Just bought a GS- what now?

[Rob]

Yeah, I figured the title of this thread will give everyone the right idea about just how clueless/aimless/confused I am right now. If you're short on patience, click "back" on your browser; I'm in a terrible mental state.

Ok, so i just bought a 1977 GS750N on, what? Sunday. It's a cool bike, looks beat up, but she started right up, I rode her around dude's neighborhood, and the price was right. $650, the frame is straight& not rotten, the tank looks pretty clean inside, really clean, really. Yeah, it's got some issues, too. The one cam-cover thing leaks some oil, and the tach doesn't work. Even without the tach working, i can tell she's idling too high. But, whatever. I bought the thing looking for a project. I missed riding motorcycles, and I need a different way to spend my time and money.

So, next day is monday, right? The beast won't start. I remember d!cking with the petcock (bad move). My petcock ain't labelled, and I used to ride hondas.(totally different petcock). I think I probably left the thing on "prime" a little while, and flooded her out, which may be why she won't start. i killed the battery (and my leg) trying to start her up yesterday. All to no avail.

So, now I'm looking at the bike, and already, on day 3, doubt is setting in. Can I really make a project out of this bike? I can't even start the thing, and it was starting on Sunday. I can't even work the *petcock*, for crying out loud. (What is it? Down for "on", back for "reserve", forward for "prime"?) Can i really address these drippy oil leaks, and these frightening carbs? Am i fooling myself? I was about to finance a new bike, but i figured I'd rather make monthly payments to bikebandit.com, because they won't repossess the thing if i stop paying.

I guess I'm lookin for some hand-holding, or some sort of reassurance. Maybe a tip on getting the thing to kick over, too. Should I abandon ship, cut my losses, and go get a 2005 sv650? Should I hunker down, learn something about bikes, and possibly go insane in the process? Should I just dismantle the thing and stare at it for an hour a day for the next 3 years?

any thoughts'd be appreciated,
-rob

 

[Fat Don]

I can't be of much help as far as where to start but how about loading a picture?

 

[Rob]

i didn't take any pics yet

i didn't take any pics yet

but here's the grainy ones from the craigslist ad:

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/mcy/1019330814.html


Better'n nothing, i guess

-rob

 

[Rob]

Oh, an FYI:

I don't mind paying thru the nose for parts. Money ain't the real problem. a lack of expertise is, plus a strong aversion to paying other ppl to work on a thing. I guess I'd pay a guy to do something if I had to, but I don't want to. But, spending hundreds on new parts and powdercoat and shh like that, that don't bother me, provided i think i can install the parts.

-rob

 

[glstine]

If it makes you feel any better I got an 80 GS550L that was probably in worst shape than that, with some of the parts in a box. I've never done anything mechanical in my life. With a little patience, this forum and doing a few things more than once the thing actually runs pretty smooth now. Just waiting for a new petcock (should be in friday ) and the back tire that I ordered (and turned out to be on backorder) it will be ready to hit the streets. When I first got it started my wife was on the phone with her mother and told her "I can't believe he got that hunk of junk started".

 

[Rob]

That does make me feel better. Still, I know that time is of the essence with this type of thing, and i don't know what is going on with the beast, and i don't know if i have the courage to look deeper until i know what i'm doing. i ordered a clymer manual, but it ain't here yet.

-rob

 

[Baatfam]

I guess I'm lookin for some hand-holding, or some sort of reassurance.

Ya come to the right place...
Take it one step at a time, ask specific questions and everything will work out...

Oh, an FYI:

I don't mind paying thru the nose for parts.

Don't go thinkin' that way, because the parts can add up fast.
Ask, and you will get good advice on where to get parts...

Search, read, relax, be patient...everything will be fine...
These things are really rather simple....

Oh...and put your location in your profile...its always good to make friends with some locals...

 

[glstine]

This site isn't bad and provides a good place to start until you get your manual http://www.dansmc.com/MC_repaircourse.htm

 

[earlfor]

Welcome to the GSR. I understand your concern. In the beginning, it all seems too intimidating. Relax, that 750 is a relatively simple machine, and you can learn to take it apart and put it back together in your sleep. It is just going to take some patience, time, reading and question and answer exchanges. There is nothing that can be wrong with it that the collective mind of the GSR cant help you fix. Hang in there, she'll be good as new again.

I take it you're located in Philadelphia?

Earl

 

[bwringer]

Sounds like you need a new petcock.

When you turned the old petcock it dislodged some old mung inside. A few bits of mung made their way into the float valves and propped them open.

This seems to be pretty common with the old petcocks -- you normally never need to move them since they work automatically with vacuum. When you force an old one to move, it unleashes nasties and causes incontinence.

Replace the petcock with a new one from your favorite source for Suzuki parts (links in the Basscliff super-welcome), and then remove the carbs, remove the bowls, and make sure the float valves are clean. Pretty easy project.


Also, look for Basscliff's super-welcome for more info. Please keep in mind that your bike has the earlier VM carbs and probably points ignition. Most of the info still applies.

