Making the seat and tank narrower?

jdrider · 07-01-2011, 02:34 PM

Hello all.

I'm pretty small and the seat and tank on the gz seem pretty wide. My last bike was a 1981 honda cm 400 and the tank and seat were narrower. I saw a few mods for the gz to make it more like a cafe racer. The seat mod I think I can handle but I would love suggestions/pictures. I'm interested in narrowing the tank also and I know how to weld. I wondered if anyone else had done this and how.

I dig cafe racers but I like the height and performance of the gz. Thoughts?

-Jen

**jonathan180iq** · 07-01-2011, 02:41 PM

There are no aftermarket seats that will work without modification. It would probably be easier and cheaper to simply pull the seat skin and shave to foam to a form that you like better. Other members on here have done that mod before and if I'm not mistaken there is even an old "how-to" somewhere. You'll just have to seach for it.

As far as the tank is concerned, I wouldn't modify your current tank. Making it wider would just require bondo and paint but making thinner would require reforming the end and that's some serious metal work. On top of that, if the metal there is already thin, you won't be able to do too much anyway.

Maybe reconsider or at least look for a similar tank that fits what shape you would like. You could always purchase a universal cruiser tank but it would always look a little out of place, if you ask me.

The GZ was designed to look bigger than it actually is and I think shrinking the bike at those points wouldn't flow very well with the rest of the design.

I say do the seat, if nothing else, and see what you think.

jdrider · 07-01-2011, 03:11 PM

Ah! Found it. -- for anyone else's reference....

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=628&hilit=seat

Thanks!

07-01-2011, 02:34 PM	#1
jdrider Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 8	Making the seat and tank narrower? Hello all. I'm pretty small and the seat and tank on the gz seem pretty wide. My last bike was a 1981 honda cm 400 and the tank and seat were narrower. I saw a few mods for the gz to make it more like a cafe racer. The seat mod I think I can handle but I would love suggestions/pictures. I'm interested in narrowing the tank also and I know how to weld. I wondered if anyone else had done this and how. I dig cafe racers but I like the height and performance of the gz. Thoughts? -Jen Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-01-2011, 02:41 PM	#2
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: Making the seat and tank narrower? There are no aftermarket seats that will work without modification. It would probably be easier and cheaper to simply pull the seat skin and shave to foam to a form that you like better. Other members on here have done that mod before and if I'm not mistaken there is even an old "how-to" somewhere. You'll just have to seach for it. As far as the tank is concerned, I wouldn't modify your current tank. Making it wider would just require bondo and paint but making thinner would require reforming the end and that's some serious metal work. On top of that, if the metal there is already thin, you won't be able to do too much anyway. Maybe reconsider or at least look for a similar tank that fits what shape you would like. You could always purchase a universal cruiser tank but it would always look a little out of place, if you ask me. The GZ was designed to look bigger than it actually is and I think shrinking the bike at those points wouldn't flow very well with the rest of the design. I say do the seat, if nothing else, and see what you think.
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07-01-2011, 03:11 PM	#3
jdrider Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 8	Re: Making the seat and tank narrower? Ah! Found it. -- for anyone else's reference.... viewtopic.php?f=8&t=628&hilit=seat Thanks! Login or Register to Remove Ads
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