Project Katmandu: GS rebuild

Progress this week

So not much progress this week: except arrival of more parts. Technoflex fully adjustable shock and G/S subframe from Colt. The great news is that the rear subframe fits straight on.

Lastly: the arrival yesterday of my DRZ forks. They are a work of art, nearly perfect and fully adjustable for compression and rebound. All that research and measuring may have paid off. They nearly went straight on!! The DRZ bearings fitted straight into the GS races!! ( don't worry - I'll be replacing them after the strip) All I need is a 10mm (approx) spacer from the bearing top plate to the stem nut. Even the bump stops aren't that far off.

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Its got mounting points on the forks not dissimilar to the GS and if I don't want to use those the DRZ headlight bracket holders could be modified easily

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So far its cost £146 for forks , calliper and spindle all bought off ebay separately. Just the wheel and disk to acquire. A couple of wheel come up on ebay today so keeping fingers crossed.
 
parts shout out

Remaining parts needed for my project bike if anyone has them tucked away are:

g/s battery holder

And from a mono:
The rear brake pivot pin
The rear brake cam
Rear brake lever

The above brake parts were missing from the bevel drive when it arrived from motorworks. I was surprised about that - just sort of expected the bevel box to be complete with them - should I complain?
 
Remaining parts needed for my project bike if anyone has them tucked away are:

g/s battery holder

And from a mono:
The rear brake pivot pin
The rear brake cam
Rear brake lever

The above brake parts were missing from the bevel drive when it arrived from motorworks. I was surprised about that - just sort of expected the bevel box to be complete with them - should I complain?

Oh and i forgot (sure there will be more as well)

an 18" Cross spoke Rim
 
Tank forks and offset

So the offset on the DRZ forks is only 15mm as compared with the 35mm on the GS - so what impact (pun intended) might that have on the tank.

Fitted the tank and started mocking up where the instruments are going to go.

The news is all good on full lock the forks just miss the tank.

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This image clearly shows where the space needs to go to pack out the steering stem. Also show how easy it should be to use the existing headlight brackets to mount the GS headlight binnacle.

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More measurements

DRZ front spindle 20mm compared with the GS 25mm. This means to use the GS front wheel I'd need to run a sleeve inside the GS wheel bearings which isn't a great thing to do. Also the DRZ front disk is 310mm not the conventional 320mm - so getting a 310mm disk to fit the GS may be a problem. For now I'll use a DRZ front wheel and then may play around with the GS one later.

Spacer needed for the steering stem OD 42mm ID 30mm Height 10mm.

sorry if i'm using this thread like a notepad :augie
 
Bugger!! The biggest piece I've got is 38mm. I forgot I'd used the last of my 45mm. Sorry!

Maybe one of the other lads can help?

I'll try and source a piece at work on Monday if nobody else can help.
 
Hi,

On the G/S and GS the distance from the bottom of the headstock to the centre of the spindle appear to be 63-64cms.

My g/s at 630mm seams to have 30mm longer fork stanchons on it than normal (I.ve measure other peoples - sad I know) but I can still sit on it with both feet easily flat on the floor and I'm only 5`8" with 29" inside leg. I wouldn't mind if the bike is a bit higher front and rear.

The DRZ fork measured the same way are 68cms. So effectively 4-5cms longer. I'm not sure what the measurements will be with sag and I won't know until I get the wheels back on the bike.

I am thinking about the geometry.... a lot.

Yes I am planning to extend the swinging arm by what appears to be the customary 100mm. I am then going to put on a lower shock mount with multiple holes so I can adjust the ride height.

If I find the bike too high I'll see if I can reduce the DRZ forks in size.

My swinging arm, wheel and bevel box are all with one of my neighbours at the moment. He's a retired machine shop owner who has an amazing "shed" full of kit and nothing to work on! I don't know how long it will take him to turn it round though. I am hoping to get some photos when he is underway.

Once he's done it I may be able to persuade him to do it for others!

The one think I'm worried about though is the frame and whether I should get it strengthened. I am not planning on doing any jumps or anything radical on the bike off road but this picture from Dogbytes worries me...

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I think getting the frame done maybe needs a professional with a jig who can check its all square etc. I don't think my neighbour can manage that.
 
I think I got that pic from HPN or someone similar's website so it's probably the results of some fairly extreme action. However, a heavily loaded bike hitting a big pot-hole can set up some big stresses in that area. I'll have the templates for my frame braces done this week. Come and have a look at them and if you want a set I'll get 2 lots lasered out at the same time. They shouldn't cost much.
 
I think I got that pic from HPN or someone similar's website so it's probably the results of some fairly extreme action. However, a heavily loaded bike hitting a big pot-hole can set up some big stresses in that area. I'll have the templates for my frame braces done this week. Come and have a look at them and if you want a set I'll get 2 lots lasered out at the same time. They shouldn't cost much.

thanks very much - sounds like a plan!!
 
Thread inserts pulled out

I had to drill out 2 of the 4 4mm bolts that hold on the front cowl.

When I tried to unscrew the bolts from the cowl the inserts came out with them. Any ideas on how to remediate this? can you buy over size inserts or something?


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Use a Tap thru them and make sure they are 100% easy screwing and then use JB welb or Araldite to fix them back into the holes just make sure that none of the goo goes in side the threads

We have this problem on the old Tigers 900 Steamers

I use a small O ring below the screw to stop me over tightening Also a smear of grease on the threads is a good call too!

Good Rebuild

Prompting me to make a move on Escargot Since I received a set of VERY nice forks yesterday! :aidan :aidan
 
You can buy new inserts on eBay. I've just repaired a speedo housing using new 3mm ones and plastex, it worked well.
 
F650 front end I believe drops right in without spending fortunes on wheels, yokes, forks, brakes and all that fannying - Rob Farmer has recommended this route in the past whether he did it or not I cannot remember - was too busy eating a sausage sandwich at the time :D

is this true for the g/s? it could be the answer to my brake issues!
 
Polishing stuff

remember that manky old tank and fairing screen

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Well 3-4hrs of cleaning and polishing and new they're really not so bad. Could even get away without painting them for now


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Sorted out how to mount the headlight fairing using the mounting points on the yolks so I'll do away with the DRZ headlight fitting brackets. It'll make the forks look "cleaner"

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