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Thoughts on cafe seat/tail

  • Thread starter Thread starter Starboard M
  • Start date Start date
S

Starboard M

Guest
I need help deciding on what would look best for my cafe wanna be. Currently its a L (hence the original monster seat), and really need to get rid of one of the last L portions.

I need to get a battery to fit in the tail, so I think I am stuck with a tail section, but I really dont know what looks best. Please forgive my horrible photoshop skills.

Stock
025.jpg


Keep the stock semi stock, and add a small tail
025aa.jpg


Bubble butt
025bb.jpg


Smaller butt
025dd.jpg


Very small tail
025ee.jpg


Flat seat, no tail. I know I said I needed to get a battery in there, but I might be able to do something.
025cc.jpg




This bike will be a DD, but only for my 10 minute commute. Typical Sunday driving at times, but Im young so I can handle a harder seat (Famous last words, I know). No long trips, and Im used to a mountain bike seat so anything better than that is comfortable to me.

Ill be making it out of fiberglass, and either reusing the stock seat pan, or making a new one. Tail light will be somehow integrated into the tail. Seat will be composed of multiple different foams, depending on what fits and what feels the best, and covered.


Im thinking the "very small tail" looks and flows the best. I dont think the typical bubble butt looks good on a GS, especially one with an L tank. I also dont think a flat seat fits on a GS, and belong more on a smaller Honda CB.

Thoughts, opinions?
 
The tank kinda throws the whole cafe thing a little. Try to find a tank that you like (GS450 T is popular, hence expensive) and photoshop the rear of the tank onto the rear of the seat.

Also, check out Airtech and RocCityCafe.com for some pre-made seats. Even if it's just for more of an idea.
 
Big Rich said:
The tank kinda throws the whole cafe thing a little. Try to find a tank that you like (GS450 T is popular, hence expensive) and photoshop the rear of the tank onto the rear of the seat.

Also, check out Airtech and RocCityCafe.com for some pre-made seats. Even if it's just for more of an idea.
Click to expand...

+1 on this and what TKent said, what you've photoshopped just isn't gelling right with the rest of the bike.

I'm making a duck tail up at the moment so I can use my existing seat pan and not cut the frame or anything like that, and I've tried to somewhat mimic the lines of the rear of the tank as Big Rich indicated. I have a feeling it's not going to turn out that well, but you get the idea... I'm going for a scrambler rather than a cafe too, but the same principal should apply I think.

A lot of guys stick the infamous bubble style cafe tail on, but it doesn't work with a lot of tanks and doesn't suit the lines of the bike at all.

There are some guys on here that have adjusted the stock GS tail to suit and they look much better IMO.

Anyways, that's just my thoughts on it...

Oh, and the 450E tanks make great cafe tanks ;)
 
I guess Im a bit jaded since its my bike. I asked a couple of the guys at work and they all agree with you 'gents about they all look horrible.

I would rather not buy a new tank since Im trying to keep this a budget build. But if I cant make this one work, Ill see what I can find.


Back to the drawing board. Ill try and do a ducktail, and copy the rear of the tank. Tonight Ill get my girlfriend to take a picture of me on the bike to see if that helps me see things better at all.
 
As everyone else said, get another gas tank. The 450E and 400E looks great IMO. Maybe a Honda gas tank? I don't know... It's a bit hard with your current gas tank.

Try raising your gas tank a few inches in the rear and do some more Photoshop.
 
FC is on the right track about raising the rear of the tank an inch or two. The biggest issue with the bike is that the stance is wrong. It doesn't have the straight level line that the tank and seat should have on a good cafe bike. Your mock ups are more bobber in nature. Also you should look into mini gauges to replace the clunky stockers.
 
tkent02 said:
They are all too short, looks like a bobber.
Click to expand...


Agreed!

Starboard M,
When I did mine I wanted the bottom of the seat to line up with the tank and I wanted it to be as level, or straight as I could get it. A straight line from front to rear.
I also wanted the slope of the tail to match the slope of the tank.
Also wanted the seat and the tank to be close to the same length.
 
Here's what I'm doing with mine just a thought. I used the foam to shape what I wanted and then glassed of to make a tail cap.
2011-06-20_11-53-03_20.jpg
 
Did some more 'shoping, and really showed my true talents. :D

Version 1.0. "Ducktail" with rotated tank. I think this was about 15*, which looks like a little too much.
025zzz.jpg


Tank rotated 5* with the back half of the gas tank mounted as a tail
025yyy.jpg


Crummy picture of what it looks like now. Gauges and light are off, currently getting a nice flat black paint job.
010.jpg


Without me on it
002.jpg


001.jpg



Im kind of liking what it looks like without the gauges and light. Im really debating now removing them both, and running a bicycle speedo, forgoing the tach, and getting a couple of small driving lights and putting them on instead of the monster head light.

Was there such a thing as a "street fighter" motorcycle in 1979?
 
Starboard M said:
Im a GS newb, but is this the 450e tank you guys are referring to?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzu...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45f9808b3d

I like the look of the 400 better
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUZU...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c13950f1a

But the 1100, which I bid on (and apparently lost?)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzu...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cb921bf17

I like the last one the best, guess Ill find out in a bit if I won or not.
Click to expand...
No, those are not the GS450E gas tanks. Go on google and look up GS450E or GS450S. You will find that it has a very nice square gas tank which is great for cafes.

As for the GS400 gas tank, click on my GS450 build below, I had one on my bike :cool:
 
This is what I was talking about (sorry about the crappy pic):

1308882488.jpg


I just had it painted, but hopefully you can make the shape out ok.
 
Thanks Colin. Only problem is that they are expensive as heck when you find them.

Starboard- check out some tanks from other Suzuki's as well. Some of the older GT tanks make great cafe style tanks, along with some non-L GS tanks. And the only reason I say Suzuki tanks is that they generally swap easier (similar tunnel shapes, width, etc).
 
Colin Green said:
How about this for a cheap tank off a Zook GT550 for $29.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/73-S...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d299e66de

Take a hammer to it to create a couple of big flat panels on the sides and cafe to go.

Add a bit of padding to shape/fill in the seat and Voila


Click to expand...
That looks pretty good. I think Im to scared to do knee dents, but maybe Ill practice on my L tank before doing it to another one.

Took the cover off my stock seat, and tomorrow Ill see if I can shape it.
 
Did you check out the auction. It's only $30 and resides in Spokane (where ever the heck that is):)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/73-S...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d299e66de

As for the denting of the tank, just take it slow and gentle using small taps with a ballpen hammer and you will be sweet.

There are quite a few GT 380 and 550 tanks for sale at the moment and a couple of RE5 tanks (pity the bikes have died cause they are real cool).
 
Last edited:
Spokane is in eastern Washington state. Starboard, you might want to put your location in your profile so you can get better assistance from us.
 
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