83 Suzuki GS650 bobber

I have posted pics of this bike on here before but here's a brief description. I had a stock 83 GS650L and tore it down to put a solo seat and different turn sginals/rear brake light, mufflers, etc on it. So I had a slightly custom bike at the time and about 3 days after i finished it up my cousin laid the bike down. Long story short I got the bike back in running condition and rode until late summer when I threw a rod bearing. Decided to yank to motor and do a frame job and go full custom, here's my progress so far.

 

Nice going, how did you re-jet for pods & is it running smooth ?
Not sure about turn signals on a 'bobber'.
I have the same model bike, which I haven't started on yet, so looking at ideas.
Have you seen this one ?GS 650

 

Mains were jetted up I believe 4 sizes by the time it was all said and done. Ran great for the most part. Had some bogging issues at highway speeds I think mostly from turbulence issues more than jetting. I used these "bullet" led turn signals http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5 ... SY300_.jpg and ran them as running/turn signal lights. That streetfighter is pretty cool, I've always liked the Buell XB series bikes.

 

4 sizes seems a lot, that's the mains, I take it, what about the pilots ?

 

Pilots are stock

 

Hold on a sec. "Threw a rod bearing." What are you going to do for a motor? Are 1983 Suzukis 650s easier to find parts for than 1983 Yamahas?

Also, just one quick engineering note: the main reason motorcycles have suspension is so that they handle the road better, can respond to bumps without upsetting the handling, etc. NOT just for the increased comfort of the rider. You hardtailed the bike (so now it will handle just like a 1930's era bike) but added suspension for the rider alone. So now you won't get rattled as bad going over railroad tracks; but the bike won't have it any easier.

Not trying to pee in your cornflakes here; I'm just thinking this possibly wasn't too well thought out. The usual application for a monoshock conversion is the bike's suspension.

Interesting concept. Mod on.

 

Never rode a hardtailed bike, but I'd imagine they handle horribly. Seems like the rear tire would hop all over the place at any road irregularity. Could be dangerous, especially if you hit a rough road in the middle of a corner. Seems like a lot of bikes are built to look cool and function is forgotten. I was watching a biker build show yesterday. The guy went with all foot controls and took it out for a short ride and almost crashed like 5 times. He told everyone that it rode like a dream...ok.

 

There is a salvage yard about 40 minutes from me so I'm going to buy a used motor from him.

I've already built an XJ650 hardtail with 5" barrel springs and had no problems with handling. It rides just about the same as a hartail but without the hard jolts of big bumps which is exactly what I'm going for here.

 

Hardtails do ride differently but they're not nearly as dangerous as you seem to think they are. This will be a fully functional bike so I'm not sure what the problem is. It will be a daily rider when it's all put together.

 

Hardtails are still the suspension of choice for speedway racing.

If people keep hacking up...err modifying...motorcycles, the value of unmoested examples will go up due to scarcity (just as it has always been).

 

nice looking bike. but I am wondering why it is posted in the "xj mods" forum. shouldn't this be in the "other bikes" forum?

CN

 

Truth be told, they're a LOT more dangerous than you seem to think they are.

 

Maybe if you try to ride it like a sport bike. Keep in mind that most people that ride a hardtail bobber usually just cruise around and try not to slam into the twisties!
However, it can be bad on the back. I would've done a softail mod with a leaf spring, hardtail looks but not hard on the tail. LOL

 

I actually didn't even know there was an other bikes section. I haven't been able to find a site like this for Suzuki owners so I just put it here. Sorry for the confusion.

 

If hard tails were so dangerous they would be illegal. And keep in mind I've been riding bikes for about 14 years and I'm not even 26 yet so over half my life I've been riding. I ride safe and don't plan on doing any track racing with this thing lol

 

I suspect Bigfitz can top you in the experience department.
On a speedway track you have a pretty good idea that it is level,on the road not so much.
Your bike your choices,if hardtails were so good why did they feel the need to invent rear suspension?
Cosmetics versus function an age old argument.

 

Thank goodness everything dangerous isn't illegal. There is (or should be) room for each of us to judge our own risk tolerance.

Having said that, the suspension isn't just for rider comfort. The suspension is also intended to keep the tire in contact with the road. Without suspension the tire will tend to hop on bumps, resulting in decreased reliability of traction. That makes the motorcycle inherently less stable and predictable. In other words, more dangerous than one that has proper suspension.

