Eric's build of a Custom/Cafe GL

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ehadams
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Eric's build of a Custom/Cafe GL

#1

Post by ehadams »

Last June I answered a craigslist add for a 75 GL1000. The guy was asking 800 for a bike that had blown a timing belt at 50000 miles. He had stripped the bike and started making a bobber/cafe racer out of it. Has not run since having new valves and timing belts put on. He move this past fall to California and left the bike at his parents house. I finally talked him down to where I wanted for a non running GL, only took 7 months. I go to pick the bike up today. I will get to tear into this project after I finish my wife's 79 GL1000 Sidecar restoration. I will probably staying with a bobber/cafe racer style solo bike for me. I am still crawling through all the awesome builds here trying to figure out what I like.

Here is what the bike looked like last summer, some how I only got 1 picture when I looked at it.

Image
Last edited by ehadams on Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
Eric
75 GL1000 w/ California SideCar Friendship 1 (mine)
79 GL1000 w/ Sweet SideCar (Heather's)
75 GL1000 destined to be customized
89 GL1500 (still undecided)
79 GL1000 was Scott's (what to do with this one?)
GRN75
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Greg
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#2

Post by Greg »

:pepsi :popcorn: And a nice build it will be ,I’m sure.Go fer it.

Greg
75 GL1000
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#3

Post by Rat »

Wear ear plugs when you start her up :crosso

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ehadams
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#4

Post by ehadams »

Rat, I agree about the ear plugs. The owner asked what I was planning on doing with it, the first thing I told him was I was going to put some actual mufflers on it. I may swing by the local Harley shop and see the have any sportster take offs lying around. My next door neighbor is a state trooper and I don't want to get on his bad side. He is a great guy and actually helped me get out of ticket last fall. Need to stay in his good graces.
Eric
75 GL1000 w/ California SideCar Friendship 1 (mine)
79 GL1000 w/ Sweet SideCar (Heather's)
75 GL1000 destined to be customized
89 GL1500 (still undecided)
79 GL1000 was Scott's (what to do with this one?)
GRN75
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#5

Post by rogue1000 »

Cool project...Go to a MC swap meet; the last I was at had tons of HD mufflers very cheap...
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#6

Post by Kriss »

:popcorn: Keep us up-dated with the project :pepsi tumb2
5x GL1000S, 2x GL1500,
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#7

Post by redwood »

I recommend a pillow on the seat! lolol
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#8

Post by sunnbobb »

A day that will live in infamy!!
I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes custom polishing for your wing. Visit us on facebook!

1978 Learning Experience
1980 County Road Hauler "Brain Damage"
1978 Cafe Custom Gl1000 "Vyper"
1977 Bulldog Inspired "Vaincre"
1981 Street Fighter GL1100 "No Quarter"
1983 Supercharged Street Drag "Anubis" (in worx)
1983 gl1100 mint restoration "Kristen"
1985 Aspencade..pondering.
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#9

Post by ehadams »

Picked up the bike.

my vin is 1000647. Is that considered a low number?

It is definitely going to be a large project. Here are some pictures of it.
Image
Image
Image
Image

Time to get back to my wife's bike.

All comments and suggestion welcome and appreciated.
Eric
75 GL1000 w/ California SideCar Friendship 1 (mine)
79 GL1000 w/ Sweet SideCar (Heather's)
75 GL1000 destined to be customized
89 GL1500 (still undecided)
79 GL1000 was Scott's (what to do with this one?)
GRN75
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#10

Post by sunnbobb »

Purdy darn low number, within the first 1000 built.
I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes custom polishing for your wing. Visit us on facebook!

