1978 GS400X street tracker build

[theironlung1976]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5tZu3HwAGtY/VQ...8_133514-1.jpg

Had a 23" front wheel layin around so i figured id sit it next to the 18 to see how it looked... cant get into it. It makes the rear 18 look miniature... even a 19 would look tiny against a 23" front. Tire selection blows for 23s too. Goofin around w a Sportster tank.

[Rob S.]

...a Sportster tank.

I like the sound of that. I don't care how little fuel it holds, the Sportster peanut is just about the best looking tank to ever grace a motorcycle.

[theironlung1976]

Agreed Rob. Its the most classic tank there ever was. I love em. The xr750 melts my heart. Believe it or not, the king sportster tank holds quite a bit... 3.3 gallons. Id probably use that one vs the 2.4 peanut. The king has a wide enuff back to cover the triple backbone of the gs frame. Im down for tryin it, although itd b a ton of work but usin the gs tunnel would help, but i think i got the tank im gonna use. It should b cleared tomorrow. Ill post pics when its done... IF I CAN POST THE PICS. For some reason i cant lately. Tried to upload the pic of the 23" hoop n sporty tank n it just kept error-ing out.

[Chuck78]

18" wheels front & rear will make it handle far superior to anything larger. Stick with 18" an lower bars. These bikes can be incredibly fun & agile if you keep the mods on the sporty side of things.

[theironlung1976]

DRAT! The right side peg was loose. Went to tighten the bolts up n it snaped the front one. Easy out time... and time for folding pegs. Can anyone confirm?... i thought i saw a set of pegs w mounts, for a 74 gs i believe, somewhere, that were fold up. The mounts looked identical but unsure.20150315_231724-1.jpg

[theironlung1976]

Checked the tracking info on my tail section n tires... theyll b here tomorrow. SWEET!

[theironlung1976]

Tires came! To chuck... 110 80 19 front, 120 80 18 rear. A considerable upgrade, in width on both ends, from the 100 90 18s that were on it. Love the rear tire! Looks like a sport bike tire compared to my old rear tire! I wanted to run a little bit wider tire, a 130 woulda been nice, 150 even better, but i REALLY wanted the 705 shinkos. The 120 was the size that fit ky rim width w/out sacraficing contact patch. I want a bike i can take on some back roads, some fire trails, AND give me street manner. I was realistic about what id b doin more often than not, on road. Shinko says the tires r 80% street, 20% offroad. From what ive read about the tire, its pretty accurate. Muds outta the question but i dont plan on gittin a 275lb bike in the middle of a mud pit. Yer askin for a walk home. I will show ya what wheels im usin later tonight. Hopin to have the wheels (gonna wait to get em painted before i mount the tires) on the bike kinda mocked up later today.20150316_112818.jpg

[theironlung1976]

Tanks cleared too! The factory tank has bugged me from day 1. Its so wide on a bike that is overall kinda skinny everywhere else. Always looked outta place. Dont mean to offend anyone w a stock tank... i just couldnt get into it . The profile of the side of the bike kinda looks like a Sportster tank and, as Rob S stated, its a beautiful tank for that. But sittin in the sweet spot, aka on the bike, lookin at the width killed me. Held a TON of fuel tho. 14 liters i think i read... PLUS A RESERVE! Like havin a 5 gallon bucket on the bike full of gas. I think i could run from coast to coast on a tank full! Anyway. Got an 80 450 tank. It was damn near NOS. SUPER clean inside. The paint was screwed up tho. I saw a black 82 450 w this paint scheme that kicked my ass. Loved it the instant i laid eyes on it. Knew my motif was gonna b black so this black n red deal looked sweet. Found some NOS graphics for that year, based that tank black, graphics on, cleared over it... viola. I love this tank! Kinda super bike lookin. Narrower than the stock tank. Little taller. And a bolt on tank swap. Me likey.20150206_150539.jpg

[theironlung1976]

Another tank pic...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FZPNBxBekjA/VQcPjzQil_I/AAAAAAAABu8/JFfmWGBCnNI/s1600/20150206_150528-1.jpg

[theironlung1976]

The flash in the pic below kinda washed out the graphics. Theyre really vibrant, especially against the black. Got another set of graphics im gonna put on the rear section after i get the seat made. Gonna continue the pin stripe along the rear section so it looks all cohesive n ****. Ok... i gotta get it off the couch before the tank sticks to it!

The pic uploader in this forum is givin me problems. Some posts i can add a thumbnail, some posts i cant add anything but a link. The link is of the pic i uploaded to my blogger. Bare w me. Just gonna have to do an overexerting, troublesome, EXHAUSTING extra click.

[theironlung1976]

Lowered H-D