gs400 cafe... eventually.

doing better than me

double edged sword really.

was only able to get it in as work went dead.

as is always the way though, three weeks worth has now come in, so gonna be tough to fit it in.

not complaining mind.

bought the frame colour this week as well.

its a tad marmite and has got some strange looks from everyone who's seen it but i know it'll work when its all together with the rest of the bike.

when painted your see what i mean.

have you thought yet how you're going to mount the seat ? i presume you're going to use the bum stop to store tools etc. needs to be easily got into. is your back light going to be mounted on it ?

seat will be on a ply base with inset studs.

they'll sandwich the base onto the mounts. will have the base made this weekend so will post a pic.

the hump will have battery and electrics. dont want any wiring on show and may have to run some through the frame but hoping to avoid that.

have a couple of options for the rear lamp at the mo. whichever i go for, it wont just be bolted to the hump.

working on a saturday.

more a necessity than a choice.

today however i didn't mind as i was able to clear the shop to topcoat the frame and swingarm.







i'm never shy about putting colour on a frame and would rather have the odd drip to sort out than a bare spot. as it is theres only the one in the swingarm.

to me the colour is inspired but then i know how it'll look when finished.

on top of that, i dont really care what anyone else thinks of it anyway.

beekeeper wrote:

i dont really care what anyone else thinks of it anyway.

......

nice to see progress ,good stage to be at it will come together in big chunks now,so come on what colour you going to paint the tank and seat???

the frame and swingarm are actually classed as a beige rather than a grey.

its subtle enough not to be picked up that well in the pics.

the tank and seat will be kia brown.

sounds worse than it is as its, again, more steel grey to look at. theres pics of my pickup on here somewhere and its that same shade.

there will be graphics on the bodywork aswell.

trust me, it'll work

already getting flak at work for painting these and not polishing them but seeing as i intend to use the bike all year round, i dont want the hassle of constantly autosoling.

been there, done that.



will all be frame colour.

You could always polish and clear laquer?

i could but i've always found lacquered alloy a tad dull on the eye.

painting these bits will suit the look i'm heading for aswell.

never had much luck meself with laquering polished alloy it always as a yellow tinge to it and looses its luster ,anodizings good tho?

its the little things in life.

call me sad but theres now a new warm glow when tinkering in the home workshop.





no sniggering now.

made a plug yesterday for an inset light unit in the tail piece.

took a pic but the part looks very heath robinson.

am hoping to make the mould and actual part today so will post them altogether as it'll make more sense as to the look i'm after.

didnt get as far as i wanted today so the pics are incomplete.

made the plug. its shaped to fit the contours of the seat hump. rear lamp sits nicely inside. (in theory).



got as far as making the mould. wont know til tomorrow if alls gone to plan.



i did get the seat ready for the trimmer. went for two separate pads in the end so i can alter the bum rest if i want to.

it could be argued i'm doing things in completely the wrong order.

but hay ho, who cares.

trimmer dropped the seat pads back today. no-one seems to like the shape i've done the rear pad but then is my bum that'll be sitting on it so bully to them.

will visually sit better when painted anyway.



with any luck, will finish the seat unit the weekend.

not exactly how i intended but will do.

nothing is fixed yet, hence the gaps.







with the way work has slowed down, may well have the bodywork in for painting next week.

seat pads and light look great shaun, very nice touch

beekeeper wrote:

didnt get as far as i wanted today so the pics are incomplete.

got as far as making the mould. wont know til tomorrow if alls gone to plan.

Sorry Shaun, the (almost) finished article looks good, but couldn't help thinking this looks vaugely sexual, a bit like the monster out of Alien? BTW, do NOT Google 'alien embryo' to prove a point

must admit, i thought it after i'd posted it but decided not to draw attention to it.

and i thought it was only my mind that plunged to that level

gonna take bodywork into work today as want to see paint on it now.

topcoated today.

my eyes aren't as good as they used to be so mask cutting was a tad arduous.



needs flatting, a touch of lining in and a re-lacquer to help loose the mask lines, but you get the idea.





will sit it on the frame and pop the rear lamp in tomorrow to give a better overall look.

looking good m8 cant wait to see finished bike

very nice paint job

Wow Shaun, that is looking the dog's danglies, with a finish like that you should consider turning pro. (Hee, hee!)

amazing shaun cant wait to see it against the frame colour


will defo only be doing distance pics of my painting.........