TS185 cafe racer

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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

another long-term project of mine..........

A USA-import TS185 in not very good, or complete, condition.......

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as standard, the TS has a cable-operated rear brake. Obviously searching for more "feel" from the brake, a previous owner has converted it to rod-operated, albeit the rod is a tad too short. Not a problem to a genius bodger though...............

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and the rear brake arm bolt.....................

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sheeeesh!...................

had a rummage around the garage for some different handlebars - don't like the American high-and-wide ones that came with the bike. Couldn't find anything suitable, but did unearth a set of TS185 clocks I bought for the TS400 resto, so put these to one side for now...................

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Went and had a rummage around my mates garage and found some suitable 'bars - much more European............

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see where this is going?............................ ;)

back to the clockset - I only need a speedo so set about modifying the bracket that came fitted to the bike. Here's 2 standard brackets...............

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the top one I have cut to size and measured and drilled 3 holes for the clock rubber-mounts and speedo cable connection. This is whats left..................

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and with the speedo mounted............

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and fitted to the bike...................

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Last edited by garry55 on Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

the cafe-race seat - I didn't have one in my garage, so had to buy one off t'bay................

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I chose this one as it has an undertray.............

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the new seat wouldn't fit, as expected, without some minor surgery to the frame. First to go - the rear frame loop..........

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then the cross brace...............

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and - oh the irony of it - the seat mounting brackets..........

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even then, it didn't "sit" right, so time for some major surgery.............

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

the seat also required a bit of trimming..............

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bit of tidying up required............

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which allows it to fit like this...............

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

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filed a notch in the side of the seat unit to clear the exhaust mounting................

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with the leg-warmer fitted...............

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off with the bash plate - it's off-roading days are over (I hope!)..........

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the alarming lean angle afforded by the standard sidestand.............

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a rummage in the toy box ellicited an aluminium Cagiva Mito stand left over from the RGV build - and the TS185 stand bolt is an exact fit - lucky me!.................

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Last edited by garry55 on Sat Jan 03, 2015 6:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
User avatar
garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

ah - thats better..................

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and lighter too!..............

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another rummage in the toy box and out came an RGV250 kickstart and - would you believe it? - an exact fit................

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the new shocks arrived - these "Rarelins" make Ohlins look like economy shocks 8-)

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My error - I forgot to specify the diameter of the mounting bushes so I received the default 12mm upper / 10mm lower bushes fitted. The mountings on the TS are 12mm upper and lower, so I pressed the lower bush out and, on a very slow speed (necessary when turning Titanium), bored-out both lower bushes to fit.

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Here's some technical spiel from the spec sheet.......................
"the body is milled from a billet of Hastalloy (melting point 2417 - 2498 degrees celsius, with a density of 554.98 lb/ft). The damper rod is Inconel 625 grade which has an unsurpassed shear strength of 220,000psi. The remote cylinders are charged with a degenerative quantum gas of the Fermi family of high density, super-cooled atomic gasses. Springs are of Titanium and made to customer specification with regard to rider weight and intended use.













£80 a pair off ebay.......................... :up:
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

another ebay bargain - new 7" headlamp unit that comes with 17mm mounting holes but no hardware.............

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so I turned a pair of these 17mm top-hat spacers, drilled with an 8mm hole to accept the mounting bolts and fitted to the shell.................

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then, with a subtle tweaking of the original headlamp brackets, to the bike...............

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more from the rummage box - Cagiva Mito throttle-side switch gear, modified to suit left-side operation..............

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kill switch, lights off / lo / hi and the starter switch becomes the horn button - no turn signals needed.
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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Alan H
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Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by Alan H »

Nice little project that. Those shocks look the biz.
Have you got a lightweight person in mind to ride it or will you sidecar gear it? :roll: :lol: (Lets me out as well!!)
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

I am that person you mention, Al :up:
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

the bike returned to my garage last night, so I spent most of today tinkering with it.

First off though, the mods made by my welders.

The new rear frame brace / mudguard mount

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and the front brace / seat mount

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the custom 2T oil tank bracket and strap

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rear mudguard extension so taillight can be accomodated

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like so

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

so back to today - first off, I made a pair of front mudguard brackets out of some alloy sheet

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I'm thinking of drilling some holes into the parts of the brackets that show either side of the fork legs to reduce the "solid" look they have now.

Then I fitted the fly screen

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modifying the brackets to prevent the screen from being blown back at high speed :)

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with no bracketry for mounting the electrics, the rectifier now sits atop the air filter box

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and the CDI lives under the seat

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the battery will be housed in the seat hump.

and everything loosely fitted in place

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

the freshly built motor - re-con crank, all new seals and bearings, rebore and new piston.
Crankcases were de-greased and attacked with various Scotchbrite pads whilst the head / barrel / outer casings paid a visit to the powdercoaters to have a coat of satin black applied.

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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Alan H
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Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
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Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by Alan H »

Coming on nice.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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garry55
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

cheers Al :up:
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

today I drilled a hole in the 2T oil tank bracket for the outlet

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so I could mount the tank

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and test-fit its retaining strap

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then I drilled 3 holes in the headlamp shell

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and fitted the idiot lights - neutral /main beam / turn

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whilst the drill was out, I attacked the front mudguard brackets too

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and as the heat shield had arrived from the USA, I test fitted that too

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Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
User avatar
garry55
Yeah Man, the Interstate
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:04 pm
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT750 hybrids (x2) RGV500

Re: TS185 cafe racer

Post by garry55 »

received my "custom" graphics courtesy of the Image Works today.

I asked them to replicate the standard TS185K gas tank graphics, as shown below.....


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but to change the colours so as to emulate the early Suzuki racing bikes scheme..........


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The colour is a bit dull as they still have their protective outer film applied, but powder blue with a black outline on a gloss white gas tank it is. I'll have a matching stripe painted onto the seat hump.

Well pleased :D
Garry


I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I know I can stop anytime.
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