switching shaftie to chain...

[smokienutz]

i have a question and it mostly derives from titale issues. atm i have a 1980 gs1100L and i am digging it alot. but i am running into a few title issues and might not be able to title her here in ca. (still working on it). my question is, can i take an 81 gs1100L that is a shaftie and convert her to a chain w/out cutting etc. i found a cheap parts bike (the 81) and was thinking it would be easier to just use that frame versus what i am going thru. and if i can do this what should i expect? like the ride, mechanis, and overall of the bike? i am thinking if the conversion works should be the same has the 80. please any thought would be greatly appriciated because, i don't want to have to junk her or park her. thanks

[chef1366]

For sure you'd have to swap the swingarm. I'm not sure of the spacing on the rest of the frame though.

[smokienutz]

spacing? is there more to it than switching swingarms and adding the chain?

[Nessism]

There is no reasonable way to convert the bike. The engines are totally different, as are the frames.

What is the title issue? CA is not too hard to deal with unless there are back fees accumulated and lost titles are no big deal.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

The output of the shaft and chain drive motors are totally different.



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[SqDancerLynn1]

ITT ?? title service

[Theo]

I have no idea what it would take but anything is possible if you have the time, money and the know how. Here is a pic of a bmw shaftie converted to chain. It's the one on the right

[conrad]

that's ace ace ace

ace

[SqDancerLynn1]

It would be easier to cut the neck off an re-weld it to the titled bike frame

[mike10]

Nice

I have no idea what it would take but anything is possible if you have the time, money and the know how. Here is a pic of a bmw shaftie converted to chain. It's the one on the right

I like the mail box stand. and you don't bikes like that too often either.

[smokienutz]

those are some sweet rides man. are they yours? i am really digging the one on the right!!

I have no idea what it would take but anything is possible if you have the time, money and the know how. Here is a pic of a bmw shaftie converted to chain. It's the one on the right

[smokienutz]

well the story goes like this lol. i bought the bike from a guy in sacremento, he gave a me a bill of sale. cool. he never put it in his name, he had a bill of sale from the previous owner, cool. no big deal. i ran the numbers and the bike isn't stolen. cool. so i bike the bike thinking everything would be cool. cool. so i go to the dmv and they do thier thing and they say, the bike isn't in any of these guys' name. it isn't even registered in ca. it's registered in nevada. they say ok call nev. and they will help you get what u need. cool. i call nevada and they are the biggest bunch of d**** and biatches ever to deal w/!!! NOT COOL!! so i ask them what should i do. i am lost i bought this bike thinking everything is cool and no what. nev.. NOT MY PROBLEM.. WTFRIG are you talking about. i need an ssue resolve and u hang up. bam. so i have done some digging and from i am gathering is i need to contact the last known owner. cool. no dmv will give me is name because, IT VIOLATES A PRIVACY ACT. NOT COOL!! so what to do now?

[exbellicus]

Look into getting a bonded title.

[Nessism]

well the story goes like this lol. i bought the bike from a guy in sacremento, he gave a me a bill of sale. cool. he never put it in his name, he had a bill of sale from the previous owner, cool. no big deal. i ran the numbers and the bike isn't stolen. cool. so i bike the bike thinking everything would be cool. cool. so i go to the dmv and they do thier thing and they say, the bike isn't in any of these guys' name. it isn't even registered in ca. it's registered in nevada. they say ok call nev. and they will help you get what u need. cool. i call nevada and they are the biggest bunch of d**** and biatches ever to deal w/!!! NOT COOL!! so i ask them what should i do. i am lost i bought this bike thinking everything is cool and no what. nev.. NOT MY PROBLEM.. WTFRIG are you talking about. i need an ssue resolve and u hang up. bam. so i have done some digging and from i am gathering is i need to contact the last known owner. cool. no dmv will give me is name because, IT VIOLATES A PRIVACY ACT. NOT COOL!! so what to do now?

That's a toughy being out of state. Thought I could help but maybe not. Only thing I can think of is to open a lien sale against it for abandonment. I've never done this before but heard you can site the vehicle as abandoned on your property. Again, I've not done this before so just thinking out loud.

Good luck and hope you get this resolved. I once bought a bike with a Bill of Sale, only to learn that the registered owner was out of state now and the bike was listed as non-operational in CA. Out of pure luck I managed to find the guy in NV and get his blessing to transfer the bike over to me. All this business happened AFTER I sold the bike to a friend of a friend so I was sweating bullets getting everything straightened out.

[salty_monk]

Try one of the title services or as Lynn says get the titled frame & weld the neck on the one that isn't titled... much easier than trying to convert shaft to Chain.

Failing that look out for a titled frame that's the same model....