I envy you, having a shop.I would love to see what you do.I have a genius friend, he and i were going to rent a shop recently and do vintage bikes.me learning and financing, he fabricating and teaching me how to use a wheel,welder,etc.Many life events changed that plan.That is my dream.I hope you do post pictures like once a month or so at least.
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kw86er
Guest
Not much leeway from what I understand. The paint will void it. I did all my application photos pre op and thought about just getting some cheep insurance for the winter incase we get some nice days but its already stripped down enough it would take a days work just to get it out the door and it might start raining by then so not really worth the hassle.
Having a shop is nice and I am in a community of builders in our complex. Everything from Honda CB guys to vintage dirt bike guys, British and American style builders... Cafe's, trackers, bobbers... all come ripping in and out at all hours of the day and night. We have a metal fab shop and woman that sews custom seats in the same complex as well. If we need some simple welding done we get professional grade work done for a few bucks and a few beers. We also have about 20 jam spaces with twice as many bands coming and going. Its a fun creative place to work on bikes or just hang around and shoot the **** over a beer.
Having a shop is nice and I am in a community of builders in our complex. Everything from Honda CB guys to vintage dirt bike guys, British and American style builders... Cafe's, trackers, bobbers... all come ripping in and out at all hours of the day and night. We have a metal fab shop and woman that sews custom seats in the same complex as well. If we need some simple welding done we get professional grade work done for a few bucks and a few beers. We also have about 20 jam spaces with twice as many bands coming and going. Its a fun creative place to work on bikes or just hang around and shoot the **** over a beer.
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Guest
Guest
DIBS on exhaust and handlebars ! 
J
JAG
Guest
DIBS on front mudguard and airbox
Did Slim (Janice) take over some space in your shop? I've been meaning to talk to her about redoing the seat on my 650G this winter.
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kw86er
Guest
No, Randi does the seats. She does custom Cafe style leather seats... I dont have any links or pics but I will be getting her to do a seat for me and will try to get some more info...
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kw86er
Guest
I found some 4 into one headers on craigslist. The seller wasn't sure what bike they fit so I had him send me some measurements... and they were close enough that they would fit with some work. I got them and realized they are for a KZ900 but the only real difference was the flange so I started removing the old flange today. I will get them prepped for welding in the coming week, paint them with header paint and wrap them down to the collector.
I used a piece of 1-3/8" pipe inside to help keep my header from getting bent out of shape as I removed the old flange with vice grips like a can opener.
I used a piece of 1-3/8" pipe inside to help keep my header from getting bent out of shape as I removed the old flange with vice grips like a can opener.
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kw86er
Guest
I am trying to get the look of the original Yoshimura pipes on the race bikes. He has allot of different designs for different track situations but I see allot with a straight pipe that comes right off the collector. It's pretty beefy, my thoughts are probably not the best for scavenging... but I thought I would give it a shot. Most "replicas" I see seam to go with a more practical design with a muffler, Im used to using baffled exhaust which allows you to mess around with the tone a little more, performance might be a bit on the peaky side in the end. Following a design from someone that used no idle or pilot circuit to speak of might not bring me the best results in that area. Hey it's just steel and I like the look.
My instinct want's to turn the pipe up a bit though to make it a bit tougher looking. Here is a picture of a mock up held with duct tape.
It's just kinda hanging there, in the picture it looks like I might need to shorten the head pipes a bit though I wasn't seeing it in the shop.
Any ideas? If someone understands exhaust design well enough to tell me if I am going to regret the performance I am going to get... please let me know. I would hate to spend 3 months trying to tune around a bad exhaust design.
My instinct want's to turn the pipe up a bit though to make it a bit tougher looking. Here is a picture of a mock up held with duct tape.
It's just kinda hanging there, in the picture it looks like I might need to shorten the head pipes a bit though I wasn't seeing it in the shop.
Any ideas? If someone understands exhaust design well enough to tell me if I am going to regret the performance I am going to get... please let me know. I would hate to spend 3 months trying to tune around a bad exhaust design.
K
kw86er
Guest
J
JAG
Guest
I am trying to get the look of the original Yoshimura pipes on the race bikes. He has allot of different designs for different track situations but I see allot with a straight pipe that comes right off the collector. It's pretty beefy, my thoughts are probably not the best for scavenging... but I thought I would give it a shot. Most "replicas" I see seam to go with a more practical design with a muffler, Im used to using baffled exhaust which allows you to mess around with the tone a little more, performance might be a bit on the peaky side in the end. Following a design from someone that used no idle or pilot circuit to speak of might not bring me the best results in that area. Hey it's just steel and I like the look.
