1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
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- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Starting new topic because the Photobucket policy changes trashed my old topic.
Lost free storage for my 1972 GT550 & decided to do a cafe build.
Pic from when I got the bike.
cafe-GT550-1 by jabcb, on Flickr
Closeup of that wonderful fairing.
cafe-GT550-2 by jabcb, on Flickr
Project is waiting for GT250 motor rebuild to be finished. So its a good time to make some decision.
Had title problems but that is now resolved & I have a PA license plate.
Lost free storage for my 1972 GT550 & decided to do a cafe build.
Pic from when I got the bike.
cafe-GT550-1 by jabcb, on Flickr
Closeup of that wonderful fairing.
cafe-GT550-2 by jabcb, on Flickr
Project is waiting for GT250 motor rebuild to be finished. So its a good time to make some decision.
Had title problems but that is now resolved & I have a PA license plate.
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
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
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Started working on the project.
cafe-GT550-0326 by jabcb, on Flickr
Did a spiffy job at polishing the brake drums. (We cheated & had forum member Sandman do the work.)
cafe-GT550_6763 by jabcb, on Flickr
cafe-GT550-0326 by jabcb, on Flickr
Did a spiffy job at polishing the brake drums. (We cheated & had forum member Sandman do the work.)
cafe-GT550_6763 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
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
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
The GT380 project was bigger than anticipated, so I put GT550 build on hold until the GT250 & GT380 were done.
Both are done, so we are back at the GT550 build.
Both are done, so we are back at the GT550 build.
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
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
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Glad you ditched the fairing!
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
The fugly fairing is still available for free if anyone is interested.
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
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
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Lol. If its free you never know, you might find someone who will take it off your hands. It might suit a 1970s highway cruiser fan. It reminds me of CHIPs.jabcb wrote:The fugly fairing is still available for free if anyone is interested.
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- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:09 am
- Country: england
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: several gt250 ramairs
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
GTS250 road registered. TS250 engine, Ramair frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
That sidecar looks like the compartment might have enough room to hide two small clowns.
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
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
-
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:09 am
- Country: england
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: several gt250 ramairs
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
just a bloody big toolbox mate
cheers, dd.
cheers, dd.
GTS250 road registered. TS250 engine, Ramair frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
I thought it was coffin! I thought that was for carrying off members that didn't make it to collect their ten year chip?dollydog wrote:just a bloody big toolbox mate
cheers, dd.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Forks looking spiffy after a lot of hard work. (We cheated and had forum member Sandman do the work.)
cafe-GT550-8147 by jabcb, on Flickr
cafe-GT550-8147 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
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
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
fork legs brushed then clear lacquered? Looks very nice!
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Clear powder coated. Sandman also did the forks + motor covers on the GT250 cafe built.
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
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
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Rats. Per the service manual the fork spring is tapered because of the oil passages. Looks like fork improvements are limited to oil viscosity & sag adjustment.
GT550-ServiceManual-ForkSpring by jabcb, on Flickr
Started tearing into the motor. A PO had labeled the cylinders when they had the top end off.
Had some metal bits underneath the clutch from the infamous exploding early starter clutches. Luckily I scored a complete late-model clutch + starter clutch assembly on eBay a few years ago.
cafe-GT550-531609024 by jabcb, on Flickr
GT550-ServiceManual-ForkSpring by jabcb, on Flickr
Started tearing into the motor. A PO had labeled the cylinders when they had the top end off.
Had some metal bits underneath the clutch from the infamous exploding early starter clutches. Luckily I scored a complete late-model clutch + starter clutch assembly on eBay a few years ago.
cafe-GT550-531609024 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
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
- Alan H
- Moto GP
- Posts: 3182
- Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
- Country: England
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
- Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire
Re: 1972 GT550 cafe build - new topic
Looking good now that fugly fairing is off!
Good news about the replacement clutch too.
Good news about the replacement clutch too.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.