To stretch or not to stretch...

[GSBobber1980]

That is the question.

1980 GS850L with almost nothing untouched. I’m going for a certain look using some rake and a lot of lowering but since I’ll be cutting out the triple backbone and doing a proper hardtail, my question is, does it need to be stretched. I’d like to avoid it because the driveshaft then has to be lengthened but I’ll do it if it needs to be stretched for the right look.

I think the bigger GS bikes are long enough as is but I don’t want to get too far before I realize it’s too short and looks dumb.

With just lowering and some dismantling and handlebars I’m not actually gonna use, it looks like this:

multi image uploader

Any opinions? And I guess Uncle Sam is the look I’m going for:

[Natehate]

you can't make apple pie out of lychee

[DustyDave]

I'd pull the cover off the driveshaft and lengthen it. Naked shafts in a real hardtail look way cooler than hack jobs with the swing arm still in place.

Dusty

[GSBobber1980]

you can't make apple pie out of lychee

This’ll probably be a short thread but at least you’ll have the stupidest, most useless post in it.

[GSBobber1980]

I'd pull the cover off the driveshaft and lengthen it. Naked shafts in a real hardtail look way cooler than hack jobs with the swing arm still in place.
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Dusty

I assumed the fact that I wrote I’ll be doing “a proper hardtail” was enough information to show the swingarm wasn’t being used, no?

[GSBobber1980]

Obviously I can’t force anyone to post with constructive advice but Im simply asking if my frame needs to be stretched to match the overal shape or silhouette of my inspiration, the Uncle Sam bike.

In the pictures I posted of mine (in the early stages), even though they are not fully side-on shots, it appears to me that the wheelbase is long enough and with some added rake and some lengthening of the fork tubes, I’ll have the basic shape I want. I also believe the backbone, which again, will be a single backbone, is pointed in the same direction, that is to say, both bikes pictured have the backbone pointed to the same spot on the rear tire.

Just asking for some else’s opinion with an eye for proportion. I know for a fact there’s smart guys here. Hopefully a few will post.

Thanks in advance guys.

[farmall]

Observe the geometry of transverse four (not Harleys, they aren't transverse fours and will not correctly convey finished proportions in relation to YOUR engine!) which look like what you want then do likewise.

There are plenty of pics of vintage Japanese choppers to study. You can also visit swap meets etc and directly measure wheelbase, stretch etc.

[GSBobber1980]

Thank you.

I certainly do understand the visual differences between the two engines. There are hundreds of transverse 4’s made into choppers especially CB’s. It’s just that almost all of them seem to be more radical than what I have planned.

And I certainly understand that this will never be the 60’s Shovelhead that I want but I’m confident I can turn this (free and titled) bike into something cool.

[GSBobber1980]

This is probably a more accurate example of the basic overall proportions I’m looking for. Obviously this shares the basic engine architecture with my Suzuki:

[Guest]

to be honest fella, you would be better off getting a full hard tail frame, the dimensions length. rake, length you want from the get go,... you will be sorry in the long run with an altered factory frame plus the work you sound like you want to do front and rear will be as expensive as a whole new frame,..... another way if you plain don't want a full new frame would be to stretcg the front out a couple of inchesbut leave the rear without any stretch or extension

[Skjoll]

At the very least you'll need to drop the rear of your frame to give it the illusion of being longer than it actually is which also has the added benefit of changing your steering rake a little. However that could alter your drive shaft angle to the extent that your u-joint may wear prematurely... something a lot of people don't account for when lifting their trucks and wonder why they have such a high u-joint failure rate.

[GSBobber1980]

The cost won’t be much of an issue. What I mean is that I’ll use a universal hardtail kit and the welding will be basically free. The rake will be free and the lengthening of the forks will be from forks that’ll cost me roughly $150 plus a used spoked front wheel.

I’ll take the rest into consideration though. Thank you guys.

[TriNortchopz]

Check out frame mods on this GS:

[GSBobber1980]

That’s pretty radical. It’s also inspirational due to it being both a shaft drive and a transverse 4. I’d love to know more about it if you have a link.

I’m not planning on mounting the hardtail to the final drive section like this guy however.

Thanks!

[TriNortchopz]

check the couple of links I just dropped in vwlord's gs thread...