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370steve- GS750- "timeslip" **** BUILD THREAD ****

46K views 180 replies 3 participants last post by  CK 187 
#1 ·
made a decision to build a retro style bike along the lines of a GS550E Suzuki i had as a lad.
it would be a ground up build out of suitable parts and assembly's i could source from the likes of E-bay, other forums
and mates.
making anything that i couldnt beg, borrow or steal along the way :)

had seen someone doing much the same thing on a forum i use, i asked the guy if he
didnt mind if i copied some of his ideas, was glad to help.

i have started with a GS750 frame and 1200 bandit motor.

Parts i have up till now..........

Engine......................ÂŁ400 (inc carbs, filters, coils)
Frame......................ÂŁ120
Swing arm................ÂŁ75 (inc torque arm & chain guard)
Spindle.....................ÂŁ30 (inc caliper hanger & wheel spacers)
Rear wheel...............ÂŁ65 (inc sprocket carrier & disc)
Forks.......................ÂŁ294 (now replaced with different items)
Rear caliper..............ÂŁ50
Oil cooler.................ÂŁ30 (now replaced with better item)
Seat........................ÂŁ70 (now replaced with better item)
rear fender..............ÂŁ14
GS lower triple .......ÂŁ14 (not now being used)
CBR lower triple......ÂŁ50
Front wheel spindle ÂŁ15
Front calipers.........ÂŁ26
tail unit/rear light....ÂŁ53
GS battery tray......ÂŁ16
exhaust, bars, clutch/brake M/C's, switch gears ÂŁ170 (Exhaust now replaced with better item)
GSX1400 swing arm spindle..............................ÂŁ5
CBR1000RR 07 front wheel.....ÂŁ0 (from my CB893RR build)
CBR1000RR lower triple & wheel spindle ............ÂŁ60
GS750 tank x2 ÂŁ250
CBR1000rr 08 rear M/c ÂŁ15
GS swing arm spindle ÂŁ20
head bearings ÂŁ20
CBR1000rr 07 top yoke ÂŁ60
Bandit 12 harness & CDI ÂŁ55
GSX1400 Shocks ÂŁ70
GS tank rubbers ÂŁ15
GS750 side panels ÂŁ27
Yoshimura steering stem nut :) ÂŁ14
Rear sets ÂŁ80
Passenger pegs ÂŁ15
Seat lock ÂŁ15
Front Discs ÂŁ100
Alloy block for jack up plates ÂŁ20
S/steel bar for exhaust adapters ÂŁ50
handle bar risers ÂŁ10
s/steel seat hinge pins ÂŁ5
RS38 Carbs ÂŁ500
Akarapovic s/steel full system ÂŁ740
Ignition lock ÂŁ35
rear disc bolts ÂŁ15
caliper hanger bolts ÂŁ10
rear sprocket nuts ÂŁ12
rear spindle nut ÂŁ22
CRG clutch lever ÂŁ45
Translogic dash ÂŁ450
19 row oil cooler ÂŁ35
Giuliari seat ÂŁ110
oil cooler fittings/hoses ÂŁ300
clutch hose ÂŁ23
brake pressure inline switch ÂŁ8
H/light ÂŁ70
H/light mounting bracket ÂŁ35
Ti rear brake bolts ÂŁ20
Powder coating so far ÂŁ250
PJ1 engine paint ÂŁ40
production certificate for frame from Suzuki UK ÂŁ95
wheel bearings & seals ÂŁ35
GSXR600 stick coils ÂŁ30
replacement cam cover ÂŁ12
Engine cover gasket set ÂŁ20
rear light bulb holder ÂŁ6
rear light brackets ÂŁ15
various Ti & S/steel nuts, bolts & fastners ÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁ
various shrink wrap/spiral wire cover ÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁ
Battery ÂŁ53.50
EBC HH front brake pads ÂŁ43
Paint work ÂŁ400 (big thanks to Arnie at Pro Kustom paint)
beer for machinist ÂŁlots
MSVA test (vehicle registration & road worthiness) ÂŁ95 (still to book)
insurance (not even thought about it yet)
frame welding ÂŁ80
Road tax ÂŁ80 ish (when i do it)
R&G indicators ÂŁ120
LED indy relay ÂŁ12
mirrors ÂŁ18
CBR600RR coil loom ÂŁ12
BFT billot alloy engine cover ÂŁ100




finished bike...............................priceless :)


FUCK ME this is getting expensive!!!! better not let the wife know.................................................................HAha fuck her :fu:
 
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#2 ·
I havent started actually doing any work yet, as i was waiting to get the
engine, swing arm and frame before attempting any spanner work!
collected the engine yesterday, it has twin Pod filters and jet kit fitted, guy i got it from said the guy that built it had fitted a "Race Cam", we will have to wait and see :)
Frame was sat outside my back door when i got home from work tonight, so just
awaiting the swing arm before DW
might spend a little bit of time later this evening taking the engine out of the frame members that are still bolted around it.
will get a pic of engine and frame with a "proof of date" later too :party-smiley:
 
