rear mudguard and seat

[timebombprod]

how important would you say the rear mudguard is, i wanna go for a cafe look or sporty look and was wondering what the effects will be, im guessing if i go in a puddle of rain ill feel it from the back. and with the seat i know ill have to cut off part of the frame railing (not sure what it is thats my guess) and put a hoop on it, would it be cheaper to get somebody to redo the seat or just sell it and get a different one, would anyone consider a trade?

this is what made me think of it but i dont know if i want that thin of a seat i want some cushion, but i am naturally big for this bike so will lowering the seat height and doing nothing with my footpegs get me more cramped, im 6"2 but i put on bars a little lower then the stem bolts to have my arms more straitened out and not be in a cramped position, they feel comfortable and ive sat on there for 15 minutes and my wrist arent arched like they were on the oem bars.

[cowboyup3371]

Between the water streak on the back and any passengers sliding off the rear onto the tire, I would put the fender back on

[LAB3]

You might want to try cutting some length off the front (lower) end of the fender and rotating it to bring the back end closer to the seat. You don't lose the protection along the sides and will still be able to knock down the rooster tail off the back tire and have a spot be able to mount a tail light

[Rich82GS750TZ]

IMHO, If it were me, with the lack of riding experience that you’ve claimed, I’d get the bike running and get a lot of riding experience with the bike in its standard configuration as it was designed (maybe Just replacing the “L” rearward swept bars for something a little more straight across). Learn to ride. I think it would be a mistake to lower the bars, move pegs, chop the frame because it looks cool before you’re comfortable and competent riding a motorcycle that is set up “properly”, geometrically speaking. You’ve started a lot of threads on a lot of different things and have a lot of people giving you lots of advice. Here’s some more: get the thing running and learn how to ride it. Hope that’s not too harsh. Again, just my opinion. You can take it for whatever you think it’s worth.

[Baatfam]

What Rich said....

Get it running right, ride a lot, re-evaluate...

[Rijko]

I second Bob and Rich fully.

i am naturally big for this bike so will lowering the seat height and doing nothing with my footpegs get me more cramped

Yes it will. And it will make it harder to control unless you have the experience needed.
It will be hard enough to learn to control it, so go and ride it.
Remember, this is a big lump of a bike, it does not have the handling or
brakes a modern bike has to help you in case of trouble.
Take a year and re-evaluate when you have a couple of thousand kilometers
experience.

[cowboyup3371]

Although I already said my peace about the mudguard, I'm going to echo Rich, Bob, and Rijko. You are a young man with very little to any riding experience and almost no mechanical knowledge of these bikes. Please, take a motorcycle safety class if you haven't already and spend some time just riding before you go too much into areas that you may decide aren't actually what you want in the end.

[timebombprod]

Although I already said my peace about the mudguard, I'm going to echo Rich, Bob, and Rijko. You are a young man with very little to any riding experience and almost no mechanical knowledge of these bikes. Please, take a motorcycle safety class if you haven't already and spend some time just riding before you go too much into areas that you may decide aren't actually what you want in the end.

i got my license but yeah im thinking about using my tax return to pay for a months of bills to ride inbetween a job and learn how to ride for a month. i just think to much of what i wanna do when i should just ge tit to run i know

[uk gs nut]

You wont learn much in 1 month, it takes time to learn how to avoid lunatics in cars txting in there own little world.

[Gorminrider]

It's the swingarm I worry about. These bikes were all bad that way, fender or not-cheesy paint, scrap metal steel...

The dirt and water rips the paint off, drives it into the bearings and bushings...so maybe make an effort and apply some extra coating thereabouts. You have a shaft drive so that's a help...

I rode a bicycle without fenders ONCE in the rain and that pretty much cured me of the fenderless look, but a MC has a longer seat, more wind too and I can't see it actually going up your back at high speed! But- pitching gravel back at the windshields behind is not a way to make friends. It's not just about you.

Oh! and I'd HAVE to put a rail on the back of that seat! at the least. I don't see you actually sliding off the rear, but it's feeling it there as a reassurance if you ever do want to move your bum back. Plus- you can tie your helmet or pack to it.

[rphillips]

Like they said, & a month's experience is almost same as no experience. No disrespect, but I got my license means absolutely nothing either. Shoot, my wife got her license & scared the snot out of me every time she got out on it. Very happy she gave it up. Get more wrenching , maintaining, & riding under your belt, just keep learning, heck it seems you've got a good start already. I want to see pictures of your GS650GL when it looks, sounds, & rides like it did back in 1982. Then, down the road, if you still want to cafe build (butcher) a bike, find an old beater, use the experience you've acquired to get it up & going then butch--- I mean cafe it & keep your old GS as it should be. Just seems you may be trying to go too far too fast, keep it up but with patience.

[dorkburger]

Personally I don't think removing the rear fender and having an abruptly ending seat looks sporty at at all. It looks.... unfinished at best and leaves little room to mount a taillight that's actually functional and visible.
I don't have a problem with bobbed fenders and seats, as long as there is a nice visual flow, and most importantly function.