gs400 cafe... eventually.

well here it is, it aint much but its pretty to me.

needed something small and light to play with and even though it looks rough its complete and runs well.



didnt get too far yesterday as im not as over my operation as i thought but its a start.



gonna make a seat unit rather than buy one. was gonna do it in steel but it might be glass now to keep the weight down.

wont strip any more off till the seat's done as i want to get proportions right. need rear sets as well.
then i can take the frame to work and prep it properly.

will probably be a long job as spare time's a rare thing in our house thanks to the kids.

If you want a 'how to' on building a bike on a budget take a look at this thread, particularly 2-3-4! https://caferacer.forumotion.com/t134p15-honda-cx-500-first-cafe-build

read right through that last night.

respect to that man.

gives me hope. while i've painted plenty of bikes for other people, i've never built one from the ground up. cars yes, bikes no.

looking forward to this thread

evening... again.

read through IED's thread the other night and got alot of inspiration from it.

done a bit more and starting to get the look i'm after.

its very heath robinson at the moment but i have an image in my head that it'll hopefully end up like.



the seat hump should be big enough for the battery to hold,...in theory.




started to beef up the structure this evening before final shaping. using celitex insulation foam and have no idea how it'll react to the fibre glass as yet.

heres hoping.


if i'm being a muppet doing it like this then feel free to tell me.

think you might need some more thought on the battery location

so had a play at work today in between watching paint dry.

i do a lot of that.

roughly shaped the insulation foam which worked out really nice to use.




then filled over with a coat of sandable fibreglass.




will hopefully have time before the weekend to prep and fill properly but work is being inconsiderate and getting in the way.

basic shape done. still not sure about it though.

drop bars turning up next week so will fit those and alter the front mudguard first before looking at the seat again.



the seat pad will wrap around the sides so i hope it'll look better than it does at the mo.

as its what i do, will paint and polish it properly before making the mould to get a perfect finish.

can at least get the engine out now and start on that.

so it was my daugther's 6th birthday this weekend, and being the caring, loving father i am, i spent as much time as i could in the garage.

wasn't long before i was hauled in to be sociable, but not before i was able to strip to a frame.



as this is the first bike i've completely stripped, i'm finding things out i never knew. firstly, 1980 suzuki's dont have enclosed ball races in the headstock.

many balls go bouncy, bouncy across the floor.



also, dont try to take the engine out the wrong side of the frame. you wont get very far.

much polishing to do here as well.

Looking good Mr B, did you get your rearsets sorted?

I've done a lot of polishing on my 750 engine, biggest problem I'm finding is getting the black paint off in the first place, Nitromores doesn't seem to touch it and I don't have the facilities to make up any form of soda or sand blasting, and the damn thing it too big to just chuck in the car and fire in to a pro blasting company, so I'm wearing my fingerprints off with wire wool and wet'n'dry!

havent sorted the rearsets yet, or and drop bars for that matter.

gonna see if i can get to the carol nash do in shepton mallet in a couple of weeks and see whats on offer there before ordering owt.

as for polishing, i always used to do it by hand but i've got some cunning little air tools that should help with the black paint first.

I've got a set of drop bars going spare, drop me a pm with your e-mail addy and I'll pop you some pictures and a (very good) price?

you have pm, paul.

replied to your e-mail, Paul.

most heavenly thanks, a true gent.

shaun.

these turned up today from paul.



i like shiny new bits.

you'ed never know though.

now thats nice a man with a shiney new toy

bet he is out now minus 4 fitting them on the bike twisting his wrist making brum brum noises

arnt you supposed to do that then

Er, no, you're supposed to polish them first, then make twisty motions until you wrists hurt.......er, maybe that doesn't read the way it should

How did you find out how i injured my shoulder

they haven't made it as far as the bike yet as its in many pieces.

they have been fitted to my invisible bike though that i ride round the house....

...with the obligatory sound affects of course.

even the kids are giving me a wide berth.

with things the way they are at work at the mo and my own cars breaking faster than i can fix them, the GS isnt moving along as quickly as i'd planned.

no surprise there then.

i did manage to throw some paint on the tail section today whilst wetting some mirrors. it will be polished before a mould is taken.

so here for your pleasure is a pic of what is fast becoming a thread of nothing but tail unit pictures.



obviously this wont be the final colour.

have something far more ambitious planned.

flamin heck I would be happy with that

im with you pud luv that colour is it old english white

but those mirrows are far to big for ace bars

the pic makes it look creamier than it is.

if theres one thing i can do its paint. (after 30 years at it i should think so).

believe me, it'll be better than that.

... and to think i thought those mirrors were quite subtle