TOPIC:

Ate some dinner and back out to the garage. I cut off the helmet locks and roughly smoothed out the welds. Then I got around to fitting the taillight I bought way before the build-off started. I also stole the license plate bracket from the Vfr I'm parting out, trimmed it to fit and drill a couple holes. It was suggested by a buddy that I mount the plate on the swingarm to keep the nice clean lines but I'm undecided. I also still need to finalize the style of turnsignals I want and make some mounts.







Later, Doug

This is where I'm at on my GPZ550. You are correct, the stock mirrors are way too tall. The smaller mirror makes the bike not look bulky up front. The taillight is cool. Anytime you can get rid of the rear lower fender on these bikes, its a huge improvement.

I'm digging your build pal. Great fab work. It may inspire some of us shlubs to turn a wrench instead of wishing it done.

HAFROD wrote: The taillight is cool. Anytime you can get rid of the rear lower fender on these bikes, its a huge improvement.

Thanks. The bike came with the stock taillight on a cut down rear fender that was hacked and cracked and had Suzuki rear turn signals. I think the rear looks much cleaner and gives a nice big open space above the tire.




Later, Doug

Good progress Doug and some nice parts arriving Its a good feeling and an enjoyable part of the build when the parts start flooding in abit like christmas
You might be correct about your guage mount, i have a set of the unitrack gauges on the bench here. They are pretty heavy and the original bracket is quite substantial Might be worth another look.

Doug if you have a measure handy could you tell me the CC of the mounting bolt holes for the Uni footrest plates

Puffin wrote: could you tell me the CC of the mounting bolt holes for the Uni footrest plates

Measured them before I left for work. CC of the frame mounting holes is 140mm (5.5") give or take a smidge.

Later, Doug

StreetfighterKz wrote: Measured them before I left for work. CC of the frame mounting holes is 140mm (5.5") give or take a smidge.

Later, Doug

Thanks for that Doug

While waiting on some more parts, I'm trying to decide rear turnsignal options since the rear taillight is mounted and finalized.

I have a couple idea, but could always use more.
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Option 5???

I also need to figure out what to do with the big bulky OEM front signals. Keep, replace, relocate, block-off?

Later, Doug

I decided that the gauge mount just wasn't quite sturdy enough so I added an extra brace. I keep it in the style of the fairing stay to help it blend in. It's nothing fancy but it'll do.






With the gauge mount finally finished I turned to the speedo drive. The VFR is driven from the countershaft so the front wheel doesn't have provisions for a drive. So I took the road less travels and am going to use the VFR speedo drive on the GPz engine. The VFR counter shaft is tapped and uses a bolt to hold the sprocket on and drive the speedo drive. I found an appropriate bolt and turned it to be a press fit in the GPz output shaft that only has a small blind hole.





I shortened the bolt to a length that placed the mating surface of the speedo drive at a distance that will allow me to make a trick sprocket cover that can support the shift shaft.


My VFR parts bike only came with a 6" long speedo cable attached to the speedo drive. I took a gamble and ordered a used one from eBay. I got it and have good news and bad news. Good news is that the Honda cable screws to the GPz gauges. Bad news is that it's at least 3" too short.



The VFR's outer cable is about 35" (89cm) long. So I would like to find a cable about 4-5" longer without ordering a custom one. Any thoughts?

Also got my Zx7 rear M/C. It has the same bolt spread as the Zx12 M/C but is 1/2" bore like the VFR versus the 14mm of the Zx12.


Later, Doug

I think I found the longer speedo cable I needed. It's from a very early 1970's CB750. It's suppose to be 38" long (3" longer than a VFR's). If it ever needs to be replaced, the modern day superseded part number fits a Xr650R so finding another one should be easy as it'll be a production OEM cable. If 38" isn't long enough then eBay has some +6" and +8" custom speedo cables for CB750's with chopper front ends.

Later, Doug

I didn't feel like going out to the garage Sunday but that didn't mean I was productive. I scuffed, primed, and painted the triple clamps and clip-ons. The lower was satin black but the upper and clip-ons were a gun-metal. Now they're all gloss black. The upper didn't turn out quite right but I can always repaint it later.



Since the lower was painted I installed the new lower bearing and seal. I wasn't happy with the little bit of slope due to the stem being 24mm and the hole in the upper being 25mm so I made a nice little bushing.


Here's the upper all assembled. I sat on the bike and it seems really comfortable. I guess only when I actually get it on the road and moving will I know if I will like it.


Since the bearings were in place I was able to judge if I'd have enough tank to fork clearance...the answer is NOPE! I'm really close though. I may either make a new frame plate (preferred option) or dent the tank (don't want to).


And now that the front end is actually able to be assembled properly, I once again had to do a small dry fit.



Later, Doug

i like the indicator option 1 the best. the license plate ones seem kinda novelty, imho. I think some small squarish indicators would go good with the atheistic you got goin on. like how your mirrors worked out, a smaller angular version of the original.

like this. www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/562031/Bodywork/Indicators/Bike-It