JohnnyL's 1980 GS550L Cafe Build

[JohnnyL]

I was able to get the seat pan cut and welded in today. Tomorrow I will work on a bracket to hold the lithium battery.

[1978GS750E]

Nice work!

[JohnnyL]

I received my flat tail hoop today and got right to work cutting the frame and welding it in.

I carefully cut the frame tube away from the gusset underneath.



I then cut the seat hoop to the proper length and welded it in. My photo doesn't show it but they gave me frame slugs to join the hoop to the frame.



I cut the gusset and folded it into the hoop and welded it in.




I cut some caps for where the gussets met the hoop and welded them in and did some filling and sanding.




I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. This is only my 3rd time welding. I ordered an 8-cell Anti-Gravity Lithium battery that will sit right under the seat hump. I just need to get some steel to make a little pan for the battery and solenoid.

[TeamDar]

I sent a pm about possible parts sale. Dar

[JohnnyL]

Thanks Dar. As you can see, this bike is going to be far from stock. That's the honest answer I was looking for.

There are some on this forum that think that stock parts are the best. I am not one of those. The Dynatek coils make a hotter spark that you can feel. The motor will start easier and perform better. I have several sets of the ignitions and coils in good used condition. Dar

[TeamDar]

There are some on this forum that think that stock parts are the best. I am not one of those. The Dynatek coils make a hotter spark that you can feel. The motor will start easier and perform better. I have several sets of the ignitions and coils in good used condition. Dar

[JohnnyL]

If you have the mechanical advance then you are fine to use what you have. I think in 1983 and newer the electronic advance doesn’t have centrifugal weights and uses the ecm to advance the timing.

Phew! Thanks! While we're on the subject of Dyna S...is there any advantage to upgrading the coils to Dyna Coils? These: https://www.z1enterprises.com/dyna-d...air-dc1-1.html

[TeamDar]

If you have the mechanical advance then you are fine to use what you have. I think in 1983 and newer the electronic advance doesn’t have centrifugal weights and uses the ecm to advance the timing.

[JohnnyL]

I'm looking at installing a Dyna S electronic ignition. It states that on late models that have factory electronic ignition with electronic advance(which I have), it is necessary to install a mechanical advance from an earlier model, such as a GS1000. What is the difference between my mechanical advance and the one they're suggesting?

[Rickta]

I think a couple of the threaded metal bits in your sump have come from your sump plug thread - it looks to be missing a piece or two.

[bwringer]

Well *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$. The points cam was actually stuck to the assembly shaft. The points cam should be able to rotate freely right? I actually had to use a punch to get the cam off of the shaft. I may have broken it in doing so. I wonder if this had anything to do with why the bike reportedly ran like *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$aki. Anyway...a new/used spark advancer has been ordered off of eBay. Another $41 I didn’t plan on spending.

I gotta say, I've seen an awful lot of broken stuff, but that's a new one on me!

[JohnnyL]

Well *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$. The points cam was actually stuck to the assembly shaft. The points cam should be able to rotate freely right? I actually had to use a punch to get the cam off of the shaft. I may have broken it in doing so. I wonder if this had anything to do with why the bike reportedly ran like *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$aki. Anyway...a new/used spark advancer has been ordered off of eBay. Another $41 I didn’t plan on spending.

[JohnnyL]

I like that a lot! You're doing a great job. I really like the straight line across the seat and tank bottom. That's one thing that's always bothered me about L cafe bikes. The tear drop tank along with the mounting angle just throws the lines off, but what you've done really helps!

I've been eyeing your shop in these pictures. Looks like you have a good setup! Also, do you have enough cordless drills hanging on your bench? lol

Keep up the good work! This is motivating me to get a start on my Cafe, I just need a garage first.

Thanks 93Bandit! I have a 3600 SF barn behind my house that I run my business out of. I run a wholesale sign business. Maybe you've noticed the two CNC routers in the background. My motorcycle project takes up about 100 sf of that 3600. Haha...I really need another barn. Along with my sign business, I also have numerous side projects that I work on. I used to flip houses and did a lot of the work myself. Hence all the drills and other tools in my shop. I am currently building an indoor climbing gym for a neurologist. He has a 26' tall basement in his house that he wanted a climbing wall built in. I'll post another pic when I get all the painted panels installed after this weekend. For reference, my son is 6' tall in that pic. With all these things going on...it makes it difficult to focus sometimes on the cafe build. LOL...actually...who am I kidding...I have a difficult time focusing on anything else but the cafe build.



I am currently at a stand still on the bike. I drove down to Cycle Re-Cycle yesterday and picked up the valve shims I needed and so now the motor is completed. The upkick tail hoop that I ordered is not going to work. I am waiting on a flat tail hoop to arrive so I can cut the frame and get it welded in. Then I will be sandblasting the frame and sending it off to powder coating. Along with the wheels and other miscellaneous parts. I am now being forced to do my actual day job. LOL.

[93Bandit]

Well I got a few frame modifications done. I wasn't happy with how the tank looked like it was going uphill. Ideally I wanted a straight line across the bottom of the tank and into the seat. This required me to have to cut off the existing tank mounts(front and back) and relocate them lower on the frame. At least the front ones were lowered on the frame. The rear mount was actually raised to get the look I wanted.

After modifications

I like that a lot! You're doing a great job. I really like the straight line across the seat and tank bottom. That's one thing that's always bothered me about L cafe bikes. The tear drop tank along with the mounting angle just throws the lines off, but what you've done really helps!

I've been eyeing your shop in these pictures. Looks like you have a good setup! Also, do you have enough cordless drills hanging on your bench? lol

Keep up the good work! This is motivating me to get a start on my Cafe, I just need a garage first.

[bwringer]

IIRC, you can temporarily place a quarter in the place of a missing shim to keep from damaging the cam lobe if you have to rotate the engine.