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About LinkBacksI have never tried to upload pics before so let's see how this goes! Here (hopefully) are some before pics of my bike. This is how I picked it up last Monday:
Suzi 001 copy.jpgSuzi 5*.jpgSuzi 7*.jpgSuzi 14*.jpg
I have never tried to upload pics before so let's see how this goes! Here (hopefully) are some before pics of my bike. This is how I picked it up last Monday:
Suzi 001 copy.jpgSuzi 5*.jpgSuzi 7*.jpgSuzi 14*.jpg
As an experiment I tried cleaning the points covers as you can see. I figured it would be a test subject because I know I can get a replacement easy enough if I mess it up. My plan is to pull the engine apart and get it blasted. But before that I need to get it registered, so it now sports some cheap mirrors and I'm waiting for a front brake switch so I can get it over the pits. Once that is done then out comes the grinder!
Originally I was thinking of doing this bike like a CRD or Wrenchmonkees bike with a flat seat. But I did some measuring and took a punt on this seat:
before001.jpgbefore002.jpg
I'm amazed at how well it lines up with the frame - apart from the huge chunk at the back which will have to come off! Obviously it will sit quite a bit lower once it's tweaked into position. I think it will look very cool and the bike will look very waspish. At least I hope it will.
The other images above are (a) the newly cleaned brake lever and peg mount. What I thought was rust was just dirt! (b) is the rear brake master cylinder. As I want as much clean air in this space it will be a challenge to see how I can "hide" this bit. (c) is one of my lovely new bar-end mirrors in front of the grips. I love these mirrors! Beautiful workmanship.
I am also planning on brushed raw alloy fenders. It will look so much better once that big 80s blob behind the seat comes off. What sort of bike will this be? I thought it was going to be a brat, but does having a bum-stop make it a cafe racer??
good call on getting it rego'd before doing the big stuff i reckon. seat looks like it'll work out nicely too
watching with interest....
Quick update if anyone is interested: Doing boring yukky bits like carbs right now. No pics because my hands are too dirty while doing this to hold my camera. And carbs are boring anyway. And I don't even want to know what it is that I'm scraping off the airbox...
More excitingly - though still no pics - I have ordered a custom exhaust which will be a 4-2 much like the stock unit but with reverse cone mufflers with adjustable mufflingness. It will be the single most expensive part by far but still good value (I think) for under a grand. I won't be able to get the bike registered with the current exhaust I have discovered. When I take the muffler off it sounds like a maraca.
Once I get past the carbies and engine I will be much happier - really feel a bit out of my depth with this stuff. Once I get the engine back together I will get a mechanic to check it all over before I try starting it. Might even get him to help the rebuild.
Ahh, yeah, I am doing one of these as well, Atg the moment the panels and tank are being painted.
Last edited by Jamathi; 24-11-2011 at 10:12 AM.
Ahh double.
My engine has been rebuild including a complete head refurbishment, pistons etc.etc.<BR>Dyna tech iginion &amp; coils, braided lines rebuild callipers etc.etc.<BR>You do need special gear to do the engine rebuild esp. the heads.&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR><BR>You can get some funky dress up gear for these old bikes!.
Wow that's awesome! Yeah I've seen some of those dress up bits - for the moment I'm trying to keep the costs down but who knows what might happen down the track? I was going to go Mikuni falt-slide carbies and pods but to start with I'm cleaning up the stock carbs and airbox. I'm taking off the chrome panels on the airbox and prob powder coat the metal bits in texture black. Texture black powder coat will feature quite a bit on this bike! At least for the frame, fork lowers and various metal bits (maybe triple tree, master cylinders, etc.)
Today I was cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning well you get the idea. I removed all the front brake system. The master cylinder and calipers will be bead blasted hopefully and refinished - this is why:
brake002 copy.jpgbrake003 copy.jpg
This was satisfying. Just a little thing but what a difference it makes to the look of the bike!
