First Street Bike Project - with a few questions

[Sci85]

Yeah I saw that you scored a sweet one B-rent. I was sooo jealous when I found your thread. What a great find. Good to know that I have someone who I can go to for OEM questions now. I don't plan on any major mods. In fact, I really enjoy the stock colors and look so that's what I'm probably going to do. I did see a sweet looking one in black and yellow that was really nice though.

Enjoy her. She really is a beauty.

Maybe, when I get mine finally done (and get my license again hehe), we can meet up for a ride. I've never been to Utah and hear the scenery is gorgeous.

Sci85

[81GS750]

As to the stickers, you have a fairly rare model there so I'm not entirely sure they'll have them, but a company out of Canada called reproduction decals has a pretty fair number of the decal kits for these and other old UJMs.
What's more, if they don't have the decals, and you can find a set of high resolution pictures of what they're supposed to look like, and send the company your bodywork when it's ready for them, they'll make a set for you for free since your stuff was a guinea pig. At least they used to.
Welcome to the GSR and enjoy!!

Gotta say +1 here. I have used them in the past, most recently a decal set for the Seca Turbo. All high quality 3M vinyl graphics.

Looks like a cool project you have going, you found the best place on the web for GS knowledge.

[B-rent]

It would be very fun to ride around with another 550 Katana. A long road trip would be great to do sometime. Just let me know if you need any sort of reference, and I can get you some pictures. It seems that most everything is stock on mine except for the Vance and Hines 4-1 and the signal lights, oh and the bar-end mirrors which I like more than the stock mirror placement.

[Sci85]

Cool beans. And thanks! I'm sure I'll be hitting you up before to long.

After looking around, I think my decal is the same one used on the bigger bikes which seem to have plenty of availability of parts.

Sci85

[Sci85]

Well, i got all the wiring out finally and the tail light and fender. It's been slow going lately as I am low on moto funds so I have to get this little CR80 project done and sold before I can acquire any major pieces for the Suzuki. Hope to get this one done in the next couple weeks and sold asap but there is still lots to clean up. Look at all that room to work in hehe. Love 2 strokes!



And here's a nice shot of why you should regrease your swingarm bearings regularly. These came out of the shock/swingarm linkage. Total rust and not a drop of grease. Yikes!




I gotta get this CR80 done! There was a running 1979 GS850 (no title) on Craigslist about 30m away from me that showed up today for only $225 bucks! All there except for the exhaust! Dang, I want to go snag it bad but outta funds

And here is where the baby kat stands...At least I now have the new oring kit, needles and seats and stainless bolts for the carbs.


Not sure what next disassembly step should come next. Front end, rear end, engine out or ? Taking suggestions...

Thanks,

Sci85

[Flyboy]

Hey Sci, that little CR looks like a whole heap of fun between two wheels, maybe when Jennifer is done, I will start looking for a dirt bike again, I do miss enduros, was a fun way to stay fit.
If you are pulling her apart, down to the frame, I would suggest leeaving the engine until last, then tipping it onto the right hand side, and lifting the bare frame off the engine, still a little fiddly, but a damn site better than trying to man handle the motor out yourself, ask me how I know....been there, done that, a few times, and have the bad and buggered back to prove it....not a good idea.

[Sci85]

Hmm, how much do these motors weigh? Yeah, my plan is to go all the way down to the frame. Even though this is my first street rebuild, might as well go whole hog huh?

So I guess it doesn't really matter then but I figure it's probably easier to hold up the rear while taking off the front then vice versa so I'll probably go rear first.

Good idea with laying it over. I would have never thought of that and probably hurt myself trying to lift that motor out haha.

Sci85

PS. Yes, dirt bikes are a great way to stay fit. I race 'em in the summer and have more fun than you can imagine.

[7981GS]

Sci85, I have to admit that this was/is, by far,the absolute EASIEST WAY that I have ever changed these engines by myself.
Effortless in fact!

This was with my '82 GS1200G.
I forgot to take pic's on the removal but, the instal was just the opposite and just as EASY!
Just place a board under the engine to raise it flush with the frame rails after the mounts are all disconnected.
Place another jack or same height platform outside of the frame at the same height.
Then, I just walked the engine over by rocking it side by side until it was in the cradle and dropped it into place.




I just pushed the jack over to meet the frame.







Daniel

[GateKeeper]

Daniel, you must have some good luck there, and I hope some of it rubs off on me when I go to put my engine back in....

I had a heck of a time, just getting it out, and I laid the frame and engine on it's side, as I didn't have 2 jacks, plus the air box gets in the way as well and has to be back in the bike prior to installing the engine, and it was a pain trying to get it out in the first place,,,,very little wiggle room...

[7981GS]

Perhaps you can loosen all of the airbox mounts and use some tight bungee cords to gain a few millimeters of room as I did on this GSX1100G:



Daniel

[Flyboy]

Yes, like Daniel says, try and secure the airbox back as far as possible, what will also give you some precious millimeters is to remove the valve cover, and put it back on once the engine is back in the bike.
Daniel, I know Andre used a similiar method to get the engine back into his 1000G with good results.

[Sci85]

Interesting. I think that might work Daniel as I removed my airbox with the engine still in the frame. Just need to borrow a second jack.

Thanks for the pointers.

Sci85

[Sci85]

Well, I know it's been awhile since I posted any updates. I've been frantically trying to finish off the CR80 dirt bike build so I can get some funds for the 550 Katana. I made a lot of progress on that bike recently and am just waiting on the final parts to show up so I can finish the remaining pieces which is the carb mostly. Once that's back together, I can put the rear subframe back on and she's done! Here's a pic for those interested.



Anyway, I did manage to get some more teardown work completed on the baby kat finally! Got the exhaust off (not sure the maker), foot pegs and rear brake master cylinder. Thankfully no broken bolts. All the cylinders had bolts except for one which had studs. Go figure. Did these bikes come with studs from the factory? Pipe's not in too bad of shape actually. A little work with the wire brush and some buffing and I think it will come out ok.



Here are a couple shots of the exhaust valves. One thing I noticed. On one of the outside cylinders, you can see that the exhaust stem and back of the face is white while the others are carbon black. Any ideas on the cause of that? The others have a lot of carbon build up so I will probably be pulling the head and cleaning them up at the least. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Here's the white one:


And the others:



Sci85

[Sci85]

Well, I really got with it today. Got her almost stripped down except for the kickstand, triple tree's, shifter & footpeg mounts (how do you get these off?). Should have the engine out by the weekend whoo hoo!

So here she is at the end of today.


Ok quiz time. What's wrong with the below picture? This is the front end as I received it. I never realized it until today. Can't believe I missed this when I bought the bike. Doh! Who would do this??


I plan on having the frame blasted to prep it for paint. Do you guys remove the rider foot peg mounts or leave them on? I can't figure out how they come off though.


Lastly, if someone would be so kind as to comment on my previous post about the valves, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks and Happy New Years!

Sci85

[GateKeeper]

Well, I really got with it today. Got her almost stripped down except for the kickstand, triple tree's, shifter & footpeg mounts (how do you get these off?). Should have the engine out by the weekend whoo hoo!

So here she is at the end of today.


Ok quiz time. What's wrong with the below picture? This is the front end as I received it. I never realized it until today. Can't believe I missed this when I bought the bike. Doh! Who would do this??


I plan on having the frame blasted to prep it for paint. Do you guys remove the rider foot peg mounts or leave them on? I can't figure out how they come off though.


Lastly, if someone would be so kind as to comment on my previous post about the valves, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks and Happy New Years!

Sci85

Missing the cotter pin on the castle nut ? Unless there is something I cannot see