GS1100G Cafe Racer

[Flyboy]

Wow, coming along nicely, that motor looks really good, keep it up.

[oohsam]

Mate that looks good!

Two words of warning... don't use anything but OEM gaskets on the base, and use anti sieze on the SS bolts for the case covers and valve cover, not loctite... you don't want those shiny new SS bolts becoming one with your alloy cases...

What do you mean OEM gaskets on the base?
Are the gaskets I got no good?
I only need gaskets for the case covers and the valve cover and the oil sump...

[pete]

I mean as in base gasket and that area. Case covers are fine, just a few guys on here have had grief with aftermarket base gaskets failing, so the recommendation is stick with OEM for those at least.

[oohsam]

Ah ok, thanks for the clarification! I'll just use these now that I have em and monitor em....Not a big deal if they leak, i'll just replace em....not a hard job!

[pete]

No worries, case covers shouldn't be a drama and neither should the valve cover. Not sure about the head gasket but I used an Athena on mine and I'm just crossing my fingers it'll be ok, but I did stick with an OEM base gasket.

The problem for us 450 guys is that there is no such thing as an OEM gasket kit any more, so we have to buy them individually if we want all OEM and the price per gasket... man it ain't cheap!

[7981GS]

(once I am sure I have every bolt in the right spot) as the bolt kit is not labelled, I just had to try and work out what bolt goes where...

e

The trick to getting the right length bolt in the correct spot is to put them in until ALL of them protrude the same amount on the side that seals.

Daniel

[pete]

Or you could do what I did...

Slave over the parts fiche with a ruler and measure all the bolts out and put them aside according to what case cover they fit... yes it was tedious and painful and no I had nothing better to do at the time

[oohsam]

So, I've been a bit quiet of late. Not because I dont want to work on the bike, but because I anualy try and go to NZ for a bit of a snowboarding sesh with the boys. I think its healthy to get away every now and then, and rest the mind and work.

Here's what I had to deal with..Just for some perspective, 1 week before we got there, there was no snow. It was claimed the worst season ever in NZ. It was mid July and they had a 20cm base. Then 2 days before we got there, it dumped, and it boy did it dump hard. We had 2 meters of fresh white fluffy powder. Great holiday...

[oohsam]

And so when I came back, My powdercoater called me and told me the frame was done. I actually wanted it done in orange (sounds strange I know) but I have seen a very nice powder-coat orange, which is more red but has a nice orange tang. It was going to cost too much because it was not a colour they had on stock. So I went with a flame blood red. Which is pretty red, but in the sun its a little lighter than red.

It turned out good. Not excellent, just good. But good is good enough for me. I was quite upset that they didn't plug up the threads like they said they would...I thought it would take ages to clean up the threads, but it didn't.
He gave me some Gun Wash that he cleans the powder gun with, i put some on a cotton bud and rubbed it in the threads. Left it for 5 mins and then used a Tapp to remove the rest of the powder in the threads. I didn't do them all yet just the ones for the swingarm (was very worried bout those as they were bigger than anything I had a tapp for. So i used the largest tapp and swirled it through the thread....hope it makes sense! lol.





And I also purchased this...I really wanted a small battery that could start up my GS and was small enough to leave the frame nice and open. This should just about do it..

[Tim Tom]

Ohhh the red frame looks good. And so does that bit of snow you posted previously. Here in the States it's about 95 Fahrenheit, I would love to go snowboarding right about now. And 6 feet of the stuff sounds just about perfect to me!

I'm excited to see how this bike turns out. The frame is nice and loud, I'm sure the rest of the bike will be sweet too.

[pete]

I wondered where you'd been!

Lovin' that frame though, looking real good. PITA the PC guy didn't keep the threads clean, seems every thread I see posted about getting something PC'd ends up with someone having to clean up a bunch of threads and holes as stuff doesn't fit anymore.

That A123 battery is definitely nice and small, but seeing the size against the coke can there makes me think it won't fit in my new duck tail after all... bugger!

Looking forward to more progress now you're away from the sheep temptation

[psyguy]

I anualy try and go to NZ for a bit of a snowboarding sesh with the boys. I think its healthy to get away every now and then, and rest the mind and work.

I also like to get away across the ditch (the other way round though) but to get to a warmer climate, like up Pete's way...

Love the red frame !

[Bill C.]

I will be following along on this one. Good work so far. Lots of well thought out ideas.

[oohsam]

I wondered where you'd been!

Lovin' that frame though, looking real good. PITA the PC guy didn't keep the threads clean, seems every thread I see posted about getting something PC'd ends up with someone having to clean up a bunch of threads and holes as stuff doesn't fit anymore.

That A123 battery is definitely nice and small, but seeing the size against the coke can there makes me think it won't fit in my new duck tail after all... bugger!

Looking forward to more progress now you're away from the sheep temptation

Pete, That battery is actually the largest one they sell. The smaller ones for smaller bikes are half and 1/4 of that size! Check them out definitely.
I went for the larger as it was recommended but I could have gone for the one that was half that size and it would have provided enough crank to start the beast.

[pete]

I also like to get away across the ditch (the other way round though) but to get to a warmer climate, like up Pete's way...

Love the red frame !

For sure, none of that white stuff here! Haha... never actually seen it in person, looks too damn cold for me!!

Pete, That battery is actually the largest one they sell. The smaller ones for smaller bikes are half and 1/4 of that size! Check them out definitely.
I went for the larger as it was recommended but I could have gone for the one that was half that size and it would have provided enough crank to start the beast.

Cool, I shall have to have a closer look at dimensions once I get to that point... way off needing a battery yet unfortunately.