1978 Learning Experience
1980 County Road Hauler "Brain Damage"
1978 Cafe Custom Gl1000 "Vyper"
1977 Bulldog Inspired "Vaincre"
1981 Street Fighter GL1100 "No Quarter"
1983 Supercharged Street Drag "Anubis" (in worx)
1983 gl1100 mint restoration "Kristen"
1985 Aspencade..pondering.
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ehadams
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#11

Post by ehadams »

The funny thing is I have a frame that I got in package of parts that is number 1000650, that one had a sized engine.
Eric
75 GL1000 w/ California SideCar Friendship 1 (mine)
79 GL1000 w/ Sweet SideCar (Heather's)
75 GL1000 destined to be customized
89 GL1500 (still undecided)
79 GL1000 was Scott's (what to do with this one?)
GRN75
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#12

Post by Greg »

ehadams wrote:Picked up the bike.

my vin is 1000647. Is that considered a low number?

It is definitely going to be a large project. Here are some pictures of it.
Image
Image
Image
Image

Time to get back to my wife's bike.

All comments and suggestion welcome and appreciated.

Wow! that's my seat on it.. anim-cheers1

Looks like once you get all the parts you are more than half way home.

Don't forget to get your tail lights sorted out the way you want them before you do any fender cutting. Speaking from experience. lolol
Greg.
75 GL1000
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ehadams
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Re: Today's the Day - Start of a new project

#13

Post by ehadams »

Picked up a new set of handlebars at a warehouse sale.
What do people think. Are these really uncomfortable?

They are a Bike Master Clubman Bars.
Image
Eric
75 GL1000 w/ California SideCar Friendship 1 (mine)
79 GL1000 w/ Sweet SideCar (Heather's)
75 GL1000 destined to be customized
89 GL1500 (still undecided)
79 GL1000 was Scott's (what to do with this one?)
GRN75
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Re: Eric's very slow build of a Custom/Cafe GL

#14

Post by gregforesi »

The short answer is "Yes". People ask me how my back can take it but it's my wrists that get sore. Adding a flip-on plastic cruise control to the throttle helped a lot since I can change hands now. I can actually sit up and steer with the center portion of the bars when I'm just cruising along on a two lane.

But comfort isn't really the point is it. They give a bike that certain "bad and nasty" look and have a very high coolness factor.
They also make for a nicely aggresive riding position and get your weight down low.

But adding clubman bars is an excellent example of why "everything affects everything".
The cables need to be shorter (clutch, throttles, and upper brake line) by about 6" (the clutch cable is really important so the routing stays correct). New shorter cables are advised instead of shortening the ones you have Shortening the stock cables means new long cables if you want to go back to high bars.
Another issue is your legs. Hunched over the front of the bike your knees will feel like they are in your chest. The only known cure for that is rearset controls.
Problem 3 is the steering stops on the front end. Depending on the angle of the clubman bars the steering stops will likely have to be altered so the controls don't hit the shelter sides. I had to add 3/16" to both stops to keep the front end from swinging into the shelter. I need some room to walk it around a u-turn.
Provided you don't shorten the cables overly much then you can flip the clubmans upside down and pick yourself up about 4". In fact that might be the best thing...measure the cable lengths with the bars on upside down. That will leave enough cable that you can go back higher if you don't like the clubmans in the down-and-dirty position.

I've put almost 9000 miles on the bike (two seasons) with the clubman bars and I'm 61 now so it can be done. The longest ride was about 125 miles one way. That was a long day.

EDIT: The center portion of those bars needs to clear the top triple tree or you won't be able to rotate them back far enough. I ended up welding a 1" piece into the center section to make them wider (then cut 3/4" off each end to make them narrower again...I tell ya "everything affects everything".
2006 GL1800 (Brutus Maximus)
1978 GL1000 (White Trash - 2012 BOTY
(If you want to discuss the Trashmobile, Webers, Rearsets, Clubmans, or other stuff then send me a PM.)
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Re: Eric's very slow build of a Custom/Cafe GL

#15

Post by SloMo228 »

I had clubmans on my CX500. They were cool-looking, but yes, they are uncomfortable. I put clip-ons on my GL recently - I haven't had a chance to ride it much, but they're much more adjustable than clubmans, so I think they'll be a little more comfortable for longer rides, and they look every bit as cool as the clubmans.

They're a bit more expensive, but worth the cost, in my opinion.
Steve

1978 GL1000 - Gallery
1993 GL1500 SE - frame-up restoration in progress
1983 CX650C
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