[ddowellGSXR]

Ok after a lot of what I like to call "planning" it's time to start my conversion to a fighter. I got this bike about 2 years ago as a starter bike. It's been good to me but I'm bored of the normalness. I actually started on this a few days ago and wasn't going to do a thread but thought maybe someone might be interested as I go along. As I go I'd love any criticism or input anyone has to offer. My creativity can only go so far...
This is what I started with, a perfectly good full fairing bike.....

After I got it in the garage I started to strip her down

Now that she's naked I went to work with the sawsall on the subframe. I want to focus on the tail first because to me that's what makes or breaks a good looking bike

Ok now that that's all caught up i can talk about where I'm at currently. I've chopped the subframe down to basically the front seat and started to toy with some design ideas with cardboard and whatnot. Here comes a lot more thinking....

Here are some of the ideas I was throwing around. Tell me what you think!

I don't like this one a whole lot because from the top it just looks too flat and big and idk just off so then I went to this one....

Sort of the same thing but more rolled and less "stinger looking" according to my girlfriend. (She's already pissed cuz I cut off her seat, don't like taking passengers anyway). But anywho that's where I'm at right now. Just brainstorming. I'll be fabbing it out of sheet metal or fiberglass one. More to come soon!

Oh and as you may be wondering about my other plans for the bike I'm thinking a wave headlight, belly pan, and maybe a couple other little things here and there. Easy stuff as I am not very experienced and have a very limited budget. Thanks for checkin it out!


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[VTCB750]

Nice start looks good keep going.

 

[ddowellGSXR]

Made some progress. Got some sheet metal and started a tail design. Turned out pretty well! Obviously a lot more work to be done to it. Working two jobs and going to school full time makes progress slow but it will be done by spring!

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[piester]

You should cut that exhaust down too


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[darftvader]

Awesome !! Subbed.
You've almost convince to chop my tail. Keeo working hard at school mate, it will make these, pleasures more enjoyable

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[jmartin1110]

Digging it so far...it would like killer with the pipe cut. Great star with an already great platform

 

[ddowellGSXR]

Pipe is going to a shorty for sure! I was also thinking about taking it up closer to the tail sort of like a Ducati pipe if any of you can see the picture I have in my head haha having a hard time with the tail. Metal is tweaked and somehow one side is off. Thanks for the replies guys!


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[ddowellGSXR]

Well you probably can't tell but I got some bending and fitting done to the tail. All it lacks is an undertail and some body work. Honestly I was leaning towards fiberglass but I think I like this one so much I might leave it steel. Might sound crazy but hell I'm kind of crazy myself. Can't really tell in the picture but the tail does curve into the bike. Looks even better in person!

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[darftvader]

Very nice!

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[darftvader]

How heavy is the metal ? If you care about weight, you might need to use fiber glass if not don't worry

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[ddowellGSXR]

Weight isn't a big deal to me. Should still weigh less than it did stock. It's 18 gauge. But thinking of making the undertail out of 20 or 22


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[ddowellGSXR]

Well got the undertail all welded up last night. Turned out pretty bad ass I think. Lot of body work to do on it before it's ready for any paint. Next step is the headlight and gauge I think. Need a good gauge that will just wire right up. Probably going to go with a simple wave headlight.

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[ddowellGSXR]

Been awhile since I updated. Been working on body work on my tail. It's at work I'll get some pics up tomorrow probably. Decided on a really over used, common headlight. Going with an LSL. I know I know everyone has one. But they just look so damn good. More to come!


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[ddowellGSXR]

Well got some wiring tucked in today. Felt good to get something accomplished. Starting to wonder if I'm going to have to relocate my ignition for my headlight. Slow progress is at least better than no progress

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[GSX750_SF]

Just an idea, but why don't you cut the bottom brace on your subframe, and bring it up to meet the top brace? It'll make the tail slimmer, and more streamlined to look at from the side. As it sits now, it kinda looks like a cheese grater with a seat on top...you can curve the bottom of the undertail, and make it "swoosh" or flow better...just my opinion...looks good so far! \m/

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[GSX750_SF]

I would also chop the top of the tail to match the height of your tank...it was make they symmetry look more aligned...keep it up, DW!!!!

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[ddowellGSXR]

I don't want to cut the subframe anymore than I already have due to limited time and no access to a tig. Trust me I was really close to making a complete new subframe. Plus I didn't wanna mess with relocating the battery and making a new seat and all that good stuff. The tail isn't as tall as it looks but it is kinda tall. I might cut it down but I like the way it looks. Good suggestions though I like just hearing opinions on it as I go.


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[ddowellGSXR]

Started to wire up the new headlight tonight. Went really well until I realized I grabbed the wrong relay. Shit. Going from two H7s to an H4. Easy to do if I can find the damn relay. Nobody has one where I live apparently. Oh well I'll get it figured out. Sorry no pics to update quite yet.

I did decide on a matte color. Not black. Maybe y'all can help. It's gonna be either,

Gunmetal
White
Desert tan (just seems cool and different)

So like I said all flat colors, no gloss. Let me know what y'all think!


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[F'dup]

Gun metal...

But the tan... lol...

I'd like to see it before I would say no. Could be ok with the right color accents...

 

[ddowellGSXR]

Tan is definitely kind off off lol but I think that's why I like the idea of it? If I did that the accents would be black but idk how it would look. Maybe that's why nobody does it. Haha gunmetal is always a good option

Here's what I was thinking with the tan

Obviously not the vehicle just for color reference