Matt's '83 GPZ 750 Project

[Gix11]

Here's one from Matt in the states.

Here's his email:

"Love the site. I was looking through the pics and thought I would send you a pic of my 83 gpz750. Ive been working on it for awhile now but hope to be completed in the next few months. Here are some specs:
83 Kawasaki GPz750A1
90 gsxr750 front end, floating rotors, 6pot calipers, braided lines, remote reservoir master cylinder, graves clip ons.
95 gsxr750 braced,polished swingarm.
5.5" rim with 180 section tire.
530 chain conversion, custom made front sprocket and chain tensioner.
custom made cam chain tensioner, gsxr1100 flat slides with push/pull throttle.
custom exhaust.
Cut down frame with custom fiberglassed tail/side panels.
Custom Suspension linkage.

I still have alot to make/do to the bike to get it back on the road. right now it weighs 400lbs, 52% weight bias to the front. 22.9* rake angle with 3" trail. 56" wheel base. With the stock carbs it dynoed 80hp at the rear wheel. I hope to get 90hp out of it all motor then eventually turbo it. Because its a work in progress the photos arent complete but i hope someone likes them. One pic is how it looks at the moment. The other pic is when i had it on the road a few years ago.

thanks
Matt"

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/52263120058794.jpg

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/52263120037825.jpg

[Iceman]

Looks pretty good I reckon. Nice flowing lines, wide open at the back. Keep up the good work.

[fimpBIKES]

nice tough stance!!

should look great

[Tone]

Looks great that..thought it was a Buell at first glance.

[03gixxerpilot]

nice aggressive looking fighter, thats what its about
well done Matt

Drop a GPz900R motor into it mate, then it'll go like unholy Jesus, without the problems of a turbo setup.

Had an A5 one of them a couple of years ago, it was a damned fun thing through the twisties.

[Benz]

I'm doing something 'similar' to my ZX750 turbo What are you going to do about footpegs? I'm using a '90 gixxer arm without bracing, and the peg mounts will not work in their original mounting holes
Is there any problems with such a [relatively] small amount of trail? Is it super twitchy, or what?
Keep up the good work Matt, the old geeps are a great basis for a 'fighter.

[cutcat]

Hi Matt, top work, what are you going to use as a seat conversion? or is that just the standard seat cut down?

[shift1313]

Hey guys, thanks for all the good words. I spent about 30mins posting here with more pics and answering all your questions but it said i didnt log in and all my work is gone. Ill fill you guys in and answer your questions tonight after work.

matt:)

[shift1313]

well i guess ill ad some more pics. I made some headway on my tailsection project this weekend.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted1.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted5.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted4.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/painted6.JPG

the part on the bike is the plug for my fiberglass mold. Ive got fiberglass on there now that i need to pull off in the next few days then i can lay the final fiberglass piece. The one in the pic is super heavy cause it alot of bondo and aluminum.

cutcat: as you can see in the pics the new tail has a seat pan area like a solo race tail. I might use foam like gp bikes but i might also fiberglass a seat pan and cover some seat foam and bolt it from underneath. That would be more comfortable in the long run.

Benz: For awhile i ran the stock rear sets, i just had them spaced way out to clear the arm, espcially the brake side. Ive actually designed a few rear sets for my bike, adjustable and non. I made a prototype from plastic but found that my feet were way to far back, im kinda tall. here is a pic and some cad drawings.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/Cad%20Drawings/RearsetPlastic.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/Cad%20Drawings/gpzrearsetbrass.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/Cad%20Drawings/rearsetpic.JPG

I dont think ill make the brass knuckles but it was fun to draw.
The bike has absolutely no problem with 3" of trail. I actually put alot of hours in designing my setup and making sure everything worked just right. I wrote an entire article on motorcycle geometry on streetfigthersclub.co.uk.
http://www.streetfightersclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2371&start=0

that will link you to the post with all the stuff in it.
The bike handles great. I havent pushed much over 100mph yet but it was strong up there. I can let go of the bars at highway speeds with no wobble at all, thanks in large part to my rear end setup on the bike. On top of that the bike is extremely responsive to weight shifts or steering inputs. It falls into the turns very easy and pulls out of them just as easy. If you end up reading the stuff i wrote on the other site and have questions let me know.