Yes, it probably won't be a problem at low speeds and/or on smooth surfaces.

 

My point. VERY low speeds; 45mph is probably too fast.

Back when all motorcycles were hardtails, most had a maximum top speed of around 70mph; and most riding was done at 20mph ~ 40mph, if that. And most motorcycles weighed well under 500lbs; usually a lot less.

Normal "highway speed" these days is 55mph ~ 60mph; there are even some suburban boulevards with 50 or 55mph speed limits.

If you hit a set of even marginally maintained multiple railroad tracks at 50mph on a 500lb hardtailed bike, you probably won't be upright by the time you get across. One good bump in the middle of a turn and you'll be skipping down the road on your butt, even at 35mph.

Rear suspension evolved for a reason. Actually, a LOT of reasons. I just don't want to see anyone get hurt because they didn't think things through. From where I sit, "hardtailing" a 100mph+ motorcycle isn't thinking clearly.

 

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/index.php

 

Maybe we should get rid of our old and outdated XJ's. I'm sure that they are now considered unsafe compared to the new technology. :lol:

 

Not at all. But they certainly handle the road and ride much better with modern suspension components.

My point is that hardtail frames are 1930's technology and don't belong mated to a 1990s technology engine.

 

At the age of 11 in the 70's, I rode a Honda QA50 all over the neighborhood and nearby fields. It was a hardtail, never did I wreck it on the street or in the fields despite it being "unsafe".
Is a soft tail, mono-shock or spring loaded swingarm better for handling? YES
Will riding a hardtail get you killed because it is unsafe? NO, not any more than the others, as long as you know the limits and handling characteristics. Which is something everyone has to learn no matter what you ride.
If I could ride one at the age of 11 (first bike) without accident, then it's a good possibility anyone else can do the same.
Don't misunderstand, I'm not on a rant here. Just trying to get the point across that hardtails aren't as unsafe as some may think.

 

How much did that QA50 weigh? How much horsepower did it have? And how fast could it go/how fast did you ever go?

No comparison.

Hardtailing a ~500lb streetbike with a 73 HP, 9000rpm motor IS as dangerous as I think it is; probably moreso.

 

no worries, I was just asking.

CN

 

I see your point that they are more dangerous than a modern bike with full suspension. I'll agree to that but I won't agree to the fact that you think every hardtail is a death machine and everyone that rides one must be suicidal. I built an XJ 650 hardtail for my cousin and we've put over 500 miles on it between the two of us on Illinois roads which are pothole filled, cracked, terrible roads that go through extreme hot/cold temperatures and neither one of us have felt unsafe on it. I respect your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it. Trust me when I say I'm going to ride safe, always have and always will.

 

It's like drum brakes they work fine,even great based on their design parameters.
Ride them with that in mind and they are perfectly acceptable.
Lets face it most of us ride within the envelope our bike is good for, some don't but that's the origin of the saying "There are old riders and bold riders but there are no old bold riders"
I suspect a hardtail is a self maintaining system in that as speeds and distance rise the more uncomfortable it gets so the rider self regulates.
I rode a borrowed XR75 for a while when I was a kid it had no rear brake pedal I just rode it to suit had one off with locked front wheel and went from there.
Wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't allow my kid to do it but I was fine.
Best safety device in the world is your brain.
And as far as our old fashioned bikes if you ride a newish bike it immediately becomes obvious that early 80's motorcycle brakes just don't cut it against contemporary brakes we can improve them but they wont work as well as built to a budget commuter bikes brakes nowadays.
Does that make them dangerous? No just ride with those limitations in mind.

 

Fitz, The comparison would be an 11 year old on a QA50 and an adult on a 650. Pretty close if you ask me. If an 11 year old can ride his first bike without killing himself, then I'm sure a grown man with experience can ride a 650 without killing himself.
Now, let's talk about pods. Bwwaahhahaha

 

I have to disagree with this. Yes, the original brakes that came on our XJs were nowhere up to today's brakes, function-wise.

But you CAN improve them to be the equal of contemporary bikes, certainly equal to "built to a budget commuter bikes" just like you can improve the suspension.

 

"It's like drum brakes they work fine,even great based on their design parameters"

I've got double disk on the 'Zuki, wouldn't know about the drum problems the XJ's have ; )

 

How did you make the hard tail of did you get a weld on kit

 

He hasn't been around in 5 years. You might not get a reply.