whats priority

[killycrot]

Just bought 78 gs 750e. Going to do it up over winter. Forks won't come back up unless I pull on them. White gunge on top of oil. Baffles rotted. Seat torn. Original tyres cracked. Rev counter not working. Badges missing. Minor rust. Bike starts and runs fine as theres only 6k miles on it but I don't know where to start or in what order. I'm a joiner and not mechanically minded so I'm not stipping it down too far. I've searched and cant find suppliers of fork springs, pipes, seat repairs etc. Any pointers greatly appreciated.

[hampshirehog]

Hi and welcome - where do you want to start?

(Basscliff will no doubt give you the formal welcome with all the links etc).

For parts in the UK I'd recommend Wemoto - http://shop.wemoto.com/

They've got a good range of pattern parts for the GS and give excellent service - helpful, friendly and know what they're about. Otherwise Ebay, love it or hate it, is a pretty good source as long as you ask the right questions. Crooks have a reasonable supply of original bits and Suzukisimon has stuff available from time to time at fair prices.

The £ hasn't collapsed yet against the $ and you can pick up some pretty good deals from the US - just beware the shipping costs and the VAT man. Plus the Germans don't seem to value GS parts highly - you just need to be able to speak the lingo to understand what they're on about

With your motor you need to drain the oil (get rid of that white sludge) and I'd recommend dropping the sump and cleaning it right out - might be 30 years of accumulated crap in there, even with that low mileage.

Valve clearance checks are an absolute must - easy to do and plenty of threads / pictorials on here.

Obviously you're going to change the tyres - if you're not a dare devil, knee slider, Hi-Maxx are good value and much underrated.

If the forks won't spring up they could be bent or at least need a strip down. I'd replace the fork seals (cheap and easy job) and check the stanchions for straightness. Guys on here will suggest replacing the springs with progressives; they are an improvement but if I were you I'd measure yours and if they're in spec re-use. You can swap them over easily later if you want.

Seat repairs are again fairly easy. A new seat cover is simple to fit and you can pick up a foam if yours is shot from Moretti Seats.

Rev counter could be a shot cable. Disconnect from the gauge and see if it spins with the motor running. Otherwise it could be a shot gauge (rebuildable and plenty on Ebay) or the worm drive on the cam might have been fitted in askew and knackered.

Plenty of help on here and you'll have no trouble getting good advice.

[killycrot]

Cheers. I'm gonna have a go at this. Thanks for the advice. No doubt you'll see me popping up regularly pestering people.

[spyug]

Welcome aboard and pester away.....that's what we are all about here and ,of course, post some pics.

Hoist a Guiness for me.

Cheers,
Spyug

[rickt]

Restoration tips

Having embarked on a total restoration of a '78 GS750C about two years ago, I can offer one solid bit of advice. Get your digital camera, a large note pad, many zip-lok bags, and a permanent marker. Take many more pics than you think are needed. Make drawings and notes of everything you remove from the bike. Put parts in zip-lok bags and label them with enough information that you will know where the parts go a year or two later. Keep a running inventory of parts as you remove them. Make note of parts that can be reused and those that need to be replaced.

Taking the time to work through this process slowly and carefully will save tons of frustration and four-lettered words when you start to put her back together. I can verify this from personal experience.

Good luck and have fun!