GS500F Restomod Street Tracker

[SK Racing]

Hi Endo, thanks for making me feel welcome here. It seems there is a real nice bunch of people hanging out at GSTwins.

Yes, our bikes will have a lot in common. I have to admit looking at your build while designing my bike. In fact, your thread about the R6 shock was invaluable and I've decided to do the same. Thanks for the "how-to" with pictures. The softer ride will probably be easier on my back.

It's a pity that Photobucket ruined your pictures with watermarks. If you still have access to the pictures, maybe you want to replace those and upload it to the server, or better still, to imgur.com like I've done now.

I'm definitely not an electronics expert. Rather an amateur electronics tinkerer. I've picked up some electronics knowledge while tinkering with Arduino and designing the odd circuit on my own, but mostly I build other people's circuits. The auto headlight switch is my own design, though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino

[SK Racing]

I like to make drawings before I build stuff. Here is the Photoshopped image again of what I'm aiming for with this build.
And before anyone comments about the lack of fenders, let me say that I only use the bike for short trips on good weather days.




Btw, I borrowed one of Joao Kleber Design's renders of the GS500 as basis for my concept picture. It made life a lot easier. Thanks Joao! 

       
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRBmjErHLsc 

[SK Racing]

I'll have to make some changes to the wiring harness to relocate the small battery, regulator and other electronics under the seat. To make life easier, I've purchased a box of 50 sets of electrical connector terminals in 2, 3, 4, 6, & 9 pin configurations via eBay. 10 sets of each size should be enough.

The connectors are 2.8 mm size, so not compatible with the standard GS connectors, but I don't mind. I prefer the smaller size for this application anyway.

[SK Racing]

As mentioned before, there is a parcel of mine stuck in Hong Kong. Hopefully I'll receive it in the not too distant future.

This is what the parcel contains: hand grips, clutch & brake levers and instrument set. Can't make up my mind if I should just mount the speedo and leave the tacho off. I like the clean look of minimal cockpit instruments.







I'd also like to get new handlebar switches

[SK Racing]

Planned modifications and upgrades:

• LED Headlight - DONE
• SS brackets for headlight - DONE
• SS slip-on muffler - DONE
• LiFePO4 battery + BMS - DONE
• Custom sub-frame – Needs painting
• Custom seat
• R6 rear shock
• Sonic front springs
• Shortie levers
• 60mm Speedometer
• LED cockpit pilot lights - BOUGHT
• LED taillight - DONE
• Bar-end indicators
• Kenda Big Block tires – BOUGHT one
• Braided steel brake lines - BOUGHT
• New rear brake reservoir - BOUGHT
• New front and rear sprockets
• New rear brake rotor
• Detab and paint frame
• Paint tank
• Paint wheels
• Nickel plate various bolts & brackets
• 3D carbon fibre vinyl where seat covered tank - BOUGHT
• New ignition cover and emblem plate
• Lengthen kickstand to suit bigger tires
• Low profile footpegs

[profile_deleted]

Great thread (and welcome). Looking forward to watching it progress. Love the concept pic.

B.

[Endopotential]

Hi SK, love where you're going with the bike.

Looking forward to seeing how you build your sub-frame.  The welding and tube bending was the hardest part of my build.  The bike looks really good with all that open space at the tail.  If your bike ends up in the same direction, replacing the massive airbox with a single K&N is a nice touch.  Hope Buddha doesn't see this, as he thinks it was a horrible idea 

But I've gotten lucky with the jetting so far.  I think 2004 has the three jet carbs, so you can try my combo.  I also got rid of as many vacuum sources as I could, like the petcock and PAIR (air injection into the exhaust).

I live in SF, California so maybe same latitude as you, just on opposite side of the equator?  It only takes my bike a minute to warm up on choke, so haven't had a problem with my headlight draining battery on startup.  Though I do have twin LEDs so maybe that helps.

Sorry about picture links.  I suppose I should update the pics, but then I would have to go back and edit all my mess of old posts.

PS the R6 shock was the best modification I've done to the bike, along with the stiffer Sonic Springs for the front.

[SK Racing]

Great thread (and welcome). Looking forward to watching it progress. Love the concept pic.

B.

Thanks for the welcome Bruce. Yeah, it's one thing to draw a picture, but to make a bike look like that is a different thing altogether. Even worse if you don't do the welding and bending yourself. I've decided to not use my arc welder, but to have the welding done by a professional. It turns out not every contractor with a tig welder is professional.

Christo

[SK Racing]

Hi Endo

As I've said to Bruce above, I'm not totally happy with the sub-frame. It's built now, but the contractor started complaining halfway through the job and nearly didn't complete the job. I paid him extra in the end, although I wasn't completely happy with the sub-frame. Maybe I'm too hard to please.

I'd love to show you guys a picture of the sub-frame, but can't get myself to take a pic before I've sanded away all the rust that has built up while I was in hospital and till now. I'll do it sometime in the next month I hope. Today was a good day for my back and if it continues to improve at this rate, I'll be working on the bike soon.

Yes, with the airbox gone, there really is a lot of open space in the rear. I love it !!!  I've even turned the petcock 90 deg clockwise so the fuel lines don't stick out the back, but go downwards - leaving as much open space as possible in that open rear area.

Guess I've been lucky with the jetting too. The engine runs well on 17.5, 60, 145 jets with the pods. I have sets of 142.5 and 140 main jets as well, so I can fine-tune if necessary. I live at 1300m altitude. Maybe I should get 20 pilot jets just to see if it helps with starting.

I'd really love to get the R6 shock. I could get one last year, but spent my budget on something else instead. I should hear if it's still available.

