1980 GS450 with a Honda Scrabler Style Exhaust

Hello All,

I have been working on turning a 1980 Suzuki GS450 in a cafe style bike. The other night I decided that scrabmler sytle exhaust would look pretty neat. Does anyone know if a Honda CL360 or CL450 Scrambler style exhaust would fit on my GS?
I've been does some research on the net and can't find any dimensions for any set-up. All I could find is that CL450 and CL360 exhaust is not interchangable.

Thanks for your help.

Scrambler style exhaust has no business on a cafe style bike. Make up your mind. Are you building a scrambler, or are you building a cafe?

This is what my bike looked like after last winter. The only change from here is now I have clubman handle bars.
This winter I'm planning on cleaning up the wiring, and installing Dominator Headlights. If I have time I would also like to midify the seat and paint the rims.

I'm going for a cafe' style. I was thinking about the scramble style exhaust because I don't usually see them on a cafe style, and it might be cool looking and unique.

rxp1476 said:

I was thinking about the scramble style exhaust because I don't usually see them on a cafe style

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Ask yourself, "Why?"
Just in case you don't know the answer, I'll tell you. It's because scrambler style and cafe style are two distinctly different styles of bike.

Sometimes we see cafe/bobber/rat/tracker bikes. Obviously, the builder can't make up his mind what style bike he's building.

If you are going to build a cafe style bike, build a cafe style. If you are going to build a scrambler style bike, then do that. When you start mixing styles, it just looks like you can't make up your mind what you want to build.

It's your bike, build what you want. I'm just saying that the reason you don't see scrambler pipes on a cafe, is that it is the wrong style. Simple as that. Reminds me of a thread recently when someone was asking what the deal was with knobby tires cafe style bikes. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

I understand what you are saying, that scrambler exhaust is not part of the style, and I completely agree. You may be right, it may look stupid and I will want to rip it off as soon as I put it on. But I won’t know that until I try it.

Building a custom bike is an art, not a rigid set of plans and rules. Every modern style is a combination of previous styles that their creators thought would be practical or cool looking. A café bike is basically a road worthy race inspired interpretation of a standard bike while adding personalized style and performance where possible. They got their start by combining the best parts from many different bikes, and reducing weight for performance. In many respects a crotch rocket is a modern interpretation of a café, with more emphasis on speed, trading weight and uniqueness for reduced wind resistance, and higher RPMs.

I appreciate your concerns, as to the intent of the café style, and my deviation of it. As a fellow motorcycle creator I hope you can appreciate my desire for a stylish yet unique bike.

I disagree... I don't have anywhere near the talent these guys have, but the whole idea is to build what pleases you. Unless you're building for the sheeple of this country (O.C. Choppers). I've seen plenty of race bikes and cafe's with the high pipes.... Is it my preference? Nope, but I can see why it would resonate to some. Cafe's were stripped down bikes, many didn't have any mufflers at all. I think the whole idea behind a build is to push the boundry, if not, then everybody's bike's would look the same. http://silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Trident-Cafe-Racer-2.jpg

Bottom line is, it's your bike, sit down and actually come up with a design and see where it goes. I would pass on the Honda stuff, even if it fits, scrambler exhausts are usually expensive. Find a local muffle shop who has a bored owner and talk with him. You might get him to weld up a system that looks industrial and cool....

I agree, build it however you want. Just don't get offended by negative comments. they WILL happen.

The reason high pipes are on a scrambler is to keep the exhaust high so it doesn't get damaged by rocks and such, and keeps them out of any water when crossing streams.

High pipes make it difficult to work on carburetors, put hot pipes near your legs.....

Make a beautiful bike, make an ugly bike, it's your call....But many of us call em like we see em....if we think it's ugly we will let you know...if we think it's inspired, we will let you know too....

AlphaDogChoppers said:

Just in case you don't know the answer, I'll tell you.

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For this reason alone, I think you should do it. Also I think scrambler pipes are cool.

Rich Ard said:

For this reason alone, I think you should do it. Also I think scrambler pipes are cool.

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^^ What these guys said. Do what YOU want.

Rich Ard said:

For this reason alone, I think you should do it. Also I think scrambler pipes are cool.

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Agreed!

I have CL pipes on my CB cafe. It looks awesome. Do it.


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Wow, I can't believe it has been 5 years since I posted this question. I guess 2 moves, getting married, changing jobs and 2 kids will kind of delay things.
I'm making a hard push to finish this before spring so i can begin the nest build.

The cafe build has morphed into more of a brat style, but I have the high pipes mounted up. I plan to weld them to in the next couple days. Since my welding is mediocre at best, they will be covered in titanium colored exhaust wrap. Haven't decided if i'm going to line the tips up vertically of have them offset. Also i think i'm going to bring them closer together.

Nice work! My two cents is offset tips and definitely closer together... and make sure you have plenty of room to be able to check the oil level with the dipstick!

Regarding the cafe comments above, yeah, this is your bike, do what you want. Go back in the day where the cafe was born and there was no cafe "style", it was all about removing stuff to make them as light as possible to get from cafe to cafe in the quickest time.

For myself, I had a local exhaust mob make me a two into one high pipe as I was going with what I considered scambler inspired and it's been great. I did want it on the right side Honda CL style, but during the mock up phase I realised I wasn't going to be able to check the oil with the dipstick, so I moved it to the left hand side.

Recently I changed to clubmans and rearsets to what I've dubbed "cafe-ish" but I'm not changing the exhaust, I love it!

I’ve got a GS450 too and am looking into a 2-1 set up but to see some high pipes is cool. If you are worried about welds you could tack it and take it in to a shop to lay a nice bead on and paint em black if you want it coated. I’d bet you would be close to price of the wrap if you go this route plus you’ll know the welds are done up right. (I’m also not much of a welder myself!) I second what’s mentioned above. Make sure you can get to the dipstick and that cylinder #2 spark plug as well. Raising up pipe #2 might also leave you some room to get to the clutch cover Incase it needs some service and you don’t want to remove the exhaust too. But that pipe could also be removed or loosened to get to it. Overall I dig it. A low cost option for a custom exhaust. Congrats on the kiddos and all the other good life changes in the last 5 years. Sounds a lot like me in the last 5 years as well. Good job hanging onto the bike and not giving up the dream! I’ve done the same, 2 runners (GS450S for street and PE175 for dirt) and 4 other bikes to wrench on. My half of the garage is packed full!