GZ Bobber - just finished

[kflint]

Here are a few pics of a GZ I just hacked to pieces. I've been restoring an old Lambretta and needed a break, so I made this:[attachment=2:nqls1qxk]bobber1.jpg[/attachment:nqls1qxk][attachment=1:nqls1qxk]bobber3.jpg[/attachment:nqls1qxk]

[geezer]

sick :rawk:

[blaine]

Welcome.Nice job on the Bobber. :cool:

[5th_bike]

It looks great, I don't know why but the sight of whitewall tires makes me drool.

[cayuse]

Very cool.
Where's the battery?

[Water Warrior 2]

Very cool.
Where's the battery?
Yeah, what he said. Nice job on the Takin a Break project.

[alantf]

I've been restoring an old Lambretta

My first ride was a 1959 Lambretta LI 150. Most comfortable seats I've ever had on a bike. Like tractor seats. :2tup:

[kflint]

The battery is mounted to the swingarm under a louvered chrome HD battery cover. Here are some pics of the build:

http://s2.postimage.org/1qsz1o410/project1.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qsz1o410/)
Rescuing the donor.
http://s2.postimage.org/1qtxryeec/project2.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qtxryeec/)
Tearing off all the stuff.
http://s2.postimage.org/1qu2qkfvo/project5.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qu2qkfvo/)
Can't go much further than this without pulling the engine...
http://s2.postimage.org/1quebbvc4/project8.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1quebbvc4/)
About 100 different mockups to get the look right.
http://s2.postimage.org/1qx5jkoys/project11a.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qx5jkoys/)
Sometimes art requires a grinder.
http://s2.postimage.org/1qxr1k7dw/project12.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qxr1k7dw/)
Another 100 tries at cleaning up the guts.
http://s2.postimage.org/1qxucmwdg/project14.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1qxucmwdg/)
Nearly done. A little more sorting to do.

Okay here's one more: The nearly finished GZ with my not-so-finished Lambretta SX200.


http://s2.postimage.org/1r58m5rvo/218_small.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1r58m5rvo/)

[alantf]

my not-so-finished Lambretta SX200.


http://s2.postimage.org/1r58m5rvo/218_small.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1r58m5rvo/)

What year is it? It's MUCH newer than my 1959 model. :) :2tup:

[cayuse]

Awesome!
What are the tires?
:2tup:

[dethHANGER]

What is the brand for those tires and what size? they look amazing!

[Rookie Rider]

That looks Bad Ass man !!

[birdmove]

Great job. Love that bobber!!

jon

[cayuse]

whomever produced those 1st three photos has a good eye :cool:

[kflint]

The tires are Dunlop D404 WW's, virtually the only whitewall that fits this bike. Good news is they're not too ridiculously expensive.


http://s1.postimage.org/1iibvkldw/project7.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1iibvkldw/)

[Water Warrior 2]

Good pics about the creation of a bobber. I wonder about the battery life when it is attached to the swing arm. Probably shake it's innards loose in a while.

[dethHANGER]

Thanks kflint, do you know if the 150/90-15 rear tire will fit the stock rim?

[kflint]

Yes, the tire fits the stock rear rim, but you need to slightly bend the rear brake arm that runs from the hub to the front of the swingarm. It rubs just a little bit in stock form, but it's easy to remove and exaggerate the bend it already has to it. this will give you the clearance the tire needs.

[cayuse]

those tires are pretty reasonable at motorcycle superstore.....hmmm.......

[cayuse]

me thinks that this rear tire will only fit if you remove the rear frame rails, as in this bobber example
if you are not into chopping your frame off, you may need to look into Avon 140/90-15's
Blaine's been there:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4503 (http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4503)

[blaine]

me thinks that this rear tire will only fit if you remove the rear frame rails, as in this bobber example
if you are not into chopping your frame off, you may need to look into Avon 140/90-15's
Blaine's been there:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4503 (http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4503)
Yep,there is just enough room for the 140. :) :cool:

[kflint]

Me thinks you may be right, but this is the best picture I have of it so I can't be sure.
http://s4.postimage.org/30arp5xwk/frame_clearance.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/30arp5xwk/)

[blaine]

Me thinks you may be right, but this is the best picture I have of it so I can't be sure.
http://s4.postimage.org/30arp5xwk/frame_clearance.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/30arp5xwk/)
In your photo the top frame rails have been removed,leaving room for the wider 150.
:cool: :)

[dethHANGER]

Do those seats come with a bracket of some sort? i took my rear fender off but now my stock seat has no where to lock. what do i do?

