suzuki gt250 cafe build

[adriansgt250]

I've been looking around for expansion chambers but haven't found anything just yet. I think I'm going to wait till I ride it and see how it feels before I start tinkering around with it in terms of performance haha. It's my first bike so I have yet to get to know the powerband.

Funnily enough last night I was working away in the garage and an ambulance rocked up for the guy next door (diabetic issues). Anyways one of the paramedics was an older guy and he looked in the garage. "Is that an old hustler?" he says to me and I said yes. "f*ck me I saw more accidents from those things back in the UK in the day than any other bike"

Thanks for the confidence booster old man haha.

 

[KVoom]

I really like what you are doing with your bike... I am currently on my first build I took on a smaller machine a Kawasaki KV 100 and i am pleased I didn't tackle something bigger, keep posting and updating your progress, I liked what you did with the tail light.
Cheers
James

 

[Streetfighter89]

The original performance is alright in my book, pulls mild second gear wheelies while accelerating ambitious out of slow corners.

Good chambers are made here: http://www.samracing.net/Index_uk.htm

They have a TR 250 kit that applys straight to the GT.

You have to consider that the most chambers take the powerband to the high revs and really cut you down in the low revs, for driving in normal traffic taht is not very comfortable.

Cutting weight on those iron pigs is the real key to performance in my opinion!

 

[Titan performance]

I have really enjoyed reading your thread right through Adrian.....
We specialise in 500 cafe racers, but I have a soft spot for the 250.....particularly the ram air models. Yours looks like a k or an L from about 1973 or so. In the mid 70's there were bundles of these things in England, as licensing laws allowed total novices to ride them back then, with just an "L" plate attached. I had a couple of them, the nicer being a 250M from 75. To be honest, like a lot of the Suzuki smokers, they had little or no, detectable power band, unlike the, "all or nothing" Yams of the era. They tended to produce a usable spread of power right through the range. The later, more rattley 250 A and B models, were a bit more peaky with their 8 port barrells.

I think, depending on your stature, you may find that clubmans bars and stock pegs will be a little uncomfortable, and IMHO you should dump the rear fender, and build a smaller rear light into the seat unit.
The trouble is, with these projects......they are a bottomless pit financially, and it's difficult to know where to draw the line.
Anyways......keep up the good work, I shall be watching with interest.

 

[Streetfighter89]

Since you've already drilled your rotor this would be maybe a little late but I want to share it with you.

Recently I discovered in the german GT-Forum a thread concerning brake modifications (http://www.mariolange.de/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=496).

I gave it a try myself and got my new brake rotor today, I chose a GS 400 L rotor because I got it real cheap. Even without slots or holes its 800g lighter than stock! With holes i think it would be 900-1000g lighter. The centrifugal forces won't be affacted that much I think, because the brake rotor is near the center, but it would definatly affect the unsprung wheigt. Only thing to do is to cut the threads in the hub a little deeper because the GS rotor is a little thinner in this area, but thats a piece of cake.

If you are interested you should look for a GS 550 M Katana rotor, they are sloted right from the start, but I don't know how common that model is downunder.

The rotors of the models stated in my pic are a straight fit, the central hole, the PCD and the offset are the same and you can get them real cheap (and they look sexy). You should really consider that conversion.

After I drilled my rotor I'm gonna spread the word in my build thread too.

 

[famousseajay]

Ummm...Streetfighter89 i cant read a damn thing in that link you posted. Haha! But thanks for the inside info on the front rotor. I was in the beginning process of drilling the stock one, but this sounds like a better idea. You are full of great GT250 knowledge!

 

[Streetfighter89]

The guys that grew up with those machines and raced them, no matter if in the street or on the track, are the real "think tank" of the GT-Scene over here in germany, I just adapt the knowledge they share.

The posted link describes the mentioned modification on a GT 750, pretty much the same, that guy used a GS 1100 brake calipers in addition, that gives you 25% more brake pad contact to the disc according to him. A conversion to think about too!

 

[Streetfighter89]

Anything new?

 

[adriansgt250]

Sorry, been really slack in updating this page.

Got married and moved house over the last couple of months so my priorities have been a bit askew haha.

She's almost ready to register now and looks pretty much like this (took this a couple of months ago but looks wise not much has changed)

I've been for a few rides just to test everything out but as it's not registered I can't go too far

Few more electrical issues to figure out (front indicators not working, horn not working) and I should be able to book it in for roadworthy inspection and finally get it out on the road.

Been lurking on the site a lot but keep forgetting to update

 

[adriansgt250]

Here's a couple from last week in her new home.