chalk: Ive thought about motor swaps alot over the past several years. gpz900 motors arent easy to come by over here, neither are 1100 or 750turbos for that matter(for a good price anyways). Ive though about zx9 motors and zx10 motors but in the end this bike is okay how it is. It makes good power and i know i can get more out of it. dropping 100lbs off the bike does wonders for power/weight ratio. Any motor i changed to, especially a liquid cooled one, would really mess up the work ive done. My cg and weight bias is right where i wanted it and changing a motor this late in the game would be a huge headache. I plan on building more bikes to take care of that.

and thanks for the comments. i was really going for a clean tough look without any clutter on the bike. Its far from done but ive come along way since i started the project. Here are a few more pics of things. Ive made an mcct and some suspension linkage, tons of spacers and shims. brackets etc. I made the front sprocket for the bike(well custom offset). I hope to make some good progress in the next month or two so it will be back on the road by spring.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/linkage3small.JPG
you can see the chain roller i made, needed it with this much of a swingarm angle or the chain rubs the frame on decel.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/mcct1s.JPG

I had to make the mcct so the gsxr flat slides would fit. That huge stock tensioner hit the float bowls.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/bike%20pics%20sept%207/matts%20wheelie2.jpg

[Gix11]

Nice one Matt. I realy like the lines of that tail piece. When it's all painted up it will look really trick. Cheers for coming back to ASF as well mate.

[cutcat]

Hi Matt, looking good mate, tell me more about your front end conversion.

[shift1313]

front end conversion was fairly simple. Ive actually done a writeup on the whole bike but I can tell you about the front really easily. I took an old kz front end I had, it turned out the stem was the same as the gpz stem. I added material to the end of it with a tig welder then turned it down on a lathe. The gsxr lower bearing was a bit larger then the gpz, not by a whole lot though. The only thing i changed in the design was the bottom of the stem. The gsxr stem had a c clip around the stem to retain it. On mine i machined a lip in there so it would be sturdier. Because the gsxr also used larger bearings, when i reused the gpz stem bearings I had to shim the lower bearing up just a small bit to get them to seat. Because of this, the top of the new stem was about 1/8" short of making it to flush with the top tripple clamp. So i turned out a small adapter piece on the lathe. Basically just a washer with a step on it and voila. Instant front end swap. The whole thing is 2" shorter then the gpz front end, including tire, and this is where i get most of my rake angle change from, that and jacking up the rear end a good bit. If you want i can find the write up and link you to it. Also ive taken the weight of just about everything on the bike, except the gsxr front end, ill weigh that when i pull it off next time. If your interested i could post that stuff here too.

[zx12argh]

Sweet work mate - Once I finish my 12r fighter I'm going to start work on a PGZ900r I've got out the back. I might have to fight the spiders for it though. Its great to see tough machines coming out of old metal.

[Scrapyard]

Awsome work so far bud. Really like the seat unit. The rearsets are top too. Nice work man.

Yup exellent concept[8D]good lines;)keep goin man[:p]

[shift1313]

no matter how much i like the classic lines of a single round headlight i just cant leave duals alone. I threw these back on tonight while my fiberglass is curing.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/twin%20lights.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/twin%20lights2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/twin%20lights3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/twin%20lights4.JPG

what do you guys think. stay with the single round 6" or go with something like this?

[Iceman]

I fuck'n love those ones Matt. Leave'em on for sure!

[shift1313]

i thought so:). They are really clean looking, simple and take up enough room so it doesnt look funny.

[Gix11]

Exactly. Leave 'em on.

[Kamakazebusa]

thats fucking nice dude.....hardly see GPZ fightered. Luv the tail , wat colour u doing her????
U got some talent as well, good to see u can walk the walk. Hope the U.S catches on to the fighter seen, it would be awesome for parts and shit. more pics dude.!!!

[shift1313]

thanks kamakaze, dont know what color the bike is going to be yet. I cant decide. I really wanted yellow/blue or orange/blue but im starting to rethink that. Ill rattle can a few different schemes before i decide. I still have alot of work to do. exhaust, rear sets, under tail, finish the tail, small fly screen. finish welding some stuff. its going to be awhile.

