Strut my stuff

[Splittie]

I know, I know, it is not what 95% of the forum wants to hear, but I want to strut my stuff.
I own a 1981 750L and want to drop the rear a bit.
I have had no luck finding shortie shocks that would drop it enough.
My question is this... what material should I use to replace the stocks with?
I have seen a few posts where members have said they are running without shocks, but none have stated what they used for material.
PLEASE help me out even if you dont agree with my choice for this bike.
I would like to be able to have you guys saying "Hey that doesn't look too bad" when I get done with it.
Thanks

[TheCafeKid]

I dont have them anymore, as i gave them to a fellow GSR member, but my 750 came to me with cut and welded stock shocks. This took the length of them down to 10 inches eye to clevis. It was way low in back, and it wasnt actually all that bad of a ride, as the springs still gave a lil support. Anyway, for strut bars, i would think you should be able to use some bar stock steel, tho you would have to have a clevis milled into it. Any machine shop should be able to do that for you on the cheap. I would think half inch stock would suffice, maybe three quarter inch would be better.

[Splittie]

I believe I have seen a pic of your bike posted up.
I wasn't too sure if the stuff being used was solid stock or just tubing.
Thanks for the info.

[TheCafeKid]

I think you saw it over on the DoTheTon Forum (im TonUpSoldier over there)

[Splittie]

That would be the one.
I also have a cb500 that I plan on doing a cafe number on, but that one will start up after the 750L is on the road (It's more complete)

[TheCafeKid]

500 twin? fun lil bikes. I had a 550 supersport, and a 750 ss and i liked the 550 more than the 750.

[Splittie]

Its actually a 500 four.
Had the whole straightouttheeightiesorangeandblackpaintwithmatch ingfrontfairing
thing goin' on.
Can you say SAWEEETTT\\/

[TheCafeKid]

i can say that. Saweeet!...lol I did like my CBs dont get me wrong. Course i was a bit of a dyed in the wool Kawi fan from the dirt bike days. But, none of the CBs or the kaws i owned handle as well as the GS.

[Splittie]

I am just starting my motorcycle days these are the first bikes I have ever owned (As a kid my mom had a best friend killed on a bike so I was pretty sheltered when it came to bikes) and I am loving it so far.
I figure with the 750L kinda choppered out, and the 500 cafe styled, I should be pretty much covered.
Oh wait, I need a dirtbike!!!

[TheCafeKid]

I gave up my dirt riding days, after many many wrecks, broken bones and good times. I actually had been out of motorcycling all together till bout a year and half ago for the last ten years. I just wasnt in a place to be able to afford a bike, maintain it, insure it and didnt have a place to store it. But im glad im back I didnt realize how much i missed it. I would suggest getting a dirt bike if you have the means, simply because i learned ALOT riding one, about how to ride period, and the physics behind it. Its a hell of alot safer to wreck in a field than on a street too. Well, in most cases..lol i have my horror stories.

[Splittie]

I have been out with a buddy of mine on a couple of his bikes but one of them I am still afraid of (Yes I said afraid).
It's a 600 enduro and the first bike I had ever gotten on. It's just got alot of power and sits up higher than I would have expected.
But hey, fear is my friend.

[TheCafeKid]

yeah man, i rode a Vstrom once. VERY tall. And being afraid in some respects isnt bad. Not so much afraid, but respect. The day i lose that fear in the back of my head that keeps me within my limits, is the day i hang up my keys and leathers

[Splittie]

I have seen/heard of alot of accidents in my area where riders have lost that fear and thought they could tame their ride.
I don't think so.

[TheCafeKid]

Well, knowing your abilities, and knowing the abilities of your bike are two very important things. But, alot of times, people ride at a level above where their abilities really are. And sometimes they get away with it and think that they actually ARE capable of doing it all the time. Thats when bad things happen. I admit that i am having to relearn some stuff. Like i said, its been 10 yrs since i was on a bike before the last year and some. I still get into corners too hot, and i also dont trust myself, or my bike, as much as i used to. I used to consider myself a fairly proficient rider, not a track monster by any means, but i felt i could hang with anyone on the street. Not so much anymore. I spent alot of last summer when i had a running bike (before i went ass wild and tore it all down to do what i wanted to it, and before my lil KZ440 decided to develop an electrical gremlin) teaching myself stuff again. Gradually increasing my comfort level with lean angles, countersteering, emergency stopping and what not. I let my endorsement go, so i had to get temps again, and enrolled in a MSF course (which, if you havent taken one, i really really REALLY suggest you do, it will do wonders for your comfort level, as well as teach you ALOT of stuff to keep you safe on the street) Im still relearning alot of stuff. There are a couple rallys i plan to attend this year, and i signed up for the slow groups just because i dont want to get myself caught up in the fun and adreneline of the fast guys and wind up in trouble. I have time to get to that point again, so i wont push it untill im ready. And if i catch flack for it, so be it. But its my ass im saving you know?

[fastestz1]

struts

my first post hope im doing it correctly,
i recomend you DO NOT strut your bike,i have a few older kawi's one of them is my main ride and it's strutted i have been running it this way for yrs on the streets and let me just say you have to know what your doing to run struts,the rear wil tend to hop under hard braking,runnin on parkways/hiways leaning into turns again if not done correctly it will hop/chatter "very dangerous" very scary,don't get me wrong there are benefits to runnin struts bike comes out of the hole a little straighter/easy to launch,better traction,you get the idea,i recently picked up a set of NOS redwing shocks i think im gonna try on this bike this summer