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Gs850 drag/cafe/oem+ build

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    Gs850 drag/cafe/oem+ build

    Hello fellow gs owners, I’m fairly new here and my intro post was basically becoming a build thread so I figured I’d start one in the proper place. I’d like to preface saying I bought this bike with the intentions on making a long low bare bones bike. Yes I’m cutting off stock parts, yes it’s not getting restored but the beauty of motorcycles is there is plenty of room within this culture everyone can have their own opinion on what’s “right” or “looks good”, that being said let’s get into it!

    So last year I picked up a ‘79 gs850 from someone local for 300 bucks. Bike had been sitting for years and was the guys late grandpa’s bike. I’ve never owned a gs but what gravitated me towards the bike was the mag wheels, the square shaped tank and just how long the bike was. I’m a big guy and feel way to cramped on most old Japanese bikes. I’ve owned and modified several bikes over the years mainly Kawasaki 750 twins and a few Harley’s. My current daily is a ‘81 gl1100 so there is no discrimination here, I dig lots of different styles. This is how the bike looked when I bought it, more or less. I had already mocked up the clip ons and had swapped the shocks in this picture. The seat was toast and the wiring was a mess. The paint and bodywork has the perfect patina for a 40+ year old machine and to my delight the gas tank on the inside is absolutely mint. No surface rust or anything. So it seemed like a good base for a budget build.
    C368BA77-0271-4781-892E-38C599355887.jpg
    Last edited by MapleK; 04-30-2022, 08:50 AM.

    #2
    I knew it needed fork seals immediately so I decided to start on the front end. I took the front end off and cleaned everything. Noticed my steering neck bearings were roached so I decided to replace those as well. While everything was off I painted my front wheel got the new fork seals and fluid installed and replaced my crappy neck bearings.

    93100842-C8DD-4642-A7A9-97B08810209D.jpg

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      #3
      Also took the opportunity for some cosmetic upgrades up front so I mounted a smaller headlight and smoothed over the top triple tree to delete the stock risers since I was running clip ons.
      6985A3FF-628D-4CA0-ADAC-894B7BAD5F29.jpg

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        #4
        Here’s one more of the front end…
        6DEC9160-D7D0-4C86-AFF7-FD4572D59FAD.jpg

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          #5
          By this point I’ve also ditched all gauges and hand controls and rewired the bike. Luckily these bikes end up having like 10 total wires with all the stuff that gets tossed. So that makes life easier. My stock seat was basically a good 50/50 split of oem materials and duct tape so I decided to ditch it and buy a 30 eBay seat. For the price and what I’m trying to do with the bike it was well worth it. Seat weighs about 1/3 of the stock seat and is a place to put my ass so I’m happy.

          ED19CCE9-45E9-4F50-BE7E-460889ABAE95.jpg

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            #6
            It was now time to get the frame, seat mounting and tail light situated. Started by rolling some tube at work then cutting it to the proper length to hug the seat. Also made some “filler pieces” to box in the frame where it was cut behind the shock mounts.

            FAE8B6CA-8489-4C99-92D9-FC26D4E4BD68.jpg

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              #7
              Found a nice little laser cut scrap at work for my taillight tab and bent my seat mounting bracket out of 1” flat stock.
              062F4B73-DB52-484D-87D3-76BAAEC86F4F.jpg

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                #8
                Cleaned up the frame a bit and painted it black. Here’s how it ended up turning out with the seat and tail light mounted.
                97ABDA8C-B42C-441C-AC24-54D9F595FF50.jpg

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                  #9
                  The fitment from the back.

                  009B5E1D-9CEA-4FBE-8901-13FE0301C5ED.jpg

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                    #10
                    I wasn’t happy with the tail light wiring running up the rear frame so I hid it by routing the Tail light wiring through the seat with an epoxied in grommet.

                    09E6DDDF-CE3F-4A1F-AFF2-B0027EB6DB7E.jpg

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                      #11
                      Now that that was all buttoned up I removed my rear brake (needs rebuilt) my back wheel and dismounted the tire from the wheel. Perfect time to paint while waiting on a new back tire.

                      F55E3C9C-4DBA-496F-8B42-2C0A5E9CC400.jpg

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                        #12
                        I have a supertrapp 4-1 that will be going on so the stock exhaust came off, (it’s for sale). This is where it sits today… Have done a lot of work and still have a ways to go but I think with some perseverance I’ll be riding it this season.

                        6A18494A-541E-4168-81C4-6BD01746CC3D.jpg


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                          #13
                          Oh painted the swingarm too while the wheel was off.

                          0887FC8E-6C90-4BAF-9F4B-970BF2C716C4.jpg

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                            #14
                            I'm curious how your going to keep the tire from hitting the cross bar? It looks pretty close
                            My Motorcycles:
                            22 Kawasaki Z900 RS (Candy Tone Blue)
                            22 BMW K1600GT (Probably been to a town near you)
                            82 1100e Drag Bike (needs race engine)
                            81 1100e Street Bike (with race engine)
                            79 1000e (all original)
                            82 850g (all original)
                            80 KZ 650F (needs restored)

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                              #15
                              Hasn't installed the struts? "yet"
                              1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

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