[cayuse]

Just LOVE the fat whitewalls, kflint, but I gotta have a front fender.
My buddy at work desperately wants to build a bobber like yours....... WITH MY RIDE!
Blaine, what did you use for a whitewall that fits in the stock fender?

[blaine]

Just LOVE the fat whitewalls, kflint, but I gotta have a front fender.
My buddy at work desperately wants to build a bobber like yours....... WITH MY RIDE!
Blaine, what did you use for a whitewall that fits in the stock fender?
I never used a w.w.I only increased the size of the rear tire from 130 to 140.
:) :cool:

[Kcarvajal]

Great job! Looks awesome! I'm sold on the white walls. Now I gotta do it. :biggrin:

Hey, I need pointers on replacing the filter box with pods. Mind sharing???

Thanks!
Ken

[Solwgn]

I love it. That where I hope to go wth mine that I just got. Absolutely perfect!

[kflint]

Replacing the air box with a pod filter is more straight forward than it looks....remember that underneath all the garbage is just a simple carburetor. The trickier part is deciding how you want to handle the battery and all the electrical boxes, fuse boxes, etc. What's the point of installing a pod air filter if you can't clear everything around it so you can see it?

Using common sense and paying attention to what you're looking at, you can disassemble the stock airbox easily. While you're there I recommend pulling all the smog crap off (this is fully half the garbage down there.) You need to clip the vacuum hose going into the carb and run a screw into it. You may also want to step up a jet or two in the carb, depending on whether you're running an aftermarket exhaust.

Now for the tricky part: Where to put the battery and what to do about all the wiring? I unscrewed all the wiring harnesses so they were floating in the open space, gathered them into a neat group, wire tied them into a a flat, organized mass and mounted them just under the seat. This is about the best option I could find. The battery is tougher because it's a big dumb block. I mounted it to the swingarm just forward of the rear wheel. I bought a louvered chrome battery box cover to dress it up.

One more hint: If you buy a roll of black athletic tape (the type you'd use to wrap a tennis racket or hockey stick) you can wrap all you electrical wires and give it that old skool fabric wire look. $3.

Here are a few pics:

http://s4.postimage.org/xz4fx3j8/project3.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/xz4fx3j8/)
Arranging all the guts



http://s4.postimage.org/y13k10ro/IMG_0258.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/y13k10ro/)
I added a piece of PVC to extend the reach of the pod further into the open space


http://s4.postimage.org/xzrlfyg4/IMG_0250.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/xzrlfyg4/)
Comes out pretty invisible if you work the wires correctly

[Solwgn]

Might it be possible to get some hi res versions of some of these pictures? They would make really good desktop backgrounds.

[Kcarvajal]

Hey. Thanks! So, my bike came with an aftermarket exhaust. Straight pipe. Any pointers how to tell if I'd need to step up etc? Also, the size of the pod, know the size off-hand?

I actually have a sporty tank and had to plug the vacuum outlet on the carb. Is that what you are referring to? What's the other flatter looking filter on the left of the motor?

I will be doing this this weekend. Will also be ordering a 150 rear tire. :)

Thanks for the pics and tips. Your bike looks great!

Ken

[kflint]

Ken,

There's a lot of hysteria out there about how to properly jet your carb. After sifting through everyone's horror stories and soap boxes I took the advice of one person who said "the rule of thumb is one jet per mod." So if you do a pod and an exhaust, that's 2 jets. My bike was stock with a 120, so I put a 125 on and it performs great. I also added a bigger front sprocket and the bike still pulls away in 5th gear, so I'm pretty sure I've got it right.

The smaller pod filter was my solution for removing more hoses. The crank case breather hose used to plug into the smog box under the swingarm. Removing the smog box left no place for that hose to go, except out the bottom. Removing the hose and replacing it with the small filter not only preserves the crankcase breather, but it looks bitchin' too!