 

[Big T]

As far as the petcock goes, pointing back is Prime and forward is Reserve/ Sounds like you left it on Prime

So, let's start at the beginning -

1. Oil leak - common problem, easy to fix once you do a valve adjustment

2. Tach not working - once you get it started confirm that the cable is spinning. The tach itself not working is pretty rare. Check the For Sale - Parts forum below or on Ebay if it indeed broken

3. High idle - typically caused by intake leaks - Since money is not an issue, go to

www.cycleorings.com - order up a set for your carbs and a set for the intake boot/head junction

www.flatoutmotorcycles - order up 4 intake boots (head to carb) and maybe carb to airbox depending on how hard those are.

Go to the Carb Cleaning page for the VMs you have on there.

4. Not starting - you probably flooded it. Check the oil level to see if gas ran into the crankcase. If it did ,change the oil. Pull the spark plugs and kick the motor over a few times

Charge up your battery and post up what you find.

Don't worry - it's a project bike, looks like a good one.

Do some searches on the site and check out Bass Cliff's website for more info

 

[Marine36]

Visit BassCliff's website. Downloadable manuals and instructions on just about everything. It is mostly 850 stuff but the bikes are similar. My $500 GS1100 is waiting on coils.

Since your smart enough to find this forum and website. Your smart enough to make that bike run like new.

 

[Guest]

I would also add seal airbox.

Your bike looks good, barely qualifies as a project.
What do you have in mind? Bringing it to showroom condition or just a sound bike to ride around town?

 

[Rob]

thank you, everyone, for all of your advice. To clear up some misinformation:

-i live in south jersey, 10 miles east of Philly. Camden County. Cherry Hill area.
-my bike is a 79, not a 77. I think it's got CV carbs. They're mikunis.
-The cable to the tach doesn't spin. That's probably the culprit. I'll bet the tach is fine.

So, i think my plan of attack is:
-get the manual in the mail
-switch the petcock
-replace all fluids
-valve job
-find the courage to go over the carbs
-do all the stuff that the dude lists in his welcome page

From there, I'll be doing who knows what, but once i get the manual, i'll be better-equipped to figure out the parts i need

thanks again
-rob

 

[Rob]

oh, and mcloud, i basically wanna make it mechanically sound, and then start in on making it look cool. I don't really have anything particular in mind for making her look cool, as i got bigger fish to fry at the moment (mechanical issues). I don't want to chop it, or make it all cafe'd-out, but I don't wanna restore it, either. The aftermarket is fine with me. I just want to get the finish lookin right. Maybe get a v&H exhaust, make it look semi-complete, whatever. I do think i'd like to replace the wire-spoked wheels with the wheels that you see on gs1000's and what have ya, just because the spokes and nipples are looking pretty rusty

 

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!

Greetings and Salutations!

Hi Mr. Rob,

If your bike is a '79 ('N' is the model year designation), then it probably has Mikuni VM carbs, not CV carbs. Seems like you've found "the dude's welcome page" but old habits are hard to break. So...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us, keep us informed.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[rudy]

Should I hunker down, learn something about bikes, and possibly go insane in the process?

:-s I would have thought you guys would have been all over this little tidbit!

Rob, insanity is a requirement of working on these old bikes. If you're not a little crazy, you won't fit in. You won't enjoy it if you're not insane. It's not logical to spend 3-4 grand (or MUCH MUCH more) resurrecting a mass produced bike just for the fun of it.


You've come to the right place for advice. Look at all the good suggestions so far. And that's just the beginning. Stick around, you've got yourself a great ride that you can be proud to say you're the one that works on it and brought it back to life.



EDIT: Just read your post on wheels. Keep the spokies!!!! They're rare on the bigger bikes! I was lucky enough to get not one, but two sets of spokies with my 1k, along with the cast wheels. The beauty of spokies is that they're rebuildable. You can make them look better than new with a few bucks, and a few hours. Check these out:

 

[Guest]

Tacho Bell...

Tacho Bell...

Here's what I went through last year with the tacho issue when I picked up my 850

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=125421

 

[Suzuki mad]

HI and welcome.

Firstly get a good manual before trying too much and read the thing from cover to cover and learn about your bike.

Get the battery out of the bike and stick it on charge (remember to remove the 6 little plugs in the top of the battery while its charging.)

Put the bike on its centre stand and check how much oil you have with the sight glass. If its over the window then you've probably got fuel in the oil from it being on prime. Using the oil drain plug drop the oil and fill it up with fresh. You could also put a new oil filter in (at the front of the engine under the round cover.)

The rocker box leak is an easy change of gasket.

The tacho cable not spinning. Could be a broken cable or the take off is not attached to the exhaust cam. (You will see this when you remove the rocker cover and change the gasket. A cable is cheap.

As for model its got wire wheels so that makes it an early one (well here in the UK it would be) and with VM carbs (CV's came in 1980 onwards) so don't get to hung up on what year.

Oh BTW I bought a UK road legal GS(X)1100E and it took 3 months to get it fit for the road and 6 months restoring it at a cost of ?5400 in 2006 so little projects can get out of hand money wize.

Enjoy.

Suzuki mad

 

[Rob]

Again, I thank you all for the advice/encouragement/etc. This is clearly a very good forum.

Just one more trifle for now: I just want to affirm that this is the proper replacement petcock before i drop $40+ on it:

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1716

Thanks, everyone, for everything. Hopefully, i'll get the thing going in the relatively near future, but i'm promising myself to be poatient and careful, as to not eff things up too badly. Haste, they say, makes waste.

-rob