82 850GL Resto...here we go

[JimmyR]

After what you wrote on my thread about my GS1100G I thought I'd have to go through this thread again, GT. Just WOW. I had seen your engine before but now that I've been going through doing mine which is almost identical - wow. It's annoying how good they look in the photos when really they are filthy before all the work, isn't it? I didn't have the leaking oil issues but mine was coated in good ol' Aussie red dirt. Looked ok in pics but man was it filthy.

I really admire what you are doing. I'm going in kind of the opposite direction in a way though, because I don't want the shine. Everything on mine will be satin or matt. And it's cool because I don't know if I could do all the work you have done - I get tired just looking at how shiny your engine is! :-) Still, getting satin even is tricky...

I am surprised at how much powder coating seems to cost up there in north America. Maybe the further south you go the cheaper it gets? :-) I will take in a bunch of parts and they charge me $30. I don't know how much the frame will be and I took in a bunch more parts with it. Maybe I will get a nasty surprise. Here in Australia though PC is considered a very cheap finish. I love it. I use a lot of the texture black finish and it looks great on bikes - in fact I used it on the fenders and tanks of my Harley and it looks perfect.

[GateKeeper]

Thanks GK. I am heading into a bit of a cash flow lull. I will be working on "lesser" issues and getting creative with what I have. That means polishing some parts and getting smaller things cleaned up and ready to go back on the bike.

The next big item is the wiring harness. I need to take inventory of how many/what type of connectors I have. I plan on replacing them all, cleaning the wires up and re-wrapping the whole harness. We will see what awaits.....

I hear ya there brother.....I am at the point I didn't want to be, now come the big ticket items, brake pads, tires, battery, recovering the seat, painting of the tins......and all that gets me close to a Grand.....

I have been thinking of ways to save a few bucks, thought about giving the dog only a meal once a day,,,,,save on the dog food,,,,just kidding....he still gets his 2 meals a day...and is walked 3 times....

I have to work on the Easter holiday, so that will be good, time and a half pay, it will help out on the bike build.....

I figure bit by bit, it will come together, if I don't make the May deadline, well so be it, a few days or weeks latter won't hurt, maybe I should have started earlier....

Maybe put the project aside and finish it up during next winter ?????

NOT.....

keep up the good work GT, I am sure we will both have bikes up and running soon.....

[Good Times]

After what you wrote on my thread about my GS1100G I thought I'd have to go through this thread again, GT. Just WOW. I had seen your engine before but now that I've been going through doing mine which is almost identical - wow. It's annoying how good they look in the photos when really they are filthy before all the work, isn't it? I didn't have the leaking oil issues but mine was coated in good ol' Aussie red dirt. Looked ok in pics but man was it filthy.

I really admire what you are doing. I'm going in kind of the opposite direction in a way though, because I don't want the shine. Everything on mine will be satin or matt. And it's cool because I don't know if I could do all the work you have done - I get tired just looking at how shiny your engine is! :-) Still, getting satin even is tricky...

I am surprised at how much powder coating seems to cost up there in north America. Maybe the further south you go the cheaper it gets? :-) I will take in a bunch of parts and they charge me $30. I don't know how much the frame will be and I took in a bunch more parts with it. Maybe I will get a nasty surprise. Here in Australia though PC is considered a very cheap finish. I love it. I use a lot of the texture black finish and it looks great on bikes - in fact I used it on the fenders and tanks of my Harley and it looks perfect.

Hey Jimmy, I really like your bike and think your build is going to turn out great.

Sometimes I get bogged down in the details, wanting it to be perfect. That mentality has slowed the refurb process for sure. Today is a BEAUTIFUL 71 degree day and my bike is in the garage still in pieces, BUT it will be worth it when I'm finished. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Yes, that ol' grease ball of a motor looks so much better with a fresh coat of paint and spit shined. I spent a lot of time at the polishing wheel. That's what I wanted though, a mirror finish. If you are going to make a 30 year old bike look good it's work no matter how you cut it. Polished, matt, satin, flat. It's all in the details. I'm finding that getting the bolts looking right really sets things off. Sweating the small stuff matters.

Patience has always served me better than being too task oriented in this process. When I rush something I tend to mess it up and it takes longer to get it right than had I just taken my time or walked away from it for a little while.

Once you get some paint on that motor it will really look good.

Glad to hear you have a cheap source for PC. Comparatively, I think I do as well. Can't wait to see what yours comes back looking like!

[Good Times]

I hear ya there brother.....I am at the point I didn't want to be, now come the big ticket items, brake pads, tires, battery, recovering the seat, painting of the tins......and all that gets me close to a Grand.....

I figure bit by bit, it will come together, if I don't make the May deadline, well so be it, a few days or weeks latter won't hurt, maybe I should have started earlier....

Maybe put the project aside and finish it up during next winter ?????

NOT.....

keep up the good work GT, I am sure we will both have bikes up and running soon.....

Things just keep stacking up don't they? Maybe I should do this....and then this....this would be awesome too...

I had a friend that described it like this...."It's like the monkey sitting on top of a cash register about to pee said,...'Look out boys, it's about to run into money!!!' "

No charge for that little nugget of wisdom.

May would be awesome! I couldn't fathom putting mine aside until next winter. I would go crazy! Let's see, what of my neighbor's stuff could I sell on Craigslist.....

[JimmyR]

I am thinking about painting parts of the engine satin black. I am happy with how most of the covers look in aluminium but the finned parts and the flat bit behind the cylinder block look crap. Is there a satin black paint you can apply to bare aluminium?

I know what you mean about being anal! I am surprised at my own patience. Seem to be able to keep polishing bolts... But I doubt I could do what you did to your points cover. That is incredible. That starts to blur the lines between polishing and art!

