1981 GS450T street tracker, uk.

[Dazzo]

Good evening, thought I would start a thread on my "getting back into the fold" project bike.
I gave up bikes about 18yrs ago after riding since I was 16, mainly due to having a family and lack of time /money due to bigger commitments.
However, the time and opportunity is now upon me to get stuck in again!
So, I bought this US import (we didn't get the 450 in the uk) cheap, not run for a number of years but all there.

 

[Dazzo]

Despite not running for what looks like a VERY long time, the engine turns over fine by hand, with good compression.
Upon initial inspection I found a mouse nest in the airbox that had been used for multiple broods, the urine had filled the bottom of the airbox and float bowls at some point so everything in the floats was seized solid and a tad smelly!
So, the strip down and check over begins!

 

[beachcomber]

Welcome back to bike building !

 

[Dazzo]

So, next job is a full strip down, I removed all the trim and parts that will not be used again.
I still find it amazing how well built older bikes are, everything is made to last, pretty much forever, each front footpeg weighs a pound, so far it's been releived of 45kg of weight that will not be added again.
I work as a carbon composites technician so I'll be using a little carbon fibre in details, such as the engine mounting plates, headlamp brackets etc.
Couple of update pics.

 

[Dazzo]

De-lugged the frame as above pics, I'll be keeping the battery where it should be, the solenoid will be mounted elsewhere etc
The seat unit is a generic tracker / cafe thing it'll have a brown leather seat.
Colour scheme will be black and gold, with black stainless fixings where there's polished surfaces, and stainless fixings where there is a black finish, brass washers on everything.

 

[Dazzo]

Nobody interested?

 

[Brodie]

Definitely interested. Just watching quietly.
The carbon engine mount looks great.

 

[ridesolo]

Oh yeah... following along; I read pretty much every post but don't always say a whole lot. It should be a nice little scoot when you're done.

 

[Dazzo]

Cool, it's seems a little quiet in here I thought.
The carbon mounts have been finished today, just a little laquer and polish after final baking.
I used about half a metre of pre-preg to layer them up, 18 layers thick and cooked between 2 slabs of aluminium.
It probably looks a bit backward stripping a bike that hasn't run for so long and starting to modify it without hearing it, but it has good compression, a spark and just needs fuel, it'll run when it needs to.
The carbs have been in the ultrasonic cleaner and came out fine, just need new diaphragm rubbers as the old ones are a little stiff.

 

[Dazzo]

Made the starter cover in carbon too, needs a good sand and polish.

 

[Dazzo]

This is the stuff I make as a day job, I love where I work!

 

[Brodie]

That tone arm is fantastic.
The starter cover looks great as well.
I wonder just how much weight you could strip off just by replacing those parts with carbon.

 

[Maritime]

Nice work so far.

 

[Dazzo]

Cheers guys.
Next job is to weld in the rear frame / seat tube, it's an odd shape as it needs to be fairly square at the back and tapers narrower at the back.
So, I may have to adjust the gusset angle just behind the shock mounts.

 

[Dazzo]

This bit that I've channelled for the new hoop to sit in.

 

[Dazzo]

Couple of pics as an update, I finally have power to my workshop so grindy and weldy things can happen!
Managed to clean up the frame rails and offer up the seat hoop, I cut the gusset part of the frame off square, then sliced pieces from the offcut to reshape it before welding it back on.
I had to do this because my hoop is tapered narrower towards the rear and the gusset parts were straight.

 

[Dazzo]

So, checked things were straight and lined up with the new seat unit, I think it works well?

 

[pidjones]

Looks good. I liked the added channel brace. Is it still to be welded?

 

[Dazzo]

Yes, start welding tonight hopefully, try to run the factory weld line on the top part for continuity but rest will be smoothed.

 

[Dazzo]

Started welding the seat hoop and the gusset plates on, going OK so far.