The $350 GS850L

[Dropkicknick]

So I havent tinkered in awhile so I cruised the ass end of Craigslist to find a titled bike that needs the most work with least amount of "new" parts needed. I want to rebuild as much as possible. After seeing this bike I did some research and found it had a huge following as well as rebuild kits and parts galore.

I'm no stranger to turning wrenches, it's what brings home the bacon but it's in a different field. I work on machinery at a food processing plant but in my spare time I'm under someones car or truck. Being the mechanic in the family I tend to get pimped out a lot and it seems lately everyone's heaterm cores have been failing

Enough about me let's get to the bike! This 1980 GS850L has not been tabbed since 1987. 29 years! She has just a little over 5k miles and looks like she might of spent a couple years outside before she found a home in the corner of a shed to collect dust for the rest of her life. It's my plan to get her back on the road since she's barely felt asphalt since birth.

So here's what I know so far

She is seized up
Front brakes don't work
Hard to push in N.
Seat is split at the seams
Polka dots of rust EVERYWHERE
Has a new battery(PO tried to start her before selling)

I'm sure I'll find a lot more once I start tearing into it but so far that's it from initial inspection.

I know I paid someone for a whole lot of problems but that was the point! But hey at least she is a complete bike all the way to that ugly vetter fairing!



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[Crankthat]

Welcome to the site, have some work to do.
Should keep you from becoming bore.
Difficult for me to link other sites from anything but my computer, so hopefully someone will post a link or you could find Basecliffs site.

 

[Guest]

Welcome to the site, have some work to do.
Should keep you from becoming bore.
Difficult for me to link other sites from anything but my computer, so hopefully someone will post a link or you could find Basecliffs site.

Here you go, or here he goes...whatever.

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

 

[Guest]

You have a decent bike to start with, but you should know that it was a bit of a one-year-wonder. The '80 850L was the only one with a 17" rear tire and that particular bodywork. Other than that, all the basic mechanical stuff is the same as the rest of the 850 line.

 

[eil]

Deja Vu, man. I started out in the same situation. Same bike, same color even.

I started out on a good engine, so all I had to do was a crap-ton of maintenance to make it a reliable old beast. Once you can prove it will run, make sure you do the same. (Fair warning: you will spend more money in new parts than the bike will ever be worth. But you wouldn't be here if the journey was less important than the desination.)

See the link to the mega-welcome in my signature to get you started.

It'll be a ridiculously fun bike to ride once you get it sorted out. And once the rototiller handlebars are in the scrap pile.

 

[Dropkicknick]

thanks for the welcome guys!

so just a little bit of an update. this whole project is going to be a one night a week type of build. it will be slow going but at least it will be going!

so i started to tear into her. found that the front brake system is completely jelled up

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i got her naked for a better inspection.

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it has new spark plugs but found 2 of them barely even seated and once i pulled them i found water in the #1 and #3 pistons. #2&#4 look good. i got out the pump and sucked the water out and replaced it with some mystery marvel. im going to let it set for a week with the occasional jog of the starter. and next weekend im going to rock it in 5th and hopefully that frees it up. either way she is getting a top end rebuild i just want to make removing the jug a little easier.

i pulled the side covers off for inspection and to my surprise fresh oil! everything looked brand new which i have mixed feelings about. like i said before i bought this bike to tear into it but i cant justify fixing something that isnt broke.

but thats about as far as i got. i did spend most of the time making a list and book marking rebuild kits on ebay. the wife gave me a weekly allowance to put towards the bike which i cant exceed ..grr.. but atleast most of the things ill need are under $100.

well until next weekend! hopefully i can get the pistons freed up and the engine pulled before the end of it!

 

[cloudbreakmd]

Hi and welcome. I am curious though... Are you sure the engine is locked up? I onlly ask because if the clutch switch is corroded that will prevent the bike from turning over when you hold the clutch in to try to start the bike.

Have you tried to put it into a high gear and pop the clutch while rolling it to see if the motor spins?

 

[cloudbreakmd]

it has new spark plugs but found 2 of them barely even seated and once i pulled them i found water in the #1 and #3 pistons. #2&#4 look good. i got out the pump and sucked the water out and replaced it with some mystery marvel. im going to let it set for a week with the occasional jog of the starter. and next weekend im going to rock it in 5th and hopefully that frees it up. either way she is getting a top end rebuild i just want to make removing the jug a little easier.

