GS1100- "Project NimRod"- Shafty

[Awall]

Well I have embarqued on my first cafe style build with, of all bikes, a 1983 GS1100L Shafty. Started today with a 10 hour day of driving for this beauty. She is very clean and well taken care of and I aquired her in a straight up trade.

Project Goals:

-Model after some of my favorite designs by Wrenchmonkees and other online beauties.

-Incorporate a convertable solo seat to dual seat to accomadate a passenger.

-Build a simi-comfortable bike that will deal with my 6'1" 250lbs stature

-Do it all with minimal moneys and alot of elbow grease (like they did in the good ol' days).

1100cc isnt the best for a good cafe build but I wanted a bigger bike to handle my build. I believe that a larger bike can handle like a smaller/lighter bike if the driver has the weight to throw it around. This GS is pretty clean and mostly stock as seen in pics.

 

[TSCC]

1100cc isnt the best for a good cafe build but I wanted a bigger bike to handle my build. I believe that a larger bike can handle like a smaller/lighter bike if the driver has the weight to throw it around. This GS is pretty clean and mostly stock as seen in pics.

I'm not picking on ya... However that's a Nice Bike you're going to cut up... If you become "One" with the bike, there's no need to throw it around. It will do what you tell it to.

 

[Tim Tom]

That Is a hell of a nice bike

That Is a hell of a nice bike

Seriously man that is a very nice looking machine. Even for an L. Also being that big and being a shafty, it's gonna make a very awkward cafe. Some people here have Cafe'd the big bikes before, but they were far from pristine as yours is when they started cutting.

If it was my bike, and I wanted a cafe, I'd sell it and buy a GS1000 in slightly worse condition and then also have some extra cash for cafe goodies.

But it's not my bike. It's yours. You can cut it up if you like.

 

[Awall]

Appreciate your comments guys. It is a nice machine and it was hard to start chopping, but I like doing something not many people have done. I really don't have anything into the bike yet so its not to much of a heart ache. And your right about being one with your bike...I just like a bigger bike to haul my butt around haha. The final project isn't going to be a text book cafe racer..but maybe more of a hulk cafe cruiser. As the name of the project implies...it will be a hot Rod of Minimal weight.

So far today I have removed:
Windscreen
Front turn signals/reflecters
Mirrors
Cruise control
Seat Bar/wrack
Crank case crash bars (forget what you call them)

Next on the list:
Remove stock bars and add black CBR F4 clip ons
Remove old grips and add new black metal grips
Black out/refresh triple tree clamps, lower forks and wheel spokes
Remove speedo, tach cluster.
Start on new seat and removable cowl

Ill post some pics tommorrow of the bike.

 

[Graham]

Let me know what parts you have left over. I got a 83 GS1100GL i'm trying to restore.

 

[Awall]

Parts available:
Stock tank ( clear coat flaking ) Trade for blockier cafe tank.
case guards
seat grab bar
Slipstreamer wind screen and hardware
cruise control
mirrors
front turn signal lenses
handlebars

Parts that might be available..don't know yet:
rear fender
brake light and mounting hardware
inner fender
gadges
controls
seat
center stand
side covers
emblems

If anyone is interested you can pm me offers. Ill update as I chop.

 

[Awall]

It's chopped up! Waiting on bars. Next on the list is to relocate the battery and electric panel. I want that open space in front of rear tire. I'm running no gadges but am kicking around the idea to build a removable mount on the unused handle bar clamps to accept my Sprint Evo runnning a heads up display for GPS and GPS Mph. It's to modern for a cafe but it will stay with me when I get off the bike so no one will know. Seat mock up is next.

Got alot of parts for sale.

 

[Awall]

Ill make sure to get some pics up monday evening

 

[Poncho68147]

Looks good so far. Don't let the "it's to nice to cut up" crowd ruin it for you.

 

[Awall]

Sorry guys...i've been out all weekend. I'll get some pics posted tomorrow and tuesday of my progress. I got my cbr clip ons from ebay which need some spacers as the fork tubes are smaller than the clip ons. I'm going to Lowes tomorrow for ideas. Any suggestions are welcome. My goal is to get lower fork tubes, head light, headlight mount, clip ons and spacders and air box side covers painted black. Purchased etching primer for all chrome surfaces. Most of the work will be sanding to accept the primer. Using engine block rattle can from Advanced Auto.