#3 ·
went to work removing the engine from what was left of the main frame! came out quite easily, now
i just have a collection of bits building up in the middle of the shed waiting for the swing arm to arrive.

when i am happy to make a start i will take a pic of a newspaper with all the bits to give the time line, not
going to start to put things together till then


 
#4 ·
rear swing arm and seat came today :party-smiley:
so wont be long before i start to DW,
wont be for a couple of days at least though, as i am off on the ranges with the mortars until the end of the week :oops: got to make a living some how to pay for all the bits :)
made an offer on a tank today :rock:
 
#6 ·
Got the new forks today, they are almost new, just a hint of dirt from the brake pads, no marks!!!!!!! I am well pleased
might just fit them to my street fighter hornet, and put the 07 forks off that onto this build
other bits and pieces turned up as well, GS rear mud guard, battery box & lower yoke. GSX1400 rear caliper, getting a right pile of parts together now :rock: might just get round to starting the build soon :)
collecting the exhaust system, bars with M/c's, switch gears and throttle on Sunday.
still waiting for the bits from the States, probably spend a few days or so in customes befor i get anywhere near them!
having a bit of a problem with the guy that i won the tank off :oops: i have messaged him twice for a combined postage-payment invoice but have had no reply for three days now!!!!! only took him 5 mins to answer my "offer" FFS.
 
#8 ·
here we go then................Build ON

Picture of paper with date



paper on pile of bits



cut the rear footpeg hangers off, cut the side stand bracket off, assembled the rear swing arm with wheel and caliper and lined things up.
then did a test fit of the fork spindle to see what the front will fit like. going to see if i can get some ball races to fit the honda spindle and GS frame so i wont have to swap spindles around, only one way to find out.
sorry about the "fog" but that was the result of all the cutting with the angle grinder


 
#9 ·
got home from work and went straight to work on fitting the swing arm, chain run is going to be tight to the frame by the look of things, but might be able to machine some metal off the sprocket carrier to move it over a bit if needed.
wheel will be nice and central, but will have to get some spacers made as the ones that came with the wheel (hyabusa) are not quite right, not a biggy.



 
#10 ·
tonight's fun revolved around man handling the engine into the frame by myself, got it in after a bit of huffing and puffing, fitted a bolt to the lower engine mount to hold it all in place, then played around with sliding it from side to side until i was happy with the chain run and the exhaust clearance.
the chain is about 3mm off the frame tube! but dont think that is going to cause any big problems.
the far left exhaust down pipe is also very close to the frame member, but think that will be easily sorted when i get the bike down to Zorstec to get the rear pipe made and fitted.
happy with how it is now sitting, so i will start to make some mounting brackets to get it held in properly without moving.
thats enough for tonight, so going to sit and have a couple of tins after a productive evenings graft :rock:





 
#11 ·
started to fix the engine in place, first made and fitted some spacers to the rear lower
engine mount.



then found some alloy plate to make the front engine mounts, only had enough to make the one for now, so drilled the holes and mounted it, will trim it down and shape it later.



how it now sits with the rear jacked up to where it will sit whith the shocks on






checked the forks off my other bike for fit with yoke and wheel, all looks good

 
#12 ·
found some more alloy off cuts at work this morning, so will be able to crack on with the engine mounting plates tonight hopefully, also brought the front sprocket cover and clutch slave cylinder to work with me, gave it a run through the de greasing bath, now all is good.
will putt it all back together tonight with a good aplication of Red rubber grease on the seal.
 
#14 ·
didnt manage to get much done this time, i spent a fair bit of time measuring bits for my mate to make me on his lathe, wheel spacers, swing arm bush and disc spacers.
then came up with the idea of having a removable rear top engine mounting bar, so it will make removal and re insertion of the engine a lot easier.
i have removed the cross bar from the remains of the bandit frame, i will get some threaded plates welded onto the ends so it will bolt into the frame from both sides.
it will hopefully also act as a frame strengthener.
here it is bolted to the engine where i want it to sit in the frame.


 
#16 ·
cleaned up and shortened the bolts for the front engine mounting plates




then made a mounting plate for the mid engine fitment




then worked on cleaning up the rear mounting and getting it ready for making some plates to get welded to it, will have to find some plate from work tomorrow.



then just had a play fitting the tail, seat, battery box and mud guard



 
#17 ·
had a quick look over the carbs yesterday, well all i can say is some people are total fuckwits!!!! on two of the carbs the rubber vacuum hood on top of the carb slide was trapped/pinched under the top cover :nuts:
from what i can see the hoods are not holed, but must have been restricting the movement of the slide when in operation.
the K&N twin pod filters were attached on the outside carbs with metal jubilee clips, but were held on the insides with ZIP ties FFS :wtf:
when i tipped the engine forward to work on the mounts some oil seeped from the cam cover! when i looked closer it was from the cam cover bolt seals, they must have given up with old age and had been "sealed" with silicon sealant, think i will have to give the motor a good going over before i think of starting it up for real.
on a good point though, it has got a Dynojet kit fitted :rock: not sure of the stage until i open the carb bottoms up.
Oh back on the fuckwit trail, found that when they removed the harness they had just cut the throttle position censer connector off!!!!!!!! nothing like doing things the quick way now is there?
got some steel plate from work today, so might make some plates for the engine rear mounting bar later :)
 
