82 GS450t

[Poopwink]

Hey all. I recently bought an '82 GS450t for $800 and am using the rest of the winter months to bring it up to speed and get it looking a little less tired.

Bought 3 hours away, had to haul it back through fog and frost. Pretty good condition, but looks sorta dorky. Pretty sound mechanically. Will probably need new tires and front brake pad, possibly clutch cable.

After a little bit of tinkering. I'd like to bob the fenders, trim the seat down (but still keep it a two-seater), lower the front, and do some clean-up work on the ridiculous rat's nest that is the electrical system on this machine.

The lock cylinder on this thing is kaput. I've had some less-than-favorable experiences with older locks going bad, so I'm considering just running a toggle switch in place of the lock cylinder. I also need to get new signals and tail lamp.

Does anyone know the stock fork diameter of a 450 off the top of their head? I don't have a micrometer handy, and don't know what size clip-ons to order.

Anyways, this is my winter project and I just want to get it ready to ride by spring!

 

[zooke581]

Nice T. Have had several. Also the L, E and S. Great little bikes. Looking forward to the build.

 

[Ctann]

That is sweet I just bought an 83 GS450T. It is my first bike looks a lot like yours. I'm planning on turning my bike into a cafe racer. I'm planning to get started soon and will post so pics on my progress as well. Good luck with the build!

 

[hillsy]

Forks are 33mm.


That looks like it cleaned up pretty well (paint wise).


Get another ignition barrel off eBay. You can probably get new re-made ones pretty cheap.

 

[Poopwink]

The paint's in decent condition, it looks much better in the second photo because there isn't a coat of frost on the whole thing

Realized I could salvage the ignition switch, so I think I'm going to leave the lock cylinder on as a visual deterrent (not much of one in the first place, I know) and fabricate a weird little key setup of my own.

Next up, ordering clip ons and turn signals.

Someone over at the GS Resources site said the forks were 37mm, but that doesn't seem right.
I used a crappy plastic caliper (that probably isn't too reliable) tonight and it read off around 34mm...

Hillsy I think you're probably right about 33mm. I wish my Clymer manual listed fork size in there. Still gotta doublecheck before ordering bars.

 

[hillsy]

The GS500's have 37mm forks, the 450's have 33mm.


Have a look here:


http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=20950.0


As for your ignition switch.....


http://www.ebay.com/itm/GS450-GS550-GS650-GS750-GS850-GS1100-IGNITION-SWITCH-/200715005224?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2ebb8bed28#ht_1100wt_1215

 

[Poopwink]

Some of the progress that's been made so far...

Polished and buffed the forks. Not quite as blingy as chrome, but that's not what I was going for. And this is more of a budget build so I didn't want to send 'em off for powdercoating.

Headlamp mounts -- before

Headlamp mounts -- after

Front brake rotor -- before

Front brake rotor -- after


Ordered some simple 33mm clip-ons from Dime City as well as some more tasteful turn signals.

Also found an EMGO replacement ignition switch for $16 on Z1 Industries. So glad I don't have to deal with a used part for this. Ignitions are seriously my worst nightmare. Thanks for all the help so far, I appreciate it!

 

[hillsy]

Is the EMGO ignition switch Suzuki specific or generic? If it's generic it probably won't fit in the original spot and you'll lose your steering lock.

The link I posted was for a new Suzuki specific switch.....it's gone now anyways.

Looking good with the polishing

 

[Poopwink]

http://www.z1enterprises.com/Ignition-Switch-Suzuki-GS450-GS550-GS650-GS750-GS850-GS1000-GS1100-1472.aspx
This is the EMGO switch I purchased.

Yeah, I saw that other eBay link but couldn't recover the password from my old account in the 3 minutes before the auction ended, hah. The reviews I saw for EMGO ignition switches all seemed pretty favorable so I figured I would go for it.

I'm more or less waiting on parts to arrive so in the meantime I figure I'll just keep cleaning as much as I can.

 

[hillsy]

That looks like the same switch - you did well ;D

 

[Poopwink]

Pulled the exhaust. Cleaner than brand new! :

Chopped the mufflers. I expected slip-ons but they had been welded and then covered with some chrome panels that were bent/punctured/shitty in general. I want to wrap these so I'm not going to bother with polish. Any suggestions?

Here she is, halfway undressed.

Starts alright but the idle's pretty weak. I'm gonna have to fuck with those carbs...because I'm at 5,800 feet. Mountain living baby! Is this gonna take new jets? What should I know if I'm considering running it without mufflers? Is the compression just going to be worthless at that point? That crosspipe that keeps the noise down...not 100% sure how to proceed there. I guess tomorrow I'll pull the air filter box so I can get at those carbs.

