"WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR MOTORCYCLE TODAY"

[motogrady]

Smoke Dog Lives!

Ya it’s an L I do believe.
That one and a 750K are on ice right now.
Coming out of the winter the 750 SS is gettin the love right now.  

The Goose is impressive guy.
Really.
What is and how did that one happen?

[Smoke-dog]

This ebay seller has new CDI's for the GS450 built by him that are about the same price as used untested units...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/231364764988?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=oLVNFwmHQV6&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Smoke-dog]

The Grey Goose is a 1981 GS750L (GSX motor) with a stage 4 jet kit, GSXR tail light, front suspension and wheels and a wok for the rear cowl. LOL!!! I purchased the ol'girl for $300 and immediately got started on chopping the frame (the L's are suppose to be competition for the cruiser market). Once I got the frame straight it went through SEVERAL renditions. I think the hardest part was concealing all the wires...

[Smoke-dog]

You know what??? Somebody on GS Resources may have a used working CDI for sale on the cheap. May want to check that out 🤔

[Smoke-dog]

I'm also working on the GS450's bigger brother, the GS500. It's a 1996 model that i gave the GSXR treatment to. GSXR front/rear suspension (including swingarm) and wheels from a 2006 model. Had to make an offset sprocket and open the frame up about a 1/8" to allow the swingarm to fit. Now I'm making mounts for the front fender, headlight and speedo...

[motogrady]

Thx for the link Smoke. 👍
I didn’t know of anywhere that offered Zook stuff.  

Think I’ll be out later today.

[motogrady]

1st time out today guys.  

New battery turned right over.
With stale gas, maybe a gallon in the tank,
it took full choke and 4 tries to get it going.

Idles low, even on full choke.

Revs great.

Air was low in the front tire.  Felt like the front calipers
dragging at first.  I’m always leery on that, front brakes sticking.

I need to either lower the footpegs or get on a stretching routine.

And I think I’m gonna replace the stock turn signals with
aftermarket’s that don’t stick out so far.
When I first got this bike I took the turn signals off, and it really gives the bike a much more narrow, lean look.

Anyway, for the first time in awhile, it was out there before Spring!

[oldironnow]

I dream... Smoke just DOES !!!!

[Fatfatboy]

Smoke, That Gray Goose has a killer stance. I really like the way you build on the cheap. It's the way I hope to have time for again some day. Life keeps me too busy so I do mostly buy and bolt on.

In my younger days before wife, daughter, starting a business and all that goes with it I enjoyed time in a small shed playing with moto toys. I'm envious of your garage and your fab abilities.

[Smoke-dog]

Thanks guys, I really do appreciate that!!! Now that my son has his own bike (actually a few cause he has the fever 😉) and not on the back seat we go on all kinds of adventures!!!

[motogrady]

Beautiful pic.  

[hacksaw]

I would assume stumbling  off idle and running hot is clogged low speed jets. If it runs good on top then that’s bcz u are in the main jet or I different part of the needle taper .
Idk you carb . You cold have a manifold leak .
I am
Not getting notifications to my in box. So I may have missed your fix .

[hacksaw]

Battery tender leads are fused . I wouldn’t be concerned about handling a starter . Worst that can happen is a blown fuse .

[oldironnow]

Smoke-dog wrote

Thanks guys, I really do appreciate that!!! Now that my son has his own bike (actually a few cause he has the fever 😉) and not on the back seat we go on all kinds of adventures!!!

Great pics! Good living! Smoke-dog is the man!

[oldironnow]

hacksaw wrote

I would assume stumbling  off idle and running hot is clogged low speed jets. If it runs good on top then that’s bcz u are in the main jet or I different part of the needle taper .
Idk you carb . You cold have a manifold leak .
I am
Not getting notifications to my in box. So I may have missed your fix .

Got it all proper.
Did a 50-mile ride through the rain on Hwy17 on the way to the airport. Feels right again.
Better starting.
Proper idle.
The usual buttery launch out of the stoplight hole in this land where one can split to the front.
That super-aggressive top-end isn’t there.
I think it was lean.
I drained much of the fuel to pull the tank, and must’ve been running around town on fuel sloshing through the petcock set on Run.
Getting the throttle cables set with the correct slack was important. Unknown about blocking the vscuum line to the “EGR”.

[oldironnow]

Went over the hill to Cycle Gear, and collected my new set of Metzeler Roadtec 01 tires.
This time I got the stickier SE grade for the front and not the rear, as before. Maybe the front and rear will wear out at the same time.
I pulled the wheels in the parking lot and handed them over the counter for mounting.





.

[motogrady]

You carry all those tools all the time?

[oldironnow]

No/yes.

The hand tools roll up in the shard of old Pendleton shirt, with the pocket for sockets, but I only carry what’s visible (and a few more) when traveling. My usual guideline is to take the tools I touched in the prep before leaving.

So yesterday I put what i needed and the scissor jack into the saddlebags and headed out to meet my tires. It was just for fun, a personal challenge to see if I could get both wheels done on the road. But it also saved another trip in the old GMC for another day.

The tire change took longer than I had planned/hoped, because the Cycle Gear manager would pull his tire guy onto the sales floor when more than one customer came in. It add 60 minutes to the swap

The manager apologized for the delay, but I told him I understood. They’ve got to make the sale - they have to satisfy the walk in customer.

And truly the delay was on me.
I have to take the front off first and then the rear, and then mounting is in reverse order - all due to the short centerstand.

But I gave the tire guy the front right after I removed it.
I should’ve waited a handful of minutes to get the rear off and then gotten it into his hands first.

No worries, though - I blasted up to Santa Clara and made a date, catching the start of a very good Blue Angels movie at an Imax because they have 25 minutes of previews!


.

[Fatfatboy]

Challenge conquered.
I can't do that to my Harley's. They go on the operating table when it's time for new tires.

[m143]

I also like to carry the last tools I used.
My Scramler is getting new Dungflops.
I almost bought a Raboconda tire changer. It'd be about $400.
The Triumph dealer quoted a good price and 30 bucks a wheel to change and balance the tires.
I'd still like to have the ability to change tires w/o 3 tire irons.