1981 GS450E Rebuild

[pete]

Def need to get some genuine gaskets. they were 3 times thicker than the cheapos i put in there...

Yeah if only I knew about Boulevard earlier... us 450 guys can't buy genuine kits any more so it was a tad expensive at the time to buy individual genuine gaskets

[landshark]

Pete, i saw you are looking at the acewells, i have one on my bike if you want to check it out one day.

[pete]

Pete, i saw you are looking at the acewells, i have one on my bike if you want to check it out one day.

Thanks for the heads up mate! Will definitely do that.

If you make it on the 5th I'll have a good look then, otherwise I'll try to get down your way for a run over Tamborine before March and say g'day.

I've never been much of a fan of digital speedo's and tacho's but I don't think I have much choice without spending even more on getting these ones rebuilt professionally... and even then I think the speedo will still be out because of the front tyre size.

[landshark]

If you do come down this way, turn off at Yatala towards Jacobs Well and go through the cane fields, nice twisty ride, you then take the turn to Ormeau before you hit Jacobs Well. It will bring you back out on the highway near the strawberry farm at Ormeau(just north of Dreamworld).
You could then head over Tamborine from the Oxenford end.

[pete]

If you do come down this way, turn off at Yatala towards Jacobs Well and go through the cane fields, nice twisty ride, you then take the turn to Ormeau before you hit Jacobs Well. It will bring you back out on the highway near the strawberry farm at Ormeau(just north of Dreamworld).
You could then head over Tamborine from the Oxenford end.

Aaah nice, thanks for that! Definitely haven't been that way before. I think last time I went down via the highway and back via Jimboomba... I was living on the south side back then though. I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next decent run...

[pete]

Got out for a test ride on my newly found test route this avo and 36km's later looks like I have no oil weeping out the valve cover so far

Did a compression test when I got back and she was nice and warm and about 135PSI in each cylinder says she's all good...

[Leigh]

Just ironing out the bugs, eh Pete?

Mate, you should see the weather we've turned on down here for Simon.

Oh, was that insensitive?
hehehe

[pete]

Just ironing out the bugs, eh Pete?

Mate, you should see the weather we've turned on down here for Simon.

Oh, was that insensitive?
hehehe

Yeah yeah you and your bloody weather and the bloody Island

Yes I'm jealous ok? Haha

I hope you're taking lots of pic's!

Simon, steal the nice sunny weather for the trip back will ya? We want it up here for next weekend

[pete]

Well I'm sick and tired of having to drag my tank bag everywhere just so I get to take some tools with me... so I'm gonna do something about it.

There's room in the tail piece to fit a tool kit, but the bottom is hollow so it's not exactly an ideal location and anything I put in there will just slip out either side of the tail light bracket never to be seen again...



So, the obvious answer is to get my sheet of 1mm aluminium and cut out a base to put in there. Should be reasonably simple if not a bit fiddly because of the odd shapes that are in there and the tail light and indicator wiring.

Drew up a plan on the whiteboard:



Now I just need to get it drawn on the alu. and cut out... not sure if I'll be finished in time for the run on Sunday but it should be started at least.

I'll simply bolt it down with the tail light bracket bolts and the two bolts that hold the rear guard into the frame, should be plenty sturdy enough for what I need.

While I'm at it I really should cut out another bit to neaten the exposed front of the tail piece that you can see with the seat on... another eye sore that's annoying me...

[7981GS]

While you are at it, might as well extend the "ears" on the sides and rear so as to have enough material to fold up
and glue to the sides and rear for more strength and to assist in keeping smaller parts that you will eventually transport in there from falling out.

Daniel

[pete]

While you are at it, might as well extend the "ears" on the sides and rear so as to have enough material to fold up
and glue to the sides and rear for more strength and to assist in keeping smaller parts that you will eventually transport in there from falling out.

Daniel

Cheers Daniel, I was thinking about folding some sides up like that but hadn't thought about the rear or glueing... but yes definitely a good idea there!

Not sure I've got anything that will glue aluminium to the galvanised steel rods and steel mesh that formed the tail piece under the fibreglass but I'll have a look. I wonder if JB Weld would do that? Will have to check the tubes...

[Redneck]

Havy you thought about using wire mesh again and doing some more fibrglassing. Just a thought.

Paul

[pete]

Havy you thought about using wire mesh again and doing some more fibrglassing. Just a thought.

Paul

Noooooo!

Sorry, instant reaction there... hahaha

Fibreglassing is something I don't want to do too much of again... effective and handy but very sticky and messy... although it could perhaps form to the weird shapes in there a little easier...

I think I'll stick with the alu. and resort to fibreglass if the need arises... thanks for the suggestion Paul

[7981GS]

Cheers Daniel, I was thinking about folding some sides up like that but hadn't thought about the rear or glueing... but yes definitely a good idea there!

Not sure I've got anything that will glue aluminium to the galvanised steel rods and steel mesh that formed the tail piece under the fibreglass but I'll have a look. I wonder if JB Weld would do that? Will have to check the tubes...

3M Weatherstrip adhesive, glues just about anything to anything else.

Daniel

[pete]

3M Weatherstrip adhesive, glues just about anything to anything else.

Daniel

Checked the JB Weld packet tonight and it says aluminium also

However, thinking about it some more, I don't want to permanently attach it to the tail piece at all, I just want it held in by the four bolts so it can be removed separately, otherwise I'll never be able to get the tail piece off again if I need to...

I'll just stick to folded up sides and rear to stop things falling out, but I think whatever I put in there I'll put in a bag or something anyway as it probably won't be 100% protected from water either given the seat doesn't seal 100% against the tail piece.

So I pretty much finished the design tonight although I'm undecided how I'm going to mold/bend/fold it over the front of the tail light bracket:



And except for that undecided bit, I've got it all mapped out on a sheet of aluminium ready to start cutting:



What'd be real neat is if I could find a way to hook up a rubber strap across the opening to stop stuff coming forwards as well... I do still have the rubber strap from the stock tool kit holder...