[pete]

I am thinking about painting parts of the engine satin black. I am happy with how most of the covers look in aluminium but the finned parts and the flat bit behind the cylinder block look crap. Is there a satin black paint you can apply to bare aluminium?

I know what you mean about being anal! I am surprised at my own patience. Seem to be able to keep polishing bolts... But I doubt I could do what you did to your points cover. That is incredible. That starts to blur the lines between polishing and art!

Dunno about satin but POR 15 sells Black Velvet which is matte black and that's what's on my crank cases. Given the rest of what you're doing I don't think it would be right though.

Be careful with engine enamels etc. as a lot of them are designed for water cooled motors and won't hold up so well with air cooled motors (as advised to me by the Aussie POR 15 rep.). I wanted to use the POR 15 engine enamel on mine but he said don't do it...

[Good Times]

That starts to blur the lines between polishing and art!

And some would say insanity or stupidity.....

Dunno about satin but POR 15 sells Black Velvet which is matte black and that's what's on my crank cases. Given the rest of what you're doing I don't think it would be right though.

Be careful with engine enamels etc. as a lot of them are designed for water cooled motors and won't hold up so well with air cooled motors (as advised to me by the Aussie POR 15 rep.). I wanted to use the POR 15 engine enamel on mine but he said don't do it...

I've seen some bikes with powder coated heads and cooling fins and thought that it was not a good idea. But now that I think about it, they were not air cooled bikes.

[Good Times]

The Show Must Go On!!!

After consulting with my financial adviser and completing the necessary paperwork, I have secured a loan to continue the refurb without interrupting the needed parts flow.

Thanks Honey.

Just put my order in for:

New propeller boot and spring
New intake boots
New steering tree emblem
New brake switch spring
New gear indicator bulb
New pilot box rear cover
New shock nuts

and all the necessaries from cycleorings.com

I love the smell of new parts in the mail.

Now that just leaves:

brake lines
brake pads
carb gaskets
grips
fluids
paint
connectors for the harness
dang it.....I have to learn to NOT make lists.....

[bbjumper]

[QUOTE
I've seen some bikes with powder coated heads and cooling fins and thought that it was not a good idea. But now that I think about it, they were not air cooled bikes.[/QUOTE]

I agree with that, I'm not a fan of coating air cooled cylinders or heads to be honest. I know allot of people do and don't have issues but it will affect the amount of heat transfer to an extent. I just like giving the motor every opportunity to cool off, it will eventually contribute to long term engine health.

[seant2h]

After consulting with my financial adviser and completing the necessary paperwork, I have secured a loan to continue the refurb without interrupting the needed parts flow.

Thanks Honey.

After telling my wife about how great your powdercoated frame looked and "completing the necesary paperwork" I was able to secure funds to get my frame, swingarm, and centerstand professionally powdercoated to match all of the other pieces I PC'd in a toaster oven. Thanks GT, Your work is helping others in ways you probably didn't imagine!

[Good Times]

[/QUOTE]

I agree with that, I'm not a fan of coating air cooled cylinders or heads to be honest. I know allot of people do and don't have issues but it will affect the amount of heat transfer to an extent. I just like giving the motor every opportunity to cool off, it will eventually contribute to long term engine health.[/QUOTE]

Right. Another concern is how the powder coat would hold up. From what I understand it's not a high temp material.

After telling my wife about how great your powdercoated frame looked and "completing the necesary paperwork" I was able to secure funds to get my frame, swingarm, and centerstand professionally powdercoated to match all of the other pieces I PC'd in a toaster oven. Thanks GT, Your work is helping others in ways you probably didn't imagine!

So glad to hear that I could help a brotha' out. I will feel free to use your thread the same way if I come across something I need done.

You will love the result of the powder coated frame. I would just sit out in the garage and look at mine. Almost a shame to hang all those parts back on it!

I look forward to seeing some pics of the results.

[JimmyR]

Ok you have all convinced me - I'm not painting any part of my engine! I'm going to wait 'til it needs new rings and get it hydrablasted.

GT are you going OEM all the way? Not going to personalise it with different grips at least? :-) BTW it's hard NOT to make lists. If I didn't make lists I would never have gotten this far!

[Good Times]

Jimmy, I'm going mostly OEM. I think I will get some aftermarket grips. Yellow with pink ends.

One day the list will come to an end! Then I'll be making a list of places to ride!!!

[JimmyR]

For the most part it's hard to argue with OEM. Suzuki got a lot right in these bikes. For me it's the styling stuff that dates - for example I couldn't have a bike with a square headlight! I like to swap around stuff like lights and seats to try and make the bike look more timeless.

I think your bike will be amazing. So cool to have a bike that 30 yrs old yet looks brand new. Good way to mess with people's heads!

[Good Times]

For the most part it's hard to argue with OEM. Suzuki got a lot right in these bikes. For me it's the styling stuff that dates - for example I couldn't have a bike with a square headlight! I like to swap around stuff like lights and seats to try and make the bike look more timeless.

I think your bike will be amazing. So cool to have a bike that 30 yrs old yet looks brand new. Good way to mess with people's heads!

Got me thinking. 1982 was a good year. I think I may call my bike "The Eye of The Tiger"....."Ebony and Ivory"........instead of the GS850GL emblems I could have "867-5309" air brushed on.....

Maybe I should ask "Jack and Diane," but they are working through their "Tainted Love" because it's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." Jack wanted to get "Physical" but Diane said, "I Can't Go For That." I just hope they "Don't Stop Believin."

Ok back to work on our "Chariots of Fire."