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What would you do with this bike?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 80gs750LT
  • Start date Start date
8

80gs750LT

Guest
I bought this 1980 GS750LT about 3 years ago, running but not rideable. It took awhile, but I finally figured out that the PO installed mid-80's Yamaha FZ600 front wheel, suspension, brakes, and rear wheel and brake! I put together the correct wheel spacers, changed the 630 chain & sprocket to 530 to match the Yamaha rear, and installed the correct rear fender & light, as well as fixing a lot of little things. When changing the headlight mounts from the chrome ones shown to black ones, the top triple clamp broke when reinstalling a fork leg. The PO had forced the larger Yamaha legs into the clamps. I bought a used set from the junkyard, then had a machine shop match the triple clamps to the Yamaha legs, so it's safe now.

The PO also cut the frame loops off that served as the exhaust and passenger peg mounts, hence the aluminum header hanger.

What would you guys do to this to improve the appearance?
 
i dont know

it just lookes kind of cobbled together....

nice upgrades, it just needs cleaned up and small things improved....

clean that pipe up really good, make another mount for the exhaust, get the seat recovered or modified...

just a few ideas
 
What look do you really want to go for? Sporty or cruiser? Because it seems the PO was mixing a bit too much of the two. It's not flowing very well for me.

Is it just an illusion, or is the rear tire that much taller than the front? If it's not an illusion, the combo (front to back) appears really wrong.

The exhaust hanger takes away some sexiness. I'd figure out a better way to mount it and get rid of the hanger.

Perhaps some additional pics (various angles) would help with more suggestions.
 
thats why it looks funny, the front tire is tiny!!!

and yea, it looks too cruiser-ish for me too.
 
Craiger said:
What look do you really want to go for? Sporty or cruiser? Because it seems the PO was mixing a bit too much of the two. It's not flowing very well for me.

Is it just an illusion, or is the rear tire that much taller than the front? If it's not an illusion, the combo (front to back) appears really wrong.

The exhaust hanger takes away some sexiness. I'd figure out a better way to mount it and get rid of the hanger.

Perhaps some additional pics (various angles) would help with more suggestions.
Click to expand...

The rear wheel is an 18", and the front is a 16". I can make a better exhaust hanger without too much trouble.

I don't really have a plan for it, just looking for some ideas. I'll get more pictures and post them, hopefully tomorrow.
 
Iffn ya axe me I'd spend my hard earned dollars on a bike that was correct.
Time to sell this one for parts or keep the Suzuki parts and dump the rest.

This bike has "money pit" written all over it.
 
It's obviously modified too much to take back to stock, or even close. I'd think about making a streetfighter out of it. Some type of solo seat, drag bars, maybe lose the rear fender. Definitely do something about that exhaust hanger.
 
Zook said:
Iffn ya axe me I'd spend my hard earned dollars on a bike that was correct...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have thought about selling it, and my 1990 Katana 750, and buying something else. I have very little money in it now, but it's probably worth very little money as a "bastard" bike.
 
Here's what it looked like before I installed the Suzuki fender & light. It had a Kawasaki H1 or H2 tail section that looked OK, but was a problem because of the seat lock in the middle of the back of the seat. I rigged up a "Rube Goldberg" sliding mount for it and used it that way for a while, but it wasn't very sturdy. I got tired of that, and found the stocker that's now on it.

The side covers were sheet metal.
 
Last edited:
that thing could look really mean if you keep the Kaw tail, stock side covers, and get the seat custom done.... and paint it of course...

then you will have a nice custom bike....
 
loose the front finder and put on a bigger tire get a finder from a 850 or 1000, new exhaust that one looks a little rusted new hanger for the exhaust that looks like a pile of cow shat, but after that not too bad...
 
What kind of ass hat would do that to THAT? No offence, but the PO of this bike was a complete idjit.

Now, if you want to save that thing, get the sawsall out, cut about 2 inches off the back of the frame, right up to the shock mounts or a lil before. Get ya a cafe seat, or make one, fix that pipe and hanger (for real, he could not have thought of something better than that?) Do something about getting a lil bit taller wheel up front. Orrrrr get a 16inch L wheel off of something else (another GS,) and you might get it to sit down a lil bit. Put some clubmans, or clip ons on it. Rag it out till it explodes. Then go buy something else...lol
 
  • Clean the frame (it looks dirty but not rusty) with a small scrubbing brush and some degreaser (or strong detergent).
  • Shorten the rear fender. You may even consider painting it either black or blue to match the bike (and the front one).
  • Get rid of the mirrors and put some bar-end mirrors on.
  • Shorten that bracket for the exhaust and move it forward onto the frame (near where the rear master is). You can always clamp it 'on to' the frame if there is nowhere to get a bolt through. You should be able to get it to about half that length.
  • Paint that bracket black so it doesn't stand out so much.
  • Polish up the engine covers or paint them black with some good quality 'engine' enamel. (Do a 'GSR search' on this, it's been talked to death on here).
You basically need to 'tie' it all together. Its a 'bits & bobs' bike but I think it has enormous potential. Good luck & keep us posted. Remember that the 'journey' is more important than the 'destination' so just enjoy creating and have fun. It doesn't have to look pristine, I think it already has class all of its own.

Cheers,
Dave
 
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