Suzuki with an English accent

This is my first bike, ever. I have a thread in the intro section, documenting my contraction of the motorbike bug, and the hunt for this bike.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=42602.0

I wanted a cafe racer, admittedly brought to my attention because it is trendy as hell, because I loved the flat look (as opposed to the look of a bobber or chopper, where the front of the bike sits taller than the back). But after becoming closer friends with a mechanic (bike OBSESSED mechanic) I was turned onto his addiction of Triumphs and Nortons. I like them stock, even. Still have that flat look. Here's me on one of my friend's Triumphs (I believe it's a 1970)


So, since I am one of those debt-free weirdos, I set out to save cash for my bike... I started to get discouraged as I saw that Triumphs and Nortons are kinda pricey. So then I started looking at Hondas. Still a little pricey. Yamaha? Could be cheaper. Oh, here it is, 1980 Suzuki GS750L in the middle of nowhere for a FRACTION of the cost of the first bikes I looked at. I suppose I can buy a Triumph in a few years- I just want to RIDE! At least I'm learning, though.. The thing is nearly immaculate. Has new tires and about 16,000 miles on it. No rust or anything. Barely any dust or grime. Needs carbs cleaned, but I planned to get a carb jet kit anyways, as I've learned that bikes from that era are made to run lean for emissions standards, but I care not about that (sorry).

So I got it. Ugly as sin, with giant handlebars, a king/queen seat, and a nifty rack. Not to mention turn signals the size of your headlights... Here's my bike when I was trucking it home from the middle of nowhere.



A few days later I loaded it up and took it to my friend's shop. He owns a motorbike parts company, and so I have access to the whole warehouse, to buy whatever I want. He's kind enough to make me do the work, so I can learn. The parts he doesn't have, he knows guys that do have.

Checked out various handlebars. The ones I liked happened to be made for a Triumph.


Checked out various lights (haven't chosen yet, but here's a few I liked, shown here mounted on another bike in the shop). I'm going to sell my minty clean fender on eBay, then cut up an older one (like this pic) he had laying around, that isn't so minty clean.


We were thinking of trimming off the stock seat mounts and putting on a Triumph seat (shown, propped up on the stock mounts so it's not flat, here) but then he referred me to his upholstry guy, and I'm going to look into having the original pan trimmed and modified to make a seat I don't hate. I don't want to go chopping away, I don't intend to do anything irreversible to this bike- in fact, I almost want to keep the stock parts around to sell with the bike when I'm ready for my next project... I don't know.


I like the Norton exhaust tips, but I don't want to cut my exhaust, because it's perfectly clean. So on eBay it goes, and I'm going to buy an ugly, shitty set for cheaper, so I can chop them up guilt free, and wrap em with heat tape.


We got the bike inside and up on the stand, after we decided which direction we wanted to go. I like British bikes, let's make this one pretend to be British. Especially because I have a Triumph specialist helping me out...



Right now the bike looks like this


and as soon as the UPS guy brings my jet kit, I can deal with these...


So I guess it'll be a SORT OF cafe style bike. I want it all low and flat as possible, and I want to remove everything I don't actually NEED. I hope I don't offed with my choices and preferences with this build :-[

Good luck, those GS's are great bikes.

Beautiful bike, love the direction you're going with it.
I'm madly envious of the fact that it's mid0-November and you're outside in short sleeves. Damn Canadian weather ;D
Keep up the posts!

Frog said:

Good luck, those GS's are great bikes.

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+1. If you haven't signed up on the GSResources yet, I highly recommend it. They can help out with any problems you might have. And the "L" models are great candidates for modifications .....since they are pretty hideous as stock bikes.

Damn it Rich "QUIT PICKING ON MY L"...

In all seriousness someone had written "noone will care if you cut up an L". BUt as long as it isn't the drop rail model They still have plenty of potential.

GK

Been tied up with other projects the past few days. This here hobby is how I raise money to fund my other hobbies. I bought my bike with funds I earned by making guitars...



Tomorrow I'm scheduled to move forward on the bike. I eventually intend to make a guitar to match my final color scheme (I love love LOVE Triumph spring gold)... Although I may be a long way away from wanting to paint my bike. I don't have the patience for that right now- I just want to RIDE!

If ya really want to make it feel british give it a oil leak ground everything in the tail light and make it never start with out smoke comming off some wire haha just kidding

More GSes = More gooder!!

I wondered if anyone else here built guitars?

Scratch built 1984, book matched flame maple top semi hollow, self built tremolo. Cherry wood back and body. Paduk fret board and skunk stripe on back of neck. Not a good photo.
Your GS can be a very cool bike keep at it.
Cheers, 50gary

bradj said:

If ya really want to make it feel british give it a oil leak ground everything in the tail light and make it never start with out smoke comming off some wire haha just kidding

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I was at a big ride at Hansen Dam, near Los Angeles, a few weekends ago, and there were some BEAUTIFUL (I mean like museum-looking) Triumphs that came back from the ride drenched in oil!

50gary said:

I wondered if anyone else here built guitars?

