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GR650 anybody?

Started by Big Rich, June 23, 2014, 09:05:12 PM

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Big Rich

Cheers Pete! I had an Acewell before, but I probably won't be using it again. Only because I have a LOT of space for an instrument cluster and the Acewell is so small. So it's still up in the air for now...... I'd like to have the same features as stock (fuel gauge, tranny gear display, etc) but I don't want to use stock looking gauges or some cheapo unit from China. Plenty of time before I get to that though.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

peteGS

Ah ok cool... they do have the larger Acewells that have all those functions though... food for thought? But yes plenty of room in there now!
'82 GS450E
'84 GSX1100S Katana

GSnoober

Keep the updates coming Rich; I can't get enough of this build. I think most of the old-timers can really appreciate the work you put in on this ugly duckling; vintage DNA at work... as young as you are, you sure seem to appreciate and respect the classics more than the modern "tupperware techno-monsters", to steal a phrase from years gone by.

This and your GS450 both stand out in a crowd of stuff I would only ride at night...

Big Rich

Ha! Thanks man. I wouldn't say I'm all that young though...... I'm older than this GR650, and my GS450 is actually slightly older than me.

But anyways, there are some pretty big updates coming. I have a couple parts coming in the mail, and I'm saving up for a gas tank for my welder.....
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

peteGS

Your 450 is older than you? Damn... I'm 8 years older than my 450...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'82 GS450E
'84 GSX1100S Katana

Big Rich

Same model year, but it was "manufactured" before I was.  :thumb:
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

peteGS

Ah ok! Glad I'm going by manufacture date too... model year makes it 9 years younger  :o
'82 GS450E
'84 GSX1100S Katana

Big Rich

So this showed up today:



Bandit 1200 wheel with a 120/70-17" tire. I need to check the rotors to see if I can use them, and the bearings & tire will be replaced before I ride on them. But I can at least mock up some other stuff now.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

The rear wheel came in today, and I got both of them mounted up:



It's from a 2001 Katana 750, and has a worn 150/70-17 on it. Now I just need to figure out the spacing for everything. The front wheel is odd - when using the supposed proper axle spacers, the wheel is offset about 6mm in the forks. And the rear wheel will need some mixed and matched parts to get it to fit.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

Lowered the bike down onto the wheels, and took the fairing off (much better picture quality without it....):



83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

Something odd I noticed about Bandit forks - they don't have any kind of brace. I guess the stock fender is just solid plastic. And the fender mounts are like older bikes, except really high up (above the tire, actually):



I got some 6mm coupler nuts and stainless allen head bolts, and used a GS500 brace as a template to make a cardboard template:

83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

Got some .100" steel plate and cut it using the cardboard template. With the coupler nuts tight in the forks, I tack welded the plate to the nuts:



And here it is with some better welds and bolted in place:

83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

While I was in the garage, I made some tabs for the lower fairing mounts. These are directly in front of the engine, and slightly below the header ports:



Worked on the upper fairing mount a little too. I cut and drilled an "L" shaped bracket to bolt to the mount on the backbone, and got a 3/8" solid rod. With some more cutting & welding, the rod is attached to the "L" bracket.



After I took that pic, I heated up and bent the rod towards the front of the bike......but didn't take a pic, sorry.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

peteGS

Good stuff Rich! The GR will be a different beast entirely once you're done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'82 GS450E
'84 GSX1100S Katana

Big Rich

Thanks Pete! It's been parked for so long now, it'll be great to get it on the road at all. I'm hoping on having it "rideable" but unsafe (to my standards) before winter, and back to 100% come next spring.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

peteGS

Nice Rich! At least you've got that great little 450 in the meantime :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'82 GS450E
'84 GSX1100S Katana

Big Rich

Good ol' 450. Dependable little bugger.

So here's where I'm at currently with the upper mount. I bent it forward a little and fitted the fairing to see where it needs to go. Doesn't look like much now, but it's progress......

83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

Couple other parts showed up today so I tossed this together before leaving for work. GS500 sprocket carrier (w/ old 520 sprocket), 01 Katana caliper mount, GS500 brake caliper, and an 01 caliper torque arm. I can't say the wheel is perfectly centered in the swingarm yet, but just eyeballing it it looks pretty close......

83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

I've been working a bunch of overtime recently, but got last night off unexpectedly. Good chance to work in the garage all night! Got a little more done on the upper fairing mount:



The solid rod coming up from the frame is 3/8" diameter, and the cross pipe has a 1/2" OD, 3/8" ID. So I drilled a 3/8" hole in the side of the pipe, slid it on the rod, and threw in some tack welds. Then cut a T shaped gusset and welded it in for support.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Big Rich

I'll be mounting an auxiliary light to the old horn mount, but wanted to check how well it will fit. Once I saw how much space I had, I welded a mounting bracket under the light for the R/R:

83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

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