New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project!

A forum for stories, pics and updates of your resto's. Be it a barn find, Grampas hand me down or a bike being brought back to it's former glory.If you are restoring it, show us your stuff!

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TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#16

Post by TySharp »

Had some downtime while waiting for some parts I ordered to come in. So I figured I would give the HUD a bit of an updated look. Unfortunately somehow the gauges, headlight bucket, and 'dashboard' were damaged before I received her, and since Im on a budget, new gauges isnt an option, so I sanded, shot a coat of primer, and repainted them. I think it turned out prety well!


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'77 GL1000 Café named Vanessa
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wingrider
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#17

Post by wingrider »

Lookin' good!
2002 1800 Wing
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#18

Post by TySharp »

Parts came in! My excitement quickly dispersed once I realized that means I get to dive back into rewiring everything =(
There was a brown wire, with a green stripe that I notice had a connector on the end, but it wasnt connected to anything? Can anyone help me pinpoint what it Came from? It was from the batch of wires in the second photo, which lead off of the left hand bar controls (turn signals, headlight, ect)
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'77 GL1000 Café named Vanessa
TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#19

Post by TySharp »

Handle bars on, bar end mirrors installed, instruments remounted, and rewired!
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Just checking to make sure the wiring is right, testing out signals and such
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'77 GL1000 Café named Vanessa
TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#20

Post by TySharp »

This weeks project is to finish the seat, and hopefully locate something to make a fender out of. I hear trailer fenders work well!

alternate view of her stance.
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'77 GL1000 Café named Vanessa
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Roady
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#21

Post by Roady »

Good job on those gauges.

It's starting to look like a bike!
TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#22

Post by TySharp »

I couldnt resist so I took a short ride to see how it handled (pretty wretched)
and ended up getting stranded for a while when she died and wouldnt start, so I took the opportunity to snap a couple pictures with my phone.
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Taking a nap after failing to push start several times
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wingrider
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#23

Post by wingrider »

No kick starter? :) Did you eventually get her going?
2002 1800 Wing
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
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Fred Camper
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#24

Post by Fred Camper »

When push starting, if you push the starter button the coils give full power. No need if you run electronic ignition and dyna coils but a nice boost if your coils still have the resistor on them.
Proud member of the NGW Cartel (Rochester MI)
1977 GL1000 BADDOG (April 2012 BOTM)
1976 LTD - '993 LTD...and so it begins'

You should remember that it's peace of mind you're after and not just fixing the machine. R.Pirsig
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#25

Post by Andyb »

I like the black paint on the gauges. I have been pondering that on my 83 and I think I will go with it.
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warhead_71
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#26

Post by warhead_71 »

Looks great. I have a spare set of plastics for my '78 that are in solid condition but the paint is badly faded. Been thinking of using the flat-black "rubberized" paint on it... so it looks like a Stealth Bomber. Upswept megaphone ERGO mufflers look pretty good on these "cafe" GL's. I wish there commercial 4-into-4 collectors so you could do quad-exhaust like the old CB750's... that would sound amazing.
( Other bikes: 76 CB200T | 68 CL350 | 69 CB350 | 76 CB360T | 78 CB400T | 81 CM400 | 79 CB750F | 81 CB650C | 73, 74, 76 CB750K | 83 V45 Magna | 84 V65 Magna )
'78 GL1000 :: EMGO Superbike handlebars, Corbin touring seat, National Cycle F-16 windscreen, EMGO "Roadhawk" wide-mouth 24" megaphones.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#27

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Not really a fan of the cafe racer (yet, anyway- they seem to be growing on me), but what you have now is actually a really good look. No clue what's going on above the rear wheel (if anything), but that setup is actually pretty slick...
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

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TySharp
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#28

Post by TySharp »

Thanks for the good words all! She'll be on pause until my play money check comes in at the end of the month (first one is the bill money check >.<) It will have me focused on more mechanical work. The current photos were only a result of me prematurely taking it out for a test drive and getting stuck =P

@Lucien - Theres nothing going on over the rear wheel yet, Im looking into just cutting down a flat 7.5'' trailer fender, and having it extend only about a half inch past where the frame arms are. Then Ill be mounting an LED brake light bar acrross the back of the seat with the integrated turn signals.

Here's where Ill need some help. Ive notice while doing low speed maneuvers, there seems to be like ruts in the steering, instead of one fluid smooth motion while turning the handlebars. Thinks makes low speed corners extremely difficult. I was wondering what might be causing this? Current reseach points to the bearings in the steering collum, possible having worn flat spots, or maybe grooves worn into it? How does one get to and disassemble that part?
'77 GL1000 Café named Vanessa
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ericheath
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#29

Post by ericheath »

You remove the handle bars, place them on a towel on the false tank. Remove the bolt holding the top triple. Special tool but can usually be loosened with a channel lock. Under that are the two locking nuts that tighten tge bearings. Bend back the lock tabs remove one then the other. Now the fun can begin. IIRC, the test for bearings is to get the bike on the center stand, raise the front wheel in the air and turn it lock to lock. It should be smooth all the way. If yours are catching at all do a few searches. There are several posts on how to remove and replace bearings
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77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
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Fred Camper
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Re: New Member, 77 GL1000 Restore/rebuild/cafe racer Project

#30

Post by Fred Camper »

Bummer, the 1977 has roller bearings that typically do better. But yours sound like toast. Good luck with the replacement.
Proud member of the NGW Cartel (Rochester MI)
1977 GL1000 BADDOG (April 2012 BOTM)
1976 LTD - '993 LTD...and so it begins'

You should remember that it's peace of mind you're after and not just fixing the machine. R.Pirsig
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