I really wish the US was bigger into the fighters but our trend for choppers, it wouldnt take long before the fighters started getting stretched out or dropping car v8 motors into them. ill keep posting pics as i get farther. My fiberglass mold is just about done but because of the holidays i cant get any time to lay a tail section. maybe tuesday.

[trickbike]

Man thats some project dude :D:D:D:D

[fimpBIKES]

definitely leave the dual headlights the way they are mate

[dane_ra]

Mate, very impressive! I wish I understood the whole physics side of a bike, it'd be great to play around with.

Bike looks great, can't wait to see it finished

[shift1313]

dane did you read this
http://www.streetfightersclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2371&start=0
if you have any questions ill be more then happy to try and answer them.

ps, my mold is finally cured and ready for me to lay a tailsection in it. I have this afternoon off so i might see a rough version on the bike by friday

[shift1313]

Well last night i laid some fiberglass in the mold so hopefully it comes out in one piece today. Ill post pics when i get them seperated. I think i used something like 16sqft of weave. The mold didnt take that much, but i used the random strand mat for the mold.

[shift1313]

here are the pics after seperating it from the mold. I still have alot of sanding and finishing work to do on it, but im happy with this version.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail1.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail4.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail5.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail6.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/FinalTail7.JPG

[Kamakazebusa]

awesome work dude...., luv the headlight set up.

[gibbo]

Looks the goods mate, headlights lokk[:p].
What is that red car lurking in the background in pic 4[?] I think I want it[8D]

[shift1313]

i modified my top tripple while the resin was drying on my tail section. I removed the ignition switch loop and the mounts for it, then i took off the casting seam around the whole thing to smooth it up. I sanded the top and front with 400 grit but i might powder coat the thing. jury is still out on that.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/TopTripple1.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/TopTripple2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/TopTripple3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/TopTripple4.JPG

I think im going to use a remote control ignition switch, or hide one somewhere, not sure yet.



gibbo, the red car is a 68 camaro ss clone, and no you cant have it:D

My brother passed away a little over a year ago from cancer, it was a car he wanted to restore so im doing it in his honor type of thing. Right now there are some problems with the estate and someone is trying to take it from me.

[shift1313]

just for you gibbo.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/Camaro/68rearpass.JPG

its in a million and 1 pieces right now. looked better in the pic then in person. it had been sitting for many years, and was in a front end collision before it was parked. only has 40k on the car though(not the orig motor though)

[gibbo]

Thanks Matt, luv those things, good luck with the resto mate.
Sorry to hear about your brother, hope everything works out for you.

[suxukifreak]

Hey Shifty, have you got photos on bikepic.com?

[shift1313]

yes i do, its a bit clutter on there but ive got more then a few. ive got my gpz, drz and some fzr pics.

[shift1313]

i put another set of lights on tonight to snap some pics, plus i was working with mounting my tail section and carving a seat for it. here are the pics.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/small%20lights.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/small%20lights2.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/small%20lights3.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/small%20lights4.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/rear%20seat.JPG

also playing with tail light ideas. i still have to make an undertail and will probably incorperate a light in there, but i tried this out on an old cut up tailsection i had.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/tail%20light.JPG
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/tail%20light2.JPG

[fimpBIKES]

i dunno mate, i like the rectangle lights better
but its yours so im sure u will do your own thing (thats the point innit?!)



nice and clean triple now
im sure u will find somewhere to stick a key barrel

[shift1313]

im not going to use the small lights i just threw them on for fun. I think the rectangular ones are staying. i just have to remake the mount to suit, the one on there was a temporary thing to figure out headlights with.

[Iceman]

Look'n good Matt, have you thought about getting rid of the clip ons and putting on some MX bars or drag bars perhaps?

[Tone]

Nice seat that,suits ya bike heaps.Nice "Aloha Bobby and Rose" looking camaro to.

[shift1313]

thanks tone,

Ice man, the clip ons stay. I dont like the riding position up on this bike. I figured everything out to where it handles like its on rails. Part of that includes my weight heavy on the front. Plus i like the way they look better then bars on there. I threw a set of bars on just to look at once and didnt like it.

