1980 GS550E Air Box or Pods??

[Guest]

I am building a cafe for the girlfriend. Since I am dealing with the BS32SS carbs Most would say stick to the stock air box? That is not very CAFE? I know this is a very hot issue. My questions are:

Is there any options to the OEM air box?

Can I go with the VM type carbs (will they fit?) they take the pods a little better.

Can the air box be modified, or is there an after market system that looks cool??

Is there any way to use the twin filters or pods on the BS CV Carbs?? I have not tried that yet. I have had good sucess with pods on the VM type carbs. Thank you guys.20191020_194353.jpg

[Nessism]

Pods will work. Get some real deal K&N's though, not junky Emgo cheapies. Dynojet sells a kit that's listed for the 1983 550M, which uses the same engine and carbs as your bike so it should work fine.

[Steve]

I am building a cafe for the girlfriend.

Just wondering if she is comfortable with the idea.

Also whether she will be comfortable on the bike.

Did she ask for a cafe-type bike or are you just presenting it to her?

I know there are different styles, different tastes, etc., just making sure it's something she will appreciate.

Back to your question: Nessism pretty much has it covered. CV-type carbs can be made to work with pods, it just takes a few different steps than the VM carbs.

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[renorealtors]

Just wondering if she is comfortable with the idea.

Also whether she will be comfortable on the bike.

Did she ask for a cafe-type bike or are you just presenting it to her?

I know there are different styles, different tastes, etc., just making sure it's something she will appreciate.

Back to your question: Nessism pretty much has it covered. CV-type carbs can be made to work with pods, it just takes a few different steps than the VM carbs.

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We go to bike night and she is very short so we thought the GS550 would be good to start with.

You mentioned steps with the "CV-type". What are the steps?? Is there a thread on the forum describing how to set up the carbs for a pipe and pods??

Thank you both for ringing in.

[renorealtors]

here is one of my Cafe bikes. The GS550 will be similar.

[Big T]

Look up at the top of the carb forum at "Pods, pipe, panic"

But, what Steve is asking is" does your girlfriend want to ride in comfort and control, or just down to where ever you hang out"?

Because you rarely see "Cafe racers" very far from their hom

[renorealtors]

Yes we just ride down to bike night that is maybe 5 miles from home. I'm one of those guys that like to build and ridding is second. I rarely put more than 50 miles on a build in a year.

[Steve]

Yes we just ride down to bike night that is maybe 5 miles from home. I'm one of those guys that like to build and ridding is second. I rarely put more than 50 miles on a build in a year.

Is she always going to go just where you go, or does she plan on doing her own rides from time to time?
Just about ANYTHING can be tolerated for 5 miles.

I also enjoy the process of working on a bike and getting it ready to ride, but by the time it's done, I want to RIDE. My shortest "test ride" is just literally "around the block". It is just about 1 mile. The next-larger test loop is around our plat. That is 2.3 miles. Slightly larger "blocks" are 5.7 and 7.1 miles. If I want to include some freeway speeds, that loop is 20 miles. I have trouble comprehending that just a couple of those loops (which might easily be done in one day) would comprise almost your entire riding for a whole year.

Hopefully you keep stabilized fuel in the tank.

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[renorealtors]

Amen to the stabilizer. Recently I have found Maverick sells a fuel without any ethanol and I have been told it will last a LOT20181005_161731 - Copy.jpg longer so all my bikes have it in the tank. Sometimes I wake up and say " I need to sell a couple of these bikes before I go crazy servicing and keeping them running!" so I list a bike or two and get down to a reasonable number only to find two more I can not live with out.

It is a diseases!

[Rob S.]

...she is very short...

Are cafes known for having low seat heights?

[Steve]

I don't know about overall height, but most that I have seen don't have much padding.

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