Is it worth it?

[BloodyKnuckles]

OK - never had anything but HD v-twins in the past, and this 4-cyl thing is bending my gourd the more I read about it. Is in a lot of ways more simplistic, in a lot of ways more complicated. I haven't disassembled any of the engine yet, but it is free of the frame and sitting on the lift.

I paid $400 for a complete GS750 that wasn't running because quite a bit of the harness was missing, but I turned the engine by hand to make sure it wasn't siezed. I was told it had 26k miles on it, but when I got the title and the records, it showed it had flipped the odomoter once so it actually has 126k. I know these old engines are pretty bulletproof, but I was kind of hoping that someone could either tell me a few things to look out for that are common problems with these engines, or if there is someone in the Columbus, Ohio area I could bring it to that is knowledgeable with them, too, but for the most part?

I want to rebuild this bike with a lot of bells and whistles because at one time this was a quick and fun little scooter, but first I guess now that I know it's been ridden harder than I was led to believe, I want to make sure it's worth it before throwing $3k at it.

Thanks, all.

 

[lurch12_2000]

OK - never had anything but HD v-twins in the past, and this 4-cyl thing is bending my gourd the more I read about it. Is in a lot of ways more simplistic, in a lot of ways more complicated. I haven't disassembled any of the engine yet, but it is free of the frame and sitting on the lift.

I paid $400 for a complete GS750 that wasn't running because quite a bit of the harness was missing, but I turned the engine by hand to make sure it wasn't siezed. I was told it had 26k miles on it, but when I got the title and the records, it showed it had flipped the odomoter once so it actually has 126k. I know these old engines are pretty bulletproof, but I was kind of hoping that someone could either tell me a few things to look out for that are common problems with these engines, or if there is someone in the Columbus, Ohio area I could bring it to that is knowledgeable with them, too, but for the most part?

I want to rebuild this bike with a lot of bells and whistles because at one time this was a quick and fun little scooter, but first I guess now that I know it's been ridden harder than I was led to believe, I want to make sure it's worth it before throwing $3k at it.

Thanks, all.

If the seller told you 26k but records show 126k wouldn't you take issue with him? If he didn't have a title showing this then I would excuse his ignorance for $400.
If this will be a custom project bike then $3k is your's to spend, but if you're looking for returning it to a stock, roadworthy bike then you should scout this forum for a "ready to ride" 750 for maybe under $2k and a lot less headaches since we are into riding season....just my opinion.

 

[Griffin]

Bear in mind that a good, mechanically sound, cosmetically nice GS750 will fetch you up to about $1,600 or so on the market, tops. If it's customized, expect a little less for it (yes, less). With 100,000 + miles on it, even if the engine is rebuilt, I can't imagine anybody paying over $600-$700 for it, no matter how well it runs.

You asked if "it's worth it". If you want to own and ride a motorcycle you rescued, rebuilt, and put on the road yourself, then that's a question only you can answer. If you want to rebuild it and then resell it for what you have into it, or make a profit, then the answer is an emphatic "no".

 

[groundshock]

JMO, but for 3K, my butt would be comfortably seated in the Corbin gunfighter that I had just installed on my 82-83 1100E.

 

[BloodyKnuckles]

Thanks for the responses, guess I could have explained that a lil better...

No, the previous owner didn't have a title, it had been sitting in some guy's garage and his wife made him clear some space, then THAT guy never did anything with it and eventually put it on Craigslist. I was just happy that it was all there and some of it was salvageable. And yes, this is for me, am not going to sell it.

But that being said, I don't want to take the time to rebuild it just so I can ride it for a year or two before it blows up on the side of the road. I'd like this to be a project that I keep. The $3k was just a random number I pulled out of my orafice because of the parts I'm looking at buying as well as powdercoating costs, fabrication of new parts, all that jazz.

I guess I was just hoping someone with a lil more experience than myself with these could tell me what to keep an eye out for so I could know a little better whether if I took the time to rebuild this thing right that it would be worth the time and trouble and cost. I can part it out and get my $400 back a whole lot easier than I could a hundred hours worth of work and slew of new parts made specifically for this machine only.

 

[mortation]

OK here is my 2 cents for what its worth. Griffin is right. You will never get out what you put in. I dumped a couple thousand dollars into my 850 and untold hours of labor. I will never see that in return and definitely not more.

If you want to rebuild and/or customize the bike for you then you have to put down the idea of what it costs vs what you will get. These projects always end upside down. If you are thinking of rebuilding the bike for resale don't cause its not worth it.

 

[jbs80106]

Don't think anyone has really answered your question.

Don't think anyone has really answered your question.

