1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

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jabcb
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1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Trying out a replacement topic because the Photobucket policy changes trashed my old topic.

My 1973 GT250 had bad crank seals & has moved on to a new owner. Also pulled my 1972 GT550 project bike out of storage.
We are doing cafe builds of both bikes. The GT250 is up first & here are the pics.

1973 GT250 before the crank seals went bad.
Image

Working on the motor.
Image

Painting the crankcase.
Image

Test fitting a Hotwing Glass RR1 seat. Will use a 1972 T250 painted a nice blue.
Image

Fun with cutting tools.
Removed the center stand brackets, detabbed the frame & made cuts for a future frame loop.
Image
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
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jabcb
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Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
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Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Making some headway with the rebuild.
ImageCafe-GT250-6 by jabcb, on Flickr
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
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jabcb
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Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
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Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Found an interesting forum post of a GT250 cafe build in Australia.
http://canberrariders.org.au/forum/inde ... 53/page-15
He made rearset mounts that used two existing frame attachments.
Image
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
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Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
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Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Making headway slower that I was expecting.

Motor will be all black except for carbs & polished case covers.
Ordered the Higgspeed chambers.
Have the K&N tapered pod filters with rubber end cap. (# R-1070 + the filter wrap)

Stock main jets are 112.5 & we are going up 10 to 122.5
Let me know if you experts think this isn’t enough.

Motor is mostly assembled & we are now polishing the case covers:
ImageCafe-GT250-7 by jabcb, on Flickr
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
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Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Hoping the project will pick up speed soon.

Its just about 8 weeks since we ordered the Higgspeed chambers.
Just ordered rearsets.
The K&N tapered pod filters didn’t work out, so we switched to the angled version.
Got a custom oil tank similar to the one member sbaugz has.
Frame is at the welder shop.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

A few years ago I got Jemco pipes for my GT750 & they did show up fairly quickly.

A forum member looked into Jemcos for the GT250 & was told they were designed more towards racing.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=9440&p=139488&hili ... co#p139488
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
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Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

There be Higgspeeds here.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
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Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Making a bit more headway.

Did a spiffy job at polishing the engine covers & fork lowers. (We cheated & had forum member Sandman do the work.)
A few parts are at the painter.

The T500 rearsets are here — now need to figure out how to adapt them to the GT250.
Once we got that figured out, then the fame + wheels are off to the power coater.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Test fit of T500 rearset with trial adapter bracket made out of paper.
ImageCafe-GT250-208_rearsets by jabcb, on Flickr
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Test fit of right-side T500 rearset with trial adapter bracket made out of paper.
Not quite as clean looking as left side — gap between bracket & adapter is filled by a nut + ~ 2 washers.
ImageCafe-GT250-0213_rearset2 by jabcb, on Flickr
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

The left rearset attachment point is the stock mount for the muffler & passenger foot peg.
The right rearset attachment point is one of the 2 stock mounts for the driver foot peg.

We thought about the different options.
Went with a no-weld solution that allows us to reinstall the stock driver foot pegs.

Next step is to look at how the Higgspeed exhaust will affect this solution.
Then the drawings are off to the water-jet-cutter shop.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Now waiting with end in sight.
Parts are at painter & powder coater.

Will make a custom wiring harness.
Any suggestions on where to get wires with the stock colors?
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Interesting idea - hadn’t thought of that.
My final adapter drawings are at the water jet cutter shop. Now just need to order wire + some little odds & ends parts.
We’ve talked about going with a single piece design at some point down the road. Will keep your suggestion in mind.

This is my first foray into CAD software + digital machining.
Was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is.
Have two other items I’m working on: a bracket for a CL450 exhaust, and an underseat bracket to hold the battery + taillight on the GT250 cafe.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

The water-jet-cut adapters turned out nicely:
ImageCafe-GT250-0246_rearset3 by jabcb, on Flickr

Parts are back from the painter & are looking good.
Powder coater should be done this week.

This is our first build & we are on pins an needles.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
User avatar
jabcb
Moto GP
Posts: 4240
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
Location: southwestern Pennsylvania

Re: 1973 GT250 cafe build - new topic

Post by jabcb »

Found really useful instructions for spoke wheel lacing on the GS forum:
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/sh ... sxs+spokes
And the results with NOS spokes:
ImageCafe-GT250-0291 by jabcb, on Flickr
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more

Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
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