1982 GS450 L change of plans!

So i have a question. If its thick enough, will a fiberglass seat have any problem mounting directly to the frame on a set of supports?

Kinda like the picture below but instead of the white stuff, a flat steel bar welded to the frame(at desired height), with a thin rubber/foam spacing on the top just to keep some vibration down.

I was also thinking of using those DZUS fasteners or just going with a direct bolt approach by welding nuts to the underside of the support bars.

What are your opinions/advice?
 

Attachments

  • seat mounting.jpg
    seat mounting.jpg
    92.6 KB · Views: 177
I was talking about the little arm on the original pivot point. You'll find out if it's too short the first time you use it though.
 
Big Rich said:
I was talking about the little arm on the original pivot point. You'll find out if it's too short the first time you use it though.
Click to expand...

I actually spun the back tire as fast as i could and hit the brake. It seems to be working pretty well. Holding pretty tight. But if i do my shake down run, when i get it done, and it doesn't feel sufficient then i will probably just extend the arm on the pivot point that you are talking about. Not too difficult. Only took me less than half an hour to make the one that's on it. So i am not super worried. But thanks for the heads up. It does look a little weird from the picture but it seems to work okay. But we won't know for sure until i take to the streets. Oh and just so you know, its like 2.25"-2.5" long. I will have to remeasure but i think it should be around that long.
 
Cool man, just wanted to make sure.

As far as the fiberglass / seat support, that's another thing you just don't know until you get it. While some supports underneath will hold the seat, you'll have to figure the pressure from your thighs too.
 
Big Rich said:
Cool man, just wanted to make sure.

As far as the fiberglass / seat support, that's another thing you just don't know until you get it. While some supports underneath will hold the seat, you'll have to figure the pressure from your thighs too.
Click to expand...

Well and see, i actually took that into account and kinda did a mock up last night(which i didn't take pictures of. :'() but i want to set it up with the supports going as far out as the inside outer edge of the seat to keep the sides from flexing and to set the supports at the main seating position for my ass and thighs.

I will post a picture up of what i mean here in a few.
 
Okay. So here is a pic.

This is for my relaxed/Auxiliary seating position. Of course, at high speeds i will be a couple of inches back on the seat with my knees tucked in a little to the tank. This is just a visual rep and may not be exactly to scale, but should be close.

What do you think?

Color - Meaning
Blue - Ass Outline
Black - Seat Outline
Red - Support beams under seat and main pressure/weight areas.
Dotted black or red lines - Hidden support areas or outlines
Yellow - Relaxed pressure areas.
 

Attachments

  • Seat position.png
    Seat position.png
    9.3 KB · Views: 223
Also, in case no one has seen my seat, my seat does have those support "Ripples/Ribs" in the seat plus its like 6-8 layers thick with fiberglass. So its pretty sturdy as is. The seat is about 1/8"-1/6" thick. Its kinda uneven, so some areas are 1/8" and some are 1/6" but all around is pretty thick in the seat area.
 
BTW does anyone know if its worth the time/money to do a bore from the gs450's 71mm piston to a 74mm piston set? I noticed that the gs450 and gs500 have the same stroke, just a slightly larger piston. Although the piston tops look different. Is it really even possible with out modding anything other than boring it and switching out the pistons? Not really sure. Have never really seen any info for gs450 bore kits or swapping from a gs450 to a gs500 piston sets.
 
I'll give you the short answer since I'm headed to bed: possible, but not as beneficial as you think. You're better off putting in the GS500 motor and making a custom exhaust.

I'll give more details tomorrow, but search for posts by Mekanix on the GSResources.
 
Cool thanks. I'll have to check him out.

Also, i was wandering around egay and such, when i stumbled across this little booger.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LiFePO4-Lithium-Battery-12V-12AH-/111287486492?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item19e940481c

Anybody know anything about this and if it would work. Its got all the right ratings, AND its a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery so it should hold its own, pretty well.
 
I don't know much about batteries / electricity, but the thing that concerns me about that battery is the gauge of the wires coming out. They look considerably smaller than the wires that go to say, the starter motor.

As far as the GS500 motor: even though the 500 pistons are larger, they have a different dome shape (so you would get less compression). There are ways around it, but none of them are easy / cheap. Basically, the cylinders & pistons from the 500 are better, the head is better (but the exhaust ports interfere with the 450 frame), and the 500 bottom end is better (clutch assembly and oil pump is improved). The 500's shifter is opposite of the 450 (look at pictures of the 500's shift lever compared to the 450 and you'll see why). On the plus side, post 2004 GS500's have an oil cooler if you can find one.
 
