GS450 Mega Build

[Tim Tom]

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Cool! Love the selected color photos. It looks much better than my relay mod being held on with 3 zip-ties!

[scottychop]

And

Thanks for the compliments. Spend all day today in the shop.....officially my last weekday off until next summer. Time to go back to the teaching gig. I got a couple of little wiring things done and then tackled a stainless bracket to mount up two new headlights. Like?





and started painting my new front wheel. Hopefully I can get the tire mounted up this weekend.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

The dual headlights look cool! Do they project well? And black rims certainly add more horsepower Keep it up.

[pete]

Not 100% sure where you're heading with this, but from what I can tell so far those lights should look awesome, and the black wheels will definitely go well also.

[scottychop]

Ha!

I'm not 100% sure either! More like 50%.....Maybe I should take a poll.

[pete]

Hahaha like a poll's gonna make your mind up for you

I'd rather get a nice surprise at the end, see how far away my imagination is from what you end up with...

But that 527 engine mod in the other thread... wow... your front end would be needed for that!

[scottychop]

Moving along!

Mustered the courage to start assembling the front end. After a nice long ride on on the old forks, I started disassembly. Then I tackled getting the new tire on and bead seated. Whew!

Questions:
1. Should I keep the headlights?
2. Should I keep the clip ons?

What do you guys think?

[Charlie G]

Since you asked.......

As far as a headlight goes, I prefer a single bucket. I like alot of light and if those (the pair) lights cast good, usable light I might be pursuaded to use them. The stock 450 bulb is dim, expensive and prone to failure. I don't think they look bad, I just like a single.

I really like the looks of the clip ons. If you can live ( as in comfort) with the position by playing with the foot control location and seat I'd deffently keep them.


cg

[Tim Tom]

questions:
1. Should i keep the headlights?
2. Should i keep the clip ons?

What do you guys think?

1. Yes!
2. Yes!!

[pete]

I like 'em...

[Flaming Chainsaws]

I would definitely keep it if the headlight projects light well and if the clip ons are comfortable.

Love the meatier forks. Can't wait to see what you got planned for the rear end

[scottychop]

Hum...

Thanks guys. The clipons look fantastic but are already giving me second thoughts. I spend about 5 minutes sitting on the bike and my back and neck were sore. I think I am going to put them up for sale and mount some risers to the GSXR tree. I like riding upright anyway! Got the lights fully wired up today, and working pretty nicely. Surprisingly, the birds nest of wires inside the headlight bucket neatly tucked into the slot in front of the coils.

Now, just awaiting those damn spacers......... I hate farming out work. I almost went out and bought a damn lathe just to make my own. I have been shopping around for a small bench lathe lately. Don't tell the wife!

Scott

[Charlie G]

Thanks guys. The clipons look fantastic but are already giving me second thoughts. I spend about 5 minutes sitting on the bike and my back and neck were sore. I think I am going to put them up for sale and mount some risers to the GSXR tree. I like riding upright anyway! Got the lights fully wired up today, and working pretty nicely. Surprisingly, the birds nest of wires inside the headlight bucket neatly tucked into the slot in front of the coils.

Now, just awaiting those damn spacers......... I hate farming out work. I almost went out and bought a damn lathe just to make my own. I have been shopping around for a small bench lathe lately. Don't tell the wife!

Scott

Scotty,

I don't know to much about metal lathes, but their probally like wood lathes, in that the lathe is the smallest part of the expense. I bought a used wood for $400.00. Great deal. The tools for starting were $250.00. I wanted a 4 jaw chuck, $300.00. Then I needed new tail piece and drill chuck $150.00. Special water cooled grinder, $250.00. Bandsaw, $350.00. I could still spend more money and I probally have made less that $200.00 from the bowls I've turned, not that was the point of buying it. I admit it, I'm a tool junkie.

A far as the clip on go. Think unless you adjust the peg and seat as well, that you might find in uncomfortbale beyond 100 miles.

cg

[scottychop]

Yeah

I hear ya. Those few lathes that are fully tooled are way expensive. Hard to justify for casual use. Been working hard on the bike, though not much to see. made up a new set of risers and welded them on. Bike looks great, and is so much more comfortable. I also mounted up my new battery. Running the Parts Unlimited battery YTX-4LBS. It is at least half the size of the stocker. Now, where can I hide this thing......

[Macguyver]

Battery? We don't need no stinking (visible) battery!

I love how small the 4LBS battery is, makes it soooo much easier to get out of the way.

I would say, check to see if the battery will fit in the rear cowl behind the seat latch. That's where I have mine hidden. Fits great, and it's completely hidden. Mind you, I have a custom rear fender going on, so you may need to make some *ahem* modifications, to your bike to make it fit.
I am sure you could handle it though.

As far as the mini-projector lights go, I love the compact-ness of them, and I went through the same situation on my build. I ended up going with 4" dual lights because the small projectors were too limiting with the pattern of light they put out.

At night they didn't light up enough of the road. Like you, I had them mounted 90 degrees over on their side, which made the internal reflector make them project a vertical line of light instead of the horizontal line best suited for illuminating the roadway and shoulders in front of you. I rotated, then removed the internal reflectors to try and remedy this, which yielded an almost unusable light pattern.

As long as the ones you have on there are bright enough for you, and spread the light well enough for you to be safe when riding, I would say go for it and use them since they do look killer.

All in all, outstanding work, keep us updated!