Hello from Denver area - 1980 GS850GL

[morianiss]

Hi Folks

I picked up a 1980 GS850GL, 14k miles on the odo, been sitting in a barn for probably 20 years. All the parts are there, engine turns over via the starter, and the bike is in really good shape - just needs the usual cleanup & 30 year maintenance routine.

This is my first substantial restore - I've fixed poorly running dirt bikes and have done quite a few mods, but in all those cases I ran out of stuff to fix too quickly. I wanted something more challenging that felt more like a project.

I've already dug into the bike a fair bit - carbs are rebuilt, brake system is stripped off the bike & in the process of cleaning/painting/rebuilding. I've been procrastinating on dealing with the heavily rusted tank - but as the weather warms up I'll tackle that. Electrical is on the list - unsure if I should worry about valve clearances given the mileage.

My objective is to have her on the road for her 40th birthday.

Here's an album I've been adding to as I work my way through the bike: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VBiLdmYeWbuSYUFf7

[Nessism]

Welcome!

Be sure to go through the welcome link just about this post. Also, check the Newbie Mistakes thread and carb rebuild tutorial linked in my signature so you know what to look out for. I'm not assuming you did a poor job on the carbs it's just that incomplete carb cleaning is one of the top pitfalls on the list so read through to see if you missed anything.

Oh, and checking the valves is critical. Please check the factory manual for recommended maintenance tasks (like valve adjustment) and don't skip any.

Good luck

[Redman]

Welcome to TheGSR.

Lot of good pics there in your album.
ANd I see pics of carbs broke down in a carb dip basket, so that is a good sign. (some folks call spraying some carb cleaner as cleaning carbs.)

[steve murdoch]

Welcome to the site.
Good, informative first post.
Just being nosy but what is up with the orange tape on the Adventure frame? Is the bike brand new?

[Steve]

Yet another welcome to GSR.

Like Redman, I see several carb parts in a dip basket, but a couple of things bother me. I see the "choke" plunger in there. Did you remove the rubber o-ring from the end before dipping? If not, it was likely trashed, and I have not seen them available anywhere. Also, although we saw parts, I did not see the carb bodies dipped. If they were not dipped, you will probably be doing the job again, especially considering the condition of the parts that came off.

Hopefully tires are on your list of "to be replaced" items. The rear tire just looks old, I have not seen that tread pattern available anywhere recently. The tread pattern on the front tire can be found on two tires, Shinko 712 and Kenda Challenger. If it's a newer Kenda, you will be OK, but if it's a Kenda, I would not even trust it to push it around in the garage. I hope you don't plan on riding on a Kenda Challenger, they are just round, black, pure EVIL.

Oh, and welcome to one of Suzuki's one-year wonders. The '80 850L is the only year for that body style, so your shopping list will be a bit limited.

.

[morianiss]

Yes, the carbs were not something I was going to take shortcuts on. I also have an ultrasonic cleaner - so they got dipped & cleaned before re-assembly. Should be pretty clean.

[morianiss]

The 1090 is pretty capable off road and I don't really hesitate to take it places - so it ends up laying down from time to time. After scratching up the crash guards I opted to wrap them in paracord since that seemed liked it would soften the blow a bit and be easier to replace than re-painting. Makes it a little more unique and should make them tougher - we'll see if my plan actually plays out as time goes on.

[morianiss]

Carbs were disassembled, dipped, and cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner - rubber parts (including the choke plungers) excluded. I made the mistake of trying to fully disassemble one choke plunger before realizing I was destroying it. All choke plungers were cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner, but not put in carb dip. I used the carb dip basket in my ultrasonic cleaner for small parts because the basket that came with it was too coarse mesh - parts fell out. Tires are definitely on my list, but given the work to the bike I am putting them last so I don't have 2 year old tires when I hit the road.

[Steve]

Good to know that rubber parts were not dipped.

Tires are definitely on my list, but given the work to the bike I am putting them last so I don't have 2 year old tires when I hit the road.

2-year-old tires are not all that bad, if you know their history. Considering that you just got this bike and don't know its history, replacement is a good choice.

Since you have other bike(s), I am sure you know that tires are a highly personal choice. I think the only other topic that raises similar intensity of "discussion" is oil and filters. That being said, your choice of tire will depend on your riding style. If you are interested in a very inexpensive tire that just happens to work quite well, you actually have a choice of two. Shinko 712 and Shinko 230 TourMaster. As I mentioned earlier, your front tire might be a Kenda Challenger or a Shinko 712. Tread pattern is identical, fortunately, the rest of the tire is dramatically different. Either of the Shinkos might last about 5000 miles, depending on your riding style, but at least they are good tires while they last.

.

[gustovh]

Myself and a couple members will be up your way in the end of July, heading for Colorado Springs. Would be great to meat up.

V

[Ghostgs1]

If you decide to tackle the valve clearances, I’m pretty close and we have a couple extra shims. Lol! Ray

[steve murdoch]

If you decide to tackle the valve clearances, I’m pretty close and we have a couple extra shims. Lol! Ray

That's funny!