My GT 550 build

so i figured id start my own thread to show you guys a little more in dept of what im working with and hopefully get a few questions answered. So my background is im a student so the budget is fairly low, but i work with tools allot and do have some fabrication skills, hence how i threw together that little RF with about a weekends worth of actual work. most of my questions are with the bikes electrical im making the GT kick start only so i can kick out the battery but what else is there that i absolutely need what else can go and how is the best way to put it back together for clean looks and simplicity. next is a quick question for my carbs, i have two sets and both seem to have had a boot dissolve on all three carbs or its supposed to have a tar like substance on top. next is just a question of vanity id like to get the bike as low as possible with the big wheels are the following bikes running larger wheels or stock like my 18's plus is the best way for me to get the rear of my bike down to extend the swing arm before the pivot and how tall of a job would that be? i cant wait for my service manual to get here. thanks for any help in advance, here are the pics!!

Goopy Carb parts, if it is a dissolved boot ill be taking that to a varsal bath.




How hard are these Ram Air Ducts to find normally?? i have 3



The Stance im really hoping to get, love these bike *drool*



After 30 years of sitting and almost 20 years of being in the basement i spent weeks last summer getting my fathers CB 160 to run, he needed to buy it a chain and battery, this is how its now, still with no chain or battery


how i had it last year

sharp scoot man... as you do more and more people will pop in here and give you feedback, you are just starting this build... the honda is sick!
this is a great forum. i sponser several, and spend more time on here than any of them... met some awesome people and love the friends i have made... got to give it a chance... we are real wrenchers on here bud

NIce, I love tripples! Should be a cool build, check out VonYinzer's hustler build off thread! He and Swapmeetlouie are have a little friendly competition and Von is building a zook tripple! I love your fighter man, really clean, although I think it would look better with a 7" headlight! Look forward to seeing more from this build!

Cheers
Brandon

I think it's time to take that 160 and get it on the road!

Man, that 160 is a honey. Do you have more pics of your build?

Love these 550 triple. I wanted one for a while before I found my 750. It's just a neat bike that you don't see done up as a cafe racer very much.
I see your thread's only been up for a day... give it time dude. Folks have to find their way here. Plus, like I said, this isn't a bike that you see very much of so people might not know what they're looking at. Anyway, I look forward to watching this bike become a lean, slick, corner-carving beast. If there's anyway I can help don't hesitate to ask. But be warned I have no experience with this model! However I do have lots of parts that would be able to go on this bike, so if ya don't have something let me know and maybe I'll have something that you can either bolt right on or modify to suit your application.
Later,
Alex

tWistedWheelz said:

NIce, I love tripples! Should be a cool build, check out VonYinzer's hustler build off thread! He and Swapmeetlouie are have a little friendly competition and Von is building a zook tripple! I love your fighter man, really clean, although I think it would look better with a 7" headlight! Look forward to seeing more from this build!

Cheers
Brandon

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Its a 250 twin actually Brandon. The triples are badass though!

This should be a cool project, and Im looking forward to seeing it come together.

Uhhh... Von the gt550 is a two-stroke triple... are you talking about the cb160?... Cuz that's a 160... ???

So... I just reread your og post. Seems like you have some ideas as to where your going, which is important. As far as getting the bike low, you can extend the swingarm (which isnt too difficult, but unless you consider yourself a master welder you should take it to a pro...) and use a shorter shock. Up front you can just slide the tubes up through the trees a bit. Just be sure you allow for suspension travel. Or you can have the front end rebuilt and shortened. You really have a few options. As far as the missing (possibly?) carb boots, look up a parts fische... They will save ya a bunch of time. For example: http://www.suzukipartshouse.net/pages/parts/viewbybrand/1/Suzuki.aspx (part #44 maybe?)

And also... on a side note; saw your post on Travelers thread. Ya have to remember that there's over 5000 members on this site. Many of them dont ever start a build thread, or post anything ever. Those 35 views were probobly just those people who dont feel comfortable posting or responding. A lot of us here are subscribed to several threads already (I know that I end up with several pages of them if I dont keep up...) and dont always get a chance to check out the new stuff as much as we would like. Hang around here man and I guarantee that you'll walk away a more competant wrench, and more knowledgeable all around. I bet ya even make a few friends along the way. I know I have. Ive been a member of other forums for a good while and certainly enjoy this place the most. Stick around man, you'll be better off for it.

Deviant1 said:

Uhhh... Von the gt550 is a two-stroke triple... are you talking about the cb160?... Cuz that's a 160... ???

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Ha ha ha! No man... Brandon told him to check out my Hustler build and refered to it as a triple. Its not. Its a 250 twin...

