I recently bought an abandoned Cafe Racer project and decided to get it sorted out. It was intended to be a full nut and bolt build, It might still become one, but for now the aim is to get her running and looking a bit better so I can commute to work with the bike. Work done to date:
- Motor has been sent in to be re-built
- Frame has been cut to fix the horrendous job the original builder did
- Frame has been resprayed - will be done again as I have decided to alter the frame further to create a box where the wiring can be hidden
- I have ordered some goodies to fit to the bike (Mirrors, exhaust, lights, acewell dash etc.)
- I am busy fabricating a steel base for the seat and tail piece
Looks great. Keep us informed as you go along. I wish you success!! :cheers:
Some Photos of work done to date
Yes I know the seat is ziptied on, it was the only way to hold it in place. The seat cover needs to be altered to conform to the tank
The paint job on the tank and tailpiece is not the best I have seen, but I am fortunate to have a spray booth in my workshop, so I will sort that out going forward. Next step is to fabricate a new battery box and move all the wiring into the space beneath the seat. Hopefully, I will have the motor back next week as well.
The original backside on the frame was a bit funky.....
Got some more work done on Ugly Suzy this week. Still waiting for the motor to get done, hopefully, I will have it next week.
I closed off the frame loop at the back so I can hide the brake light wiring etc, fabricated a new battery box to hide the battery until I can afford to do a Lithium battery and fabricated a panel to close off the frame above the back wheel (also to help hide wiring)
Some more Photos
Last of the progress pics. I really need to get a tig welder to neaten my welds. The new steel parts will get epoxy coated after Christmas
Looking great. Well done so far. :cheers:
I'm dordling with my bike, though. The seat pan is taking up too much time. Still busy refining the mold.
My Seat is also still attached with zipties, I still need to figure out how to attach it to the bike, I have run out of ideas....
So I have had a chance to play with the bike again today. Bought a used Airage pipe of a guy on FB for very cheap. I know it is not really Cafe racer style, however, I like the sound of these pipes and the shape. I still need to figure out the final placement of the pipe once the motor is back in the bike, but have mocked up a hanger in the meantime. The pipe extends a bit far to the back of the bike, I will need to shorten the Stainless slip-on part of the pipe a bit to move it in and create a bit more wiggle room at the back brake.
Mocked-up hanger. This was done out of 2mm steel, once I have finalized the exhaust position I will make one from 3mm plate.
Servus,
Nice, but the Exhaust is toooooo long!
The more I look, the longer it gets! :laugh: But in all seriousness, yes, it is too long. Hopefully, I will have the motor back on the 5th of January then I can get a better idea of what will sit where. Also, I realized this morning that the hanger might look better fitted the other way around.
Due to Family visits over the holidays and work commitments, I have not gotten much done to Ugly Suzy. I am still waiting for the motor, getting a bit peeved with the rebuilders as they keep making promises that they do not keep, but hopefully, I will have it in the next week or so. In the meantime, I have redone the exhaust hanger and swapped it around so the pointy end connects to the exhaust, looks way better now. Still need to sort out the exhaust placement once I have the motor.
Will probably be re-painting the bike as well in the coming month, our spray booth is getting installed at the moment, cant wait to use it. I just need to decide on a paint scheme, but I am leaning towards the Gulf racing colours, but instead of doing a flat blue, doing a metallic blue.
I am thinking of doing a GSX400R frontend, there is one for sale locally for a good price. Has anyone seen such a conversion or know of someone that has done the GSX400 frontend conversion? I know some guys do the GSX750
Quick Update, I have decided to purchase the GSX400r frontend. I Will be picking it up on Thursday, it seems that the bearing sizes are the same, so hopefully it will be an easy fit, but I will do a write-up for anyone else considering the same swap once I have it.
Thursday has finally come. now O just need to get this thing fitted :woohoo:
I managed to get the Front end test fitted. I will need to make a spacer for the stem, as it is slightly longer, but bearings are the same, so it fits for all intents and purpose. I will do a full write-up on the front end fitment once I reassemble it with the correct spacers.
