Customiser Getting a GS500

[ajensen]

Totally cool! I am really curious to see how the single carb works.

[pattman]

So am I, its a to easier to work with than the original carbs and doesn't suffer from the usual cross wind stutter / hesitation without the air box.

As per usual, when you actually need to go to the suppliers its a bank holiday and they're shut.  I still haven't replaced the front engine mount bolt that corroded itself in there and needing it to keep the engine steady whilst I move the bike around I had to run one down from a high tensile M16 bolt that I seem to have in abundance... haven't a clue where they came from but I've got loads of them in the cupboard.

If you've got the room I really recommend a lathe.  I really don't know how I managed without it apart from bodging the crap out of stuff.  Next on the list is a milling machine but sitting pretty at a grand it can wait a bit longer.



Now everything is held in place its now sitting pretty on the bench as it would be on the road.  Still deciding on the seat position....



Has anyone got any recommendations as to where I can buy a chain?  The normal places don't stock anything long enough, unless I buy two and bodge it with two slip joints.

[cbrfxr67]

bad asssss

[J_Walker]

why cant you buy two chains with the clip style master links, and just hack em together like that? or if your fond of riveting... two riveted ones. its how the custom bicycle guy's do their weird stuff... however for as many 520 chains out there on GSXR750's  STRETCHED A MILE LONG. - there should be some long enough for your project.

ask a gixxer guy, they should point you towards the bike shop, that points you towards the supplier...

- yeah I take stabs at gixxer guys too. 

[pattman]

Well, as with all good plans I didn't get as much time as I thought.  But I've got the tank sorted apart from the fuel tap is 1/2" BSP not metric and being a sunday nowhere is open to pick a tap up.  I ordered a couple of taps so it should be here sometime soon to finish it off and pressure test it.  

The many uses of cardboard packaging, cheers amazon.





Welded the seams on the inside as well as the outside so shouldn't have a problem with it holding pressure and not leaking.

Trial fit.



Got a weld in filler neck and cap from Cycle Haven with breathable cap thats was sitting pretty in the cupboard for a while so worked it into use.







Seat base and handlebars next, unless the mudguards turns up soon then it'll be 'guard, seat, handlebars and sissy bar.

Ticking stuff off the list, slowly but surely.

[cbrfxr67]

[ajensen]

Totally cool retro-look gas tank.

[ShowBizWolf]

This is so cool!!! Keep up the awesome work

[qcbaker]

I don't have much input other than I've been enjoying following your work and I'm excited to see how this project turns out. Great job so far man!

[The Buddha]

OK Umbrella bike seems a bit off now that the tank is a bow, or arch or dome ... take your pick ...
Bow bike - could be a good one if you're dog lover, or a bow hunter.
Cool.
Buddha.

[pattman]

Got the petcock fitted and pressure tested to a degree.  Two pin hole air leaks thats been plugged and holding a nice bit of pressure after realising, like an idiot, the sound of air coming out is the breather in the cap.  Plugged that and all is good.  Mounting points still to be decided and sealed to stop it rusting on the inside.

Mudguard turned up, an actual metal one this time, that came from a bike of some description, but its, well was, huge.  220mm internal width that needed to be reduced to 150mm to have any chance of fitting the 130 tyre thats nearer 140.   Bonus is the mounting holes to the back that will be utilised again with some yet to be made brackets.





And after meeting the angle grinder and welder.



Still needs a bit of work as its not the shape of the wheel or I may leave it seeing as the rest of the bike is not exactly in keeping with the norm.





Once thats fitted properly I'll see what to do with the seat.

[pattman]

I was going to reshape the mudguard so I smashed it with a hammer and it looked exactly the same as it started so I just fitted it as it was.  12mm steel bar and more tedious lathe work to make the sleeves.

Without the use of a pipe bender small enough to take 12mm tubing I improvised with some bits of tubing and a vice.  The mudguard had some handy pre taped M8 bolt holes and not one to miss an opportunity they where quickly used.









With the same bar I made the sissy bar which will later take the number plate, brake light and indicators.

Stuck the bar in the vice and pulled like a mofo until I got the desired shape.





