Cafe, Rat...Brat? 1982 GS750T Bare Bones Project

[tenseventythree]

I traded a cool Baja Bug for this GS750T. It came with Clubmans so i figured that i would take it in that direction. Being of the mindset that "form follows function" and "less is more", I'm going for a stripped down cafe racer... or brat style. I'm not keen on labels. All i know is, I like flat black, i dislike plastic, i like simple and i like speed.
Here is what i started with:



I sanded and shot the tank. I also got rid of the side covers and made a smaller seat.



I then got rid of the rear fender and moved the tail light closer to the seat to tighten it up a bit.



what i have in mind next is shorter signal lights and a custom fuel gauge and gear indicator set up and some pipes to give it a beefier sound.
I'm debating on whether or not i will rip out the air box and install pods.

I heard that the GS750 handles poorly with the pods. if that is so ill sacrifice the look for performance on that one.

[Steel Toed Tank]

All it needed was a seat cover and maintenance and you would have had one of the nicest original T's on this site.

SMH.

I hope you saved the seat and side panels, there are many folks here that would buy them.

[GSXR7ED]

Hmmm...just thinking what would come about IF I ever decided to convert mine.

I'm enjoying it too much at the moment.

Do what you gotta do...it's your happiness in the end.




Ed

[Steel Toed Tank]

Mine looks the way it does because most of the parts I need are harder to find and my side panel tabs have been ground off by the previous owner.
To me half the beauty of the T is the way the panels and tank fit together.
Without one of those things the other doesn't look right.
I want a T that looks like the first picture.
If I was going to rat or brat a bike I would find one of the many L's to use.
Imagine stripping down a skunk like that!
I bet there is many more skunks out there than 750T's.

To each his own of course, I mean my T has a homemade seat & pan, relocated rear signal lights, no rear air box, diamond plate panels and an L tank, but only because I HAD to.
So mine has a bit of a 'survival bike' look to it but I started with a bike that was about to be crushed up into pop cans.

Although seeing that T above makes me understand a lot more why other members get upset seeing nice examples stripped down and rattle canned black.

I'm not trying to put down your bike 10-73, just caught me off guard that someone did to a T what I wanted to do, only in the complete opposite direction.

If I can offer a tip though, some diamond plate panels would look good on that!

[tenseventythree]

All it needed was a seat cover and maintenance and you would have had one of the nicest original T's on this site.

SMH.

I hope you saved the seat and side panels, there are many folks here that would buy them.

Got the seat pan, the side panels & the passenger bar as well as the tank badges.

[tenseventythree]

Mine looks the way it does because most of the parts I need are harder to find and my side panel tabs have been ground off by the previous owner.
To me half the beauty of the T is the way the panels and tank fit together.
Without one of those things the other doesn't look right.
I want a T that looks like the first picture.
If I was going to rat or brat a bike I would find one of the many L's to use.
Imagine stripping down a skunk like that!
I bet there is many more skunks out there than 750T's.

To each his own of course, I mean my T has a homemade seat & pan, relocated rear signal lights, no rear air box, diamond plate panels and an L tank, but only because I HAD to.
So mine has a bit of a 'survival bike' look to it but I started with a bike that was about to be crushed up into pop cans.

Although seeing that T above makes me understand a lot more why other members get upset seeing nice examples stripped down and rattle canned black.

I'm not trying to put down your bike 10-73, just caught me off guard that someone did to a T what I wanted to do, only in the complete opposite direction.

If I can offer a tip though, some diamond plate panels would look good on that!

I've never been a stock kind of guy. I got a lot of flack from my fellow VeeDubbers for my flat black Baja Bug too! I don't plan to do any cutting. I'm more than likely gonna just work with what I have. Cutting the frame seems to me like it would compromise the structural integrity of the bike.

Really dig the diamond plate. I had some on the door panels of my Baja.

[Steel Toed Tank]

Got the seat pan, the side panels & the passenger bar as well as the tank badges.

Well hold on to them if you ever want to put it back to stock, those are the hardest to find parts on that bike!
And if you want some cash I'm sure somebody will buy em off you.

[shwokee]

I think it's looking badass. Keep it up.

[tenseventythree]

I think it's looking badass. Keep it up.

Thanks!

Here's what i did recently:


I removed the stems off of the front signal lights and replaced the rear ones with LED mini lights.

[tenseventythree]

Got rid of the center light panel and cleaned up the gauge cluster.

[Steel Toed Tank]

Thanks!

Here's what i did recently:

I like that a lot! Great idea.
I think I'm going to do that, front and rear, when I do my dual filament socket conversion.

Oh hey, you should post your bikes pictures in the T Nation thread.
Also, whats the last 5 digits on your VIN?

[GSXR7ED]

^^Interesting...I like to rest on the tank and use my light panel as a wind-shield. Only problem, it needs to be tightened because it vibrates just a little. I haven't messed with it.



Go on with your bad self...takin' the stems off the lights. Enjoy the bike and thanks for the updates.




Ed

[tenseventythree]

^^Interesting...I like to rest on the tank and use my light panel as a wind-shield. Only problem, it needs to be tightened because it vibrates just a little. I haven't messed with it.



Go on with your bad self...takin the stems off the lights. Enjoy the bike and thanks for the updates.




Ed

that's the only thing I miss about it. it was a decent windshield.