1979 GS750E Project

[JordanEMTP]

I have several questions, and please forgive me as I am new to this site and forum

I recently purchased a 1979 GS750E, and it needs a considerable amount of work. It does not run because the entire wiring harness was removed and basically cut to pieces by the previous owner. I know I need a service manual, complete wiring harness, new regulator/rectifier, and a battery. It has not run in over a year. There was fuel left in the tank, and it is varnished, so I know the carbs will need to be completely gone through.
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

What is the best way to clean the inside of a slightly rusted tank?

The bike did not come with the gauges. Since the mileage is unknown, should I break down and rebuild the entire engine?

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the near future. Thanks for your help!!

[tom203]

You got some work to do - how come you didn't buy something less mangled?
Anyways, Basscliff's site has the info you need- do some reading there as you contemplate the fun that awaits you!

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff

[allojohn]

Sorry to be a downer but you should look for a complete '77-'79 750 in better shape and use that one as a parts bike. It looks like like it's been messed with pretty bad and there's no telling what you're going to find. It'll be way more cost effective in the long run.

[wedoo2]

Jordan you can find a complete wiring harness for the bike. Just start checking the vendors and ebay. Pay attention to the vendor feedback here. And your title should give you some idea of the mileage. Of course it would be nice to have the maintenance record the PO kept. Aaah, don't have that huh? Oh well, the bike is old and will need stuff. The general appearance should give you some guidance of how well it was kept up.

The tank may clean up with a few gallons of red cider vinegar. Let it sit and watch the crap come out. I do this on either sanded tanks, or primed tanks, so I don't know what it does to paint. There sure is some crappy stuff coming out of there though. I then make up a strong mixture of water and baking soda to neutralize the acid in the vinegar and slosh it around in there for a while. Rinse it out with a hose, blast with the hair dryer for a while and put some two stroke oil in it until you are ready to use it to prevent flash rust. Might want to do it sans petcock.

Don't even think about a motor rebuild until you have tried to run it. Do all of the basic maintenance mentioned in Cliff's site (Do It) then see where you are. Do not skip the carb cleaning part. There are good articles here to do that. Expect to spend your extra change on the bike for a good long time and don't count on getting it back unless you are real good at this. And.....don't let anyone you love ride on that diving board masquerading as a back seat.

[JordanEMTP]

Thanks for the responses and info. I chose this particular bike because it was very cheap, and I knew it was going to be a challenge.

@ Wedoo2
At the moment I have a mixture of Kroil and stabilized 2 stroke gas in the tank. I don't know how well it will clean it, but I know it won't corrode any further. I'll try the vinegar soon though. Regarding the paint, I'm going to sand and repaint or powder coat basically everything on the bike, so I'm not worried.

As far as the electrical system, I have a few friends that have a good deal of experience wiring bikes and cars, so that will help.
And that seat isn't even bolted on lol. The PO just sat it on there for the picture. It will definitely NOT be on the bike at any point in the future.

[eil]

Someone took an E and tried to make an L out of it! :O

You certainly do have your work cut out for you, luckily you've found the most knowledgeable community there is for these bikes.

As recommended, start with the carb cleaning, buy a used wiring harness (it will be cheaper and less hassle than building your own) and go from there. It should at least start and idle. Phase 2, then, is getting it to run right, which is a whole other process.

[steveb922]

Couple of guys above recommended that you should ditch this project and look for something more complete. I

[steveb922]

can't argue with their logic, for the simple reason that they are right.

However, there is a very strong case for getting stuck into your own pile of rust and rubbish, and making it your own. You won't make money, but you'll learn a lot very quickly. Your call.

[wedoo2]

Good advice Steve. I have taken two bikes apart just to see how it is put together. Of course I figured I'd get rich on the parts. Turned out I didn't. I tended to give a lot of stuff away. Duh. Learned out how to clean stuff though and believe me that is no small skill.