Now I can finally work out the seat position and make it then once fitted I can sort out the foot controls and associated linkages, brake line and wiring for the brake light.

[cbrfxr67]

Love it!

[pattman]

Finally got round to sorting the chain but my precise measuring was a bit out by two links and as usual when trying to find the chain splitter you cant, its disappeared only to reappear when you've taken alternative routes and sorted the issue anyway.
The offering two links removed with the grinder



And the chain as good as fitted



Then I sort of started the seat, well, I say started, more like looked at it and thought about it and looked some more until I decided to make a chain tensioner instead.  I bought a rubber thing off of eBay made for crossers and time will tell if its up to the task or if I'll end up using something else.

I tried utilising the original arm support and spring set up that came with the rubber thing but without making something completely overly complicated it wouldn't work.  So I offered it up to near enough the position needed.



Used some 3.5mm box steel left over from about four years ago... never throw any steel away... you'll always use it eventually...



Cut the steel to size, got the flap disc on it to get rid of the surface rust, marked it out, drilled some holes, holes turned to slots to take an M8 bolt, rounded the plate where it meets the tube frame and rounded the tops.



Sleeved the rubber thing with some more of the M8 sleeve I made from 12mm bar on the lathe a while ago, few washers and bolts ready to be cut to length, welder out and buzzed it on in a different place to start with  but it works better here than there.



"What about the seat!"  I hear you cry in much disgust... and my amusement... Its coming along, I have actually started it but you'll have to wait for the pics.

[qcbaker]

Is the chain simply sliding over the rubber bit there? That would worry me since it would wear away rather quickly, I think. Then the chain would be grinding on those bolts.

[pattman]

Its made from the same stuff as frame and swing arm chain guards and its a 3/4" thick so I'll have plenty of time to see if it works or not.  I have two back up plans if this doesn't work involving a slimmed down skateboard wheel or a 520 front sprocket, but the sprocket will need machining and a bearing pressed into it

[pattman]

Trying to work out how to mount this seat is a bit like being pissed and screwing the crazy bird everyone avoids.  It looks and feels good at the time but you come to regret it very quickly when the consequences of your actions bites you in the ass...

So I've got some three inch chrome springs to mount the seat on to take up some of the road blemishes and huge caverns the council call pot holes, nice and easy, just need to make a mount with a spring clip and jobs a good 'un.  The hinge on the other hand needed a bit of titivating to make it not wobble and twist but still let the seat pivot in the up and down motion, which is always handy, being a seat n all.

So I started off with some 130mm sections of 12mm bar thats now being used pretty much everywhere on this bike, stuck it in the lathe and reamed the end down to 25x8mm



Threaded the end to M8 x 1.25, would of been a lot easier if I had some decent cutting dies, something else to add to the shopping list.



And utilised some M8 tie rod ends.



Another piece of sleeve and just like that, one weldable hinge where you can tighten the bolt and the seat will still move as freely as an illegal crossing the UK border.



So what about the seat I hear you cry..... or maybe not then.... 

300mm lengths of yet more 12mm bar bent to shape.



And as far as I got this evening, bar roughly in place, ends need shaping to fit together nicely for welding and some more cross bracing needed for the rest of it.  I may not even bother covering the seat but create a web effect with the bar and weld it all up.  We'll see what happens.

[cbrfxr67]

So much rising anticipation and disappointment when I reach the last pic of updates!  Definitely my favorite thread anywhere right now! !  Appreciate you posting!

[pattman]

Snow called work off for the end of the week... never mind, more time for seat building

I got so carried away I didn't take any pics of the in progress build so you'll have to make do with the sort of finished then mounted pics.  It changed shape a bit as it went along but it seems to work pretty well.





For the shape and angle it sits on the bike its pretty comfy as it is but thats mainly due to my fat arse.





Now thats sorted within reason, It'll be foot peg position and associated brackets and foot controls.



the seat is sitting a bit higher than originally planned but suits me alright.  May drop it down on smaller springs, I'll see what its like when its on the road.

[cbrfxr67]

bad azzzz