77 gs550 cafe racer

[Ed Vrolijk]

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.

Right!!! At least one of you thinks the same way I do

BTW, check out this site for custom made tanks: http://www.thetankshop.com/

Ed

[supergrafx]

Right!!! At least one of you thinks the same way I do

BTW, check out this site for custom made tanks: http://www.thetankshop.com/

Ed

I just found that link yesterday searching on a website called caferacer.net or something sounding like that. Those tanks look awesome and seem reasonable! Around 350 british pounds for a custom tank. Although shipping is expensive at 80 pounds. It's cool they are based in Scotland. I think when I get some surplus of money, I will order my tank from them for sure.

[TheCafeKid]

I just found that link yesterday searching on a website called caferacer.net or something sounding like that. Those tanks look awesome and seem reasonable! Around 350 british pounds for a custom tank. Although shipping is expensive at 80 pounds. It's cool they are based in Scotland. I think when I get some surplus of money, I will order my tank from them for sure.

Carefull with this guy...He is not only SLOW, he is on backorder for MONTHS. And your tank at 350 pounds plus shipping, said and done will be well over 1200 bucks. They look great, but some people have been greatly disappointed in the time it takes to get said tank, and last i looked, money must be paid in full up front to start work. Call me a pessimist, but i have a hard time forking over that much money and waiting that long for something i cant see.

[sonnygs1100]

im not trying to be a jerk but just take a aluminum tig welding class at your local community college buy some metal working hammers and dollys and you could make 3 or 4 tanks for 500 bucks or less

[n0rcal2wheeler]

sick start. i like ur gauges and was wondering where u got them. i have a 450 but dont like the stock cluster set up and like how the individual ones u have look with the set up.

[Craiger]

sick start. i like ur gauges and was wondering where u got them. i have a 450 but dont like the stock cluster set up and like how the individual ones u have look with the set up.

Not sure where the O.P. got his gauges, but I got my speedo at www.mikesxs.com with the built-in indicator lights and the tach at www.crc2onlinecatalog.com. Paid about $60 at MikesXS for the speedo and $70 at Cycle-Re-Cycle for the tach. Granted, some have had shipping issues with Cycle-Re-Cycle, but I got mine in a couple weeks.

For the tach, you'll want the 1:4 ratio.

[supergrafx]

sick start. i like ur gauges and was wondering where u got them. i have a 450 but dont like the stock cluster set up and like how the individual ones u have look with the set up.

Thanks nOrcal2wheeler! Not sure about where the guages were gotten. Since the previous owner did all the mods and such. When I get home, I will try to look under them and see if there is a brand or something underneath the gauges.

[Craiger]

Thanks nOrcal2wheeler! Not sure about where the guages were gotten. Since the previous owner did all the mods and such. When I get home, I will try to look under them and see if there is a brand or something underneath the gauges.

I doubt you'll find anything. I don't remember seeing anything branded on mine and I have pretty close to the same gauges. I have to assume they're made by the same manufacturer, which is Heiden Tuning.

[supergrafx]

Not sure where the O.P. got his gauges, but I got my speedo at www.mikesxs.com with the built-in indicator lights and the tach at www.crc2onlinecatalog.com. Paid about $60 at MikesXS for the speedo and $70 at Cycle-Re-Cycle for the tach. Granted, some have had shipping issues with Cycle-Re-Cycle, but I got mine in a couple weeks.

For the tach, you'll want the 1:4 ratio.

The tach and speedo look the same as the ones pictured on www.crc2onlinecatalog.com. Thanks for the link Craiger!

[Craiger]

No problem, dude!

[lookoutdriftmike]

how do those speedos and tachs work with our bikes? do you use the stock drive gears and such or what? I've been going around about getting new gauges too since my speedo goes to 80

[Craiger]

Yep, just hook the stock cables up to them. You just need to make sure to get the 1:4 ratio for the tach or the reading will be off.

[cloudbreakmd]

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.....

Wow... You bought my old bike. That was in fact my bike and I did most of the mods (frame, bars, fork rebuild, etc etc). That tank was a NOS tank and the petcock was brand new too.

[cloudbreakmd]

Here's what that bike looked like when I started.

[beergood]

$1700 bucks makes me wonder what I could get for mine. Eh, whatever you spent will be worth it assuming that you have the cash and enjoy the ride.

I especially like the LEDs wired into the bar clamps. Nice ride.

CafeKid will be a good source of info, use him for whatever advice/inspiration you can.

Oh yeah, as for the seat being uncomfortable, that only lasts till you get used to it. Put enough hours in the saddle and you will be fine. Your body will adapt. I believe that you could probably learn to find a pine board comfortable if you rode it often enough. Have you ever sat on a saddle of a tour de france caliber road bike? It's pretty painful for the first couple hundred miles, but after a season it becomes second nature.