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Not new to owning the GS Ive owned this bike for 34 years. The last 13 years it has unfortunately resided in a not so good environment. My dads shop which was not heated or cooled. Basically surrounded by lawn equipment and tools. It ran when I took it there 13 years ago and the engine case metal wasn’t perfect then but not in the shape it is now.
My dad recently passed away sept 1st and I was left everything at his place but his will stated the place to be sold so I had to go get my old GS. Tears came to eyes when I brought her home. She was filthy, tarnished and of course dead. So I’m in the process of cleaning her up best I can to a 40 year old motorcycle and of course get her back running. The engine can be turned over easily with a wrench off the ignition side. I’ve pulled the carbs off and took them apart. In the cleaning and ordering parts phase after only one week of her being home. I have a decent place to work on her and she’s not in the way so this can take a minute or two won’t matter. Inside the gas tank looks pretty good but I’ve not pulled the pet cock out yet and really looked up in it. Only looked down through cap opening. Old gas was in it about 1/2 tank maybe. Carbs not to bad but gummed up at the float needle seats. All of that has been pulled out and cleaned with the various orings ordered. Most of the bike is solid except for some rust spots here and there on the frame. Wheels are in good shape tires not so much. Chain and sprockets were new back then but showing rust. I think a good gleaning and they’ll be fine. I’ve started trying to clean up the engine cases. Not looking to get a mirror finish at my skill set just cleaner than they are now.
I plan to pull the valve cover and check all the valve lash and just put an eye on everything. Also pulling the clutch cover since I need to strip the clear coat off it and install a clutch arm seal in it and possibly a new oil right glass. It has old oil in it no telling what it’s like I haven’t drained it yet. It’ll need a new battery of course and along the way I’m just cleaning up things. The brakes were all froze up. Front wasn’t to hard to get back working with a good mighty vac bleeding. Rear master needs to be rebuilt and parts are ordered. Swim arm was stripped of clear coat years ago when it needed new swingarm bearings dots still in good shape. The bike is showing 34k miles all original and of course the tach needle and speedo needle have fell off. I saw on webike where I can get those from Japan for like $60 shipped. I only have one oem mirror the other is broken. Front cowl has some too over issues and cracks around the signal stalks. It is fiberglass so I have body shop owner who’s willing to strip it and repair and repaint factory colors back. Just about anything rubber on the bike is either stone hard or crumbling to pieces. Luckily most of that is still sold by suzuki and I have ordered several pieces as I go along with this.
Biggest challenge right now is the carbs. God I hate a carb or anything to do with them. I do understand them and can tune them but I just hate them. Well I’ve rambled enough I hope to pick up a few things by joining here. I just wish I’d brought this bike home sooner like 10 years ago but life has a way of getting in the way it seems. I can’t dwell on that all I can do is try to polish the rough stone back to a diamond it once was.
Guess I left out the part of what GS this is. It is a 1982 GS1000S Katana I bought locally for $1200 dollars back in 1987 and at the time it only had 7700 miles on it and was like brand new. It was my only transportation for many years until I got married and bought newer shinier motorcycles and the old Kat was all but forgotten.
My dad recently passed away sept 1st and I was left everything at his place but his will stated the place to be sold so I had to go get my old GS. Tears came to eyes when I brought her home. She was filthy, tarnished and of course dead. So I’m in the process of cleaning her up best I can to a 40 year old motorcycle and of course get her back running. The engine can be turned over easily with a wrench off the ignition side. I’ve pulled the carbs off and took them apart. In the cleaning and ordering parts phase after only one week of her being home. I have a decent place to work on her and she’s not in the way so this can take a minute or two won’t matter. Inside the gas tank looks pretty good but I’ve not pulled the pet cock out yet and really looked up in it. Only looked down through cap opening. Old gas was in it about 1/2 tank maybe. Carbs not to bad but gummed up at the float needle seats. All of that has been pulled out and cleaned with the various orings ordered. Most of the bike is solid except for some rust spots here and there on the frame. Wheels are in good shape tires not so much. Chain and sprockets were new back then but showing rust. I think a good gleaning and they’ll be fine. I’ve started trying to clean up the engine cases. Not looking to get a mirror finish at my skill set just cleaner than they are now.
I plan to pull the valve cover and check all the valve lash and just put an eye on everything. Also pulling the clutch cover since I need to strip the clear coat off it and install a clutch arm seal in it and possibly a new oil right glass. It has old oil in it no telling what it’s like I haven’t drained it yet. It’ll need a new battery of course and along the way I’m just cleaning up things. The brakes were all froze up. Front wasn’t to hard to get back working with a good mighty vac bleeding. Rear master needs to be rebuilt and parts are ordered. Swim arm was stripped of clear coat years ago when it needed new swingarm bearings dots still in good shape. The bike is showing 34k miles all original and of course the tach needle and speedo needle have fell off. I saw on webike where I can get those from Japan for like $60 shipped. I only have one oem mirror the other is broken. Front cowl has some too over issues and cracks around the signal stalks. It is fiberglass so I have body shop owner who’s willing to strip it and repair and repaint factory colors back. Just about anything rubber on the bike is either stone hard or crumbling to pieces. Luckily most of that is still sold by suzuki and I have ordered several pieces as I go along with this.
Biggest challenge right now is the carbs. God I hate a carb or anything to do with them. I do understand them and can tune them but I just hate them. Well I’ve rambled enough I hope to pick up a few things by joining here. I just wish I’d brought this bike home sooner like 10 years ago but life has a way of getting in the way it seems. I can’t dwell on that all I can do is try to polish the rough stone back to a diamond it once was.
Guess I left out the part of what GS this is. It is a 1982 GS1000S Katana I bought locally for $1200 dollars back in 1987 and at the time it only had 7700 miles on it and was like brand new. It was my only transportation for many years until I got married and bought newer shinier motorcycles and the old Kat was all but forgotten.
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