#19 ·
Played around last night and realised that with the rear engine mount as low as i had it fitted it would get in the way of the chain!! so i did a bit of re arranging and made some different plates, now think i have it sorted.
today got the swing arm spindle and front calipers, really happy with the calipers for ÂŁ27, not fucking happy with the VAT cost of almost ÂŁ10 from customs FFS!! wankers
spent tonight giving the calipers a clean in my de greaser and a wipe down.
waiting for the bits back from my mate so i can DW
 
#20 ·
got the bits back from my mate, so fitted the swing arm spacer bush to the swing arm and got the arm fitted with the GS spindle.




then fitted the rear wheel with the newly made wheel spacer,





all looked good, used a straight piece of flat bar to check the sprocket alignment.



not sure of the length of shock needed, but with it set the way it is in the pic, a 400mm shock will do, but might just need one shorter at 340mm.
with either the chain will be a clear run over the top of the swing arm.
 
#21 ·
Yan pointed me in the direction of fitting added bracing (cheers mate) found myself on Old Skool Suzuki, as there has been many GS builds done on there, i have looked on OSS and there are pics of where bracing is used when others have fitted bigger more powerfull motors.
I have got hold of some plate steel and tube, so will be bracing mine.
 
#22 ·
got my GS750 tank all the way from the US today, it is in very good condition, very little rust inside, no real dents but needs a good rub down and clean up on the outside!! looks like it has had 3 or 4 layers of rattle can during its life.
I forgot to post before about the other tank i got, It turned out to be off a GS550E FFS, so i now have a tank i dont need, but it did come with a fuel cap, cap cover & petcock, so not all bad.
i will be going to work on the bracing plates and tubing later
 
#23 ·
first off gave the tank a test fit for inspiration purposes :) will sit very slidhtly higher at the front once it has the mounting rubbers fitted.





then started making the first of the strengthening tubes, got the one between the front engine bars fitted just above the engine mounting brackets and under where the headers will sit.
thought i would try the headers to see if it was going to clear the tube.
well as with all builds made of lots of different parts not designed and purpose built to be fitted to each other, there was a problem! the headers were going to foul the strengthening tube :oops:
so had a play around and i could get the headers to fit to the engine but the outer two down tubes were fowling the frame members and would not get the correct angle to sit in the exhaust ports correctly.



it is a compound problem,
1, the exhaust needs to sit further forward to achieve the correct angle and be able to seal.
2, the engine is too far to the rear and wont let the exhaust sit correctly against the down tubes of the frame.
3, I dont want to have to move the engine as it is perfect for chain alignment in its present position.
4, with the exhaust where it is i wont be able to fit a cross brace between the frame members and keep it under the headers.


well sat and thought about it and have come up with what i think is a solution :party-smiley:

i will get my mate to make some exhaust adapter sleeves that will sit in the head and have the exhaust push into them, the exhaust will bolt into the head over the top of the adapters, it will mean the headers will move around 25mm forward and should clear the frame down tubes, but also give me the clearance to fit the cross brace. if they aint long enough i will get him to make me some a bit longer.
 
#25 ·
didnt manage to do a lot last night :oops:
had other things to do, but did manage to order some taper roller head bearings, a CBR1000RR 07 top yoke (top triple ) some bolt on bar risers.
made a cross brace for the front down tubes, but will have to wait till i have the exhaust fitted properly before i can do a final fitment.
got the tank mounting rubbers through the door, so did a test fit of tank to see what clearance i have, for the new head stock bracing tubes i have desided on,
looks like they will be no problem for clearance getting tank on/off.
I will try to get some more work done on the frame bracing over the weekend :rock:
 
#26 ·
head bearings turned up so fitted them, as i thought when i ordered them, the bottom bearing is a straight fit in place of the GS ones, but as i am using the CBR 1000 stem the closest top race i could find is a 27mm i/d, where the spindle is 26mm o/d, so i am going to have to get a top hat spacer made to sort that out, no biggie.




then i removed the fuel cap cover from the GS550 tank i got and fitted it to the 750 tank



will need to get a new lock for the cover, or make an opening knob to replace the lock.
just waiting for the top yoke to arrive from Spain then i can hopefully get the forks in.
have just ordered a bandit 01-05 wiring harness from the US, but think i will fit this bike out with the modern spark plug coils instead of the normal bandit coils and leads. will save a lot of space under the front of the tank and make room for head stock bracing i am going to add.
 
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