79 GS750 cafe/drag project

[CaliGS]

Hey guys-
I am new to thegsresources and new to GSs (I've had different bikes over the past 15yrs, just not a GS). I bought my 79 this summer as a project to turn into a cafe racer. I still have a lot left to do but thought I would go ahead and share.

Mods so far:
-rear frame cut behind the shocks to shorted up rear end
-airtech seat cowl added (this was fun making a frame for and figuring out how I would mount it!)
-relocated battery under seat cowl
-longer/stronger swing arm off of gs1000
-side mount licence plate / brake light
-lowwered front end (slid forks up in triple tree)
-clip ons
-hyabbusa (sp?) front master cylinder
-stripped all guages in front and replaced with single gauge
-shortened steal braided break lines
-relocated ignition
-much smaller front turn signals
-new exhaust, modified not to 'sweep' up

Left to do:
-powder coat frame
-get 'real' paint job (currently rattle canned) I plan on keeping the wheels red and the base black, but going with some sort of red stripe on the tank and seat cowl
-front fender??
-decide how I want to do my rear turn signals
-add bar end mirrors
-have pad made for seat
-rebuild engine or go with bigger?? (it runs good now so this would probably be one of the last things I do)

The bike has been a lot of fun to work on. I just got it road worthy so I thought I would ride it before finishing it up. Over the winter I plan on tearing it back down to the frame, cleaning up the frame, and having the frame powder coated and the tank/seat painted.

I'm not sure how to get bigger pics on here, so I am adding the small attachments. I have bigger/better pics, but am not sure how to get them on here.

*edit - here is a link to more pics: http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...amestoy/GS750/

[CaliGS]

another pic

[CaliGS]

one more pic

[TheCafeKid]

Got any more pics man?? Its looking good! Im doing a 77 750 myself..
Check it out in appearance mods, titled Finally some Pics of My Frankenstein i think...

Very slick, i wanna see more!!

TCK

[TheCafeKid]

What style seat from Airtech is that BTW?? I think im goin with the Kawi H2 style seat....id be interested in hearing what you did to mount it up too, i have a couple of ideas, but none ive obviously tried yet...


TCK

[CaliGS]

Thanks! I'll try and get a few more pics up later today.

[pan]

Very nice, love the shape of that seat unit :-)

[CaliGS]

The seat is actually to a XR750, here is the link: http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/...0TT1970-74.htm

I did sand the front "points" down a little to shorten them and make them more rounded. The dimensions of the seat fit the bike well. However, it gave the bike more of a drag look than a cafe look. I don't plan on attaching any electrical (tail light or blinkers) to the actual seat cowl, so I may buy another style (more cafe) and then change them out based on my mood. I welded a plate to the frame (between the rear shocks) to support the battery and plan on using that to mount the rear turn signals to. That, or make some sort of bracket for the signals that can bolt on where the shocks do.

I'll have to post some pics of the bike with the seat off to show how I did the battery and seat mount - I think it turned out pretty slick.

[TheCafeKid]

Turned out very slick sir...nice to see yet another Cafe/drag guy here on the forum...These GS's lend themselves to it very well, as much so as the CBs everyone uses. And they're GSs too hehehe. Mine's on its way..i too rattle canned it, and while it looked good as soon as some gas hit it it went to hell. Bummer, but ill get it done pro this winter, as well as powder coating the frame. Currently im just trying to get it running right. Appears those old VMs are a bit tricky with pods and new pipes...but she;s almost there, thanks to alot of help and advice from the guys and gals here on the GSR...you're in good company and welcome!

TCK

[CaliGS]

Here are more pics: http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...amestoy/GS750/

I'm 6', 200lbs...so that might give you an idea how much lowwer the bike is now.

If you click into the pick, it should give you more resolution than the small attachments your allowed to post directly. She's not totaly clean (gave her a real quick wipe down) but you get the idea.

[justin caise]

Hoe

Lee

Crap!!

That was unexpected. Sorry but when i first started reading your mods I figured it was just another slash and burn routine. Another short lived newby learning project which would end in a selling off of parts in a few frustrated months (I've done that you see)...

But that turned out quite sweet indeed.
Maked me rethink the parting out of my 80 750E.
Is it safe to lower on the forks like that?

[CaliGS]

Cafe Kid - I put a couple pics of under the seat in that photobucket link I posted.

Here's how I mounted the seat cowl: I was able to get "scrap" stainless steal from the shop at my work that was about 1.5" wide and just less than 1/8" thick. I cut the strips to make a "frame" for the seat to sit on. I had the frame tig welded together. I then took the frame to the anvil at work and shaped the back of it to wrap up around the curved portion of the seat. When I was comfortable with how it fit (hugged the curve) I used a "stud gun" and mounted 4 stainless steal studs to it. After mounting the studs I epoxied the frame to the fiberglass seat. I used the strongest marine epoxy I could find and I epoxied the crap out of it (the entire frame touches the seat and the entire frame got epoxy)! I had read about people using epoxy for brackets on after market fiberglass seats you can buy for the CBs, so I thought I would try it. After about 500miles it is holding up great. The frame is really serving 2 purposes for me. 1, it gives the seat more strength for my 200lb fat @$$ and 2, it gives me the means to mount it to the bike. Anyways, after the cowl was done, I then needed a plate to mount the frame to - so I went back to work and was able to get a piece of stainless "scrap" that fit perfect. To make sure that the plate was welded good to the frame, I punched holes in it to fill by tig welding. The plate turned out VERY solid. I use 4 stainless bolts with lock washers to keep the seat on. I can get it off in just a minute or two when I need to get to the battery. Also, an added bonus is that I mounted the battery so that it fits snug against the back of the seat - that also gives it a little extra stability.

Justin - thanks. The bike has been a lot of fun to work on. I'm glad you don't think it looks to much like a "hack job"! As far as the front end...I personaly think it handles very good. The bike is pretty lean (took anything "extra" off that I could) and the weight of the motor is pretty ballanced and rides low (I even did the exhaust the way I did to keep things symetrical). I've heard of bikes getting "twitchy" if you throw the front end off to much, but I haven't experienced that at all.

[solo suzuki]

That sir is a very cool ride!

[pughman]

nice street fighter ! did a hell of a job on it !

[Mr_Shake]

What tires are those?