I paid $400 for a complete GS750 that wasn't running because quite a bit of the harness was missing, but I turned the engine by hand to make sure it wasn't siezed. I was told it had 26k miles on it, but when I got the title and the records, it showed it had flipped the odomoter once so it actually has 126k. I know these old engines are pretty bulletproof, but I was kind of hoping that someone could either tell me a few things to look out for that are common problems with these engines, or if there is someone in the Columbus, Ohio area I could bring it to that is knowledgeable with them, too, but for the most part?

I want to rebuild this bike with a lot of bells and whistles because at one time this was a quick and fun little scooter, but first I guess now that I know it's been ridden harder than I was led to believe, I want to make sure it's worth it before throwing $3k at it.

Thanks, all.

I've not rebuilt an engine before, but collectively from my years on the site a few thoughts....ignoring the cost for the moment...

BassCliff has a handy listing of all the usual wear/tear items that should be considered when bringing one of these bikes up to par. It includes links to all the parts/vendors too. Just scour around for a welcome post from him.

I would expect that the valves/cylinders are probably pretty worn. There's been other threads on here about going 'bigger bore' but I think its usually on the bigger cc bikes, 1000 or 1100s I don't know which direction is easier to go, hone out the cylinders and maybe get some lower-mileage pistons? or just 'go big or go home'.

Sounds like with you're experience, you're looking for a shopping list of where to start so you can decide if you want to head down the road. The super high mileage is probably a new challenge (not seen a bike on here with that many miles before).

Hope this sorta helped.

 

[jknappsax]

While 126 Kmiles is a little high, some here , like Grandpa, have 250,000 miles with not even a re-ring. Check that the valve clearances are correct; this is a much-ignored maintenance item. While these engines are pretty bullet-proof (the late 70s GSes had roller-bearing cranks, last forever unless you manage to twist it!), valves being too tight can cause compression problems, carb tuning problems, burned valves from not closing completely, etc. My 1979 GS 1000 had cold low-compression in all cylinders (105- 120 psi), after setting valve clearances, the cold compression is about 150 psi in all cylinders. The other big gotcha is the electricals; the stock regulator/rectifier can get blown up by high-resistance in corroded bullet connectors, and that can take out the stator. There is a Stator Papers thread that will walk you through troubleshooting your charging system is there is a problem, but a lot of us change out the r/r for a more heavy-duty one to avoid problems. Many hardwire the r/r from the stator connections to the battery, aned run a separate ground from the r/r directly to the battery negative. Oh, and you'll find these bikes a handful at speeds beolow 5 mph, great after that, but if you're used to the low center of gravity on Harleys. There's a lo of good info and help here, and if you have a mechanical background, like it sounds you do, you can get it back on the road!

 

[BloodyKnuckles]

I've not rebuilt an engine before, but collectively from my years on the site a few thoughts....ignoring the cost for the moment...

BassCliff has a handy listing of all the usual wear/tear items that should be considered when bringing one of these bikes up to par. It includes links to all the parts/vendors too. Just scour around for a welcome post from him.

I would expect that the valves/cylinders are probably pretty worn. There's been other threads on here about going 'bigger bore' but I think its usually on the bigger cc bikes, 1000 or 1100s I don't know which direction is easier to go, hone out the cylinders and maybe get some lower-mileage pistons? or just 'go big or go home'.

Sounds like with you're experience, you're looking for a shopping list of where to start so you can decide if you want to head down the road. The super high mileage is probably a new challenge (not seen a bike on here with that many miles before).

Hope this sorta helped.

Yup, yup - pretty much exactly what I was asking. Thanks for the direction JBS

 

[doctorgonzo]

I send a lot od what the others have said, as far as you'll never get back what you put in it, but neither will I on mine, that's not why we do it.
If it was me, and the engine was off the bike, step 1 would be a rebuild and maybe a re-bore.

 

[Griffin]

If you don't have a title, don't spend a dime on it until you have the title in your hands.

That is step 1.

Once you get a title, then you can start thinking about steps 2 through 2,000....

 

[BloodyKnuckles]

Once you get a title, then you can start thinking about steps 2 through 2,000....

I just got it on Tuesday, spent most of yesterday trying to decide whether this engine would even be worth the trouble (sorry, but 100k on a V-twin is a death sentence), but then started thinking about these old cases and blocks and thought it might be do-able.

So, yeah - on to step dos. As for the rest of everyone's responses...

I am digging the idea of increasing the bore, am going to read up on that tonight. If I'm going to be redoing the seals and everything else, imagine a lil extra in the get-up-n-go is just an added bonus as I agree, there is at minimum some accumulation inside the chambers, if not corrosion. Is a clean looking engine for as old and as used as it is, but it has been sitting for a while, too. That would kill two birds with one stone.

