8Ball's Winter Cafe Project

[8Ball]

Just a little progress, today. I spent most of my time learning to use my new welder and doing practice welds. Then I had to put on my big boy pants, and actually weld the bracket on the exhaust!

Not perfect, but not HORRIBLE:


A little paint... (still glossy 'cuz it's wet):



Exhaust issue solved!! I will re-install the system when I get some new header gaskets.



I also made the decision to buy a set of GS550 carbs rather than try to venture down the tuning nightmare that the KZ650 carbs would present. I might attempt that later, but not until I have a running workable bike and get all the other work done that I want to do.

[elchato]

It's coming along. My brother is a welder, so I will try to delegate any of that work out to him whenever I need it.

Yeah the tire issue is one that I didn't think about when I was thinking of front ends. I want to keep the wheels it has now. I called six mile cycle to see what he had, but he said whatever has for CBs is pretty munched stripped, few parts but not many, but I figured it couldn't hurt.


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[fireaxe39]

[8Ball]

Some more progress over the last couple of weeks:

The cam covers needed a little sumptin':


So in keeping with the satin black theme my friend started, I scuffed and painted them:



I also blasted the exhaust collars and used exhaust paint on them:


While I was at it...remember the scar left from the original muffler bracket location?


I took care of that with more grinding, sanding and paint:


The previous owner started to do a tapered bearing conversion on the steering stem, but it needed some machining done to complete the install, and he had pressed on the lower bearing....but hadn't put the lower seal on first! I had to remove the lower bearing, get a new one and had the machining done and the front end was re-assembled:


As I mentioned before, I decided to get a new GS550 set of carbs from Ebay, and rebuilt them:



I used 85 mains (stock are 80) and #17 pilot jets (stock are 15). With the pods and the exhaust, I figured that would be a good starting point.


I might actually have it making some noise tomorrow!!


...then, I can start really tearing it apart!

[8Ball]

Well I have some updates....

First of all, it is running, but the intake boot o-rings were leaking:


I ordered some Viton seals, but got some Buna ones to install in the mean time. Wile I was at it, I changed to screws from the POS phillips, to socket head:


With the interim seals in, I was able to get the pilot circuit mostly dialed in...

Next, there was a nice little ding in the tank:


With my little dent puller, I was able to get it to be a smaller ding:



I actually got it even smaller than this picture shows with a little more work.

I don't like the housing that the gauges were in, so I decided to take off their clothes and run them exposed........but that COLOR! It's gotta go!


A little satin paint, and voila!


Finally, I need to locate the position for my rear sets. To do this, I used some 3/8" plywood to mock them up.



The final shape of the brackets will not be anything like that. The shape will be determined by the hole locations, and minimized as much as possible.

I think this will be the position, but I am waiting for my rearsets to come in to make sure they will work. I am most concerned with them interfering with the kick starter, but the set that I got has folding pegs, and I think I can set up a quick release for the brake pedal linkage, so that it can easily swing out of the way if I need to use the kicker. But even that may not be necessary.....we will see.

I am also waiting for the steel brake line that I ordered for the front brake.

[8Ball]

So....I have been working on the rearsets, and I have the material to make the brackets, but I have to find someone with a plasma cutter or acetylene torch that can rough them out before I can continue on that, so in the meantime I piddled around with the rear of the bike.

Originally I intended to get a cafe style seat and tail, but in order to do that I would have to cut the frame or find one that was substantially long and UGLY. *I just haven't decided I wanted to make that commitment, yet (no turning back from that one). *So I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with the tail. This little gem was in the parts pile that came with the bike, but I HATED the look of it. *It is an integrated turn/tail/brake light, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work with any thing I did with the rear. *



Then I thought, the stock tail on this bike isn't too bad, and the original parts aren't in too bad of shape.....so I thought I'd combine the two! *

I gutted the stock tail light and cut the bracket of the cat eye apart:


I mounted the cat eyes on the interior bracket that held the old light socket:


Then mounted the assembly back on the tail light assembly:


Installed the original tail and fender with the new hybrid assembly (still ugly):


Then covered it up with the original lens!


Wired it up, and Voila...Tail lights:

...Brake lights:

Right turn:

Left Turn:




I will need to get a flasher that will work with the LED's.

[8Ball]

I borrowed a plasma cutter to cut out the brackets for the rearsets...

Here's the rough cut:


With some trimming:



Peg holes drilled, and rearsets installed:



Now that the rearset location is set, I will need to trim the brackets more, and get the linkages laid out. Kris Richardson, from Old School Speed (where I got the rearsets) sent me a shifter side lever that has the linkage arm pointing down. The shift shaft lever cannot be flipped because of a notch on the engine case, so with the rearset arm pointing up, I would need to fab something up on the original shifter linkage. With the one Kris is sending, all I need is a straight rod.



While I had the plasma cutter, I cut up the front fender, as well:

[Rocky5000100]

Looking good!

[bmwpowere36m3]

Great project

[Miller'sR6]

My first bike was a GS550 I started with a cafe build but ended up with this.



Good luck and have fun. Took me about a year and a half.