How did the front end work out ?
Hope you didn't hit any major hurdles, the bike was looking better with each new post.
Cheers
Quote from: moe_tunes on February 01, 2021, 12:19:28 AM
How did the front end work out ?
Hope you didn't hit any major hurdles, the bike was looking better with each new post.
Cheers
Thank you! The bike is sadly still sitting as per my last post. Things have been a bit hectic, due to COVID I am currently running my business as well as doing all the manual labour, so time is a bit scarce. I have managed to get spacers to sort out the length issue with the stem sorted out and I have been to the engineering shop building the motor this morning, I can pick it up tomorrow, so there has been a few things happening at least.
I should have some more of it sorted by Saturday, maybe get the frame painted and the motor installed.
So I picked up the motor today, needs a lick of paint, but it is all fresh and crispy on the inside. :woohoo: I still have no idea what state the carbs are in, will know once I have the motor in the frame and try to start it for the first time. I had some time this afternoon while waiting for glue to dry on some Oak counters, stood looking at the bike for a loooong time and decided I still don't like the subframe line in conjunction with the tank.
So I ended cutting the frame again, after doing a mockup of the line I want.
Got the frame aligned and welded up nicely, and painted it, hopefully for the last time this time.....
Left the frame to dry overnight, the line from the tank to the tail looks way better to me now.
That looks really good. :thumb:
Obviously the angle relative to the ground will be less when the bike is off the stand.
Quote from: SK Racing on February 04, 2021, 01:45:37 AM
That looks really good. :thumb:
Obviously the angle relative to the ground will be less when the bike is off the stand.
Indeed it will be. But the angle relative to the ground was not bothering me, it was the line from the tank to the tail that was bothering me. You don't notice the change in angle straight away, the tip of the tailpiece sits about an inch higher, so it's not much, but it gives a more clean and flowing line
The line from the tank to the tail looks great. That is what I meant. I'm doing the same on my own bike and went even further and made a whole new sub-frame.
You can view it in this thread: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php/topic,73327.0.html (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php/topic,73327.0.html)
Post #31 has some pictures of the actual sub-frame.
Quote from: SK Racing on February 04, 2021, 08:32:40 AM
The line from the tank to the tail looks great. That is what I meant. I'm doing the same on my own bike and went even further and made a whole new sub-frame.
You can view it in this thread: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php/topic,73327.0.html (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php/topic,73327.0.html)
Post #31 has some pictures of the actual sub-frame.
I have actually spent quite some time on your thread, it is looking really good so far! I thought about doing a whole new subframe, but I am allready spending waaaayyyy too much time getting the bike done, it was supposed to be a quick build so I can use it as a daily drive, but hey, we all have a weakness :D
Compared to most of the other GS "cafe racers" I've seen on the net and in gumtree ads I thought it was looking fine before... I think you've taken it up a notch now.
Well done and a nice bit of original thinking!
This site says the 1991 GS400 is four valves per cylinder (https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/suzu/suzuki_gs400e%2091.htm). Can you confirm that for me?
Cheers
Quote from: moe_tunes on February 05, 2021, 12:09:08 AM
Compared to most of the other GS "cafe racers" I've seen on the net and in gumtree ads I thought it was looking fine before... I think you've taken it up a notch now.
Well done and a nice bit of original thinking!
This site says the 1991 GS400 is four valves per cylinder (https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/suzu/suzuki_gs400e%2091.htm). Can you confirm that for me?
Cheers
Thank you! I am not sure if the older models might have been 4 valves per cylinder, mine is only 2 valves per cylinder. I know the bandit 400s are also labled as a GS, they are 4 per cylinder if I am not mistaken, but they also have a whole extra two cylinders.
The GS400E is the exact same motor as the 500, just with a shorter stroke and smaller displacement.
I have gotten a massive amount of work done on the bike since yesterday - Frontend fitted properly, various bits and pieces painted, Motor installed and bike put back together. I have the wiring left and some odds and ends that need to be done to get it roadworthy, but she is nearly rideable.
