VM29 specs, manual, tuning tips for GS750/1000???

[steve murdoch]

That stinks, Chuck.
Half the people here don't recognize smoothbores so for a thief to recognize them is surprising.
Like Storm mentioned they may turn up locally at a trackday or Vintage night.

[Spyderman]

wow sorry to hear about the theft chuck i also think that it's a local and a fellow GS or KZ enthusiast that knew exactly what they were keep your eyes peeled on the local machines that are around you, you might just see them

[chuck hahn]

Seeing them and being able to prove they were his are different worlds.

[Spyderman]

i don't think there will be too much trouble really #1 and #4 have some unique marks and he has the photos right on page 1 of this thread so it might be easier than you think no harm in trying if he does see them

[chuck hahn]

Yeah if he has some certain marks and pics thats cool. Damned shame that it comes down to that though. Now whats everyone have to do...start etching their initials in the carbs from now on?? Just ridiculous.

Wouldnt it be cool to see them at bike night, call the cops and have him arrested on the spot..and remove the carbs there on the curb in front of all his people!!

[Chuck78]

thanks for the encouragement guys! There are a lot of guys building KZ dragbike types around this part of town, but I think it's someone a bit closer to home that took them, or his good friend. Sad. We have a lot of mutual friends, or rather they are acquaintances with a lot of my friends and I am acquaintances with some of their good friends. makes it tougher when spreading the word because will get back to them from their good friends that wouldn't think they would do such a thing, and then they will keep quiet about it or just stash them for a while and then sell them off or eventually leak them out on one of their bike builds.

[Chuck78]

the really awesome local vintage Japanese bike salvage place here have one set of vm29's left, they just sold one for $650 the day before mine got stolen, ultrasonic cleaned even. They have one set left, but I need to use every penny I have to snatch up this Rickman CR frame (additional braces and mounts welded on it for a GS1100E engine) while it's still available to me, & I have a fracture in my wrist and I'm not supposed to do anything much with it anyhow, although it feels pretty fine to me now since the day after I cracked it. prescription ibuprofen does wonders! no more riding this season for me though, so I can wait on the carbs.

I noticed that the VM 29 smoothbores were very similar to the Keihin CR 29's (or at least the CR31's my bud has on his kz1000), which are still available brand new for basically the same price as a good used rack of Mikuni VM29 smoothbores, but the CR's are very popular and always sell out as soon as they get in stock at pretty much any vendor. A special order will always result in a back order period.

also, I'd have an even bigger problem with liability because the CR's are very recognizable by the giant red CR logo on the side, and everyone that's into the cafe racer trend knows that those are the best carbs & very $$$! it was surprising that my Mikuni Smoothbores got stolen, because the only telltale sign of what they are as installed on the bike is the big hex drain plug for quick main jet changes on the majority of them except a few early models. The Mikuni 29mm smoothbores look so similar to stock that most people would not have a clue, which I kind of like for my primary bike. Although with the Fox piggyback shocks on it and it getting more modified and updated every year, it looks like quite the flashy vintage racer bike and attracts attention no matter what. at least I don't have to worry about someone stealing my CBR rotors or MTC pistons, the shocks and carbs I was really worried about, but the shocks are so identifiable no one has them around here and they have a couple scrapes that are unique to them as well
At $749 brand new, the CR specials are quite lofty in price, but they are brand new and just need tuned and jetted properly. I will have to do some side job furnace installs or something to afford those!
I do have all the rebuild parts for VM29's still, so I will try and keep my eyes out for a deal and hope that they are usable. If anyone sees anything on ebay or elsewhere, pass it along to me please.

on the other hand, I was planning on getting a set of gs500 or CB 360 Keihin CR Specials for the big bore GS425 project, and contemplate maybe even getting a set if I build up that Rickman frame that I want as a second big bike, instead of swapping all of my parts on to it. that long long stretch tank might not be ideal for long-haul rides! That's where the GS tank & double seat comes in handy, & I can put saddlebags on it

[Chuck78]

Yeah if he has some certain marks and pics thats cool. Damned shame that it comes down to that though. Now whats everyone have to do...start etching their initials in the carbs from now on??

you know, I sure as hell wish I had done that!

[Agemax]

it was surprising that my Mikuni Smoothbores got stolen, because the only telltale sign of what they are as installed on the bike is the big hex drain plug for quick main jet changes on the majority of them except a few early models. The Mikuni 29mm smoothbores look so similar to stock that most people would not have a clue

Smoothbores are easily identified not just by the hex drain plug but by the small square casting on the side of the bodies. I fabricated a small bracket that bolts to the carb tops and then to the frame, hidden under the tank. Prevents them from getting stolen, and offers some support to hold them in, especially with no filter box, they rely on just the inlet manifolds to keep them in place.

[Chuck78]

Darnit!!! I just had mine supported with zip ties for the time being!!! Meant to make a bracket. I now realize that that would make it much more complicated to steal them, you would have to remove the tank which would require my key to pop the seat lock open unless the thief was able to jam a screwdriver in there! A thief would not take the time to do all that, tank removal & all... Darn it darn it darn it.

[Agemax]

without the air box fitted, these carbs can be removed in seconds, with a length of 2x2 wood and a pair of side cutters.

[Chuck78]

Well at least they unbolted everything and didn't do damage to what was left!

[Chuck78]

My wife showed me her gratitude for overhauling half of her GS550 this past week (she just left for a 2 day 1200 mile trek Ohio to Texas on her loaded down and now shoei fairing/cargo rack equipped gs550)...
Got another set of VM29 smoothbores from her as a surprise!!!

I will be revisiting the settings on these. They have 2.0 slides, do the Suzuki GS's run better with the 1.5 slides that were spec'd for the GS model smoothbores???

[loud et]

Oh man, you got amother set. That is awesome. I pm'd you about some vm tuning info

[Chuck78]

Yeah if he has some certain marks and pics thats cool. Damned shame that it comes down to that though. Now whats everyone have to do...start etching their initials in the carbs from now on?? Just ridiculous.

Well fellas, you were possibly joking, but I really think I am going to stamp the last 4 of my social security # onto each of these vm29 smoothbore bodies that are apart on my bench... just in case history repeats itself. And maybe track down an engraver to put my initials on them.

I also am going to do the aluminum stock brackets to hang the carbs off of the frame from possibly a few extra long float bowl screws withe nuts on the top. It will really stink to have to remove them for tuning but oh well.

Man I really like these carbs. I have no qualms about vm26's, but these vm29 smoothbores are just superb carbs! Lightweight, excellent construction, very precise, well designed.