I've redone all my pictures last night. Uploaded them to Imgur and used the BBCode (Forums) link. Then I inserted width=400 in the [ img ] tag. That sizes it down to 400 pixels and makes it clickable for full size. That's a cool feature of this forum.

Christo

[profile_deleted]

Just wondering if you've received the speedo/tach combo yet and if so what you think of the quality?  I'm looking for something similar for my upcoming scrambler build and although I've used dime city stuff in the past, those look nice (and I'm sure are a lot cheaper).

[SK Racing]

Just wondering if you've received the speedo/tach combo yet and if so what you think of the quality?  I'm looking for something similar for my upcoming scrambler build and although I've used dime city stuff in the past, those look nice (and I'm sure are a lot cheaper).

No, I'm afraid not. I've ordered it from Banggood and I don't think the couriers are doing much atm.

The price is US$26, which I think is a very good. I've seen quite a few builds using these instruments, so I thought, why not take a chance?

Link: https://www.banggood.com/Universal-LED-Motorcycle-Black-TachometerOdometer-Speedometer-Gauge-w-Bracket-p-1187213.html

[SK Racing]

Finally made some progress.

Yesterday and today I wire brushed and sanded most of the rust off of the sub-frame. The sub-frame was made late last year, but I couldn't do any work due to health issues. I've now recovered enough to start working on the bike again. 

Note that the tank bracket is now welded to the sub-frame. Tank removal is easily accomplished by removing the two bolts at the rear of the tank via the open space underneath.




The sub-frame is not painted yet, but I gave the sanded areas a coating of Deoxidine to prevent the exposed steel from rusting again. I wish that I could have done that last year already.




New bracket to rotate the petcock 90 degrees clockwise to keep the fuel lines out of sight.




The curve of the hoop matches the shape of the taillight.

[Endopotential]

Hey Christo, that looks fantastic!

The bracing on your sub-frame looks a lot sturdier than mine 

What are your plans for the seat?  Did you find some pre-made one that fits?  Or will you be custom building that as well?

[SK Racing]

Thanks Endo. I'm glad that I used a professional welder to make the sub-frame.

Next step after priming the sub-frame, will be to mount the battery and other electronic parts onto the steel plate under the seat.

Following that, I have to make a cover from wood to cover the electronics. The wood cover will be the mold for a fiberglass seat pan and will be discarded afterwards. So, I guess I'll be doing it the hard way. No pre-made seat will fit anyway.

I'm also planning to use the standard key and cable latch to lock the seat in place, like you've done.

Christo

[The Buddha]

A lot of people want that "empty frame triangle"

IMHO nothing screams hammered together in my backyard than that, and exposed nuts and bolts.
Your frame triangle could use an appropriate sized storage box - just thinking out loud.
And I'd have made it to fit and old school like a Z1 or other bike's triangular side cover, so you can slap that on the storage box.
Pretend like it came off the factory looking that way. For good measure, leave the emblem of the Z1 intact and get one that was the same color as the tank etc etc if it was available. As in all original paint faded, patina etc etc and make the frame to fit it. Would fool people who know needless to say those that don't.

Cool.
Buddha,

[SK Racing]

A lot of people want that "empty frame triangle"

And I guess I'm one of those people. 

Thanks for the idea of adding a storage box, but it's not going to happen.

I actually went to a lot of trouble to source a LiFePO4 battery and making it work - for the explicit reason of having that empty triangle. I'm after the minimalist look for this bike. It's not a commuter, it's a toy and tbh, it won't even have a rev counter. Even the oil cooler is coming off.

The thing is, I know the bike is in good condition mechanically. I rode it for nearly three years and put 3200km on it. But now I feel like restoring it. The weathered look has been bugging me big time. No patina for me anymore! That's why the title reads "Restomod". I'm hoping to restore it down to the last exposed nut and bolt while modding it. Ok, I won't go overboard like the guys with show bikes do, but I think you know what I mean.

The downside is, if it's not done right, it will look like it's been "hammered together in my backyard". So, I hope I'll be able to pull it off. Let's wait and see.

[Endopotential]

Don't worry Christo.  Buddha hated the "empty triangle" on my bike too 

In the end,it's all about what makes you happy, and no one else!

[SK Racing]

Yeah, thanks for the encouragement, Endo.

If we all had the same taste, our bikes would all look the same. Just think how boring that would be. 

Btw, I had some success with DIY nickel plating. The process is quite easy and it works really well. I'll prolly do a write-up here someday, but what I've learned from it is more important than the success I've had so far; It is crucial to do proper preparation, i.e. polishing beforehand. And in some cases it's better to start with new bolts and re-plating those, than trying to dress up damaged bolt heads.

And in other cases, plating is not even necessary. Like the fat-headed bolts holding the main footrest back-plate to the frame. Those polish up very nicely if chucked into a drill chuck and spun while polishing with Brasso or similar polishing fluid. The hex recess can be polished with an earbud and Brasso.

[profile_deleted]

Really enjoying this thread and your build... lots of thought and attention to detail going into it.  Keep up the awesome work.  Can't wait to see the finished product. 

[The Buddha]

If you want that empty look IMHO the better way to get it is to get rid of that bottom leg of the triangle completely. Sort of like those XB9 buells, but that cast tail was just massive on those.
Should be a way to get the top rail stiff enough and short enough to be able to stand the weight etc .
Then all you have to do is to block off the carbs and filters from getting splattered by road crap.
I dunno, that backyard welded and hammered together look isn't appealing to me. I guess I like all stock bikes from the 70's, so to me a big frame triangle is a missed opportunity to slap a big 70's side cover on it.

Cool.
Buddha.