So after looking at it from a few different angles and going through ideas, i think im just going to mount my seat directly to the frame. I am going to use the layering support idea. The one where you put foam under the seat, then a cutting board layer under the foam(for extra seat support) bolted directly to the tapped frame. It seems to be the best route to go, plus if i change it up later, there will be nothing to grind off and reweld. Simple sweet and to the point. Plus i noticed its a pretty popular way of doing it and haven't really seen anybody complain about future issues with the frame or seat. So it seems simple enough!

Unless somebody has another idea?...

But this is all i can really think of without welding anything to the frame. Plus the position with the 1/2" layer of foam and 1/2" layer of cutting board support, it sits at just the right height so it doesn't look out of place, and i can get it right up to the tank, so the lines flow really well.

What do you guys think?
 
And there will be 6 holes tapped in the frame for the bolt on. 2 about an inch and a half from the front, 2 about midway from the front of the seat, and two about 1.5"-2" from the seat bump.
 
Okay so I caved in and just went for it! Holes are drilled, frame is tapped and seat is now mounted!

What do you think?

The front and rear bolts on the right side were a tiny bit off of center but It turned out okay so far. Just for reassurance I think I might tack in some nuts at the mounting holes for extra stability and strength. Cause I don't want the bolts stripping out the frame holes. But that'll come later. Next weekend I plan on fiberglassing a seat pan to go get upholstered but I needed to get the seat mounted first so I knew where the bolt heads would be.

na9etevy.jpg

a9e6eve2.jpg

evy3y2aj.jpg

hy5ege9e.jpg

uba4yjez.jpg

nyne9ysu.jpg
 
Im pretty much at the point that i am going to clean it up, spray bomb the bare metal areas(After getting some of the surface rust cleaned up) and getting the seat done for some summer riding. After that point, i hope it looks good enough as is because i plan on doing a powder coat on the frame and bits but that'll come next fall/winter. Right now i just want to get it ready for summer. OH, and i almost forgot, i am waiting for my rear tire to come in for my new 18" rim for the back.

So this is how it is going to go in order.

Take everything back off and clean up the surface rust and oil off the frame
Get the seat pan/pad made while painting the frame and tins. I will be spray bombing it with semi-gloss black rustoleum and the tank and seat will be done the same and maybe some sort of blue or yellow race striping.
After painting the frame/tins and getting my seat pan/pad made, i will be working on mounting the new rear rim and tire
and getting everything else mounted and ready to go! Along with the new brake light/license bracket(Which should be in sometime this week).

So hopefully within the next couple of weekends it will be ready for summer!

BTW i know i want the main undertone to be black, but on the striping that i plan on doing, which way do you guys think i should go?
Im stuck between yellow paint or a semi-pearl royal blue!....

I want to do a rising sun symbol on the tank and a racing stripe type of thing on the front fairing and the rear seat cowl. But unsure of the color or particular design.... Should i go pin-stripe, thick stripes, combo the both, or just one thick one?.... So many decisions.

So i want to kinda take a vote on it from you guys!

Color choices: Yellow(Reflective or not) or a Royal Blue(Semi-Pearl or regular).
Striping styles: Thick, pinned, combo, or ?
Paint type: (Insert color of choice here) on flat black or semi-gloss black.

I don't really want to go full gloss. I like the rough finish kinda look! :)
 
i really like this colorscheme :)
 

Attachments

  • SUZUKI GS 1100 -YELLOW WEAPON-.jpg
    SUZUKI GS 1100 -YELLOW WEAPON-.jpg
    221.3 KB · Views: 1,336
Yeah, me too! I have always liked the black on yellow(and vice versus). But i was kinda tempted to keep with the blue on black Suzuki colors, but the more i look at the black and yellow, the more i want it! Lol

I think i might have come up with a cool color combo/design for the bike that i think would be wicked as hell. I am going to draw something up in paint and post it for you guys. May be a bit though, im currently at work and we are super busy today!... >.>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DTT Light or Dark

  • DTT Light
    • www.jadusmotorcycleparts.com
    www.lostapostle.ca/
    www.sparckmoto.com

    Spread the Love

    Back
    Top Bottom