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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: cafe hillsy on September 02, 2010, 05:14:13 PM

Title: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: cafe hillsy on September 02, 2010, 05:14:13 PM
Hi fellas,

I've been a member of a few cafe forums, and have been given links to this site - so I thought I'd introduce my project.

It's a 450....is that allowed here  :dunno_black:

Anyway, this is what I started with:

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/LHScomplete.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/RHScomplete.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/Badmaster.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/WiringMess.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/NeedsHeadlight.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/NeedsTaillight.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/NeedsAirFilter.jpg)

Yep - a bit of neglect there.. :o

Anyway, fast forward a bit and I'm pretty much at this point:

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_2052.jpg)
(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_2053.jpg)
(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_2054.jpg)

The wheels are off a Yamaha FZR250 (not a good choice - but I already had them in the shed), the seat is a Ducati SS copy, and the tank is a 81 GS650 (4 cyl). Everything....and I mean EVERYTHING had to be heavily modified to fit  :cookoo:

Then I got the rearsets mounted (FZR250 again):

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_3683.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_3685.jpg)

(http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq6/hillsythegreat/IMG_3688.jpg)

So now I have the whole thing in pieces (again) because I needed to weld in a plate under the rear hoop to hold all the electrics. No more pics at this stage, but I will get "back into it" soon....promise  :thumb:

Cheers...... :cheers:




Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: Big Rich on September 02, 2010, 06:20:18 PM
I would recognize that bike anywhere (obviously)!

Looks great Hillsy!
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: GI_JO_NATHAN on September 02, 2010, 07:34:39 PM
Sweet build! I'd like to do one eventually.
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: werase643 on September 03, 2010, 08:05:07 PM
why are the fork legs on backwards?
wish I had the FZR250.....
the original 555cc kit was for the GS400-450 so just bore away
wiseco had it listed for a 79ish GS450 back in the early 90's
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: 007brendan on September 04, 2010, 01:21:31 AM
Quotewhy are the fork legs on backwards?

good point.  may want to turn those around so you can mount some time of fork brace.
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: cafe hillsy on September 04, 2010, 04:57:32 AM
The fork legs are on backwards to allow the RHS caliper to be mounted on a LHS fork.......the forks and triples are from a GSX250F, the wheels and caliper are FZR250, the steering stem is GS450.....It's a long story......don't worry - I have a plan  :D

Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: twelvepoint on September 04, 2010, 07:20:33 PM
This is a fun project to witness, thanks for sharing.

Since I'm a little clueless about GS history, could someone tell me is a GS450 is virtually the same as a GS500, with a slightly smaller displacement?

Similarly, prior to the GS500E, there was a model with a tubular frame and older style rear suspension, sort of like this 450, correct?
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: Big Rich on September 04, 2010, 08:38:33 PM
http://www.suzukicycles.org/All-Suzuki/all_suzuki_models.html

That link has the history of the first gs500's. The 450's have the same bottom end to my knowledge (and a better crank from what I hear), but the headers point out at an angle from the motor.
Title: Re: New guy building a GS450 cafe
Post by: twelvepoint on September 05, 2010, 04:46:47 AM
Great site. I had no idea there were so many GS flavors. I assume a lot of these were for non-American markets?