I thought about the write-up on the frontend, but it is not really that big a deal. I basically had a 5mm spacer made up that was installed beneath the bottom bearing to lift the bearing into its seat.
I wrestled the motor onto my workbench and into the frame on my own, one thing I can say is this thing is effing heavy!!! had some help to get it off the bench at least.
Quick update, Suzy ran for the first time today :woohoo: , after I was looking for a wiring fault for about 3 hours only to find that it was the engine earth wire that was missing. Motor is running well, it bogs on WOT blips, but if you open up the throttle smoothly to WOT it is fine. Does anyone have an idea of what the issue might be?
The picture below is just to compare what the bike looked like when I got it vs now. It has come quite a bit further.
It's good to hear the engine finally turned up and that the front end was a relatively easy fit. I was a bit exited when I read that site I linked said the 400 had a 4 valve/cylinder head... Thanks for clearing that up.
You had said you haven't checked the carbs so it might be time to give them a clean making sure there are no holes or tears in the diaphram and the fuel lines aren't pinched.
You're nearly there!
Quote from: moe_tunes on February 09, 2021, 02:10:27 PM
It's good to hear the engine finally turned up and that the front end was a relatively easy fit. I was a bit exited when I read that site I linked said the 400 had a 4 valve/cylinder head... Thanks for clearing that up.
You had said you haven't checked the carbs so it might be time to give them a clean making sure there are no holes or tears in the diaphragm and the fuel lines aren't pinched.
You're nearly there!
Took apart the carbs today, cleaned them, put them back, bike is running worse than yesterday. It is popping at idle and spitting through the left side carb. The exhaust header on that side also gets red hot on idle, so I suspect it might be waaayyy to rich on that side, but I might be wrong. Any ideas?
Fitted some bling footpegs this morning and I got some parts back from powdercoating today as well. Also fabricated a numberplate holder and fitted the headlight, went all ghetto and attached the brackets to some stainless pipe clamps O0
I also ran into a little bit of a design snag, my new battery box sits in the way of the tank mounts with the angle of the frame that I changed. I did not have it fitted when I changed the subframe angle (Rookie error), but it should not be too difficult to fix. Hoped to take it for a shakedown ride today, but I will have to wait a little longer.
I would love to post some pics, but for some reason the server will not allow me to since yesterday.
Update, Bike runs well after some frustrations and some trial and error with Main jets (Repeat after me, 140's are tooo large for a 400). I have the lights wired up and working, indicators are wired, working and installed.
Last things on the list before I can start commuting:
- Acewell digital dash (Ordered and will be delivered and fitted tomorrow)
- Roadworthy and registration
- Need to get my own license sorted out again
- Insurance
I have decided not to paint the tank etc. right now, my budget is a bit stretched. So I am going to run it with the tank and tail as is, dent and all, it fits the bike's persona as Ugly Suzi. I am having some stickers made for the stator and gearbox cover with the Ugly Suzi name on.
Well done !
I guess it was a short first ride but how was the new seat angle?
Having never ridden the bike and with so much changed on it paying attention to everything all at once must have been worrisome and amazing.
Cheers
Quote from: moe_tunes on February 27, 2021, 03:16:17 PM
Well done !
I guess it was a short first ride but how was the new seat angle?
Having never ridden the bike and with so much changed on it paying attention to everything all at once must have been worrisome and amazing.
Cheers
Been a while since I have posted... I ended up with 130 mains, seems to be the sweet spot. The bike runs great with the pods that finally came. I have had it out on a couple more rides this morning, nothing too far, as it is not registered yet, so I need to dodge traffic officers. The seat angle is good, I am however going to have to do something to the seat, it needs a bit of a up kick against the tank as I keep sliding forward. I might also move the rearsets back a bit to get slightly more comfortable.
Getting my mirrors this week and then it is the long process of getting it registered.
Thought I'd revive my build thread, I have torn apart Ugly Suzy and started building from scratch....
:o :o ooooh ahhhhh. I love this one. I'm dying to get some usd forks these days. Can't wait to see how this ends up!