My instinct want's to turn the pipe up a bit though to make it a bit tougher looking. Here is a picture of a mock up held with duct tape.
It's just kinda hanging there, in the picture it looks like I might need to shorten the head pipes a bit though I wasn't seeing it in the shop.
Any ideas? If someone understands exhaust design well enough to tell me if I am going to regret the performance I am going to get... please let me know. I would hate to spend 3 months trying to tune around a bad exhaust design.
https://normanhyde.co.uk/classic-japanese/gs1000-harris-works-collection-exhaust-system.html
This is for a GS1000 but I suspect it fits the 750
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kw86er
Guest
Thanks Jag thats a nice set up. I am sure it will perform better as well but I'm more interested in working with what I have if I can. I am after a certain look more than anything, I am just curious if someone who knows better than I do will tell me I am shooting myself in the foot. I have read enough about 4 into 1 exhaust design that my final pipe should probably be closer to 2" than 3" but when I see the original Yoshi bikes in old pics they all seam to have that big ass pipe and I am trying to get that big look. I know that Cooley was on 3/4 to WOT the whole time though and maybe it's not a good idea for regular riding. Maybe someone can chime in. Maybe I post it in the performance section?
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kw86er
Guest
Not allot been done. I decided to buy a welder and do the welding on my pipes myself. Im happy with how it's turning out. It was a challenge though, learning how to weld on a 4 into 1 header... Trying to get some work done on my TZR and dirt bikes... at the same time. Can't seam to keep my head in one project at a time.
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harley10
Guest
Pipe is looking kick ass , good work , keep pics coming looking forward to seeing it done , Brian
Aha! now I know who to turn to get that stubborn valve cover bolt out of the head.
What did you get for a welder? For reasons unknown to me, TIG seems to be a favourite for pipes...not sure if that has to do with the thinness of the welds, the metal, or the chromium.
One last weld to do at the megaphone?
Is that the girl you were talking to me about my 750 seat ? She works up north or something like that ?
Aargh! Thread pirate alert!
Janice has a shop here in Vancouver. As far as I know, she doesn't work up north.
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kw86er
Guest
I got a Lincoln 180 Mig welder. Tig welds look much nicer but it is a bigger investment as far as time (learning curve) and money. We have a welding shop next door if I decide I need fancy looking welds. My welds were not pretty, but a mini grinder helped with that.
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kw86er
Guest
The only person I know that does seats, only does custom seats. I have only seen cafe racer style seats that she did, so I am not sure if she does "comfortable". Beautiful work but it comes at a price I am sure. I haven't gotten a quote for this bike yet. Thats still down the road a bit. Just dropped $700 on bars, hand controls, headlight, gauges... Decided to forget about the dual disk idea. This bike is getting expensive and it's a headache I don't need right now. Need to make sure she is road worthy by mid March'ish.
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kw86er
Guest
Well this is where I am at, well sort of. I have done a few things since these photos like buttoned up the tailpiece and rear lights. I am abandoning the race paint idea. I kinda fell in love with the stock paint with chrome and black... I think it looks good with the natural pipe wrap as well. Needs a seat and a few things but I have been out on a skateboard seat pan (east van seat pan) and a piece of foam a few times and really enjoy the new feel and positioning. A little more aggressive and in control, more like riding a motorcycle less like driving a bus.
I've done the charging system upgrade and dyna ignition upgrade. Valve clearances are done, carb is rebuilt (need to do the float needles still, they are sitting on the bench). Still not happy with the compression but it's running enough to have a little fun this summer while I get my other bike(s) on the road. If she get through the summer ok I will dig a little deeper with a leak down test... in the fall. But I am pretty sure the PO started something and retreated. I also got called in on clerical mistake with the vin number because it started CS750 not GS750 on the registration. They just changed it for me. I was going to ask if it was a U build... and thought I might not want them to dig much deeper incase something was waiting to bite me in the ass.
Do I need to pull the engine out of the frame to do the top end on these bikes?
I will trade my complete box of OEM parts for a complete top end if anybody close by is into it. I think it might be nice to have one on hand. I'm not really into packaging/shipping but could consider it.
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kw86er
Guest
And thanks again. This forum is one of the better bike specific information forums I have been on. I tend to move on with other projects and new forums before I have a chance to give back in anyway. But all the die hard Suzuki guys on here are great help, even if they don't agree with how I treat my girl. It is appreciated. Ill try to remember to get a finished photo up before I do move on.
