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Got my GS!!! Exhaust-ectomy questions....

Started by nakedfoot, September 05, 2006, 11:21:52 AM

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nakedfoot

September 05, 2006, 11:21:52 AM
Picked up my 95 gs500e Sat. Runs and rides superb. :thumb:
I traded in my 04 sv650s on it. Obvy noticeable difference in power and throttle response....but overall I am pleasantly surprised by the little zuke. The lightness and flickability is out of this world good.

It runs soooo well. It has been re-jetted to take the lean out.
Starts right up and idles great.

I was thinking about drilling holes in the stock baffles a-la some tutorial I saw somewhere. I know it was a popular mod to the SV's so I'm sure someone around here has done it to the gs.

What does it sound like?
Did you need to re-jet or re-tune carbs once they were drilled?

I will be turning the bike into a cafe.  I will keep pics of the ongoing change if anyone here is interested.

Has a Sargent seat which, without question, is the most comfy seat I have ever ridden on.
Just my 2 cents.

Anyone here have pics of a chopped/re-welded subframe?
Any suggestions on what to use to chop/weld it?

Thanks,

ps. if anyone has anything for sale that would help me with my cafe proj. pm me. I prol will have some stock stuff to trade/sell as well.

Things I will have in the future:
- rear body work
- seat (maybe)
- bars (stock newer "F" bars (black speckly ones)
- stock foot controls

Things I have right now to trade/sell:
- nos luggage rack (zuke part - replaces grab rail)
- grab-rail (maybe)

Looking for:
- cafe-style seat
- drag-bars
- possible windscreen
- low-profile marker lights, etc.

These are meant as suggestions as of right now.
I will be posting "for sure" stuff in the "for sale/trade" section as things come up.

Thanks again,



ducati_nolan

#1
September 05, 2006, 11:45:07 AM
If you're looking for some low cost old school parts, check out JC Whitney, they have a website and a catolog of bike parts, everything is cheap but it's mostly older japanese stuff, oh wait, thats what the GS is  :cookoo: anyways, they have bars and megaphone style exhaust, that you may like.

As far as the fenderectomy, there is a how to on this site I think. But basically it's just plastic and you cut it off. you just need to leave enough to hold the signals and plate, unless you want to relocate those (you probally do) anyways, in which case you cut the whole thing off. You can do it while on the bike with a box cutter, dremmel, or saw. It's probally easier to do a good job if you take it off the bike. That's what I did and used a bandsaw. There is no cutting/welding metal involved unless you plan on removing the back half of the seat.

If the bike is already re jetted, you probally don't need to mess with it if you plan on tweaking the muffler. Even if you replace the muffler, but leave the stock header on, it dosn't make much difference unless you replace the filter with a better one.

I'd be interested in your luggage rack, what do you want for it?
Good luck with the project  :cheers:

nakedfoot

#2
September 05, 2006, 12:03:22 PM
cool..no rejet then.

I don't know about the rack.
I don't even know what they go for.

It looks in excellent condition.
I'd hopefully trade straight-up or partial for something that I will use...obo I guess.

I'll pick up a JCW after work today - see what they got.

Again, any tips on cutting/welding the sub-frame are welcome and apreciated.

ducati_nolan

#3
September 05, 2006, 12:19:26 PM
What do you mean with cutting/ welding the subframe? Do you want to shorten it? change the angle? replace it with a cusom one or one from another bike? Please explain a little more.

As for JC Whitney, here is their website http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/StoreCatalogDisplay/c-10111/s-10101

nakedfoot

#4
September 05, 2006, 12:37:21 PM
OK...
Chop the subframe and reduce the upward angle of the tail....make it more straight back.
Also shorten it.
Give more of the old-school cafe look but with the modern (twin-spar) twist.

My thoughts so far on it are to.....(and this may be tough w/out pics)
- chop the two upper arms of the subframe where they meet the frame
- chop the two lower arms of the subframe closer to where they meet the upper arms (above rear tire).
- take a section out of the lower arms (enough to make angle of the tail parallel, or close to, with the ground)
- re-weld the upper arms of the subframe to the frame and to the lower arms.

I don't forsee any major clearance issues with the rear tire because I beleive that the angle I want can be acheived by dropping the subframe only a couple of inches.
This would be about the same as using lowering links/dog-bones I'm guessing.

Also, probably lose the inner fender and go with a hugger.

I've seen pics of people doing this to shorten the subframe and make it even more extreme upwards to acheive the streetfighter look - so I know it can be done.

