wanna do a cafe chop

[Anonymous]

hey all. i want to do a cafe/streetfighter job on my GS... any good sources for parts/ any tips, tricks, things i can remove? i am thinking the bulky engine case guards for starters... i also have a set of clubmans that i had bolted onto an unused hinda project. i dont have rear sets, so i am a little worried about riding posisiton. i am also thinking mag wheels as i recently discovered a snapped spoke, and would really like to avoid having to replace nad tighten then frequently. if i recall corredctly mags were lighter anyhow. ideas? its a 78 GS550. thanks in advance.

[marcovandevelde]

Hi Shog,
Have a look at this site of Robin http://www.msnusers.com/motorgek
I think he built a really cool GS Caf?-racer =D> and as I know him personally I'm sure he's willing to help you out.

Greetings and good luck, Marco.

[pete]

Hi Shog,

I'm actually starting to do the same with my '81 GS450.

I've located a 2 into 1 exhaust that will come from England. It's a Motad brand and looks pretty good from the photos.

Also, I can get some Raask rearsets that bolt straight on to the 450's brackets, so that's pretty cool.

As far as handlebars go, I haven't got that far yet, still trying to get some time to get to a shop to have a look at some clubman style bars as I think the clip-ons will be a little too extreme for me.

My web page contains updates on the project, although it's not very far along at all at the moment unfortunately.

Cheers!

Pete

[robinjo]

Real cafe-racers have spoked wheels and NO indicators, hardley any fenders, or comfort for that matter, there is a price to pay for coolness! 8) You got a pic of your bike?

[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0PgAAAH8SUj2UWJUoqPuPnmTEJ8HJhTq8slOsqbpUEmrLExIpX WOvip4KQauKoOZbzKYNz6BVLHUA2E4X16P8Q*rds0DDSucN/cr3.jpg[/img]

Here's mine, sold it unfortunately.

[sagent]

I actually prefer the clip on handlebars, cluman handlebars prevent you from sliding the triple trees down over the forks to lower your front end. also does anybody know of a narrower tank for a '77 750 I want to put some clip ons on there but the tank is too wide and it will get in the way

[Anonymous]

god dammit... that 750 is sweet! i have seen that pic a bunch of times, even e mailed the builder... sooo jealous. i think i may get a cafe seat from Omar's...dude said his cafe bits will fit the GS550. they were designed for suzuki water buffalos (GT750), but they should bolt up without issue. i also plan to use the shock mount mounted side tail light for ease of adaption. rear sets maybe in the future. found a used motor for the bike (haven't bought it yet), but i dont think its going anywhere anytime soon. gonna pick it up in a paycheck or two, rebuild it (taking my time, as it would be my first motorcycle rebuild), and bore it out to about 650cc... as i remember someone had a link to a guy who did it, and would be a very valuable parts reference. anyone still have the link??? clip ons are rad. just cant think of a spot to put them on my forks.

[andyjohnson]

pete did you ever get those rear sets from Raask? I'm also trying to mod a GS450 and would like to move the controls back a few inches.

[andyjohnson]

What about replacing your air filter and airbox with pod filters, shog. although you may need to re-jet the carbs.

[Anonymous]

actually i never really got the cafe thing off the ground with the suzuki... college has kept me very broke... slowly working on building up a kawasaki 400cc triple into a rad little cafe.... not even going to mod it too heavily... i like the body style, pretty low slung. put some drop bars... most luikely superbikes... pods are on the way... might have to rejet, and i'll most likely find some way to open the exhaust up a bit (chambers for a 400 are hard to find). i'd still like to do cafe mods, but it takes a back seat to the kawasaki idea... as the suzuki is a great commuter machine (also gets the better gas mileage), so i figured if i was gonna do stuff to gain performance, might as well start out with a hotter bike. aside from missing one side covewr, the kawi is looking alright for a poor mans job so far (i may get it pro painted in the next year), but right now it is sitting all black (flat). just gotta find someone on the kawi board who has experience with rear sets... as some people can fabricate them, and are willing to sell them for a small fee. i remember someone on here had made some for a GS550, and was willing to make another set for around 80 bucks. pretty sweet. just don't remember who it was.

[pete]

Hey Andy, I got unsubscribed due to inactivity a little while back... d'oh!

Anyway, no rear sets yet, still sussing my options on them at the moment.

I believe there may be other ways around handing out the $$$ so I'm waiting to see what happens at the moment.

First thing I need to do is get my engine out and sort the gearbox out, then I'll start with the nice stuff.

[andyjohnson]

I checked on the rearsets wih Raask, but they only list the GS450 as compatible up to 1983, mine is an '87. does anyone know what the significant differences are? or whether I could convince sets for an '83 to work?

[pete]

That's a bit painful! If you have someone near you who stocks them, maybe you could take your bike in and have a look to see if you can make a suitable set from parts?

The place I can get them from doesn't stock them, but lists a whole heap of parts you can use to make up a custom set to suit pretty much any bike.

Also, someone else (I think it's BGMart), managed to get a set of what he was told are GSX250 pegs to fit which did the same thing, and the only thing he had to do was cut and weld his brake pedal to suit.

[andyjohnson]

pete thanks alot you've been a tremendous help.