I have a pair of GT550's you can find my build thread here: http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=9421.0

Im currently riding my CB750 daily but the work on the 550 cafe bike is coming along, will have to do an update fairly soon.

im glad you all made a liar out of me on travelers build, just a little discouraging seeing your thread go to the second page in a day with such little intrest, so far even just creeping around this site has been a huge help, as far as work goes today, im just trying to get clear work area, im a 21 year old student living at home, so in this house we have. My, Suzuki RF Street fighter, and GT 550. Dads, 1967 Honda CB 160, 2009 Yamaha Roadstar. Moms, 1999 V Star 650 custom, and a then the cars because its still canada,
Can anyone tell me for certain if the swing arm for the GT 750 and the GT 550 are the same?? i have a friend who came across a 750 but all the serial numbers were ground off so it was just too much of a hassle to make legal, said i was welcome to take anything i needed off it... *ideas are brewing if the motor looks decent*
In the next day or two im going to make a complete list of what i have multiple of and a list of custom bits i want to make, extending a swing arm shouldn't be a huge deal, as i said im a student and who does allot of fab work, i have instructors who are licensed machinist's, welders, and mechanics they make us do our own home jobs but oversee us if we ever dont trust ourselves,

Suzuki Smokers are so badass......you are lucky to have one.

Your dads 160.......is it for sale? Darn thing is gorgeous!

~Joe

suzuki_rf said:

im glad you all made a liar out of me on travelers build, just a little discouraging seeing your thread go to the second page in a day with such little intrest, so far even just creeping around this site has been a huge help, as far as work goes today, im just trying to get clear work area, im a 21 year old student living at home, so in this house we have. My, Suzuki RF Street fighter, and GT 550. Dads, 1967 Honda CB 160, 2009 Yamaha Roadstar. Moms, 1999 V Star 650 custom, and a then the cars because its still canada,
Can anyone tell me for certain if the swing arm for the GT 750 and the GT 550 are the same?? i have a friend who came across a 750 but all the serial numbers were ground off so it was just too much of a hassle to make legal, said i was welcome to take anything i needed off it... *ideas are brewing if the motor looks decent*
In the next day or two im going to make a complete list of what i have multiple of and a list of custom bits i want to make, extending a swing arm shouldn't be a huge deal, as i said im a student and who does allot of fab work, i have instructors who are licensed machinist's, welders, and mechanics they make us do our own home jobs but oversee us if we ever dont trust ourselves,

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Remember, the 750 smoker is WATER COOLED, your 550 is AIR COOLED.

BIG difference. But, a 750 known as a "kettle" or "water buffalo" is so totally cool...they have their own website and everything....love 'em!

~Joe

VonYinzer said:

Ha ha ha! No man... Brandon told him to check out my Hustler build and refered to it as a triple. Its not. Its a 250 twin...

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Oops, yeap, had a brain dead moment, happens when you have consumed as much as me over the years, I am sure it happens to you too Von! Hahaha! ;D

Sorry, his twin, either way it still kicks ass!

Looking good!

suzuki_rf said:

im glad you all made a liar out of me on travelers build, just a little discouraging seeing your thread go to the second page in a day with such little intrest, so far even just creeping around this site has been a huge help, as far as work goes today, im just trying to get clear work area, im a 21 year old student living at home, so in this house we have. My, Suzuki RF Street fighter, and GT 550. Dads, 1967 Honda CB 160, 2009 Yamaha Roadstar. Moms, 1999 V Star 650 custom, and a then the cars because its still canada,
Can anyone tell me for certain if the swing arm for the GT 750 and the GT 550 are the same?? i have a friend who came across a 750 but all the serial numbers were ground off so it was just too much of a hassle to make legal, said i was welcome to take anything i needed off it... *ideas are brewing if the motor looks decent*
In the next day or two im going to make a complete list of what i have multiple of and a list of custom bits i want to make, extending a swing arm shouldn't be a huge deal, as i said im a student and who does allot of fab work, i have instructors who are licensed machinist's, welders, and mechanics they make us do our own home jobs but oversee us if we ever dont trust ourselves,

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Yeah man theres probably a good hundred builds going on right now. My thread goes to the second page in a day too. So dont feel bad. Those ispiration photos are sweet. you may want to consider your ground clearance when you start to figure out how low you want to go. As your pipes are a little bigger than a four stroke.Keep it up. And if you really want some feedback start drilling holes in shit then break it and see how many comments you get.

Pics of you riding with no gear on will bring em' out of the wood-work too! ha ha ha

VonYinzer said:

Pics of you riding with no gear on will bring em' out of the wood-work too! ha ha ha

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or gringing on steel with no eye protection!

Any updates yet?