Suzuki GSF400 Bandit

1999 Yamaha R-6 street fighter

This bike has been leaning up against the walll for almost a year now, collecting dust. I wanted to make a street fighter out of it, then I was going to part it out, then I was just going to use it for parts in the garage and upgrade an old bike with it's suspension. Yup, I don't know if I'm coming or going.

Now I'm back on Plan A: Street Fighter. I pulled the front end off, which wasn't the right one, and threw her back together with it's original front end so I could at least roll it out of the shop and clean whatever had collected underneath it. No money was found.

roller

After getting it rolling, I started to figure how I'm going to give it that aggresive streetfighter stance so I came up with an easy way that should work. Basically I'll start by notching the rear subframe at some angles to give a starting point.

mitered frame

start of new subrame

I'm really diggin' the stance it has at the moment and have started to figure out how the rest of the tail will be finished. With some more square tubing I'll give it more dimmension and aggresive lines and then the stock electrics and fender plastic whatever-it's-called will be cut down and re-installed, keeping it somewhat stock. The seat height will also remain the same so riding will be like it was as if it came out the factory, minus all the bodywork.

So far it's a rough idea of how the tail section is going to look and how it's going to open up the back tire and give that "ass in the air" look. I'll be drilling out some holes in the rear swingarm to make it look lighter.

stock rear subframe

Custom Suzukis = The GS450 bobber and GSF400

All wrapped up and getting tuned up!

Been lazy on the blogging lately. Sorry, but I've finished up the GSF400 and it just getting tuned up in a local shop so I was able to wrap up the bobber. She's 90% finished! Took her out over the weekend for a descent ride and the only issue was I ran outa gas! Not bad in my book.

Out of gas at 1 a.m.

She's a fun lil ride for a 43hp six speed, even with my big but on it she moves enough to have fun and open her up on the straightaways! The bike only weighs about 300lbs, if that. I can pick it up off the ground. Maybe that would be a good post. HA HA.

The stock open exhaust with the crossover sounds gnarly! The bike reminds me of a bulldog! Little stumpy power plant.

I just have to pull the tank off and refinish it while also trimming the lip off and re-welding. A little nervous on that. My concern is it has to be air tight.

Also the rear tail light is from Dime City Cycles. Website = dimecitycycles.com and will have a review in the next issue of RUSTYMETRIC! A real cool online mag that's only a DOLLAR! How can you Beat that! check it out people! It even has some cool downloadable music as well. You can get the mag right from its home page rustymetric.com.

Here's a little tease video of it on the bike:

The "MANTIS" getting closer to finishing up the Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit

A bunch of parts came in, she's been sitting for the last two weeks. But I am almost there. The filters have been installed, check out the staggered look on them. The gold chain installed, front H.I.D headlight and L.E.D. signals installed, you can bareley notice them on the bike.

The exhaust is back together and wrapped up. New brake pads front and back.most of the electric has been cleaned up. Have to mount all the rear lights on the custom rear tail piece, go over the bike again, some small touches throughout the bike, get some new fluids in her and should be ready for some test riding!

ostrich covered seat