turning my stock 86 into a brat

[Guest]

Hey all, I'm really new to this forum and even newer to the gs life (just bought my first bike last night, an 86 450l) and I'm definitely going brat style with her. I've done a little bit of digging online but have no clue where to look for some of the main features of this style of ride. I mainly am curious to know what some reputable and well reviewed sellers I should be looking into in terms of a handlebar swap and a brat style seat, among other things. If I can figure out the photo feature, there should be a couple photos of lil' Gigi and I below. Fingers crossed.
Thanks in advance for any help y'all can offer!
IMG_8251.jpg

[DohcBikes]

Be sure to ride the bike for at least a few hundred miles before doing anything major. This will give you time to learn what it needs mechanically to be a reliable and comfortable bike. I'm sure you'd have no trouble getting help if you were broke down on the side of the road, however it's always a good thing to make it home instead.

[850GT_Rider]

Please define "brat". Hope it doesn't involve a hacksaw.....

[trevor]

Just go to these "how to" videos...all you need to know....

[1948man]

Hey all, I'm really new to this forum and even newer to the gs life (just bought my first bike last night, an 86 450l) and I'm definitely going brat style with her. I've done a little bit of digging online but have no clue where to look for some of the main features of this style of ride. I mainly am curious to know what some reputable and well reviewed sellers I should be looking into in terms of a handlebar swap and a brat style seat, among other things. If I can figure out the photo feature, there should be a couple photos of lil' Gigi and I below. Fingers crossed.
Thanks in advance for any help y'all can offer!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]47263[/ATTACH]

Nice seat, is it stock?

[Yeslek]

Be sure to ride the bike for at least a few hundred miles before doing anything major.

I definitely will be. Mechanically, I'm not changing anything for a while. It's just that I'm 5' and the seat I've got now is much too chunky to comfortably keep my feet on the ground, it's a little bit of a stretch as is. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

[Yeslek]

Brat style kinda just more ratty than cafes. Still has the skinny little seat and the lower handlebars, just not as clean/polished looking.

[Yeslek]

Nice seat, is it stock?

To my knowledge, it's stock. It's just much too chunky for my short stature. I'm only 5' and I find that my feet hardly touch the ground when I'm on this thing. Gonna have to get that fixed asap.

[Yeslek]

Just go to these "how to" videos...all you need to know....

Thank you thank you thank you! Should've checked youtube long ago. Bout to get into it all, you rock!

[BurntKittyForge]

I definitely will be. Mechanically, I'm not changing anything for a while. It's just that I'm 5' and the seat I've got now is much too chunky to comfortably keep my feet on the ground, it's a little bit of a stretch as is. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

One thing I noticed when I changed the rear suspension on my MC was I could raise and lower basically seat height around inch, or inch and half atleast , when I adjusted the shocks "Preload" adjuster...

Still have a great link (IMO) bookmarked http://www.sportrider.com/suspension-setup-guide

Under "Preload" there's pic of the part which turns (on the rear shock(s).
There's a link there too which explains measuring proper "sag" for the rear suspension of bike.

Link mentions 25-30mm rear sag when seated for sportbikes anyway . you might(?) be able to lower the rear of your MC some (?)
(Just looked at pic of "86 GS 450L shock" stock does have the preload adjust looked like, IDK how much it can be adjusted).

On my first street-bike, the seat was ripped, so my brother helped me get some vinyl and used a staple-gun to recover it.
I was surprised, but that's how the stock vinyl was attached...same thing on my current MC except I'm thinking of using leather and stripping some foam on sides of passenger seat, as well as adding a taller strip just behind rider portion...
Good Luck. Nice pic BTW.

[steve murdoch]

Yeslek, have a read through this long thread for some ideas for your GS.
Just ignore the inevitable bashing that you read and/or will encounter.
It is your bike to do as you please.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?235885-The-Official-GS-Brat-Tracker-Scrambler-thread&highlight=Brat

[Yeslek]

One thing I noticed when I changed the rear suspension on my MC was I could raise and lower basically seat height around inch, or inch and half atleast

very good to know! I definitely need to drop her down an inch or so. I'll look into that link you sent, thanks!

[Yeslek]

Thanks so much Steve, I really appreciate that, that should be pretty helpful.