81 gs 1100e cafe fighter

[sbasso]

OK, so here is my 81 GS1100e build. It is what i call a Cafe fighter. I have posted it on the CSF forum and i thought i would put it here as well. I have enjoyed working on this project and it is the first time i have tried to biuld an older model streetbike. I plan on upgradeing the rear to a GSXR 1100 rim, 5.5in wide with a 180 tire. The front is a 95 GSXR 750 USD front end. I have learned a lot from this site and i thought i would share some pics of my current biuld and will post more as i progress

 

[Guest]

I like it... it sure looks loud.

 

[Garand1]

Only thing i can say is WOW!!!!:clap:

 

[Guest]

I like it too.

 

[Erki]

still love it man.

 

[DrunkenChekhov]

Cafe Fighter title. Check.
USD Front end. Check.
RocCity tail. Check.
Rearsets. Check.


You stole my build!


But I love it. What profile tires are you running? How does she handle?

 

[bakirkwold]

That thing is sweet!

 

[7981GS]

Battery in the "trunk"?

Eric

 

[Guest]

Love it! That is sweet.

 

[T8erbug]

Yeah, I have a few of the same questions as the other guys. I have a similar build. How much did you raise the rear? How has your handling changed? After riding the bike what would you say you'd do a little tweaking on if you were to do it again? Any help would be awesome! Also where did you get your rear shocks?

 

[sbasso]

The electrical is is all under the seat tray. The seat is a RocCity peace. Good peace for 130 bucks. I dont' have enough fabbing skills to make one myself. There is no welding involved with this build. Everything has been bolted and cut off from the original frame. I have included some pics of the wiring. I changed a few things, like i moved the rectifier under the seat to get more air, which is different from the picture, where it is mounted on the back of the battery tray.

There is also some other progress photos of the build, before i put the USD front end on and rear sets. There is a pic of what it looked like when i bought it as well. I mostly put the rear sets on so that i could remove the rear master cylinder so i could get the complete empty look in the inside of frame of the bike.

As far as what i would change, not to much other than a better plan for the rear sets. The new front end has made the riding position pretty good. If i could weld i would mount the rear sets a little higher and forward, but other than that not much. It handles great, for a dang 81 street bike. It isn't ever goign to be as nimble as something new but hey, I think it looks sweet and different than anything else i see on the road.

Lastly the shocks are Harley Davisdson shocks, if you can believe that. I know, I know, i would have never run them but they were free so i used them. Just had to modify the attached brackets at the bottom which i had to get welded from a local shop for 40 bucks.

 

[sbasso]

81 gs 1100e cafe fighter

By the way, thanks for all the great comments. I appreciate that.

The metal tray that the seat is mounted to is a peace of sheat metal i bought from lowes. I traced the outline of the seat on it and cut it out. I had to bend the front of it so i could mount it using the same bolt for the tank. The bike just happened to have two little tabs off of the rails which i shortened a bit and drilled a hole in so i could bolt the back of the plate down. I used the meddle square stock as the brace for the seat bolts so the weight of my fat butt would be on the rails and not the fiberglass seat.

The ride hieght in the rear was raisd i think an 1.5in or 2in. It is just about the most you could raise the rear though becuse the chain is just about to start gaugeing the swing arm, so watch out for that. It would be no issue if the swing arm had a plastic chain guide, like most bikes today.

Anyway, i hope that answered some of the questions and i appreciate the good words. It took me a while of searching the internet to get the ideas for what i wanted to do, so i am always willing to help.

 

[DannyMotor]

I love that exhaust and front end. Great job!

 

[S14slide]

What did you use for the USD's/triples. I have a set of Tls triples, but still have to look up the specs. I'm still in the planning stages while I get the bike to a healthy state first.

 

[sbasso]

The front end is from a 95 GSXR 750. All front ends of the GSXR family (750/1100) will bolt right up until the year 95 for 750s and 98 for 1100s. No issues at all. Just removed the old front and put the new ones on. Replaced the bearings because the originals were toast. used the races that were in the neck already.

Dont' know if other front ends will work. I used the GSXR ones becuase i knew they would bolt right up.

 

[sbasso]

ok re-made the headlight brackets becuase i didnt like the way they turned out the first time. it is amazing how long it takes just to do simple midifications. Also chopped the the drag pipe megaphone to fit. dont know what to do with pipes just yet, get a new set most likely.
Also got my 180 rear tire painted, just wating on other parts and spacers from katman to finish upgrading the rear wheel.
that is all for now.

 

[sbasso]

OK
Here is a little update with the 81 GS cafe fighter. I have relocated the license plate and tail light bracket to under the seat. Need to wire it.
Does anyone know how to wire a regular filament light and convert it to an LED light? Let me know.
I also got the wheel spacers from Katman to mount my 91 GSXR 180 rear. I haven't bought a new chain yet so i am still unsure if the alignment is correct or not. I will find out here in the near future. It is a tight fit but looks sweet. It took me longer than i thought to get it done so i will finish it up some time later this week.

 

[bakirkwold]

This might sounds like a weird question but whats the advantage of running a bike with the forks sticking up above the triple clamp? Thanks! And sweet looking bike!

 

[salty_monk]

Lower front end, speeds the steering up...

 

[TheCafeKid]

I was hopin as I was reading through this that you were planning to do something with the rear wheel. It's never a good idea to run bias and radial tires together...