Getting My Bike Slowly Done, Just to restart

[Guest]

Before Stock 1981GS450L


As It Sits Now :

I wieghed the bike before I played with it. It weighed 410lbs with a full tank of gas and now it wieghs 340lbs with a full tank. I figured I would show how she looked before last night.
I thought I was getting close to being ready for paint and upholstery. I let my neighbor take it out for a ride, just to have him drop it. Now I need to replace the brake pedal, shift lever, brake lever,the bars, un dent the original tank, and replace the headlight. It lasted 32 years with a dent free tank. When I saw him coming up on it i just about puked. The tank has a fist sized dent where the bars bent into it.
here's a rear view before i made the seat

[rockhammer]

speed

Before Stock 1981GS450L


As It Sits Now :

I wieghed the bike before I played with it. It weighed 410lbs with a full tank of gas and now it wieghs 340lbs with a full tank. I figured I would show how she looked before last night.
I thought I was getting close to being ready for paint and upholstery. I let my neighbor take it out for a ride, just to have him drop it. Now I need to replace the brake pedal, shift lever, brake lever,the bars, un dent the original tank, and replace the headlight. It lasted 32 years with a dent free tank. When I saw him coming up on it i just about puked. The tank has a fist sized dent where the bars bent into it.
here's a rear view before i made the seat

Have you rode her? What kind of speed increases have you seen?

[81gs450l]

i have put about 200 miles on it since i completed my fiberglass seat pan.i had it clocked at 110 by friend on another bike. You can tell a big difference in the way it rides. it took me while to get the carbs dialed in. it was way lean and ran like crap, but after changing the main it runs alot stronger. the weight difference combined with the lower bars, pod filters, pipes with homemade baffles, and new main jets make it a fun bike to play on. it handles better and runs pretty strong for a 450. the 450 is leaking oil from a few places, so i plan to swap in a 500 eventually, was even toying with the idea. turboing a 500 and putting it in. once i figure out if my painter can fix my tank and get the money for repairs i will come up with a plan of action to rebuild. So far i have less than $500 into the bike, including the initial cost of the bike. the bike still runs and drives, but needs cosmetic repairs.