84 gl1200 naked project: Ole Dirty Bastard

[Deviant1]

I picked up this bike a while back and I have not been impressed with it. The floorboards scrape every time you even think about cornering and it was just a huge sluggish dull ride. Everything was mechanically okay though. Then the starter pooped the bed on me. So I decided to put this bitch on a weight loss plan.
Here she is as purchased:

First I had to move it in to my already crowded shop.

Then came deconstruction. First thing to go was the trunk, then I got into the fairing.
I felt like I was doing an autopsy on Optimus Prime.

Finally got everything off. I also mocked up some bars at this point.

The wiring is going to be a bitch to clean up and get tucked but I think it's pretty doable. I'll start cutting the false tank and glassing it next time I get to work on the bike. I've also got to get a headlight sorted. Thinking about twin four inchers if I can find them cheap. The crash guards are going but the floorboards are staying. Also I may end up ditching guages altogether.
I got the controls mounted on the bars and now they're were they're going to be, nasty chipped paint and all.

Lots to do here, but it ought to be pretty quick. Once everything's mocked up I'm going to disassemble and clean the starter, then paint the little bodywork that is left and cruise. Thoughts? Suggestions? Aside from that I use a better camera, I'm working on on that.

 

[Maritime]

You going to weigh all the crap you are taking off? I never thought to weigh the crap I removed but I know it was heavy as shit. It will probably rip up the street after the diet!

 

[Deviant1]

Dude I thought of that today but I already junked the trunk and whip antennas! But that front fairing alone has got to be close to twenty pounds.

 

[Maritime]

Yep and all the brackets seem to be really heavy guage steel, overkill for sure. I didn't think of it either until I had most of it in the trash too. I need to fix my camera so I can get some pics of mine up on my very old build thread.

 

[JustinLonghorn]

Tear it up, man!

 

[CurtisR]

I'm always amazed at how big those bikes are.
Should be a fun ride once shes stripped down.

 

[Big R]

You're keeping the floor boards? I thought they scraped first.......

Either way man, glad to see this bike on the "road to recovery"!

 

[Deviant1]

They do scrape first. But right now I just want to get it on the road as cheaply as possible. I'll just cruise gently until I get all the stuff together to convert it back to stock foot controls.

 

[Deviant1]

Got the false tank cut last night and all of the wiring successfully tucked. Next is the glass work at the front of the false tank. I figured out a headlight too. I put a bid on an 85 Nighthawk S fairing complete with windshield and headlight. Looks like it will work with the 80's lines on this bike. Plus it's cheap and off of a Honda of the same period. I'm worried that it will be a bit small, but it should still work. I'm also looking into using a spare 72 cb750 speedo. I have to find out if the ratio is the same.

 

[Maritime]

Speedo should be the same. I think they used the same speedo on hundreds of models and model years. My experience is the drive at the front wheel is what is different for different wheel sizes, so if your cable fits, it should be fine.

 

[Deviant1]

Thanks, that was my thought as well. And the mileage between the two line up with only like 5k difference. This eliminates the need for a fuel guage as well. The cable looked exactly the same as the one on my 750... Hopefully the guage will tuck behind the fairing I'm bidding on.

 

[Maritime]

cool. I have been toying with getting a smallish fairing. I have a removable screen that works for freeway or long hauls, but it looks kind of crappy. I hate, hate, hate the vetter giant things but have seen some like what Rich has on his GR that look ok on the GL. A 1/4 deal. I am also trying to mod a set of KLR hand guards to fit to keep cold and rain off in the Spring and Fall. What are you thinking?

 

[Deviant1]

The hand guards sound killer. But I have no need for them in sunny south Alabama. Here's the fairing that I'm bidding on:

 

[Maritime]

Cool, Mid 80's Knighthawk 700 (750 in Canada) fairing. That should work alright.

 

[Deviant1]

Well I got sniped at the last minute on my fairing. And I was immediately outbid on the only other one on ebay right now. But no worries, my buddy Joe has come to the rescue! After a little horse trading I've acquired a similar fairing in better shape! It came off of a drag bike he used to run. I don't have a pic yet but I should get one sometime today. He also said it was bigger than the 750 fairing, which is good b/c the nighthawk fairing wasn't quite wide enough. I'll post pics as soon as I get them.
Anyway I got the sides cut a few days back and here's some pics.

Here's a shot from the rear.

To make the cuts I used a cast cutter that a buddy of mine found in the trash a while back. I love this thing.

I pulled one of the panels off to strip the paint and do the fab work. I used Aircraft Stripper for flexible plastic and I was pretty happy with it. There were SIX different paint jobs on this bike! With the original being by far the best. It was a maroon bike from the factory.
After the stripper I still had some sanding to do.

I also began working on the cardboard form for my glass work. I know it looks primitive, but my process is to fab it low and bondo up to the old stuff. It's always worked well.

And finally I got all of the paint removed from the piece and it's ready for glass.

I'm trying to work quickly here because this monster consumes my entire shop!

When this one came in my primary project was my cb350, but I have no room to work on it again until the wing is out of here and back on the road.

I can't wait to get back to work on it.

 

[Maritime]

Alex have you thought about going for a knee dent look? You could actually build out the front a bit to give an effect of knee dents, might look ok?

Maritime

 

[Deviant1]

I have thought of that, and it would be easier than trying to match what's already there, but I saw one done that way over at ngw and it didn't quite look right. I don't think he cut the shelter at all though, just glassed a smooth panel over the part that connects to the stock fairing. Anyway, I'll look into in for sure. I'm hoping to start laying glass tonight, if I can scrounge up the change for some cloth and resin.

 

[Maritime]

if you just glassed over the old part I could see it looking funny. I was thinking more just a slight raised, like 1/8" or so to not have to get the seem perfect and it might look ok at the same time. You could even move it back and change the shape some too.

 

[Maritime]

something like this maybe.

 

[Deviant1]

hmmmm.... I like it. I like it. Thanks for the photochop dude! Helps to visualize it. More thought is required!