Another trick to clean up the area is to move the crankcase grounding wire to another crankcase bolt under the swingarm. I should disclose that I ground off a lot of tabs and brackets to make this look. As long as you don't need to go back to stock I thinks it's totally worth it.

I've never been asked to provide a wallpaper image before. Thanks for the compliment! Tell me which one you want and I'll send it over.

[kflint]

Here's the filter I used. Remember to go to a hardware store and buy a piece of PVC pipe to extend its reach.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045S94DW


http://s4.postimage.org/1e9hriuqs/filter.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1e9hriuqs/)

[21skippy13]

Bike looks amazing. i love the tires, i am thinking of doing the same, what size did you use for the front, it looks a little bigger than the stock one.
again, great job on the project.

[Kcarvajal]

Kflint,
I cannot agree more. That filter looks awesome.

The jetting advice is great. Thanks again! I hope to have it done before the weekend is over.

Ken

[dflint]

:rawk: it is pretty sick.

[21skippy13]

after looking at your amazing bike again, i noticed the shocks are different, what are those new shocks off of? they must make it sit lower?

[jonathan180iq]

IIRC, the pod filter needs to have a 2" inlet diameter... or 52mm I believe is the crossover number.

[Kcarvajal]

Would you need to get a matching inner tube for a 150 tire (from 130) or will the one that we have stock work? I'm planning on ordering a wider one.

Thanks!

Ken

[blaine]

Would you need to get a matching inner tube for a 150 tire (from 130) or will the one that we have stock work? I'm planning on ordering a wider one.

Thanks!

Ken
You should get a tube to match the tire. :) :cool:

[thrillingcities]

Great job. Bike looks sweet. What type of handle bars did you put on there?

[In-progrssGZ]

where did you order your tires from? also what size where the fronts?

[trykemike]

I love it !!!!!!!!!

Great job .

I suggest a small flat front fender and a chopper rear fender for praticalty.

HOW IS performance ?

[kflint]

I've built several now for other people and some have requested fenders. For me, this is a sunny day toy only, so I'm keeping mine raw! Performance is very well balanced for the 250. More power due to carb mods, intake and exhaust, plus taller gearing with the 16T sprocket makes it a great cruiser and easy freeway bike.

[ratrod]

Love Kflints bike

[carlos812]

Good night, where can I find more pictures of this bike?

[5th_bike]

Good night, where can I find more pictures of this bike?
Send a private message to the author of this thread (kflint), he may send you some.

[kflint]

Okay here are a few more pics. I've got two more donor bikes. If you want me to build you one just let me know!

[greatmaul]

Awesome. You do great work. I love how different it looks with the wide open frame and battery reposition.

[carlos812]

OK ok, thank you...
I`m from Portugal and i have a clone of a gz...
when I bought
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6917/sam0251.jpg
Shot at 2010-09-06
and as is now
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/417/17082011513.jpg
Shot at 2011-09-29
I am thinking of putting some platforms, change the seat and handlebars change the ...

[Water Warrior 2]

Good looking bike. Different engine with a single exhaust and spark plug on the right side. Classy looking with the cast wheels.

[Rookie Rider]

I have cast wheels. High 5

[blaine]

I have cast wheels. High 5
Yep.Didn't you once want to trade them for spokes. :poke2: :)

[Rookie Rider]

I still kinda do, but i wont. I think a bike looks like a bike with spokes.

[blaine]

I still kinda do, but i wont. I think a bike looks like a bike with spokes.
I hear ya,just yankin your chain. :biggrin: :2tup:

[Rookie Rider]

I might paint the cast wheels flat black, not sure yet. I need an electric heater for my garage, its freezing in there man.

[blaine]

I might paint the cast wheels flat black, not sure yet. I need an electric heater for my garage, its freezing in there man.
Satin black bbq paint seems to adhere very well. :cool: :)

[Way]

Thin it out real well so the brush marks don't show. :popcorn:

[blaine]

Thin it out real well so the brush marks don't show. :popcorn:
When I was doing touch-up,I bought a aerosol can.I spray the paint into a container and than brush it on.Thin enough that it leaves no brush marks.
:cool: :)

[Rookie Rider]

Cant i just spray it right on the wheels ?

