Hello all, my name's Wolfie.

[Guest]

Ive been around bikes since the 60s, began making mods in late 60s early 70s. I work on all brands. Most of my older ones were Harleys and Brit. I was "outta the loop" for almost 30 yrs. Bought a VN700 which I extensively modded (My Bessie), and just picked up an 85 GS700ES which I plan to restore somewhat and mod into an "oldschool" cafe type (like the Brits had.). After i retired, started my own lil garage shop called Wolfworks Custom Cycles. Was mostly fabbing parts, but want to break into doing full bikes now.

85Suzi_as is.jpg

[WolfworksCustoms]

my planned mod

This is the mod Im planning

85Suzi_mymod.jpg

[WolfworksCustoms]

And this is me and my "Bessie Girl" named for Levon Helm and "Up on Cripple Creeek".
Bessie02strangedays5.jpg

[GS1150Pilot]

Welcome to the forum.

[Rob S.]

Welcome.

I'm no Harley expert (I first rode one a few months ago, even though I got my first bike in 1975), but something looks different about Bessie's engine. I believe the front fender says, "Electraglide," but that doesn't look like an HD motor. Am I wrong?

[allojohn]

but that doesn't look like an HD motor. Am I wrong?

Kwaka VN700.

[WolfworksCustoms]

Bessie has a bunch of mixed parts on her...mostly used, some home fabricated. That front fender is off of a Kawi 900 Classic, but the chrome bumper is Harley. The rear bags are early 70s harley off of an old one I had. The fairing is a 1968 Bates. Seat os off of a VStar Classic (modded). Fork boots are BSA. Light bar and tail light are harley, and the taillights on the saddlebags are from a '65 Chevy.
But deep down, she's an 1985 VN700 (84 manuf date)...SN of xxxxx727....so its one of the oldest Vulcans made still on the road. My daughter is inheriting Bessie when Im gone.
And like in David Allan Coe's song "Panheads Forever", "she takes me where i wanna go"....etc....great song that can be applied to a LOT of older bikes....lil stubborn and finicky.....but ya loves em....

Sadly, I picked up the GS700ES late in the season, and I never got heat into my shop as planned, but I have a basement shop too where I'll be painting and milling, etc....hope to have her on the road by March....gonna strip her down nekkid, bare bones, drop her weight almost 100 lbs, and hopefully up the HP to around 100...had no intake manifolds when i got her, so thinking about a 4 int 1 intake with a big carb and mebbe even some type of ramair system. Gonna mod the exhaust too natch. Im hopin to learn stuff here. Never been a whiz on modern electrical systems.

[mikerophone]

Very unique and cool bike there Wolfie. And some interesting plans on the ES, can't wait to see how you make out.

You're in the right place for the electrical side of things, and that bike, now being 30, would be considered non-modern in my opinion and there's several very knowledgable people here when it comes to the electrical systems on these bikes. Main thing you'll want to watch out for is replacing the regulator/rectifier (R/R) with a more modern, series type like the SH-775 or a Compufire 53402. Make sure you have good clean grounds and that you clean/coat or replace any crispy connectors or wires. Once you get it running and have a good, fully charged battery in it, search for and run the revised stator tests and quick tests and report those results. A fellow by the name of posplayr leads the charge with that kind of stuff (little pun there!) here. Do your homework and search on the site in the meantime, and post up pictures of your project as you go. We like pictures!

[WolfworksCustoms]

Yeah been trying to find a wiring diagram from somepace,,,,the VN forum where I quit as a mod had a downloadable pDF manual...you folks got that here ?...rest of the stuff i can handle....I do a lotta fab work and Ive noticed many Jap bikes of different brands have interchangable parts....Im gonna be puttin a MOSFET R/R into it, and a gel battery....blackin out and modding the exhaust....I might look to Wiseco for higher compression pistons too....mebbe even a smaller rear sprocket (hee hee)....
To make it look more vintage, I might stick a mechanical drum on front (like the old vented Nortons), wider forks and a fatter front tire....just wish the damned thing had a kick starter....when they stop adding them?....my Vulcan was my first bike with electric start only and tubeless tires....hate that......yeah....i been "outta it" for awhile...but I miss the old school....thats what I know best....

[GS1150Pilot]

Smaller rear? You planning top speed runs?

[WolfworksCustoms]

....more in the genre of saving fuel, lol....Im too old for the "over 90mph crew"....lol My Bessie can reach 120 no problem, and had her there ONCE....I usually putt at 65mph or less at REALLY low RPMs....funny too, is I usually lead the pack of guys I ride with....some are real youngins and curse me for doin speed limits most of the time.....but hay, 8 disabilities, about 60 yrs old, and still ridin....they want me to lead em, the gotta "learn to follow"...
besides...we got black walnut trees all over here....this time of year theyre droppin em....ever hit one of them things at 60 ?....its as hard as a golfball....last thing i need is to stop a procession of 20 bikes just because one punk deceded to hot dog and either endo or go down....I live in a really rural area too....so sometimes ya come around a 45 mph corner, and theres cows crossin the road....dont wanna whack one of them neither, lol....

But see, my Bessie is a shaft drive....final ratio is set (I keep lookin for 6th gear)...this Suzi (nicked her "SuzyQ" from the Creedence song....ya, Im an old hippie redneck)....so final drive ration is set, unless I do major mods in the tranny....SOOOooooo much easier to just put a smaller sprocket on the rear.....hell, i aint plannin on drag racin nobody.....just wanna be able to cruise at 75 at mebbe 4-5000rpm....

[GS1150Pilot]

You an affiliate of Hells Angels, Wolfie?

[WolfworksCustoms]

...been an FOC since the 70s....not a member....
If you guys want me to change it, i will....dont wanna rub nobody the wrong way here....just proud to be a FOC of the biggest MC in the world is all. One hand washes the other.

....changed it....