How a free bike cost me over $1000

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1190.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

After the primer had set, I put on a coat of gloss black.  I will later finish with several coats of flat black to match the frame, but I didn't feel like shopping so I used what I had in the garage.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1192.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

A lot of things happened before this picture.  I read on some web site somewhere to push the bike over on a mattress and remove the mounts.  This lets you basically "drop" the engine right out without damaging it.  I chose to use this method because there was no one to help me and it was midnight, so I couldn't call anyone to help me.  It worked great.  This is going to need some cleaning before it goes back in the guest room. 

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1194.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

I set the engine sort of angly to prepare to set the new frame down on it.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1196.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

And there we go.  You can see from this picture that I buy my frozen waffles in bulk.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1197.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

Yeah, so basically at this point I wrestled the engine and frame, using the flexibility of the mattress to my advantage until I could get the rear mounting bolts in place.  If my wife walked in at this stage, she would have divorced me for making the nasty with my motorcycle.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1198.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

I levered the bike back up onto the center stand, and braced the engine with a floor jack.  I felt really good that nothing was broken.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1199.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

After this I put the side rail back on and installed all the mounts.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1201.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

I installed the shock because it was 2am and I wasn't thinking right.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1206.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

The next day (today, Sunday) I removed the shock, installed the swingarm, and installed the shock.  The swingarm is now flat black.  You can see I masked off the sticker that shows the tire pressures (because I forget all the time).  That was really dumb.  Don't do that.  There's a nasty ridge there and the paint likes to peel from there.  Live and learn.  In a few years I'll be forced to redo it.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1208.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

This just shows how well the old paint matches the new paint.  It looks different in the photo, but that's a lighting trick.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1209.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

I slapped the GS wheel in so I can roll the frame around.  Also to make it look more like a motorcycle.  I can't tighten the axle because the brake caliper is not there, but I'm not going to ride it, so who cares.  When I get my tire in the mail, I'll mount it on the Katana rim and install that.  I also have a new rear sprocket to use.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1211.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

Battery box goes in.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1212.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

Coils.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1213.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

Electronic thingies.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1214.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

Here, I ran into my first incompatibility between the '01 and '04.  There is a nut welded to the frame, presumably for mounting the fairing, that interferes with the '01 horn bracket.  I cut out a piece of the bracket because I figured the remaining part would be strong enough to hold the horn.

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1215.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

After that, the horn went on with no difficulty.  I guess on the '04 they just cheesed out and mount the horn using only one of the bolts: http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/schematics/Suzuki/SU-04-2005-2803.gif

[Chuck]

Full size: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/PICT1219.JPG -- Gallery: http://gsproject.codefarm.org/

With the wiring completed, I call it a day.  It's the end of day 2, and I have to work tomorrow.  The electricals are all working, and I'm able to run the engine for a couple seconds by spraying some starting fluid in and touching the starter.  I never want to hear anything that loud for the rest of my life.  The carbs and exhaust are not installed, and it sounded really angry about it.

[Chuck]

200$ for a frame? Wow! Those go for a song here, because they are usually left after the Breakers have partet out the bike.

An undamaged frame with a clean title is worth a couple bucks.  It took me about 4 months to find this, so I snatched it up.

[Chuck]

Srinath:

I'm basically doing this for the experience, so I don't mind the time I'm spending.  I've never done this before and I want to understand my ride better, so I saw this as a way to do it without risking my "nice" bike.

My job is technical and hard to figure out, so I rather appreciate the mindless assembly, knowing that it will work in the end.  I also get to discover along the way all the little details I wouldn't have known about otherwise and wonder why it was done that way.

[The Buddha]

That matress idea for putting the motor back in was great. I have seen people sit the sub frame under the thingwith bolts etc almost liked up and they bolt that piece into the frame and slide the motor mount bolts in and they lift it back up with the motor now in the frame. No jack needed. You'd need some cool tools like a ratcheting combination wrench or somehting.
Cool.
Srinath.