Thanks for the jcw link.

ducati_nolan

#5
September 05, 2006, 01:21:00 PM
Okay now I see what you're talking about. I would sugest cutting through the upper arms, but leaving the bottom wall of the tubing intact. Cut it just behind the gas tank.  Then cut all the way through the lower arm at the forward section just behind the weld. Then cut through all but the battom wall of the lower arm at the rearmost part, where it joins the more horizontal tube. Then bit by bit you can shorten the lower arm and bending the top arm untill you find the positionyou like, then welt it all up. Hard to explain without pictures, but I think this should work. If you don't cut all the way through the tubing it wil be easier to keep everything lined up.

Just be sure to do a good job on the welds, you'd hate to have it fall off.

Check out this chopper Ducati that I found!  O0 it's probally not quite what you're thinking but it has some cool ideas. I especially like the tiny tank inside the frame, not too practical but who cares, it's cool

http://www.ducatimonster.org/featured.html

Good luck  :cheers:

nakedfoot

#6
September 05, 2006, 01:45:20 PM
That is super bad ass.
I wish I had the knowledge, skill and $$$$ to pull something like that.

Part of the reason I went with the gs is the more "parallel with the ground" line of the top of the tank. Way more so than the "hump back" sv I was riding.

I never really thought to switch tanks out with a legit cafe tank....maybe in the future....when I have a few more dollars.
But it would be really cool.

Probably going to start stripping her down tonight.

Thanks for the tip on the only cutting partway through - that seems way better.
I think I understood most of it.

I'll make sure the welds are done by a pro...maybe even add a brace between the two sections for insurance??

We'll see.

ducati_nolan

#7
September 05, 2006, 02:48:32 PM
I was just looking at my bike with the seat off of it, and the top tube of the subframe isn't really at that much of an angle, it's just the bodywork that follows the lines of the bottom tube that makes it look that way. You may want to shorten the subframe before you change the angle, I bet with a different seat, or a modified stock one, allong with some different body work (or none) you could make it look pretty flat, and you wouldn't need a welder, just a hacksaw. Check ebay for some stock seats for cheap that you can chop up, or a solo chopper seat kind of like on that ducati and I bet it would look way different.

You know it either takes a lot of money and a little time, or a lot of time and a little money for a badass bike like that ducati chopper. I bet he got that tank for $25 or so. Look for dented stuff that can be bondod and you can get it for nothing. Rattle can everything flat black and you can keep changing everything arround untill you're happy with it before getting a nice paint job.

I kind of wish my bike was in bad shape so I could do something like this. I just can't justify chopping it up when it's almost perfect right now but it'd be a lot of fun  :cheers:

Mr.7

#8
September 05, 2006, 03:34:31 PM
you traded your sv for a gs? Why?!  :dunno_white:
1997 GS500E-blue
Buell signals//new metzlers//new tiny mirrors//removed ugly stickers//fixed melted front fender//that's about it

werase643

#9
September 05, 2006, 06:15:23 PM
why not......

want Iain's money to support my butt in kens shop

nakedfoot

#10
September 05, 2006, 07:46:54 PM
Sorry...I was out riding   :icon_mrgreen:

My wife and I are about to move and need the cash. We still wanted a bike to cruze on but couldn't justify keeping the svs for as little as we used it (2004 w/1500 miles).
Traded it for some cash and the 95 gse to someone looking to upgrade.

I have to say though, I'm having a blast on this thing. For what I do with a bike, it's perfect. And now I get to mod it up.

I to looked at it w/out the seat....and it is rather straight.

I'll probably try that first; - chop the back off - modify and/or fabricate a seat - lower the rear with dog-bones (???)
With the dog-bones and a custom seat done to optically counteract the angle...I'm sure I can get it close enough - would save a ton of work.

The more I look, the more I think I will need a custom seat.
Has anyone done a one-off seat before for the gs?

Should I have "searched" before asking?

werase643

#11
September 05, 2006, 08:14:35 PM Last Edit: September 05, 2006, 08:16:03 PM by werase643
the look you are going for....you will be the first

:cheers:


personally....I don't like the drilled ex sound....but that is my oppinion....i'm ok with that
want Iain's money to support my butt in kens shop

nakedfoot

#13
September 06, 2006, 07:49:40 AM
Cool. All good stuff.

I like the look of the solo seat/butt stop and body work tail....but I'm thinking about going with all seat that has the same shape - so a passenger is still an option (all be it an uncomfortable one). Like these.

http://www.cb750cafe.com/parts.php?id=10

Some of the coolest cafe's ever IMO are made by this guy.

Pretty $$$$$ though so I'm thinking about tackling it myself. Possibly adding the seat lock mechanism from the stock seat pan to my custom pan to lock it in?? May be easier to just bolt it on. We'll see.

Putting rearsets on tonight (hopefully). Get rid of those ugly foot-pegs 8), that's got to be a popular mod, no?
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