Oh and the US doesnt really have a fighter style yet so maybe if i build a few bikes i can start a trend ;) haha

[Iceman]

That's fair enough[8D]

[shift1313]

photoshop of a proposed paint job
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Colorchange.jpg

it will be those colors, probably very similar to the pic. Hopefully ill get some color on it this weekend, doubt it but maybe.

[Iceman]

Matt, that looks fuck'n exellent, do it like that for sure. :)

[zx12argh]

That looks trick. You've even kept to classic kwaka colours ;)

[Hillsy]

Yeah - that paint looks sharp. Good old ZXR750 style......nice!

[WATEVR]

yeah m8 go 4 that paint it looks choice and the rectangle h/lights look fukn awesome. well done

[shift1313]

ive got alot of prep work but im going to paint the front fender blue today and prep the rest of the stuff, maybe get some white on there. Hopefully the blue is close to the rims, if not the front fender might be green or white, we will see. The blue rims are very odd. They are really dark in some light, but really light in other. its dark ford racing blue.

[fimpBIKES]

brilliant mate!!!
love the colour scheme

[shift1313]

i have a blue fender now:). i spend alot of time sanding my tank today, lots of bondo to fill in 24 years of dings and dents(a few from me). Got another layer of gelcoat on the tail and hopefully ill have the tail and tank atleast white tomorrow. The paint is a bit weird. Dries in 15mins, handle in 1hr. you have to put another coat on within 24hrs or after 7days, so if i dont spray it every night ill have to wait a week. pitty is i dont have a place indoors to spray it unless i take it to work.
wish me luck.

[pottsy]

sick bike mate i can't wait to see it come together.
particaly the seat unit.

[shift1313]

thanks pottsy, me too. Im going to make 1 more tailsection and try to make it perfect right out of the mold. If you count the 3 of this style 2 of another and all the molds i probably dont have $100usd in the tail which is cheaper then buying something and having to make it work, this one is made for the bike, sorta;)

[shift1313]

alright i got some paint down but not as much as i like. Im still doing alot of work on the tail. I spent alot of time with bondo and sanding my tank and its still not perfect but its good enough for now. If it really bothers me i can strip it back down and redo it. Thats the good thing about using spray paint, its cheap :D . The whole bike will cost less then $10 worth of paint. The green also isnt the green i wanted, its a bit darker, but once i pin stripe it I think it will pop a little more.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20back%20right%20close.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20back%20right.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20back.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20front%20left.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20right%20close.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20right.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/tank%20paint2.JPG

what do you think? Ill put some more pics up once i pin stripe it. I sprayed the blue and green today, actually a few hours ago, its nice when it dries in 15mins. After those pics i masked it off and sprayed the white again so thats still taped off right now. I also repainted my tank mounted gauge pod black again(was debating blue).

[Gix11]

Matt. I love what you have done with the lines here:

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/paint%20right%20close.JPG

It gives it a whole new flow with a contemporary feel while keeping the front heavy and haunched. Good work.

[TurboKat]

^^^ X2 What he said ^^^

[fimpBIKES]

dude, i cant believe i have a bona over a kwak!!!!


perhaps i am turning..... [:X]

[shift1313]

haha thanks guys. i had the top masked off and flipped over to put a final coat of white on and i guess there was some gas left in the tank. it leaked out and soaked the newspaper ruining the blue on top so in a few days i have to sand it down and recoat the blue. im thinking about bringing the blue farther down the back of the tank making the green thinner. Since the green is so dark i might try to limit how much of it shows, dont know yet.

thanks for the comments.

[WATEVR]

matt loking great buddy its a pitty you have to put the tail on at all it looks good without!!! paint has come up a treat dont you just hate it when you do something that stuffs up your hard work...

[shift1313]

its okay cause i wanted to bring the blue farther down the tank anyways:) now ijust have an excuse. It needs a seat though ;). Hopefully ill have some more pics next weekend. If i put in some long hours sanding i might have a painted tail on there too!. i doubt it though.

[zx12argh]

Looking ace mate - you going to put a coat of clear over the lot?

[shift1313]

yeah im going to pin stripe it, might get a friend to draw me up some stickers that say kawasaki put i dont know on that yet. then ill clear the whole thing. But i want to paint the tail and i still need to make a bikini fairing(maybe) first.