 

[Poopwink]

Anybody if there are 2-to-1 headers that'll fit this, or is the only option to fab one myself?

 

[Poopwink]

Did a little more wrenching tonight, made a little more progress while waiting for front-end parts to arrive.

Got that airbox out of there...will you look at that filter! Disgusting.

The stock setup...

A little cosmetic surgery...

Quick and dirty seat mock-up.


Need to make a different battery mount now that I've freed up all that space below the seat. Also need to finalize a seat design and what I'll be doing for rear signals.

MAC makes a 2-to-1header set for this bike but at $260, I think I'll just be doing something on my own.


EDIT-- obligatory grinding/sparks shot

 

[Poopwink]

The Mac pipe would work well out of the box.I don't think a 2-1 would work right with the stock balance tube in place.I think the Mac 2-1 would sound great.

Yeah, I'm sure the Mac headpipes are nice, but they're also a little expensive for this "budget" build. I think I'll probably extend the pipes towards the rear footpegs and then throw on a pair of those shorty 12" mufflers.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Just found your thread and thought I'd tag along. I recently finished a 750 "L" and can appreciate your "T". She's a looker for sure!

 

[Poopwink]

Just found your thread and thought I'd tag along. I recently finished a 750 "L" and can appreciate your "T". She's a looker for sure!

Thanks, appreciate it!

Picked up some random bolts for the electrical panels and received the new EMGO ignition switch in the mail at work.

Also found a CarQuest/Grote "marker lamp" that I think I can use as a taillight for $4 at the tiny little auto parts store! I'm going to see if I can just switch out the internal assembly with the one from the original tail light. Pics, progress when I get off work...

 

[dawino6260]

Yeah, I'm sure the Mac headpipes are nice, but they're also a little expensive for this "budget" build. I think I'll probably extend the pipes towards the rear footpegs and then throw on a pair of those shorty 12" mufflers.

I've had better luck using the down tubes from a gs400 and just popping on Sportster mufflers (the turnouts) -- seems to give a little more pep around town and versus the one I have with a Kerker 2 into 1 (same bends as the Mac - no can) it's about 10mpg difference in town (no difference at all when going to Sarasota or Ft Meyers)

You can usually find a used set of Macs or Kerkers at any cycle salvage for 50 bucks or so -- dont look at the bike you are peeling em from -- look underneath at the 'y' pipe -- if it has a clamp before the y -- it's pretty much a universal fit

 

[Poopwink]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I'm about 100 miles from the nearest junkyard, and the interweb hasn't been especially kind in finding either a used 2 into 1 setup or GS400 pipes.

You can usually find a used set of Macs or Kerkers at any cycle salvage for 50 bucks or so -- dont look at the bike you are peeling em from -- look underneath at the 'y' pipe -- if it has a clamp before the y -- it's pretty much a universal fit

Not quite sure what you mean...

 

[dawino6260]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I'm about 100 miles from the nearest junkyard, and the interweb hasn't been especially kind in finding either a used 2 into 1 setup or GS400 pipes.

Not quite sure what you mean...

Give dennis a call -- we have a couple of sets around (stock pipes from GS450's) he'd probably let you have for 10 or 20 bucks plus shipping -- they bolt right on -- I have both types of tail mounts too (Dennis' number is 941-408-8418) You'd be patching the crossover tube and polishing but we aint got no plans to do it... you seem handy with tools... (I can be nice and put a vid of them on my youtube first too) We've also got a bunch of engine guards and random stuff left too

Also -- The Right side set from an 82 GS650 4 into 2 bolts on and is correct (only year I am certain of but I'm also certain they used that same part# set of pipes for several years and on the GS650GT as well)- you end out making only the back tab for the muffler (if you use one) and capping where the crossover tube would normally cross to the other 2 on the right -- Poor Mans header Dont bother trying to use the left set - if you ever have Stator problems it ends out being in the way.....
I just did 6 GS450's back to back the other month (this is the before -- a few of the afters made it to other vids in my channel) -- I love doing the 400's and 450's ... Lot more fun than the 750T's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_V2GUNBX8

 

[dawino6260]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I'm about 100 miles from the nearest junkyard, and the interweb hasn't been especially kind in finding either a used 2 into 1 setup or GS400 pipes.

Not quite sure what you mean...

Forgot in the last one -- we have the stockers that take slip ons --
Also Dennis mentioned that Honda CB500 headers are a direct bolt on but you have to lose your centerstand and double up on your crush gaskets at the head (a Yami TX500 also used the same headers - things were pretty universal back then)