The money is not the issue, I have no intentions whatsoever of selling it after I've done any kind of work to it. I don't expect to make a profit and already know I'll end up spending more than what some would consider it worth, and I don't much care. I *WANT* to keep it and have a kickass little rocket that I built exactly how I want, and could care less if anyone else likes it, to be honest. I bought it to rebuild it to be my first bike FOR ME, instead of buying one that is closer to it than the other stockers like my last two. I'm no stranger to working on bikes, just never had one that works like this, and finding out that it's been flipped once has me a little spooked, is all.

I do appreciate everyone's comments and ideas - can use all the help I can get!! Oh, and ps - this won't be road-worthy until next spring... too much going on to ever get anything done quickly, plus I want to make sure it's done right. If anyone wants to see the progress, I have a picture album going on up on my MySpace. Figure it's already been enough of a zoo - might as well keep a log of the shenanigans, eh? :-D:-D:-D

 

[TheCafeKid]

If ya ever want a hand, gimmie a shout! Im always up for wrenching, and Cols isnt TOO far away to help a GSR in need.

 

[Big T]

I just got it on Tuesday, spent most of yesterday trying to decide whether this engine would even be worth the trouble (sorry, but 100k on a V-twin is a death sentence), but then started thinking about these old cases and blocks and thought it might be do-able.

So, yeah - on to step dos. As for the rest of everyone's responses...

I am digging the idea of increasing the bore, am going to read up on that tonight. If I'm going to be redoing the seals and everything else, imagine a lil extra in the get-up-n-go is just an added bonus as I agree, there is at minimum some accumulation inside the chambers, if not corrosion. Is a clean looking engine for as old and as used as it is, but it has been sitting for a while, too. That would kill two birds with one stone.

The money is not the issue, I have no intentions whatsoever of selling it after I've done any kind of work to it. I don't expect to make a profit and already know I'll end up spending more than what some would consider it worth, and I don't much care. I *WANT* to keep it and have a kickass little rocket that I built exactly how I want, and could care less if anyone else likes it, to be honest. I bought it to rebuild it to be my first bike FOR ME, instead of buying one that is closer to it than the other stockers like my last two. I'm no stranger to working on bikes, just never had one that works like this, and finding out that it's been flipped once has me a little spooked, is all.

I do appreciate everyone's comments and ideas - can use all the help I can get!! Oh, and ps - this won't be road-worthy until next spring... too much going on to ever get anything done quickly, plus I want to make sure it's done right. If anyone wants to see the progress, I have a picture album going on up on my MySpace. Figure it's already been enough of a zoo - might as well keep a log of the shenanigans, eh? :-D:-D:-D

I think you'll find the lower end and transmission are just about as durable as you can get. Generally, a valve job, new cam chain guides, and a bore or ring job get the motor running for another 50k miles.

What year is the bike? If it's a 8 valve motor, some guys have transplanted an 850 top end on it.

 

[82Shafty]

If you don't have a title, don't spend a dime on it until you have the title in your hands.

That is step 1.

Once you get a title, then you can start thinking about steps 2 through 2,000....

I thought step one was to cut a hole in a box?

 

[jknappsax]

I don't get the joke!?

 

[bwringer]

I wouldn't take the word of a piece of paper that the engine's got over 100,000 miles. 100K isn't necessarily a problem, but it's very rare, and someone who rode it that much doesn't seem likely to be the sort to just let it sit for years.

Do the pegs, shifter rubber, controls, instruments, paint, seat, etc. have the kind of wear and fading commensurate with 100,000+ miles of use? The instruments, for example, will fade quite a bit with that much time in the sun, even if the bike was stored in darkness.

The footpeg rubbers on my 92,000 mile GS850 have some wear, but surprisingly little. However, the rubber on the shifter is badly worn, and the rear brake lever is getting a little smooth.

 

[Guest]

Bloody Dude,go for it.I paid "top dollar" for a sadly neglected '79 gs1000s.Because I wanted to keep her for ever(like yourself) I then threw over $5000 into her without going inside the engine or gearbox.Bear in mind that parts are up to 3x the price you pay in the States.This all for a bike that I could maybe get 4 to 5 thou for finished.Now she's finished(are they ever?),she's pretty and cool as.I love it.Check out some of the other rides on here.They'll blow you out.My next one is going to be in the vein of June '05 BOM.It'll be cheaper(maybe) because I 've since found this site but will still be regardless of cost or what it'll be "worth" when finished.Rip her to pieces and totally rebuild everything.It'll cost a bit but you'll end up with a stand out ,reliable ride that'll scare a lot of "new" rockets.Welcome aboard and keep us up to date.Cheers,Simon.:-D\\/

 

[slob]

I know these old engines are pretty bulletproof, but
.

supposed to be a picture with this replie that says it all for me