[DohcBikes]

I think it's weird when people care if there is discussion in a build thread. I see that several here have a thread for just the discussion. Post as you desire, thank you.

She started out like this.

It' a cruiser model, not a typical base for where this build is going. Have no fear, I intend to slap the "L" right out of it.

 

[ROBBO]

Get slapping !

 

[Streetfighterkz]

I think it's weird when people care if there is discussion in a build thread. I see that several here have a thread for just the discussion.

Are you referring to the "Winter Build-off" section? If so, then yes, the build thread and discussions are separate so that all the work can be presented without interruption as that's what is judged upon at the end of the competition. All the threads in the "projects" sections are building and discussion all in the same thread so you're safe here.


Back to the bike, looks like a nice survivor, but not much collector value so I say start chopping away. :thumbsup:

Later, Doug

 

[DohcBikes]

Bear with me while I explore your picture posting format, posts will be edited after the fact until I fully understand. I'm a wrench, not a programmer :fu:

First pic shows how my bikes attract cops before they even make it out of the back of the truck.

Second pic, same day i think, had removed the luggage rack, windshield, 2 foot long rear fender, and various other extra parts. It lost at least 25 lbs in the first few hours.

3rd pic, tossed on my brother's stock ex650 bars for a look-see. Decided what the hell, it looks good that way, so I guess the build is already mostly finished.

 

[medimicated420]

get a photobucket account, it will make your life much easier and ours so we dont have to click lol

 

[DohcBikes]

I guess the build is already mostly finished.

Just kidding. There's a lot more to come.

Very nice survivor... on the surface.

As with any bike that's been sitting 7 or more years as this one had, the first order for me personally is to pull the carbs and go through them. They were very dirty.

Sometimes amazes me how much damage a person can do to a bike in the short span of eight thousand miles. These carbs had possibly been worked on by Magilla Gorilla. Had stuck floats, one broken float post, buggered JIS screws all over, a clipped, bent nail for one of the float pins, broken and stuck pilot jets, missing one air jet, mix screw o-rings, etc.

Took them all apart, cleaned the bodies and circuits, sourced an air jet, straightened the bent nail etc... and cobbled them back together to await the the make-run portion of the project.

 

[DohcBikes]

After seeing some of the previous owners handywork in the carbs and the evident lack of care and maintenance for the first 8k miles of this bikes life I knew I'd end up wanting to go with a frame up custom rebuild.

My apologies for bad pics when they appear, photography during a build gets to be tedious and sometimes picture quality suffers.

I started disassembling it.

There was lots of water and dirt in the harness.

Suzuki Spaghetti

Pictures tell a thousand words.

There's a Hooligan in here, somewhere.

 

[DohcBikes]

Got it down to engine and frame, cleaned it up a little but not much

Then threw it back together with a set of 550E forks to get a new look at it, did some precursory seat and foam trimming and started playing with tank postion

Did a tubeless conversion on the front as an experiment. The 19" will get lost eventually, but the kenda to match the new rear that was on it when I bought it was cheap, and it keeps the project in a roller

 

[busa1300]

I think the 78-80 550E versions had 18 front and rear if your looking for cheap wheels that bolt up, but give a better stance and tire selection.

 

[DohcBikes]

I think the 78-80 550E versions had 18 front and rear if your looking for cheap wheels that bolt up, but give a better stance and tire selection.

Hey thanks for chiming in, your GS build is magnificent.

Yea I had a 78 550E too, it had 18's on it originally. The 550's have a 1.6'' wide front however, and I'd like something a bit wider. This will get a 1.85'' wide GN400 'flake. If I could get a good radial in a 16 I would stay with that, but the only thing I'm even considering in a bias that comes both 16 and 18 is a Sport Demon. We'll see how it goes but I might be going to a 17" snowflake, which is appealing to me because no GS ever came with a 17 rear 18 front combo, and I like stuff like that.

By this point I had done a bit of work on the 2 piston floating disc brake conversion, installed racetech 85kg springs in the forks, li-ion battery, 520 sprockets with a 520nz D.I.D non-oring chain, bolted on a rear rotor I had drilled some time ago, started playing with things like guages and fenders and whatnot, most of which will be chucked eventually. This is all just mock up stuff really, to get the ideas flowin'.

 

[ROBBO]

Great improvement already.Nice hole patern on that rear rotor.:thumbsup:

 

[XxGRYMMxX]

watching

 

[DohcBikes]

Great improvement already.Nice hole patern on that rear rotor.:thumbsup:

Thanks ROBBO, i patterned it after an EBC3019 a few years ago for another project and never used it. A very impromptu project, it was marked out freehand and drilled with a cordless. It's mainly on there for mockup to get closer to knowing the finished weight as the project progresses. Eventually (next year) I will have a custom rotor made for the front and will have the rear rotor thickness reduced a bit, and drill the pattern to match the front, which is a copy of a ferodo pattern. I've been told I waste time bolting parts on that I know won't end up on the build, but only by guys that take 3 or 4 years to build a bike :fu: There is a method to the madness.