[tacky1]

This is a really noce project, I love these Gpz's, I used to have a turbo back in London in 1989, Fookin loved that bike, loved the riding position.
Great project... :)

[shift1313]

thanks, i picked up some different green tonight. should be a bit brighter, more like the standard kwak green of yesteryear. ill update when i spray some color.

[shift1313]

got some color down today. the green is hot rod green 500degree engine paint:D the white is still krylon fusion. I think im going to paint the front fender green instead of blue. Dont know if im going to put blue on the tank or not, maybe just a little bit.


http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WG%20back2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WG%20back3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGback%20left2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGback.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGfront%20right.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGfront%20right2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGright%20far2.JPG

Actually that looks better than the Bimota-esque, tri-color, boiled lolly look mate, well to me anyway.

[Gix11]

That greens definitely better, but I don't know whether the first paint scheme looked better or not due to the less white? Can't put my finger on it.......

[tacky1]

Looks great, This is a great project.. :)

[shift1313]

im really torn about blue and where to put it on the tank. One thing comes to mind. put it right next to the green but leave the entire side(stock graphic location) white. Another idea is to have a blue graphic, totally seperate from the green in the stock location on the side carried onto the tail section. I might have to wait til i finish the tail to decide because im having trouble visualizing it.

[next_fighter]

you should get a thin stripe of blue between the green and the white on the tank jus to hit the blue off would look good!

[fimpBIKES]

was thinking the same thing

just a blue pinstripe tween the green and white

[Gix11]

Do a photoshop mock up mate, then you'll know.

[Large]

Hmmm Lotus Cortina!

[Jockney Rebel]

lookin ace matt.....i reckon a pinstripe would go goodbetween the green and white like.. next said

[shift1313]

i did a quick photo job on the comp and it looks good with a blue stripe on the green edge but its still alot of white. Dont know what to do about that. Might have to come up with some LOGO. Ill tape it out once the weather looks back up. It was 55F on saturday and snowing on sunday. Today it was 11F when i left the house. Something aint right.

[zx12argh]

How bout a nice big ol'official streetfighters knuckle duster logo, in blue! [:p]

[shift1313]

ive been thinking about it, we will see :) Ive been thinking about a big one, that you can only see half of. ill have to play around with some tape.

[Gix11]

If you want a hand mate let me know. I am a graphic designer and can get any idea you have to cut ready status for you (if you don't know how to do it yourself of course, which I'm guessing you do!)

[shift1313]

ive got a little time on it but a good friend that i work with is also a graphic designer. I appreciate the offer though!!! Who knows, i might not put anything on it so people really dont know what it is. When i had the gpz750 side panels on i still got comments asking what it was. maybe because its 24years old. :-D

[shift1313]

it was too cold but i threw down some color anyways. just so i could see if i like the new colors. the blue should match the rims and the green is closer to kaw lime green like i wanted.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGB1.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGB2.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGB3.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGB9.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Paint/WGB12.JPG

That shade is much better than the 'look at faggotty me' lime green on Kwaka's

Should look pretty trick once it's all done.

[shift1313]

ha, i guess i should have said kaw green from the 70s-80s not the current brightpocolipse green

[shift1313]

i made a little more progress on the tail section tonight. ive still got sanding and more sanding to do before its ready for color but its bolted on the bike at the moment.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Rear%20with%20rider.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/back%20right%20color.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/left%20with%20rider.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/right%20color.JPG


ive also decided to cut the subframe some more. you wont see any subframe from the side, which wont be hard to do with this tail.

Either you're huge or that GPz is starting to look tiny mate. The same thing happened with the GPz9 when I stripped her, but not that small. Should be sweet in the twisties. Once you replace the clip-ons of course :D

[Gix11]

With you sat on it it maitains a good stance mate. Looks good. You've done a great job there.

[Iceman]

It looks good Matt, I really like what you've done with the tail. Bet you can't wait to have it finished.

