77 gs550 cafe racer

[supergrafx]

I just got this modified gs550 as my first bike. While waiting for tags and insurance I dented the gas tank by taking a fall while riding it in my back yard atop grass. I guess that wasn't a good idea. I love the feel of the clip-ons. However my turning and counter-steering seem to be very limited due to the gs550 fat ass tank. I would like to perhaps get a custom made tank that is much thinner and perhaps has clip-on reliefs hollowed out of the tank. Does anyone on here know where I can get custom gs tanks. All I have seen are ones for honda cb750s and yamaha xs650s. I've seen a few pics of cafe racer gs bikes on here and would like a tank like the few I've seen.... Also a pic of the damage to the tank is below as well.....

[Go Mifune]

Nice bike, what did you pay for her? Some of the cafe afficionados on this forum might have answers for you regarding parts you need.

[Tarbash 27]

Why not adjust those bars a bit foward so they clear the tank?

[supergrafx]

Nice bike, what did you pay for her? Some of the cafe afficionados on this forum might have answers for you regarding parts you need.

Thanks Mifune! I love her! I originally wanted a new Bonneville, but not having the cash all at once since my credit has long been shot, I decided to get an older bike and perhaps cafe-it-out. I then saw this bike on craigslist, it was a 77, the year I was born, and just spoke to me through the ad. It was listed for $2000, which probably was kind of high since the kbb price is $800 for a 77 gs550. Not to mention I've heard many peeps on these forums say they picked up this gs or that gs for 200-400 bucks. However, I have never worked on motorcycles and I thought with the given mods as well as time/love put into the bike, I was better off getting this than some rat bike that had been sitting around for so many years, untouched and rusting. I offered $1500, the owner then offered it for $1700 as low as he could go, and I gave him $1750 to ride it over to my place. He brought two boxes filled with the old parts as well as a mechanic service book. I like her, I think she is hawt!

[supergrafx]

Why not adjust those bars a bit foward so they clear the tank?

Thanks for the suggestion Tarbash! I never thought of that... I was thinking maybe clubmans... but that never occurred to me. The way the clip-ons are adjusted now seem to fit me like a glove, so hopefully I'll still have enough reach. I'll give it a try though.

[TheCafeKid]

Wow...1700 for a 550 is pretty steep. But, it does look pretty clean. If you want a cafe style tank, you really have only three options. Buy a 'glass one, which isnt exactly safe. Buy an alloy one, which will cost you what you paid for the bike, or beat that one by hand. Ive done it, not tough. Just have to know what you want ahead of time.

[supergrafx]

Wow...1700 for a 550 is pretty steep. But, it does look pretty clean. If you want a cafe style tank, you really have only three options. Buy a 'glass one, which isnt exactly safe. Buy an alloy one, which will cost you what you paid for the bike, or beat that one by hand. Ive done it, not tough. Just have to know what you want ahead of time.

I really like some of the alloy tanks I've seen. Especially this one on www.deus.com.au:



Unfortunately, the site says it is only for the yamaha sr400. I've done web searches throughout the day, and I can find no one that makes the alloy tanks or even glass tanks for the GS. Between the two, I would prefer alloy, as fiberglass is ok for my surfboard or the seat of the bike, but I wouldn't want it as a gas tank for sure. BTW, the third option, beating the tank, what does that entail? Do you have to weld or partially use glass with the existing shell? It would be nice to use the existing stock tank and mod that since it is metal if it could turn out nice and save me cash at the same time.

[Loose Seal]

Cool bike!

I wouldn't be too anxious to adjust anything until you get it on the street and really get a feel for it. Taking it for a spin in your backyard isn't a very accurate test.

What tail section is that?

[TheCafeKid]

Alloy tanks are custom made from FEW companies, and all are over seas. After exchange, and alloy tank similar to the one in that picture will cost you about 1600 bucks. Yeah. Not kidding. The seat is likely a 'glass from either Steve "Carpy" Carpenters design based on the Dunstall body sets, or from AirTech. Either way, pretty easy to come by, and not super expensive. There are 'glass tanks available to fit just about any frame, as most of them use straps to hold it on anyway, not the stock mounts. You simply have to know the width and length you'll want/need, and the tunnel depth needed. A few from AirTech will fit my 77 750cafe, but i dont want 'glass either. I beat my own tanks with a peen hammer and a deadblow, then used bondo to smooth it out.

[Nick]

I plan on cafeing my bike this winter. I dont have to worry about banging it up because it's shaped how I want it already. Nice find though

ps- that seat doesnt look comfy

[supergrafx]

Cool bike!

I wouldn't be too anxious to adjust anything until you get it on the street and really get a feel for it. Taking it for a spin in your backyard isn't a very accurate test.

What tail section is that?

You are totally right. I need to get it on the street before I start fooling around adjusting things. I'll wait until I can take it to and back from work a couple times or drop off a child support to the misses and see her reaction to my new elegant companion.

Alloy tanks are custom made from FEW companies, and all are over seas. After exchange, and alloy tank similar to the one in that picture will cost you about 1600 bucks. Yeah. Not kidding. The seat is likely a 'glass from either Steve "Carpy" Carpenters design based on the Dunstall body sets, or from AirTech. Either way, pretty easy to come by, and not super expensive. There are 'glass tanks available to fit just about any frame, as most of them use straps to hold it on anyway, not the stock mounts. You simply have to know the width and length you'll want/need, and the tunnel depth needed. A few from AirTech will fit my 77 750cafe, but i dont want 'glass either. I beat my own tanks with a peen hammer and a deadblow, then used bondo to smooth it out.

I'd like to try getting an extra stock tank at some point and try hammering it out with the described method. That sounds like a fun project and might come out pretty slick. If I do a hack job though, I would gladly pay as much as 1600 for a tank identical to the one in the deus pic at some point. That just looks sick. Maybe in a year or so I could afford it. The stock tank is fine though. I do need to get much more experience under my belt before further customizing the bike with extravagant parts....

[TheCafeKid]

Indeed. Make sure you can ride it as well as it looks I would be happy to give you pointers on how to beat that tank, its not difficult, and it truely is fun. The beauty of cafe's is the art behind them, as well as making them lighter and faster than they were from stock.

[supergrafx]

I plan on cafeing my bike this winter. I dont have to worry about banging it up because it's shaped how I want it already. Nice find though

ps- that seat doesnt look comfy

The seat actually is kinda comfy, although I might need to insert another layer of foam at some point. My kids really want me to quit cigarettes as do I , but at least a quarter of the time I go out for a smoke, I seem to gravitate to the bike and saddle up while I smoke. I am at least for now, happy with her tail.

[TheCafeKid]

Not supposed to be comfy...sheesh Its a CAFE RACER. You think those guys gave a rats ass about how comfy it was ?? Noooo it just needed to go as fast as it possibly could without killing them. Comfort was not a hot comodity. Look at clubmans. They ARENT comfy. They arent bad, but not something im gonna want to put 500 miles on in a couple of days.
Id be in traction. These bikes are for flicking. and thats about all they are good for.

[supergrafx]

Indeed. Make sure you can ride it as well as it looks I would be happy to give you pointers on how to beat that tank, its not difficult, and it truely is fun. The beauty of cafe's is the art behind them, as well as making them lighter and faster than they were from stock.

Thank you CafeKid. I appreciate any guidance you can give me when I start the project with the tank!