New GS425 owner

[Guest]

Hi, I'm Blake from Minnesota. I just recently picked up my first motorcycle: this 1979 GS425 that's been sitting in the back of a barn for about 26 years. It was my dad's first bike when it was new in 1979 and I convinced him to let me fix it up and ride it. The bike is going to be father son project ending in a custom bike because some parts are past the point of no return

[barnbiketom]

They are GREAT bikes. pictures please!! we want to see how bad it is !!!

[barnbiketom]

They are GREAT bikes. the attachment doesn't work tho....pictures please!! we want to see how bad it is !!!

[Buddybud425]

Sorry about the link, I have new links to all the pictures I got in google docs pictures that you should be able to view. It's amazing what a quick wash will do.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BSjK-HUwixOWdXbnZvOVpNSk0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BSjK-HUwixVEQ4TW9zcW9DWjg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BSjK-HUwixbVhnWUlINmJLazg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BSjK-HUwixUEhabFAwVzQ0QTg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BSjK-HUwixc3dRREZzWjlMNzg/view?usp=sharing

[steve murdoch]

Welcome to the site, Buddy.
If you haven't seen it you can find a manual and tons more here. http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/
I can see it now, you will fix it up and your dad will want to ride it again.

[Nessism]

We need some real photos. Not crappy cell phone shots. Upload to photobucket or flickr and post the IMG code here in your post and the photos will show up in high resolution.

The 425 is the coolest of all the twins. It's got a real GS roller bearing crank and plenty of power. It would be a damn shame if you hacked that bike up. Restore it to it's original glory and it will be worth more money than if you hack it up like so many people do these days.

[Buddybud425]

Hey Steve, thanks for the website, I have done quite a bit of looking on this forum and found lots of useful things. My dad will most definitely want to ride his old motorcycle(and most likely will once or twice), but he's outgrown wanting to do that, and my mom won't be too happy about it.

[Buddybud425]

Nessism, sorry about the photos, they're the only ones I got, I will get some with an actual camera in the coming weeks, should be better quality. My dad has nothing but good things to say about the bike too, I do not plan on hacking up the bike, the only modifications will be handlebars, levers, taillight, paint the tank and a new seat because the seat is rotted and beyond repair, plus whatever needs to be replaced. I want to make it so that I can revert it back to the stock condition if I want to. I don't like it when people cut up their frames and destroy stuff on older bikes. Can't wait to finish this bike and go for my first ride.

[loud et]

I see once you pressure washed it (haha) there is a lot of bike there left to work with.
Looks like it will be a great project. I personally have not seen any 79' 425's on here in my time. Seems to be a rare bird.
Cool looking first gen bike. Has some of that 2 stroke 70's essence to it.

[Buddybud425]

loud et, when I was looking on my local craigslist before I got this bike, I found only one 425 and that was about a year ago, so these things must be at least somewhat uncommon. I really like the look of this bike, and most other 70s and early 80s bikes. It should be a good starter bike as its not too big, but has enough power and the look to not get bored on, hopefully.

[Nessism]

A friend had a GS400 back when we were in high school and it put my Honda 360 to SHAME. It was super smooth and had lots of grunt for a small bike. The 425 is an overbored version of the 400 and only made one year. The 450 came out after that but it lost some of that cool essence of the earlier bikes.

[Buddybud425]

UPDATE:
As of April 25th 2016 the bike now runs, drives, and shifts smoothly after two months of hard work almost every night and weekend. I now have my motorcycle permit and my MSF course is coming up soon and I will be on the road in no time!

[Buddybud425]

Just realized I never posted a good picture of my bike to this thread, but it's better late than never, this is probably the best one I got
13238944_1403786222980189_8609953941861120535_n.jpg

[Plinius10]

Awesome project! My dad and I are going to refurbish his matchless g3l and try to make my BSA a7 oil leak free as and father and son project so we can ride next season

[sam000lee]

Wow that thing looks awesome