1982 GS850, A True Newbie's First Time Project

[arunara]

Hello all,

I picked up a non running 1982 GS850 last week for $350. It's not in the DMV system so it'll be relative cheap to register. Anyway I have no idea where to start, and this is my first project. I hope you guys could guide me to the right path throughout the project.

Well for brief description, it's not running and has been sitting for several years. The battery is charged and every electric lights up but somehow the power from starter is not going to the engine and it just make ticking sound when I try to start and that's it. Also it's unbelievably hard to move the bike even in neutral the wheels just wouldn't roll.

Below are some crappy pictures from the previous owner but I will take some fresh ones and post a video of the starter not working.

I'm really terrified that I bought this monster without having any motorcycle knowledge, but can't wait to get started!!!

 

[arunara]

BTW Do you guys know if there's a good GS restoration guide out there or good thread on this site that goes over restoration process step by step?

 

[kdo58]

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

 

[Nessism]

Where in So Calif are you? There are a few guys around that can help you depending on where you are at.

 

[arunara]

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Thank you! I have looked at that today, but now I'm reading through Mikuni_BS-CV_Carburetor_Rebuild_Tutorial as this will be the first thing I want to do on the bike. BTW does it matter if the manual is '80 and my bike is '82?

Where in So Calif are you? There are a few guys around that can help you depending on where you are at.

I'm in Garden Grove near 22 freeway and currently a student at CSULB. Recently quit working at bank as it's my last semester at college and just want to relax and enjoy my last moment at college =)

 

[Erki]

dont worry about knowledge you will be filled here and be working on your bike in no time.

 

[Tim Tom]

Great bike! Of course I'm biased as I have one too. Your starter 'tick' is probably a worn out starter motor. Look up the tutorial for removing and dissembling it. I'd bet that the brushes inside are shot. Same thing happened to me last winter.

The 850G is a tough bike. I'm sure you can have it working again.

 

[FLHGSRay]

Subscribed. Considering buying a '80 850G, so I'll be following pretty closely. The fact that it's hard to roll has me worried, since it's a shaft drive. Could be the brakes are dragging. Is it impossible to roll the wheels, or just really hard? Is it both wheels? The front dragging could only mean brakes or wheel bearings. No sweat. The rear dragging could mean brakes, wheel bearings, drive shaft, transmission, or engine. I think I'd get it rolling and turning over with the starter before I dove into the carbs. You could pull the spark plugs and timing cover and put a wrench on the end of the crankshaft just to see if the engine is loose. No sense rebuilding carbs on an engine that's siezed. If you do pull the plugs, squirt a little oil into each cylinder, it may loosen any stuck piston rings. But don't let any of this scare you off, there is lots of help here for the asking. How many miles are on it? Is the gas tank in good shape? When was it last licensed? My first moves would be: register it, (no sense spending money on something you can't license), put it on the centerstand and determine what is keeping it from rolling, front or rear?, (you may have to pull the calipers), then get it turning over with the starter, (make sure the battery is good). At this point, you've spent very little money and can decide if you want to continue. I spent about $750 bringing my '79 GS1000E back to life. But you've got to be willing to get dirty.

 

[Digitus]

Hi, seems like a nice project. You said the battery is charged, is it a new battery or an old one that has been revived? It could just be that the battery is so far gone that it doesnt hold enough power to crank the engine.

Try taking off the brake calipers front and back and see if the bike still is hard to move...

Good luck and have fun !!

 

[arunara]

Thank you all for your comments. It's a bit late but here's some photos and a video of the bike. Now you can't quite here the ticking sound after I push the starter button but if you listen really carefully you can hear small tick sound right after I push the button.

As far as the wheels go, I think it's the calipers that are stuck. It's happened to front and back, it's really hard to move but the day I got the bike it was almost not moving so I'm guessing it's the calipers so I will try to dissemble the front and back calipers to see if it's the brakes.

I think I'd get it rolling and turning over with the starter before I dove into the carbs. You could pull the spark plugs and timing cover and put a wrench on the end of the crankshaft just to see if the engine is loose. No sense rebuilding carbs on an engine that's siezed. If you do pull the plugs, squirt a little oil into each cylinder, it may loosen any stuck piston rings. But don't let any of this scare you off, there is lots of help here for the asking. How many miles are on it? Is the gas tank in good shape? When was it last licensed? My first moves would be: register it, (no sense spending money on something you can't license), put it on the centerstand and determine what is keeping it from rolling, front or rear?, (you may have to pull the calipers), then get it turning over with the starter, (make sure the battery is good). .

