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Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.

  • loudhvx
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20 Jun 2008 11:33 - 12 Feb 2019 07:11 #221140 by loudhvx
Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat. was created by loudhvx
This is the current project. It's actually running and mostly done for now, but I'm in the tuning stage and getting a little rain delay, so I thought I'de start posting the photos. I started on the frame a month and half ago, but didn't do much else until the last two weeks. I'm just about at the point of being able to ride it.

The frame was an old race bike my buddy sold me with three engines. I'm using the one good 82 motor he had which was never raced. The race motor is out to pasture.

The frame was a mess. It's had sections welded and replaced several times, but the biggest problem is the kickstand mount was hacked off.
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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:11 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 11:35 - 12 Feb 2019 07:32 #221141 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
So I bolted on some bracing to hold the frame position while I removed the bad section. There is a piece of rod tying the two motor mounts together so their distance won't change. It is visible in the after photos.
That way, hopefully the motor mount will not move relative to the rest of the frame.

Then chopped out the bad.



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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:32 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 11:36 - 12 Feb 2019 07:13 #221143 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
Snagged a section from another wrecked (unfixable) frame.

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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:13 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 11:40 - 12 Feb 2019 07:26 #221144 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
My buddy Travis is a metal fabrication contractor. I do his electrical work and he does my welding. Miller Synchrowave tig. Beautiful work. I painted it right away so it wouldn't rust, but it was so nice it was a shame to cover up the weld. I didn't even have to touch it after he was done.





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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:26 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 11:45 - 12 Feb 2019 07:36 #221147 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
This bike is getting a solo-seat. Battery and starter will be eliminated. Steering damper. Work shocks. Work springs. Home made rearsets. Electrical will be almost bare minimum. Hopefully, I'll have about 30 to 40 pounds off of the thing.

I mocked up the tail in cardboard.





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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:36 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 11:47 - 12 Feb 2019 07:41 #221148 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
Then I photoshopped some paint and a seat pan.





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20 Jun 2008 11:56 - 12 Feb 2019 07:45 #221150 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
As you can see in the photo, I shaved all of the tabs (some were mangled anyway). You can also see how the subframe was hack-welded on. It's a crappy mig job. I don't know who welded it. Bottom line is, the sub-frame is all out of whack. I used some pipe clamps and 2X4's to get it straightened. Most of the critical areas (swingarm to steering axis) are now straight. It's going to take some trickery to get the tail and subframe to "look" straight. The shock mounts are a little off, but there's no fixing that without major work. I'll see if it affects the handling before I undertake that job.

That's all for now. I have to get outside and start tuning. Here's a green look.

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Last edit: 12 Feb 2019 07:45 by loudhvx.

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20 Jun 2008 12:04 #221154 by JohNLA
Replied by JohNLA on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
That thing is going to be very cool. I think the solo seat will look very trick.
How will you start the bike with no starter or kick?

s49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/JohNLA_photo/1983%20GPZ%20550/
83 GPZ 550 Stock with 3600 miles_83s.
83 GPZ 550 4-1,pods,Mikuni 36,000 + miles

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20 Jun 2008 12:09 #221156 by loudhvx
Replied by loudhvx on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
It's going to be a good ol' Flintstone special. :laugh:

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21 Jun 2008 02:51 - 21 Jun 2008 02:52 #221288 by guitargeek
Replied by guitargeek on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
I look forward to seeing this one come together!

I just taped my harness tonight. I wound up keeping stuff like the emergency lighting device and just relocating everything.

I'm keeping my starter, too. I'm too damned old to be pushing my bike, hahaha!

1980 KZ750-H1 (slightly altered)
1987 KZ1000-P6 "Ponch"
1979 GS1000 "Dadzuki"
Last edit: 21 Jun 2008 02:52 by guitargeek.

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21 Jun 2008 06:03 #221304 by steell
Replied by steell on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.

Miller Synchrowave tig


I want one of those, but unfortunately so do a lot of other people and it keeps the prices way up there :(

Bet it will be a gorgeous hot rod 550 when you're done :)

KD9JUR

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  • The Gringo
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21 Jun 2008 06:34 #221316 by The Gringo
Replied by The Gringo on topic Another 81 GPZ. Losing the fat.
Hey Lou when you photoshop paint on a bike is it fuel resistant?:laugh: Just kidding the bike is coming along nicely.

Andy
Akron, Ohio
80 Z-1 Classic-Sold
84 GPZ1100
79 KZ 1000 LTD
78 KZ 1000 A2
77 KZ 1000 LTD-Sold
76 KZ 900 The definition of a barn find
76 KZ 900-Sold gone to Denmark
KZ 750 times 3, KZ 650 times 8 Sold 1 down to 7
KZ 550 times 2 80 440LTD-Sold
81 CSR 305-Sold 81 Yamaha XS650 Special

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