[shift1313]

im dying to get it on the road again im just overwhelemed with the amount of work needed to finish. Im 6'3" so im not tiny but the bike is definately small. I didnt change the tank at all so the distance from the seat is stock, ofcourse i did put bars below the clamps instead of a few inches above like stock, oh an chalk there will be no bars just clipons forever:D.

overall the bike has a 55" wheelbase so its not really small, compared to a buell with 52 i think. wheel to wheel its on par with an R1 just without the fairing overhang. Seat high was in the mid 30" somewhere, i want to say 32-34 but i cant remember so its taller and makes it seem short lengthwise i guess.

i think im going to take some comparo pictures next to the fzr behind it just to see the real size.

thanks for the comments guys!

[shift1313]

did a quick paintbrush job with some color and removed the subframe braces.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/right%20color%20modify.JPG

[HueyonaBlade]

Yep two thunbs up that a top arse end ...........on the bike of course

[shift1313]

a little different approach to it.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/right%20color%20modify2.JPG

[Benz]

To my eye, the second paint job does it.
How much static sag do you have on the rear ? it is really kicked up at the back standing unloaded, is that why you had a motor/swingarm clearance issue?
Is the original sidestand still useful?
Looks great Matt, hope my version turns out as good

[shift1313]

benz, im running very little static sag. When im on the bike im running 25mm sag(im 200lbs). I like the rear end fairly stiff so i have the preload quite high. it really helps keep the weight up front as well. im running really sticky tires that dont break loose easy otherwise id probably soften it up a bit to help traction out. the side stand has to be modified. I can use it but it really should be about 1.5" longer, or 35-40mm. the motor/swingarm clearance was just a result of the casting ribs in the case not lining up with the relifs on the swingarm. the gsxr motors casting ribs are in a different spot(swingarm is relieved for them). the rear end height is the sole reason for chain clearance problems though. I have to run a chain roller underneath the arm to keep the chain off the frame. I can modify the frame and do away with this problem but really its only on decel that its an issue. i never let off the throttle anyways;) to get rid of the clearance problem i would have to drop the rear and make the front around 24degree rake.

i dont think you will have the chain/frame clearance problem on your bike because you used a newer front end. mine was much shorter then stock and i think yours is about the same. I wish i could find the pic i took with the stock upper on my bike. it was almost touching the fender and looked really big on the bike.

[shift1313]

made a bit more progress yesterday. got white on the tail and made a shock res clamp that clamped the frame tube. still need to finish it off but it fits under the tail and thats all the matters.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Painted%20tail%20left.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Painted%20Tail%20Rear.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Shock%20Clamp1.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Shock%20Cloamp3.JPG

didnt have any time to throw some color on the tail tonight but here is the progress pics from sunday. I still need to round the edges on the reservoir clamp.

[shift1313]

got some blue and green on it. only have pics of the blue though. ill unmask it tomorrow and take another shot. also got some electrics sorted out. I think next on the list is finish welding the frame then onto fuel and exhaust.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/Painted10s.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/New%20Tail/Tail%20and%20Tank/painted11s.JPG

[Gix11]

You've done a top job of bringing the old girl bang up to date with that paint mate. Top work.

[Jockney Rebel]

nice one matt great eye uv got and i dont like green at all.....does look tiny

[damo1]

This is going to be an awesome looking thing cant wait top see it done
Nice one shift.

[shift1313]

thanks guys, hopefully i will unveil the green tonight and have an almost painted bike. Nothing you see is final. Every color gets another coat, then a few of clear. Its too cold right now to do a final paint. the finals will be done when the weather gets hot enough to make a good heavy coat stick so i have something to color sand. The design isnt at all what i pictured before i painted the bike but it just went with the lines so im glad it looks, atleast right for the bike. I dig it:)

[Vcook]

very nice work! bike looks ace.

[shift1313]

thanks!, the dark side is calling me asking me to put a turbo on it. I dont know how long i can resist

[shift1313]

here they are. the final pics, so to speak. I still have to build an undertail for it for the body to be complete. Need to finish welding up the frame, brace it, make my exhaust system, rear sets and a dozen other things, but the tail section and body really took the most time, the rest should be a breeze:D

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Final/complete%20back%20rights.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Final/Complete%20front%20lefts.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Final/complete%20left.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Final/Complete%20Rears.JPG

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/maperez/GPz/Final/complete%20rights.JPG