MY FORKS HIT MY TANK

[Guest]

what i started out with was a 1979 gs750L. i dont really like the style of the L model so i decided i want to change the whole body style to the standard or e model. what i did was buy a tank, rear fender and tail piece, fork ears, and seat. my bike might seem a bit funny now. since my new tank doesn't have a gas float, so i have a non working gauge for it. my L model headlight doesn't fit the ears correctly, i still have the leading axle forks and some other odd and ends. but when i turn my bars, the fork legs hit the tank. so i guess the triple clamps i need to get are pushed foward more? i also have the wrong seat. its off of a 1980 850 i think. i kinda modified it to fit on by cutting some of the bottom out. the rear of the seat doesn't exactly lign up with the tailpiece. but this a is a project bike for me although i ride it daily. here's a picture. does anyone have a the correct triple clamps or now what ones i should get?

[duaneage]

I think you are going to need more than just a triple tree. The frame may be a little bit different, like the angle the forks are at to the rest of the bike. The L models used longer fork tubes and that gave a different agle for the head set where the triple tree resides.

You may also have noticed that you can't turn the wheel as far, might be hard turning the bike around in a driveway.

hurts to say it but I would at least consider using the L tank since it is smaller for a reason. The larger tank is not going to work well with this frame.

Don't take this the wrong way but you can't make a racehorse out of a mule or a E model out of an L. They are two differnt bikes. As a consolation, you might try a tank from a 650 or 550 G/E/T model since they are a little bit smaller (4 vs 5 gallon) and might clear the forks better.

[Nerobro]

The 550 tank will not fit over the backbone. At all. :-)

[LW_Icarus]

thats the best looking L Ive ever seen maybe the triple clamps off an 850, or the bike the tank came from would be different? all you can really do is take some measurments, take a straight edge and lay it on the uppers inbetween the forks and the headtube, how far ahead or behind the headtube are they? take a measurement at the top and bottom if you can. also, what diameter fork tubes have you got?
I absolutely wouldnt give up, thats gonna be a cool bike when ya get done,one of those you haveta to look at for a minute to figure out whats been done

[Billy Ricks]

Just need to rig up some fork stops by either welding tabs to the lower triple or welding something to the bottom of the steering head where the fork stops make contact.

[duaneage]

I might have a triple tree from a 1982gs850G in my attic, I will look tomorrow.

I feel a bit guilty contributing to this effort but I am owerless to stop myself.

[Tarbash 27]

well, thanks for all you comliments. i do like this tank alot and want to keep it. i mean i put some little dents in it so far because of the forks hitting, but if i can some how make it better, a little bondo to the tank wont hurt. i really cant turn around in a driveway. but when i ride, there's no effect of steering. because there's no need for me to turn that far whereas it would hit the tank.when you look at the bike from the side looking at the headtube. you cant see a gap in between the forklegs and the headtube. the forks sit back a bit in the triple clamps i guess to compensate for the leading fork axle. i looked at pictures of an e or standard model and there fork legs sit a bit more foward where you can see through the headtube and forklegs. i think them being a bit more foward can get me a bit more room. my last resort was to use billy ricks advice at making stop tabs. but i will not give up. this bike is my pride and joy no matter how ugly it is. the bike started out like beach cruiser with big wide bars, tall seat, and highway footpegs.

[Tarbash 27]

OK, I JUST TOOK THE BIKE OUT OF MY SHED, I TURNED THE BARS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES UNTIL THEY HIT THE TANK. THERE IS A BIT MORE OF A DENT ON THE RIGHT SIDE SO IT GOES ABOUT AN 1/8 INCH FUTHER OF A TURN. I LOOKED IN BETWEEN THE FORK STOP ON THE FRAME AND CLAMP. THERE IS ABOUT A 1/8 INCH GAP. SO ITS NOT THAT FAR. I CAN EVEN GET THE BIKE ON THE FORK LOCK. I MIGHT HAVE A SIMPLE SOLUTION. I HAVE THE WHOLE TRIPLE CLAMP ASSEMBLY OFF OF A 83 GS450L. I MEASURED THEM A WHILE AGO AND THE FORK LEGS SIT ABOUT 1/2 INCH NARROWER TOGHETHER. SO IF I WERE TO PUT THOSE ON, WHEN I TURN, I DONT THINK THEY WOULD HIT, BUT THEN I MIGHT HAVE FRONT WHEEL SPACER PROBLEMS. I HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT AND DO SOME MEASURING, ILL LET YOU GUYS KNOW LATER, SORRY ABOUT THE CAPITAL LETTERS, I JUST NOTICED IT WAS ON NOW, OOPS

[Billy Ricks]

You will run into a multitude of problems trying to make the 450 clamp work. Best solution is to modify the fork stops. A small amount of welding at the steering head should remedy the problem.

[Tarbash 27]

WELL IM GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THE WELDING, I WANT TO GET THE STRAIGHT FORKS INSTEAD OF THE LEADING AXLE ONES ALONG WITH BETTER FITTING CLAMPS. I ALSO HAVE CROSS RILLED ROTORS I WANT TO PUT ON OFF OF A 1983 GS750E. AND I AM NOT SURE IF I WANT TO GO TO SINGLE DISC OR NOT. I LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF ONE ROTOR, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BRAKING, IM NOT SURE. IM NOT IN NO HURRY. IM GOINF TO STILL RIDE THE BIKE AS IT IS EVEN IF IT HITS THE TANK, I DONT CARE ABOUT IT NOW. IM GOING TO CLEAN IT UP LATER ON ANYWAYS. IM GOING TO ENJOY THE NICE WEATHER WHILE ITS HERE BEFORE THE SNOW COMES.

[blackwolf]

Dent the tank and do a little body work you said its only 1\8 inch ,A little fiber\bondo and and sanding and pant and your done.Why make Little problem so big.

[Bucko]

If I were you I would modify the steering stops as Billy Ricks said.
As for the single disc, I wouldn't. Keep both for better stopping. Remember this is a real bike you are playing with, not some crappy Harley.

[flyingace]

I thought about doing the same thing to my 850L, but quickly came to the conclusion that it was only my pride that wanted the standard model. Fact is, the 'L' models are just as fast and handle at least as well. The differences are cosmetic, not performance. These bikes were designed as a unit from the ground up, and do not take well to part swapping.

I'm saying this in the hopes of saving you a lot of grief - but I get the impression you're not going to listen.

[skreemer]

I thought about doing the same thing to my 850L, but quickly came to the conclusion that it was only my pride that wanted the standard model. Fact is, the 'L' models are just as fast and handle at least as well. The differences are cosmetic, not performance. These bikes were designed as a unit from the ground up, and do not take well to part swapping.

I'm saying this in the hopes of saving you a lot of grief - but I get the impression you're not going to listen.

Don't know about the 83 but the 80 GS850GL has only a 2.5 gallon gas tank... makes it a damn pain to try long runs...

[flyingace]

I agree - that's the one thing that I would change. However, I think the number is 3.2 gallons since I put 2 gallons in when the gauge reads 1/2 - maybe you aren't counting reserve. But this isn't a performance issue, it's a convinience issue. Myself, I can't go more than 100 miles without stopping anyway - my old butt just needs the break.