Okay, to answer your first question it's never been registered in CA but in WA, so it's not in DMV system and lady at the DMV I spoke to told me that it would cost me about $90 to get it registered under my name and she couldn't find any record of the bike in the system.

Secondly I said I will pull the plugs but don't even know where the plugs are and first time hearing timing cover ... Also I do not own a starter, so I never even tried turning the engine over.

But like I said this is my first project but I kind of had idea of what I was getting myself into when I bought the bike, looking at an year or two to finish the bike. I really hope to get most out of it experience and knowledge wise

So any idea what's causing the starter to not work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca1smNdvpWk

[flash=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca1smNdvpWk]width=500 height=128[/flash]

 

[7981GS]

Hi, seems like a nice project. You said the battery is charged, is it a new battery or an old one that has been revived?
It could just be that the battery is so far gone that it doesnt hold enough power to crank the engine.

Try taking off the brake calipers front and back and see if the bike still is hard to move...

Good luck and have fun !!

If the battery has less than about 10.5 volts, the solenoid (mounted under your left side cover) will just "click".
Keep at it you WILL have success! It is a GS after all.

Daniel

 

[arunara]

Okay so are you saying that I should try changing the battery? According to the last owner, the battery was completely drained from sitting and he had 'fully' charged the battery...

 

[Nessism]

Nice project. Agree on the low battery.

Good luck

BTW, that bike is sort of a mutt. The pipes came from a different model GS, an L model, and the seat cover came from a GS1000.

 

[7981GS]

Okay so are you saying that I should try changing the battery? According to the last owner, the battery was completely drained from sitting and he had 'fully' charged the battery...

Do a load test on the current battery after you have fully charged it.
If it fails, time for a fresh battery.

Daniel

 

[arunara]

Nice project. Agree on the low battery.

Good luck

BTW, that bike is sort of a mutt. The pipes came from a different model GS, an L model, and the seat cover came from a GS1000.

OUCH! did not know about the pipes... So definitely need to reject and sync the system once I get it running... Thanks for the info!!

Do a load test on the current battery after you have fully charged it.
If it fails, time for a fresh battery.

Daniel

Okay, I will take the battery out and have it charged at a autoparts store =)

 

[cowboyup3371]

When you go to do your calipers, make sure you rebuild both master cylinders. You might even want to swap to stainless steel brake lines.

 

[arunara]

Well I actually don't know how to rebuild master cylinders, is that same thing as changing brake oil or tearing down the whole brake system apart? Also as for the brake lines go, I really want to postpone that until I have the engines and electricals right as I want to ultimately make it a cafe racer. So I'm not sure at this point what length I need for the brake cables and clutch cables.

--UPDATE--
I found this link and I was wondering if I need to buy the o-ring and the spring like the instruction says or keeping the original part is fine too?

 

[cowboyup3371]

That will work but there's also one on Basscliff's site found here...http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/brakes_odds-n-ends.html#A02

You'll want to order new piston cup sets for both though just to be on the safe side. Don't forget to clean out the return port though or your brakes will lock up.

Understand what you mean by wanting to wait but if you are going to ride get your brakes done first and right...it's your life riding on them.

 

[arunara]

That will work but there's also one on Basscliff's site found here...http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/brakes_odds-n-ends.html#A02

You'll want to order new piston cup sets for both though just to be on the safe side. Don't forget to clean out the return port though or your brakes will lock up.

Understand what you mean by wanting to wait but if you are going to ride get your brakes done first and right...it's your life riding on them.

Thank you for the fast reply!!! I understand the concern but I got my 02 Yammy Roadstar Warrior and that's the only reason I bought a non-running bike, so I have something to ride while I'm doing this =) Can't survive a single week without an hour of worry free ride

 

[Nessism]

Well I actually don't know how to rebuild master cylinders, is that same thing as changing brake oil or tearing down the whole brake system apart? Also as for the brake lines go, I really want to postpone that until I have the engines and electricals right as I want to ultimately make it a cafe racer. So I'm not sure at this point what length I need for the brake cables and clutch cables.

--UPDATE--
I found this link and I was wondering if I need to buy the o-ring and the spring like the instruction says or keeping the original part is fine too?

It's hard to say if the original parts are okay until you tear down the master cylinder(s) and calipers. If the brake fluid is brown and dark that means the bike was neglected and the fluid has collected water, which corrodes the system from the inside out. The brake lines should be changed at the same time the system is being cleaned out otherwise the old lines will contaminate the system.