Before:
F-Lowers001 copy.jpgF-Lowers003 copy.jpg
After:
F-Lowers005 copy.jpgF-Lowers002 copy.jpg
Just an hour or so with a wire brush in the grinder and some scotchbrite. If only the engine was this easy!
very clean! it looks like they turned out nicely but be careful with those wire wheels, i find they can really heat up the top layer of metal and cause some heat rippling if you're not careful
did you have any issues? the nylon brush wheels do a slightly gentler but similar job and are really good on alloy IMO
Master cylinder needs to be refurbed and the important bit is the plunger with the spring, seals and rubber cup.Originally Posted by JimmyR
Today I was cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning well you get the idea. I removed all the front brake system. The master cylinder and calipers will be bead blasted hopefully and refinished - this is why:
You can buy a refurb kit for these if the master cylinder bore is not corroded and giving the bore tube a slight hone with a special small honing tool, then reinstall the kit.
same with the brake calliper, needs a seal kit and an inspection if the cup and bore is not corroded, so the seal can still seal and the hydraulic preasure is not blowing the brakefluid past the seals in the master cylinder and the brake calipers.
Then a braided line set straight from the master cylinder to the 2 callipers will give you an much improved brake system up front!
Good luck.
This is what i am striving for with an added twist to the Castrol 6 hour race many moons ago competed by Wess Cooley.
Last edited by Jamathi; 28-11-2011 at 09:10 AM.
I had a feeling it was the Wes look you were going for! I already have the new rubber bits for the brakes but am still waiting on the refurb kit for the master cylinder. It comes with new seals, plunger and spring etc. I always like to do the brakes as a priority when I'm doing up a bike - well, this is the second bike for me anyway - but I like being able to stop.
Hey Brethren - no issues at all so far with the wire brush. I was fairly gentle with the forks as the crap came off surprisingly easily. Absolutely stoked with the results. Oh I guess there has been one small issue - the wire "bristles" do tend to fly out when you get to a bumpy bit. I was using safety glasses but now use a full face shield because I've had some bits of wire spear my face!
BTW I keep hearing different opinions on braided lines. I used braided on my last bike but couldn't tell the difference because I upgraded the caliper at the same time. I went from a 2 pot to a 6 pot and the braking was greatly improved. But bike repairer guys tell me braided lines make no difference. I thought they would have made quite a big difference. Confusing!
New Braided lines give a better brake lever response than the original rubber ones that are 32 years old and are readily available at a decent price.
The "crap" that you are getting off is mostly clear lacquer that was applied by the factory and is very rewarding to see the legs shine again.
Just for the looks I painted mine blek after cleaning
This was the bike when I got it.
They seem to have sprayed clear coat onto quite a lot of the aluminium parts of the bike. Funny thing - the finish on the front of the forks where it was most exposed to wind and weather came off a lot easier than the more protected parts. Jamathi even stock that is a really nice looking bike. That's why I bought mine - the lines are there. And I had intended to finish the fork lowers in black too, but now I think they look too good as they are.
Still wondering what I will do with the wheels. I guess I'll bead blast them and then work it out. They look awful right now. I actually really like the wheels but they are looking pretty shabby at the mo'. I think underneath the crap they are fine but the crap makes it hard to know!
clean crap/road grime off, sand/ soda blast the rims, etch prime and spray satin black.
They do come up like new
Ive put braided lines on my hayabusa and couldnt tell the difference but it is alot newer.
ADR approved lines are pretty expensive compared to overseas ones. I left the old lines on my GS for going over the pits and will get some braided lines over the net later.
I have some before and after shots on my GS1000ST project for the wheels, if you need sand blasting i have a blaster that just fits the front wheel without tyres.
That's a nice bike.
I did up a GS550 many years ago. The hard part was deciding what to do with the aluminium bits. The Japs polished them and then coated them with clear lacquer but the coating started to lift off and turn milky and look like crap. Removing and polishing and buffing made it look glorious ... better than original even ... but it never lasted.
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