Rebuilding my 1989 GS - Large Pic Warning

[motoMechE]

Well, recently got my account approved and wanted to go ahead and put together my own project thread.

My first bike, I bought it as soon as I could afford it my 2nd year of college, and used it to travel cheaply home and back on the weekends. However, about my 3rd year in school, I left for a couple weekends by car... long story short, it was dumped over several times by people walking by. So, being a broke student with a broken bike, I took it home and let it sit for a good year and a half. Fast forward to this Spring where I nearly sold it out of frustration right before finding this forum--stopped me from making a huge mistake!

The Project:
2015 will mostly be a mostly on the side of light-ish mechanical tuning and fixing things mostly for functionality (and what is convenient while it's off the bike) as opposed to a long-term finished project (that is next winter, hopefully).

Mods/maintenance currently in progress for my goal deadline of the end of June 2015 riding (bold = installed as of edit date):
- Refinishing/painting exhaust, adding a 9" Delkevic slip-on
- Bought a parts bike for a STEAL ($150) so I get a nice new set of plastics and a tank while I pull the others off for fixing up
- Carb re-jet and mild clean
- K&N Lunchbox
- LED R1 integrated taillight
- Hacked up and plastic-welded rear fender
- Dominator headlights
- LED turn signals, front and rear
- New mirrors/grips
- New tires (Pirelli Sport Demons - thanks gsJack for all the info!)
- Either powder-coated or polished wheels - more than likely the former
- Fork replacement from the parts bike while the others are resealed, etc.
- Valve shim adjustment
- Tach, speedo, choke cables from the parts bike (mine were all broken and/or seized)
- New gauges from the parts bike
- New oil filter and oil

Here is what I've got so far (as of thread start date):















Thanks for checking it out!

[GSRiderDad]

Thanks for sharing. Would you mind posting a link to the taillight you are using. I really like it. Is it much work to get it wired to the existing harness? Thanks!

[dowdy80]

Thanks for sharing. Would you mind posting a link to the taillight you are using. I really like it. Is it much work to get it wired to the existing harness? Thanks!

i think its the r1 LED tail light Just Do a Quick search on Fleabay

[motoMechE]

Thanks for sharing. Would you mind posting a link to the taillight you are using. I really like it. Is it much work to get it wired to the existing harness? Thanks!

Yep dowdy's right, just some cheapo Chinese thing I found. Not sure if this is the exact seller or not, but pretty sure it's the same product:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Smoke-Tail-Light-Integrated-Turn-Signals-For-Yamaha-00-01-YZF-R1-01-06-FZ1-/161099554398?hash=item2582481e5e&vxp=mtr

Don't have the integrated turn signals working yet (haven't really tried), but the tail light and license plate light are literally a direct plug-in to the stock sockets.

[ShowBizWolf]

Any new pics or progress on this?  I wanna see more on this project 

[motoMechE]

Not much progress lately unfortunately... the exhaust turned out to be a royal pain in my rear end and took almost my entire last Saturday! Have it near ready to paint other than some sanding by hand; also have my dominators (dual headlights), and new gauges w/cables wired in, but forgot to take pics! More to follow after this weekend. Anyway, here is a before and after of my exhaust:





And can I say... unless you like being a human pin cushion, use a 60 grit grinding wheel instead of those stupid wire brushes!!! Also, they last longer... who knew haha. One final pic of the bike just for the hell of it--hopefully the last you will see of it stripped down!

[ShowBizWolf]

I can totally tell how much time that exhaust took... the result is very nice!!  I have never been a fan of those wire wheel brushes either.  I am sure they work great for something but when it comes to built up rust like that I go right for an air tool with sanding pads/discs.

Thanks for the update    I love seeing projects!

[J_Walker]

hah I started wire wheeling my headers yesterday. I think the worst part is trying to hold onto them tight enough so they don't walk away from the wire wheel pressure.

[motoMechE]

Thanks, ShowBizWolf!

And yeah man they're great for the hard-to-get spots and corners, but my grinder has one setting: jet turbine mode... so it was basically a needle gun once it started wearing haha. Only wearing shorts and a t-shirt, I was left with pinholes all over my exposed skin--here's to hoping the paint gods accept blood sacrifices!

[dB-tje]

looking good, i also loved the steer upsidedown...

[motoMechE]

Thanks! I like the look too. However, rode with some drag bars when I first got the thing and decided I liked having a healthy back more  the leaning forward thing is not for me... tbh I REALLY want to add a DR350/650 to my (imaginary) garage because the dirtbike riding position feels like home to me.

[ShowBizWolf]

Bump 'cuz you checked out my thread

[motoMechE]

Fair enough though I have much less to show for than you 

Currently checking my carb rejetting and valve adjustments from back in the day, and verifying all my wiring...

So far have my dominator (dual 4-inchers) headlights wired in properly, R1 tail light works like a charm, and now debugging those d*** turn signal LEDs... spent all of 10 minutes on that so far, may try one of those fancy new flasher relays. If not, there are always the stock signals from my new parts bike! Guess I ought to add some pics of the new plastics and tank... I'm torn on what to run for this riding season. The goal is to just have it running for the first time in forever, and leave the cosmetics for next winter. After my '93 XT225 died on me early last fall, I've been starved of a good ride. 

Pics below... lots of cleaning to do after 2 years in the barn waiting for me to finish my degree and move into a place with a garage!

Parts bike, $150--came with  stock signals, some electronics, forks, plastics, tank, speedo/tach, a set of (albeit kinda beat-up) carbs, and all you see here...


New plastics with the orange/black color scheme.


New orange tank... absolutely love this color, but want to murder the dude who put impossible-to-remove stickers on both sides.


Barn-dirty original '89 tank and plastics next to new tank.


The dominators and carbs.


And, last but not least... any love for my poor dead Serow? Haven't decided whether to sell and cut my losses, or rebuild. It would have been the perfect farm putter. Guess I have an excuse to fit some knobbies after my new Pirellis wear out on the GS.


Lots of work to go before it's road worthy, but I'm having a blast getting back into it!

[ShowBizWolf]

Much love for Serow!! And yes of course rebuild

I absolutely love that orange color. Maybe someone will have some other suggestions as to getting those stickers offa there... have you tried a heat gun? Carefully of course but maybe that will work! A google search of "sticker removal" or "decal removal" might prove useful too :fingers crossed: !!

[motoMechE]

Stickers are coming off slowly... they're so old though it's like peeling off small pieces of cemented plastic! Just gotta be patient to save the paint job for now. Once all my gaskets arrive I'll be on my way to putting the bike back together for the riding season.

Quickly modeled up a new chain guard and trying to work out a plan to get it made. Those quick sheet metal prototyping sites are pricey. They want 150USD for 2 sq. ft. of cheap stainless with TWO easy bends in it! Might try to fab it myself with some bandsaw/Dremel trickery if I can't get our guy at work to throw it on the laser/press brake.

Also, my new header studs are in! (Thanks for the recommendation, SBW! ) Installing the studs tonight and drawing up some new headlight brackets--stock ones are just shy of working. With the new lights being much smaller, the wiring harness, etc., are all now exposed (but shrink-tubed and taped for some weatherproofing and to black it out for less visibility).

Any clever ideas for cable management beneath the tach/speedo?

[ShowBizWolf]

Hope those studs work well for you! I'm curious about the longer length plus the fitment with a stock GS exhaust. Take pics?? 

A custom chain guard sounds boss... I bet you could make one easy peasy. Bandsaw/Dremel trickery ftw!

I'm gonna be making up some new headlight brackets myself soon probably... sorry I don't have any tricks for those cables. Can't wait to see this project move along!