[goldy]

Ok so you could have picked a better bike to start with, but you could have picked worse too. Right or wrong I want to see what you can do with it...not enough people posting builds on here. Rest assured, if you do something really stupid and post it you will find out about it real quick and some people will even point you in a better direction.
Get on with it, keep us posted and show us what you got

 

[hillsy]

The GS twin frames aren't that different in L guise to the standard models, so you aren't as bad off as if you were starting with an LTD or C model CB.

Seems like you have the fab skills to do some stuff to the frame, so I would suggest modding the rear subframe to have more horizontal lines as opposed to the "scooped out" shape to suit the cruiser seat.

Also, you would want to do a front end swap to something bit more modern (something like SV650 forks with a GS550 spoke wheel to keep the "look"). And the rear 16" would need to go as well (you could probably get a GS250 spoked wheel and lace up an Akront rim).

All depends on how far / how much money you want to throw into it, but you appear to have the skills to make something that doesn't walk down the same path as the average new age cafe douchebag dress-up hipster.

Now get to it

 

[Geeto67]

dude doesn't want our help - just wants to talk big about skills and how any bike would have done...yadda yadda yadda so again I say PUT UP or SHUT UP. Talk is cheap, internet talk is really cheap, let's see if he even posts anything again. Let's do an experiment - let's not try to help these ...ahem....would be "builders" and see what shape comes out the end. don't encourage him, don't discourage him - let's see if the bike even gets back together.

 

[Mike Lawless]

Actually you're wrong about just my talking big about my fab skills Geeto. You are VERY wrong. But you are right about internet talk being cheap. In fact you have proven that yourself.
Now Hillsy, you put the kind of stuff out there I was looking for. And yeah, the stuff you talked about was in the plan. The frame work, wheels....forks....good info, and I appreciate that.

The bike runs, there's no major defects, clear title. No, it's not the coolest. Maybe I can make it into something cool. Maybe not. Maybe some of the stuff I learn on this project could be applied to the next.

But I really enjoy doing the fab work. And yeah, just for the sake of doing it.

So, how about giving me the benefit of the doubt and see where it goes?

 

[Geeto67]

We have given you all the benefit of the doubt you are gonna get. From here on out you want the benefit of the doubt you have to put up or shut up. Lets see it. Lets see what masterful work come out of this.

 

[Mike Lawless]

Fair enough

 

[drgonzo]

I don't see a problem with this project. I really don't need to see another cafe triumph or honda 750-4 or CB350. It's different, it's small and it's a challenge and that makes it interesting for me. It's a basic motorcycle with no major design flaws aside from it's styling. Can't wait to see the progress.

 

[Mike Lawless]

I don't see a problem with this project. I really don't need to see another cafe triumph or honda 750-4 or CB350. It's different, it's small and it's a challenge and that makes it interesting for me. It's a basic motorcycle with no major design flaws aside from it's styling. Can't wait to see the progress.

Thanks drgonzo.
I've just started the dis-assembly, and once I get it down to a certain point, I'll begin to assess what needs to be done to get to where I wanna be. Then I will begin asking questions and try to ignore the haters. I'm old enough to know that the only one who needs to be happy is me. And buying something already cool and bolting a few cool bits on it just won't cut it.

There will be challenges. But, all things considered, it only metal. Metal can be formed anyway one wants, given the desire.

I think the first thing I wanna look at is the ass end of the frame. There's a lot going on back there that's pretty clunky. Eliminate the unnecessary, then proceed with to planning, and then execution. Figure out what do for a seat. I'm not gonna buy something pre-made. I'm just gonna build it from scratch.

 

[mlinder]

Like I said, I'm totally looking forward to this build thread.

Seriously, get to work. We need pics of progress.

 

[TCed]

I will check Charlieboy's build thread out. Thanks!
As for my skillset, I reckon you'll just have to wait and see. Then you can judge. The assumption that I have no skills bugged me a bit, but then I reckon a lot of people come on here with grandiose ideas that can't even decide which end of the hammer does what.

Mike,
I spent a few minutes reading your website. You've experienced enough to deal with everyone here.
ed

 

[kerosene]

Mike, please don't count me in the haters.
I really don't like the way this ended. Geeto ended the discussion to a "there will be no discourse". Maybe he is right and you have no interest to listen to but maybe not.
I sincerely think that you will end up with a better bike if you work on it while/in between you ride it. Get the basics right, fix the rest in a chain of events and only after that do the final finish. If you do a show style build where everything is decided standing next to the bike vs. having been on the bike it will be what some of us have feared here. Your skills I have no doubts about. World has enough choppers and hipster-bikes that perform worse than stock - pretty or not.

 

[Mike Lawless]

Kerosene, believe me when I say that I absolutely do have a desire to listen and learn. I am seeking as I said, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I don't think anyone responds favorably to being dismissed out of hand because the bike is not "cool" enough or one doesn't have a high enough post count to be taken seriously. I've seen that in the 4 wheel racing world, and the would be racer simply says screw it, and ends up with an unfinished project. Over on the drag race site YellowBullet, the haters will eat you alive.

Based on that, let's hit the reset button. This will be my course of action. The bike runs great as is. It is rust free and only has 6600 miles on the clock. I'll modify the rear of the frame and build a seat, relocate the battery and electrics, along with looking at springs and shocks. I'll be looking for spoked wheels. Then I'll ride it and refine that. Move one to the next section. ride it. refine it. When it's pretty much done, then I'll tear it down and do the finish work. Hows that?