My apologies... I somehow missed reading this earlier?

 

[Dropkicknick]

My apologies... I somehow missed reading this earlier?

its alright i tend to just skim peoples paragraphs too

 

[Dropkicknick]

had some down time at work so i made my fork seal tool

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19mm nut tig'd to 22in of tool steel with a 5 in "T" handle

 

[Dropkicknick]

Well the mystery marvel worked but not in the way I had intended. In pistons #1&#4 it ate away what was left of the head gasket and is leaking out. In pistons #2&#3 it's leaking out of the exhaust gasket

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So after a few rocks in 5th I decided I'm just going to pull it and use a torch and mallet.

Air box and carbs came off relatively easy surprisingly

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Visually they don't look bad but I hear something rattling in carbs #3&#4. I'm going to wait till the kit comes in before I open them I don't want to lose anything.

Looks like some little friends were taking up shop under the carbs ad left a few presents. Also found a packing peanut which I assume was the beginnings of a nest. This got me a little worried so now Im going to verify all the wiring and make sure it wasent chewed on before the battery goes back in.

I was 4 bolts away from having the engine floating before my wife called me in the house... which means i done for the day lol

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Almost out!

Also if you refer back to the picture of the exhaust flange you will notice the lack of rust. Those bolts just zipped right out which made my day just a little better

 

[Dropkicknick]

Did I navigate their website wrong or does Wiscoe not make pistons for this bike? If not anyone got a part number for "better then stock" pistons but nothing to crazy? I don't want to tweak more then I have to. I'm going to take the jug to a machine shop to get it cleaned up but that's the extent of what I'm willing to pay someone else to do. I want this bike built 99% by me

 

[almarconi]

With only 5k on the bike it is doubtful there is anything wrong with the pistons. I would take the engine apart and measure everything before thinking about going to a machine shop. You may only need to re-hone the bores. A mix of kerosene and ATF makes a great penetrating oil to free up stuck rusted parts.

 

[Fjbj40]

The rattling in the carbs is probably just the floats flopping around, normal when they are empty and dry.

I highly doubt the Marvel oil has eaten the head gasket also.

 

[Dropkicknick]

I highly doubt the Marvel oil has eaten the head gasket also.

Well it wasent leaking 3 days before hand. So I'm going with it ate whatever was left of the gasket. The stater cover gasket was damn near dust when I pulled it so I'm guess the head gasket wasn't far off from the same state.

 

[Dropkicknick]

With only 5k on the bike it is doubtful there is anything wrong with the pistons. I would take the engine apart and measure everything before thinking about going to a machine shop. You may only need to re-hone the bores. A mix of kerosene and ATF makes a great penetrating oil to free up stuck rusted parts.

Yea I'm just getting ahead of my self. I know the pistons are most likely salvageable I was just wanting a lighter set. Less stress at higher rpms but if there is nothing out there then I'm not too worried

 

[eil]

This is pretty much the heaviest GS ever made, even heavier than the 1000s and later-model 1100s, I believe. It's not the one you want to drop good money on performance mods on because all you'll do is take it from "tame" to "meh". (But at the end of the day, it's your bike, do what you want.)

One thing it is, however, is bulletproof. The shaft drive and 8-valve engine add a bunch of weight but they take a lot of abuse and are a breeze to maintain. Looks like yours was at least stored inside, so it should clean up quite nicely. Get the maintenance all caught up, shine it up a bit, and ride it forever.

 

[almarconi]

Less stress at higher rpms

High RPM's.. that's funny its a GS 850

 

[Dropkicknick]

A question before I start breaking things. 1st time removing a motorcycle motor that is shaft driven. I removed 2 sets of 4 bolts and it's still getting hung up. Is there a trick to it?

 

[Dropkicknick]

Apparently no one here has dropped an engine before. Anyway for anyone reading this I loosed the swing arm bolts but did not completely remove them and them ratchat striped the rear tire upwards which moved the drive shaft back with plenty of room to work with.

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I then removed the valve cover and cam chain tensioner and tipped it over on to some old army uniforms and it just slid right out.

And here it is

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