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Never rode a bike and bought an old zook!

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    #1

    Never rode a bike and bought an old zook!

    New guy alert!
    I've never been on a real bike so this should be fun. I enjoy building things and creating so hopefully I can make a real head turner.
    Bought a 77 gs750. I already have some plans but over the winter I'm building up my parts inventory. Hoping Like hell the thing runs ok. Someone already started tearing this bike down and it's missing a lot of parts and pieces...most of which I don't want, but make it more difficult for me to understand my first bike.

    I'm the kind of person who learns best by learning some of the terminology and by taking apart a complete functioning thing. Or blueprints. Blueprints and I get along great. One of my favorite bikes I found online that got the juices flowing was the "tin shack" restorations bike.
    since then I've fine tuned more of my own personal taste in terms of the aesthetics. But have no idea about things like doing a fork swap for better performance and what other issues that brings up and how to solve those issues.
    My biggest issue with these bikes is the stance and the diameter of the forks. I think dropping the front a bit and having bigger forks makes it look really nice. My second biggest problem is the shape of the tank. I think it needs to be a bit more rounded on the top end for a cafe/brat. But I really appreciate people doing full resto's on these as well. 100% original clean bikes still look fantastic. Since mine has already been played with a bit, however, I think I'll just keep going and make it a totally different beast.

    Ready, set, fun!
    Tags: 1977, cafe, gs750
    #2
    Form follows function, not the other way around.

    Welcome to the forum but please keep your eye on the ball. Focus on getting your bike up and running reliably. Not on what mod to make next.
    Ed

    To measure is to know.

    Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

    Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

    Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

    KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

    Comment

      #3
      Its probably not best to start by changing things like stance. Get it running and working safely, learn to ride it, and then cut it up if you want to. Cut first and learn to fix it later is often a failed strategy. Those were good bikes in their day. Magazines touted them as the first Japanese multi with good handling. Congrats. Show some photos. Have some fun with it. Welcome. There are numerous experts here who can help you get the electricals sorted out, and the suspension and brakes. Even if you switch to different brakes.
      sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

      Comment

        #4
        Buy a quality Helmet, Elkskin Gloves and a good 3mm-4mm leather jacket with CE inserts. Do that first, then when you crash it (and you will if you ride long enough) you can get back restoring the bike.

        Like the others on this forum will tell you, those of us who have been riding for 30-40 years will tell you, get some years under your belt with a stock bike. In this fashion you will have a personal hands on experience of what works for you and what doesn't on your bike.

        Just going by what you posted, you have never ridden before and thus you just don't have the time in the saddle to determine what works for you and what does not. Get her back to stock form, ride her for a year and then start deciding that this is the bike for you, or perhaps you may decide that it is not.

        If it is the bike, then you can modify it without having to ask:"...what do you guys think about this..." you will know. Besides this, we all have differing opinions on what works and what doesn't, so who's opinion will you go with? I will suggest you go with your own.

        If you decide that this bike is not for you, and you have modified it, then your prospective buyer demographic will have shrunk proportionally by the amount of modifications that you have done to the bike.

        Think long and hard my friend, good luck with her. Get the protective gear first.

        Comment

          #5
          Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation riding course if you have never ridden before. This well help you decide if motorcycling is really for you.
          sigpicMrBill Been a GSR member on and off since April 2002
          1980 GS 750E Bought new in Feb of 1980
          2015 CAN AM RTS


          Stuff I've done to my bike:dancing: 1100E front end with new Sonic springs, 1100E swing arm conversion with new Progressive shocks installed, 530 sprockets/chain conversion, new SS brake lines, new brake pads. New SS fasteners through out. Rebuilt carbs, new EBC clutch springs and horn installed. New paint. Motor runs strong.

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by mrbill5491 View Post
            Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation riding course if you have never ridden before. This well help you decide if motorcycling is really for you.
            Do this...

            Originally posted by Joe Guilbeau View Post
            Buy a quality Helmet, Elkskin Gloves and a good 3mm-4mm leather jacket with CE inserts. Do that first, then when you crash it (and you will if you ride long enough) you can get back restoring the bike.

            Think long and hard my friend, good luck with her. Get the protective gear first.
            And do this...
            1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

            2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by mrbill5491 View Post
              Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation riding course if you have never ridden before. This well help you decide if motorcycling is really for you.

              This is terrific advice. I required my Son to take the course before he could get a motorcycle.
              I have been riding and training on riding through courses for over 30 years -
              And because of this course he is a better rider than I am...no doubt about it..
              The skin you save will be your own...

              Comment

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