Scratch built 1984, book matched flame maple top semi hollow, self built tremolo. Cherry wood back and body. Paduk fret board and skunk stripe on back of neck. Not a good photo.
Your GS can be a very cool bike keep at it.
Cheers, 50gary

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That's rad. I never got too into the highly figured woods, my main squeeze was trying to replicate the look and feel of pre CBS Fenders, but because I'm a fan of heavier music (Alice In Chains, Failure, Refused) I like to sneak in things that you wouldn't find on an actual 1960's Fender, like a longer scale length, flatter fretboard radius, and mini humbuckers where there was traditionally a single coil, and I like to make the guitars look like they were owned by punk bands (broken pieces, "home made" modifications, relic jobs, etc, because a pristine guitar is scary to really play!)

I guess the most I got into figured woods was for necks. These are both 28.625" scale lengths (tuned A E A D F# B) and eventually went on to be Jazzmaster replicas




This Duo Sonic II replica has a 25.227" scale length, so it can be tuned lower than a standard Duo Sonic II, which has a 24" scale length.



On this one I cracked off a piece of the headstock and then glued it back on. I also did the pickup routs using a dull chisel and a hammer, to add to the punk vibe...


They don't ALL get the abuse treatment, though. This one came out of my shop minty clean, and went to NAMM 2012 with a friend of mine who owns a pedal company. The wood was stained blue before I sprayed the transparent yellow, so from some angles it appears zombie green. I call the color "Butter Rot Transparent"



I've been a long time member of Offsetguitars.com, which is where I actually learned how to build a guitar. There is probably about 100 build threads over there with my name on the OP... And just for the hell of it, here's a few more random pics of guitars I've made










These ones were gifts for the groomsmen in my wedding, last year






Oh man, get me started talking guitars, and I never stop! I have a sign posted next to my chair at work, saying "Do not talk to me about guitars!" because I will seriously stop cutting hair and just go on and on about guitars!

Great work all around I'm the same, I was worried that I'd be the one to jac this thread ha ha. You have a good eye your bike should turn out as well as the guitars. I'll stay tuned in for the result, I do prefer the GS "E" models
Cheers, 50gary

Good find on the bike and man, what great opportunity to work in a good size shop! I'm totally jealous. I've been ramping my bike down a set of concrete steps and into a basement door for the last year to work on it.

I'll add to the guitar build party. Here is the latest one I built for a friend. Candy blue underneath with the red sparkle on top.


Untitled by loganrm, on Flickr

Rad.

The Giant Robot Co. said:

Good find on the bike and man, what great opportunity to work in a good size shop! I'm totally jealous. I've been ramping my bike down a set of concrete steps and into a basement door for the last year to work on it.

I'll add to the guitar build party. Here is the latest one I built for a friend. Candy blue underneath with the red sparkle on top.


Untitled by loganrm, on Flickr

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That's great! did you by chance use Paul Rhoney templates from Ponoko.com?

AndrewDoesHair said:

That's great! did you by chance use Paul Rhoney templates from Ponoko.com?

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I've never heard of that place but it looks freakin' cool! When I first started doing this a long time ago I took a few bodies to a mennonite furniture maker where I lived. We took measurements and he made templates for me on their equipment. Been using them for years.

Ha ha great thread do far and can't wait to see what you do with your 'L' series. Even though they are the bastard children of the old zooks they have a Solid engine and the frame can work very well for a cafe. Just a heads up those CV carbs are a bit finicky even when stock but that thing will run like a bat outta hell with a jet kit and pods when tuned right.

You going to keep the 16" rear wheel or swap it out to a 18"?

Still waiting for the carb stuff to ship...

But I did a little bit of work in the meantime.

Dropped the forks about an inch and a half, and replaced the stock headlight mounts and turn signals.


Here's the giant stock signals next to the new ones


Then we put a shorter fender on the back (I would have liked to make it even shorter than it is, here, but my friend advised against it. He said I'd regret it when I have a tiger stripe) and added a much smaller brake light and tiny signals like on the front.


Way less shitty than stock.


We removed the covering from the seat, and are planning on trimming the seat foam from it's previous king/queen stacked up state, to make a flat seat using the original pan, so that I can still use the key and the stock mounts. I'm still completely oblivious as to how we are going to work this seat, I guess I just don't have the vision. But he swears it'll look the way I want it to. I asked if it'd be too much trouble to make a cowl like on a cafe racer seat, and he said no problem, that he could make one in 10 minutes. I trust him. Let's see how that goes...




I'll be doing more work on monday. The jet kit should be there by then.

Thats pretty cool... ( quite a production line on the guitars you've got going there!

And the bike.

How could I go about getting a cooler tank? My friend basically asked "well why would you want to do that?" and said that it'd be really hard to find another tank that would fit. But I like the lower, flatter tanks. Can that not be done? Is that why the L series is so goofy? What if I bash the sides in with a hammer and Bondo it smooth, is that pretty frowned upon when it comes to a tank that aren't shedding paint already anyways?