My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion (FINISHED)

I bought this bike about a year and a half, maybe 2 years ago, completely stock, with 1400 miles. After a new coil, points and condenser, she ran. After a homemade seat, some paint here and there, some new bars, tires and whatever else, she became my daily driver for about 6 months.

OG



DD



Did a bit more stripping, and put another few hundred miles on her like this



Then bought another bike as the DD, so it was time to tear the G3 down for a REAL rebuild...

Started by removing all extraneous mounting tabs from the frame, and painting





Finally found 27mm clip ons, so I HAD to buy a set



Made a new mount for my capacitors and such... had to drill/tap the frame, and I shortened up my rear frame loop

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

damn thats a pretty bike... and the frame is perfect! first one of these ive seen... will be following!

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

The paint was in pretty good shape, but the tank was quite dented, so I ended up re-painting flat Kawi green



The chrome on the wheels was trashed, so I had the rims powdercoated, and painted/polished the hubs, bought NOS DID stainless spokes, and respoked the wheels. Much better...

Before



After









The stock pegs were hideous, so I had to find something to replace them with too

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Got the wheels back on, getting really close. Was riding my DR350 to a buddy's house the other day and some broad turned left in front of me, and I hit her at about 40. Broke my collar bone, and likely totalled my poor poor DR, my trusty daily driver. So things have been progressing slowly.

Anyways, all I really have now is mounting the pegs, finishing my seat... and I think that's about it.

Of course I have to wait a few weeks before I'm healed enough to ride again... jeez I hate cars ;D

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

God what a awsome bike!!!!!! Fantastic!

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

NICE! Too bad about the accident - glad to hear it wasn't worse and you're still working on this jewel of a bike.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

that is an awesome little bike man. good luck with with the recovery, my buddy broke his over the summer on a mini bike, from what i understand its hell.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Love the traditional Kawa green, killer bike man, great job.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Thanks guys. I also have to get the cylinder and head sand blasted, they're the only dirty part left on the bike.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Wow! I am kwacker green with envy.
What an awesome little frame. Not seen one of these before. A really lovely design, cool as.
Sweet project, simplicity is everything!

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

I was just lookin at this thing again, I like it more and more every time i see it. I'll nominate BOTM when its all done.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Cylinder and head just went to the sand blaster. Should be ready to pick up and re-install tomorrow!

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

JoeTee said:

I was just lookin at this thing again, I like it more and more every time i see it. I'll nominate BOTM when its all done.

Click to expand...

I second that!

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Got my jug and head back from the sand blaster. SO much nicer looking!

Before





After







Installed

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

I think your bike is a real gem.
However, in my mind there are two fundementals to a cafe racer:
Race bars and Rear sets.
No rear sets and it's just a road bike with drop bars
Have you seen this thread?
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=10581.0
I'm doing a 125 and I intend to place the rear sets 1 - 2 " below the swinging arm and about in line with the original passenger pegs.
I reckon that if realistic with lean angles on these size rims, that I can get an uncramped racing position with the pegs relativley low because I'll be on my arse before high rearsets ground out. Why suffer?

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Rearsets will happen sometime in the future... eventually. There's not much room to mount them without making them look hideous, and the rear brake certainly does not lend itself to rearsets.

However, this bike was my daily driver for about 6 months, and the only uncomfortable feature for me was the upside down superbike bars that really strained my wrists. Having replaced them with clip ons, I think it will be plenty comfortable, and dragging pegs just keeps me from pushing the tires past their limit

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Mitey F said:

Rearsets will happen sometime in the future... eventually. There's not much room to mount them without making them look hideous, and the rear brake certainly does not lend itself to rearsets.

Click to expand...

If you use the swinging arm mount and one or pref two holes at the bottom of the frame spine below the engine, you could attach an ally plate on to which you could drill and mount any stock rear sets from modern sports bikes , with the required spacing.. I'm going to bolt a plate to swinging arm spindle (thinned) and the brake pivot and centre stand drillings. and then shape the plate to attach what ever rear sets I can get.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

No big cut aluminum plates... I just don't think it fits the "clean/simple/oldschool" theme I'm trying to keep. I really don't think modern sportbike rearsets would look at ALL at home on this bike. Or on most cafe bikes IMHO. I thought about having a new bar made (like what the footpegs mount on stock) that just continues rearward, I just don't particularly want to fab new linkages and pedal pivots at the moment. I Don't really want to try and find the correct size (longer) swingarm axle either. It will happen eventually, but for now, she's plenty comfortable, gets plenty of lean, and looks good to me. Not to mention that if I move the pegs much further up, it will be almost impossible to ride without sitting on my nuts (from forward lean), or having my feet slide off. Besides, she's a play bike, I'm not racing.
The other problem with using the swinger mount is that places the rearset basically right next to (if not around) the chain. Fuck no. I've seen what happens when chains break. Count me out for that shit.

The reality is, there aren't many good places to mount them, let alone make them look good, and make them functional.

And to say a "cafe" bike is a bike with drop bars and rearsets is akin to calling anything with clip-ons and two 17" wheels a "sport" bike. A big nasty generalization.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Looking sweet! Love the green detail on the wheels.

Re: My '72 Kawi G3SS rebuild/conversion

Wow, what a beautiful bike. I've never heard of this model Kawi before, real gem. Really unique frame. Loving the build and colour choice.