One thing I really would prefer is a different tank. I'de like a more square, cafe tank from the sportier models. I'de trade if someone has something better for this build. I've got my sprint gps tach and speedo ready to go and tested today. So away goes the gadge cluster! I'm debating on a tank and bump stop color..maybe white with a black panel and red striping. I don't know.

 

[Awall]

Not getting much done today..it's raining and I'm doing this build out of doors. I solved the cbr clip on size issue though. Went to Lowes and got some pvc pipe that I'm using as internal spacers. I don't see why they wouldn't hold up and they give the clip ons the approximent 1 3/8 inside diameter to match the fork tubes...before bolts are tightened down all the way. I split the pipe into two halves and cut them to the clip on width. Picture shows both halves taped inside to get final measurements. Also got a 1x8 poplar board to use as a seat pan mock up. It is the perfect 7 1/4 width to match frame. Spent $5 on the pvc and board and $17 dollars on Ebay for the clip ons.

 

[Awall]

Bike stripped.

 

[Guest]

Its your bike, do with it as you wish.
Chop that ugly pile of crap and make it look good!

This is a shafty
Fun as hell, under a grand into it.
(but let it be known, it wasnt as clean as your L)

 

[Awall]

Think I'm going to drop front end and bring the tops of the fork tubes up to meet the top of the handlebar clamps. It appears there will be a clearance issue with the clip on bolts and the stock handlebar clamps if I want to install them above the triple tree. If I install them just below the triple tree the only thing that might need modified is the headlight mount near the fork tubes. As you can see in the pic...there will be no clearance issues with the tire bottoming into the trees when lowered and inch or two.

Nice bike Octain

 

[Awall]

As far as the seat fab goes: I am thinking of running the seat pan level from on top of the tank bolts toward the back. As it gets to the back frame, it will run slightly inside the rails. Then the separate bump stop will mount on the outside of the back rails with adjustment/removability to take a passenger.

 

[Awall]

Removed the fork tubes from the tree today. Removed the headlight, headlight mount and lower tree trim cover. Prepped and painted both levers, brake fluid resivour and triple tree clamps. I used the same black gloss engine paint with ceramic on all parts including clipons. This paint is pretty good and I'm very happy with the results. The etching primer covers very well too. I have taken apart the front foot pegs and decided to remove the rubber pads from the pegs. I wanted exposed metal pegs but haven't decided if Ill be leaving them raw or paint them. Might add some holes in the sides for something different.

 

[Awall]

Foot pegs without rubber...don't know what I'm going to do with them

 

[Awall]

Ill post pics tomorrow but here's what I wrenched on today.

Finish painted headlight, headlight mount, throttle housing, turn signal housing and triple tree trim cover with "suzuki" emblem removed.

Installed headlight mount and used CBR clip ons. I had to notch out a 1x1 inch in the headlight mount near the top hoop. I did this to leave some clearance for the clip on tightener bolt. OH, by the way...I flipped the headlight mount upside down to slightly lower the light and leave more than enough clearance for the clipons. All of the cafe racers I like had a lower headlight than the stock one on my bike.

I re-installed the fork tubes in the trees...about crushed 4 fingers! OUCH. I am setting the tubes approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches above the tree.

Next on the list:

Finish installing spacers inside clip ons and find right riding angles. Install all forward controls and new black rubber and black aluminum grips.

Install headlight and birds nest of wiring inside.

Man..I wish I had a garage...doesn't seem like I got much done today but I also got my new plate, got my license and sold my tahoe. Busy.

 

[Awall]

Finally adjusted clip ons to comfortable stance. I thought 1 1/2 inch reveil of the fork tubes above the tree was to much for me. So I brought it to 1 inch. Looks like I will have sufficient clearance for headers.

I found I had a bad clutch cable. But this is ok since I need the new one to be 8 inches shorter than stock.

 

[Awall]

New grips.