[alantf]

Cant i just spray it right on the wheels ?

That's what I thought. Shouldn't be a problem so long as everything else is masked up. Rattle can spraying is how I did my engine guard. Just remember to use light sprays, with drying time between each coat (so as to stop runs/drips) :2tup:

[blaine]

Cant i just spray it right on the wheels ?
Yep.I should have elaborated.My wheels are partly black on my 454.




:cool: :2tup:
http://s13.postimage.org/oho5fu0j7/Picture0046.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/oho5fu0j7/)

[Water Warrior 2]

Just a thought here. An electric heater and paint/paint thinner could be a real safety hazard. Paint thinner particularly is very flamable under any conditions. In an enclosed area you could become a crispy critter in a heartbeat. Wait till summer and do the job with better temps and fresh air outside or in the garage with lots of ventilation(doors open).

[cayuse]

Just a thought here. An electric heater and paint/paint thinner could be a real safety hazard. Paint thinner particularly is very flamable under any conditions. In an enclosed area you could become a crispy critter in a heartbeat. Wait till summer and do the job with better temps and fresh air outside or in the garage with lots of ventilation(doors open).

:2tup:
You'll have to jump through hoops to get this done now, unless you have a buddy with a dry warm shop nearby.
Wait until spring and you can roll up the garage doors on a rainy day when you don't want to ride anyway and get this done in an hour.

Good luck!

[Rookie Rider]

Nice bike blaine, thank you guys.

[In-progrssGZ]

how did you go about shortening the shock springs?

[blaine]

Nice bike blaine, thank you guys.

Thanks. :cool: :2tup:

[ValleySquid]

Couple of questions about the bobber convert. where can i get that seat and mount? and how exactly do you paint the tank and misc parts?? sand them down and start from scratch with a high temp spray paint?? how exactly is everyone doing this? :O

thanks guys!

[mithuth]

I'm not sure if the OP still frequents here, but this bike is my inspiration to cut and bob mine. Thanks for sharing your creation.

Time to grab the angle grinder and have at it.

[mithuth]

Since I'm using this project (seemingly long abandoned) as the basis for my bobber project, I figured it was foolish to start a new thread when most of my questions go along with this thread's info.
My plans are similar, but I'm going to have my rims painted red like the old bobbers and hotrods. I have a buddy that does airbrushing that I plan to drop off the tank and fenders giving him free reign over the paintjob (I'll give him the theme and let him do what he wants). I'm elbow deep into parts; drag bars, risers, batery hider, etc. But before I order tires, I have to ask:
I've gathered the 150/90-15 Dunlop 404 WWW will need clearance around the brake bar, but there's little mention of the front tire. Is it a 150/90-16, or should I be looking for a different size? I know stock is 110/90-16, I was wondering if I should be looking for the same or skinnier than the rear. Could I do like 130/90-15 If so, is there a WWW available in this size? (I'm off to google a bit) Another thought I had was to get a 17 or 18" rim up front to get a different look, is there a suzuki that has a 17/18" front wheel that will fit and the brake still works, or would I have to swap over the whole fork setup?

[vikz250]

nice bike! where did you get the seat?? I was thinking of changing my seat on the GZ too, is it hard to do??I just wanted the look of the seat nothing else..Me thinks you may be right, but this is the best picture I have of it so I can't be sure.
http://s4.postimage.org/30arp5xwk/frame_clearance.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/30arp5xwk/)

[Goose51683]

Does anyone know where I can find a set of tail lights and signals that mount on the shocks like this bobber. I'm starting on mine now but I don't want any rear fender but I can't find any lights that will mount the way I want.

I'd like them to mount directly to the top mount of the shocks. Thanks!

[bughiker21]

Great job! This bobber looks great!

[bughiker21]

With springs on the seat and springs on the bike how is the ride. Are you constantly bouncing up and down like your on a boat or is it a smooth ride? I have rode hard-tails and soft-tails but not a bike with double springs.

[Brandelle]

This build is great. I need to bookmark all it's wonderful information.

[Erwin F]

What size does the handlebar riser have.. is it a 4,5 inch lift?