the exhaust wrap or the color but as you said, that stuff is all subjective and if you like it, who cares. I do like to see the seat pans a little longer on these bikes though to work with the lines of the long tanks they have.

Overall cool project, good on you for rescuing an old GS that who knows what would have become of it.

 

[Guest]

Not sure what makes you think it started as an "L". The forks in the first picture did not look like "L" forks.



The forks are just one of the differences for the "L" models. Simply putting "L" forks on your bike and changing nothing else will change the steering geometry a bit. Although the wheelbase is a bit longer (less than an inch), the trail is also shortened. "Trail" is what helps the bike keep going straight. Lessening the trail is like adding power steering and might make the bike a bit "twitchy".



But just because a bike had them does not mean it was an "L".
The '80/'81 750E and 1100E had leading-axle forks and were definitely NOT "L"s.

I was trying to explain why it was assumed that it was an L, and i did say that there were non L models that had them.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

I thought the bike was an L from the leading edge axle mount, my mistake.
But leading edge forks increase the trail and wheelbase, and that slows steering. Ok if you like a casual easy rider bike like the L.

 

[Guest]

But leading edge forks increase the trail and wheelbase, and that slows steering. Ok if you like a casual easy rider bike like the L.

Installing leading axle forks and not changing the triples will increase the wheelbase, but wil DEcrease the trail.

Increasing the wheelbase less than an inch on these bikes would probably not be noticed by about 95% of us. However, decreasing the trail by that same "less than an inch" will take about 20% of the trail out, making it steer EASIER (less straightening force). Slower, maybe, but easier.

The "L" models (and the others that came with leading axle forks) had different triple clamps that moved the fork legs back a bit, but left the axle in pretty much the same, exact place, which did not affect the steering geometry at all. Where the "L"s get their bad rap for handling is more in the ergonomics than the layout of the various pieces of hardware.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Yeah you're right, I had to read up on that stuff.
http://v4musclebike.com/forums/showthread.php?p=119061
"Now, changing your front forks from straight axle to leading axle DOES NOT CHANGE YOUR RAKE ANGLE. It may LOOK like you've added more rake by using a leading axle fork, but you have not. It makes the bike LOOK like it is more raked out, but the headstock tube angle has not been changed one bit. Honda is well aware of that phenomenon and used it to make the Magna appear to be more "raked out" than it actually is. In fact they used a number of illusions to make the Magnas look like raked out long forked customs, when in fact the Magnas are set up more like your average "General Purpose" bike (aka "Standard" or "UJM")."

 

[Big T]

First picture is a 78 with a 79 tank. Not an L

It's a 79 standard model, defined by the square rear pegs and the choke up top. Not a L. It doesn't have a letter designation