That's not how i normally do things, but then the VW was a rotting hulk I dragged out of someone's backyard. It had a 40 HP motor in it with a broken crank. With that, I started with a plan and a goal. It was completely disassembled down to the last nut and bolt. Admittedly, this is different because the bike is a decent ride as is. So, I can see your point.

Anyway, nothing picture worthy yet. Just a partially disassembled ass end. I need to get a chunk of tubing bent in a "U" shape for the back section of the frame which will be cut off just to the rear of the upper shock mounts. Then I can build the seat pan to fit.

 

[mlinder]

If you don't mind spending 300 bucks on shocks, take a look at the hagon 2810's.

When ya call em to order them, they ask about your weight, the bikes weight, and intended riding style. Then you tell them what length you want them. They'll send you the shocks setup for what you've told em. The 2810's have 10 position dampening control and if I remember correctly, 3 position preload settings. Might be 5, can't remember offhand.

If you change out the front end, they prolly have fork springs for ya too.

 

[hardline_42]

Anyway, nothing picture worthy yet. Just a partially disassembled ass end. I need to get a chunk of tubing bent in a "U" shape for the back section of the frame which will be cut off just to the rear of the upper shock mounts. Then I can build the seat pan to fit.

You can get prebent frame loops from DCC and lots of other cafe parts suppliers. Before you chop it though, I'd give some thought to comfort. A short bubble tail is common on race bikes (though the "bubble" is usually much bigger) for aero reasons but it might not be the best for just tooling around on the street or soaking up highway miles. A standard length flat seat gives you the ability to change up positions depending on riding conditions. You can scoot up to the tank to keep your head up in traffic, use the middle of the seat for all-around riding or scoot back with your feet on the passenger pegs and your chin on the tank for cruising. You can still keep it "cafe" with just a tad more function. Maybe something like a Dunstall-style seat with an integrated fender if you want the "rocker" look. No frame chopping needed:

 

[Charlieboy]

Hey Mike...I loved your VW build. That thing is radical. I am also a total vw nut and have built and restored many Beetles through the years. Both my daughters first cars were beetles that I restored and they drove them for about 8 years before selling. I never modified engines at all though everything stock standard.
Keep the pics of your bike build coming. I am keen to see what you do with it.

 

[Mike Lawless]

The over-all build phase is pretty much complete. It turned into a little lightweight custom bike. I put it together to suit myself.

It's small, it's agile, and it's fun. And since removing a bunch of weight, it's pretty dang spunky! Not "fast" by any stretch and, it won't be raced. A few things left to do, such as a custom rear fender, tweaking the foot peg position, and tuning up the forks.

I changed the tank mounts, "de-emblemized" the tank and painted with single stage black urethane enamel, built the seat, de-tabbed the frame, and cleaned and lubed all the movable joints. Then I had the frame and wheels powdercoated. I'm not in love with the wheels. I'd like conventional spokes, and down the road, I may change 'em. But then, I may just start again on another bike. This one has been a good learning tool.
Problems along the the way were relatively minor. I swapped out the vacuum BS carbs for VMs, and that made tuning much easier. Mostly because parts are easy to get.

The biggest problem was with the electronic ignition. It would intermittently drop a hole after a few minutes of run time, and after a few more minutes, it would pick back up. This made it so that I wasn't willing to ride it any further than I was willing to push it! Replacement ignition control boxes are just not available, and I ran into a stone wall in getting an aftermarket solution. The bike world is so far behind the automotive aftermarket in this regard. So, after a little research I found a solution. GM HEI ignition modules using the stock suzuki magnetic pick-ups. I used aftermarket coils too. After modifying the pick-up mount plate to be able to adjust timing, I found a setting that the bike runs well at. The stock pick-up arrangement does not have mechanical advance. Ignition advance was in the "ignitor" as Suzuki calls it. The HEI modules have no advance either, so the timing is locked in at approximately 28°btc. The photo below shows the modules mounted with jumper wires for testing. The wiring has now been made permanent. The cool thing is that these modules are time tested and inexpensive. Not everything to everyone, but a solution for keeping some of these bikes alive that doesn't cost a ton of money.

 

[chetriply]

Well done. Now all it needs are some real shocks!

 

[Teazer]

The ignition on the early version of that motor had a mechanical A/R or ATU as they called it. I'm pretty sure it's straight drop in for the later fixed rotor that used electronic timing. Same on GSX250 and 400 IIRC. That way you can get old school mechanical advance.

 

[hillsy]

The ignition on the early version of that motor had a mechanical A/R or ATU as they called it. I'm pretty sure it's straight drop in for the later fixed rotor that used electronic timing. Same on GSX250 and 400 IIRC. That way you can get old school mechanical advance.

That's assuming the pick-up rotor will slot straight onto the advancer in place of the points cam.

But yeah - those ignition amplifier modules are generic on a lot of cars and are quite cheap to buy (they are just a simple amplifier).

Make sure they stay cool - heat will kill them pretty quick.

 

[Mike Lawless]

The ignition on the early version of that motor had a mechanical A/R or ATU as they called it. I'm pretty sure it's straight drop in for the later fixed rotor that used electronic timing. Same on GSX250 and 400 IIRC. That way you can get old school mechanical advance.

I'll keep my eyes open for something like that.

Even better would be a "drop-in" conventional points system. Simpler to deal with and easier to fix on the road if needed.

But, at least the damned thing runs now!