Anyway.

Here's a few pics of the front rotor being modded to fit for mockup.

The rotor. After buying 2 on sale and selling one at full price, $35.

The CBR rotor has a 58mm center hole. :suzuki:GS hubs are 56mm. I needed a 1mm shim ring, so I made one.

Masked the surface to avoid damage, tapped the new disc and shim on to the hub, with shims to hold it from bottoming so the drill bit didnt hit the wheel.

Then used an old 700es disc as a jig to start drilling.

First hole drilled, drop a bolt in to secure the position.

watching

Thanks! I'll try not to disappoint. More to come on the front rotor.

 

[ROBBO]

Thanks ROBBO, i patterned it after an EBC3019 a few years ago for another project and never used it. A very impromptu project, it was marked out freehand and drilled with a cordless. It's mainly on there for mockup to get closer to knowing the finished weight as the project progresses. Eventually (next year) I will have a custom rotor made for the front and will have the rear rotor thickness reduced a bit, and drill the pattern to match the front, which is a copy of a ferodo pattern. I've been told I waste time bolting parts on that I know won't end up on the build, but only by guys that take 3 or 4 years to build a bike :fu: There is a method to the madness.





anks! I'll try not to disappoint. More to come on the front rotor.

You must have a lotta patience anda very steady hand

Ha I have been know to do that (a lot :doh .

 

[DohcBikes]

You must have a lotta patience anda very steady hand

More like a lot of beer and stubborness.

Few more holes drilled

Some time spent looking insane with the caliper at Ace produced a set of shims for mockup

And ready for caliper mockup.

Out with the old shocks, sold, need something taller.

 

[DohcBikes]

With the airbox modded, carbs cobbled together

and a makeshift harness that would impress Tesla in place

Here is a video of it running for the first time in 8 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmvtVpDlllM

The RFY shocks were an affordable way to get the ride height I wanted in the rear, around an inch taller than the stock shocks. I've owned a couple sets of these. As long as you get the correct spring rate for the application, flush and fill with quality fluid in the correct amount, and have them charged with the correct psi nitrogen, they can be a pretty decent improvement over most standard 5 position preload ujm shocks.

In my case as with many UJM rear shocks, the RFY shock shafts are considerably larger. The body of the shock is mounted to the frame as opposed to the swingarm, reducing unsprung weight, which improves suspension characteristics such as compression and rebound speed as well as overall reactivity. Infinitely adjustable screw type preload is also a plus.

In that pic I was messing with fenders and still had the stock exhaust and whatnot, but I think it shows well enough the direction of the project. I don't have a picture of the stock stance without being strapped down, but here is almost exactly what it looked like before.

 

[XxGRYMMxX]

rear height looks way better, makes the line of the tank nice and flat on the bottom.

 

[DohcBikes]

Thanks GRYMM, the actual ride height is roughly 1" lower in the front and 1" higher in the rear which does help in achieving a more aggressive look. The combination of 550E forks and 550L triples, it steepens the rake while bringing the trail back to an acceptable number, as the E forks are straight leg as opposed to leading axle, and are usually paired with triples that have more offset. I wanted the "chin tuck" to look good while also improving performance.

The majority of the visual change in relation to the tank comes by way of lowering the front tank mount around 2" and raising the rear around 1-1/2". This eliminated the "chopper" angle of the tank and allowed me to decide on the rough idea of the seat. Drilled a bunch of holes in the seat pan, tank was stripped with acid, relieved of the sending unit, and fitted with a new petcock.

 

[am2198]

With the airbox modded, carbs cobbled together

View attachment 91473

and a makeshift harness that would impress Tesla in place

View attachment 91481 View attachment 91489

Here is a video of it running for the first time in 8 years.

The RFY shocks were an affordable way to get the ride height I wanted in the rear, around an inch taller than the stock shocks. I've owned a couple sets of these. As long as you get the correct spring rate for the application, flush and fill with quality fluid in the correct amount, and have them charged with the correct psi nitrogen, they can be a pretty decent improvement over most standard 5 position preload ujm shocks.

In my case as with many UJM rear shocks, the RFY shock shafts are considerably larger. The body of the shock is mounted to the frame as opposed to the swingarm, reducing unsprung weight, which improves suspension characteristics such as compression and rebound speed as well as overall reactivity. Infinitely adjustable screw type preload is also a plus.

In that pic I was messing with fenders and still had the stock exhaust and whatnot, but I think it shows well enough the direction of the project. I don't have a picture of the stock stance without being strapped down, but here is almost exactly what it looked like before.

HI, I've just found this thread and, whilst it's a good few years old, I thought I'd ask how the bike rode in the end after altering the suspension setup? I'm looking at doing something similar, so would be good to know how it worked out for you. Thanks!

 

[Streetfighterkz]

The OP hasn’t logged in for 6 years. You can try PM’ing them and hope they have notifications turned on. Otherwise this is a dead thread.

Later, Doug