Podge GS850G rebuild starts - sort of.

[Guest]

Ok so I got this tatty GS a week ago, I need to sell my current bike (chinky 125 - don't laff, they aren't much different from 70s/80s jap bikes!) to provide funds for the rebuild. Actually passed my test yesterday so now I'm licenced for the Suzi.

It's called podge because of the number plate POJ xxxx. Being podgy is UK for being a bit fat or wide across the beam, so I think it's apt!

Anyway, I now have it in my shed, ready to work on. First thing I noticed was I couldn't get it on the centre stand... check the length of the rear suspension and it is 12", where I think original shocks are 13"? I'm a shorty so I won't be wanting to increase the seat height, therefore the centre stand will have to have an inch cut out of it. This will have to be done first so I can work on the wheels, brakes & forks.

The major work to be done as far as I can see is as follows

clean/service/rebuild both sets of brakes
Wheel bearing checks/replacement
Front forks rechromed & rebuilt
rear shocks replacement
engine cleanup & repaint (aluminium casings, may leave black barrels)
Tank & body repaint
Carb strip & rebuild.
Some parts showing major rust (like the exhaust bracket) cleanup & repaint or replace.
Some wiring tidyup needed.

That lot should be enough to get it through an MOT and on the road, the rest can be done later.

Until the centre stand is shortened and I sell my other bike, there are still a few things I can be getting on with. I've flatted off the body panels ready for priming (tail had some cracks on the outside,not showing on the inside, I dug them out wider with a dremel and filled them). I've got the rusty front mudguard in a bucket being derusted electrically. I'll have to strip off the chrome and paint that up with the tank and body.

I'll get some more pics up in due course!

[tkent02]

(chinky 125 - don't laff, they aren't much different from 70s/80s jap bikes!)

Most of them don't run after a few years. Most jap bikes still do after a few decades...

[Big T]

You'll find everything you need to know here

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=196338

Happy reading

[Flyboy]

Welcome, will be following with interest.

[Spit]

I've made a fairly full examination of podge now (except engine) and found a fair few problem areas, the first being the fuel tank. I'm not sure if I should repair or replace, and I'm also not sure if it a GS850 tank anyway - 1100 perhaps?

Assuming I might attempt a fix, I found signs that this was leaking and uncovered a brazed patch where the braze has split and has been plugged with epoxy. This will need cutting out and doing properly.



There looks to be resin in the tank, although looking past the top to the seams there doesn't seem to be any - possibly cleaned out or peeled off before? It looks like POR 15 in the photo, but is actually whiter than that, so I suspect its something else. If I get the brazing done, I'll have to clean out the inside properly and redo with POR 15.



There is a little rust in a couple of places along the seams, but nothing a little work wouldn't fix. Overall, I'm in two minds about what to do with the tank - for the price of fixing it I could get a used tank from ebay, but so far I've not seen any that are in a much better condition. Opinions please?

There was another little nasty surprise under the tank as well - the coils have been smothered in silicon sealant, presumably to stop electrical leakage/arcing off the frame or tank.

[Spit]

Here are the forks, they are quite rusty up the top and the left fork (right in picture) has pitting all the way down to the seals, which is of course leaking.



At the other end the shocks have badly corroded springs (will be replacing the shocks anyway), and the rear brake isn't working - foot lever jammed, and obvious signs of leakage at the master cylinder., which you can see above the flasher relay - no paint and oxidised.



The carbs aren't too bad externally, some oxidising and rusty bars/screws, but nothing that worries me unduly



The frame could really do with repainting and the left seat catch has broken off. I'm not sure I want to do a full stripdown though as I don't really have the space to store everything, so I may rub down & patch with brush paint.

[Spit]

Just tried to remove the sender & that's rusted to hell, the fuel tap is locked up, so that's decided it for me - it will be more economical to get another tank if I can find one that fits! Most of the tanks on ebay seem to be one bolt at the back where this one has 2....

[sinkankan]

Just tried to remove the sender & that's rusted to hell, the fuel tap is locked up, so that's decided it for me - it will be more economical to get another tank if I can find one that fits! Most of the tanks on ebay seem to be one bolt at the back where this one has 2....

My advice, strip it down to the chassis and sand blast and paint with a good powder coating.
At first glance I thought the bike had been under water with all the corrosion, but it's obviously the salted roads that did all that.
It'll be a pricey rebuild, unless you can get good parts though second hand dealers.
Good luck.

[Spit]

It's been standing outside for over a year in Wales. Rust has had a field day. I don't really have the kind of budget that will bear a full nut & bolt rebuild, I'm just trying to make it usable.

Decided to have a go at rescuing the sender, it'll spend a day in my electrolysis bucket which will remove all the rust. The float on it is ok, the arm moves reasonably freely, its just the contacts need cleaning.

[Spit]

After 24hrs derusting, it is working and looking cleaner. The rust has destroyed most of the plating, but it should be good for a few years, as long as it is kept submerged in fuel.

[Spit]

Decided the tank is recoverable - after stripping the paint off the bottom I could see that the snot-brazed patch could be cut out and a new patch brazed properly. The rest of the tank is sound, apart from the badgeholes also being brazed over. I'll have to use decals instead.

[eil]

Regarding the center stand, you can back the rear tire up on to a piece of wood or something to give it some extra height. Then the bike should pop right up on the stand with little effort.

[Spit]

I've had it shortened now, it goes up nice & easy.

[Spit]

Finally got the funds to crack on with it, and have made a start. The tank was too bad after all - tried to braze a new patch on and half inch thick lumps of epoxy pinged off the inside with the heat, uncovering new micro holes. Managed to get one from Ebay for just over £60, with cap, badges, petrol tap & sender, which is pretty good, in nice condition, a few chips, scratches & minor rust spots, but the metal is showing up to be good while I'm rubbing it down. The blue is near enough the blue I'll be painting the bike.

tank1.jpg

The carbs & airbox were a complete mess when I took them off. The airfilter was disintegrating, the box was full of crud, the carbs were totally locked up, including the choke. I cleaned up the airbox, replaced the filter & the filter pieces in the side caps, then moved on to the carb.

[Spit]

The before pic - the inlet manifolds broke away with no effort.

carbmuckysm.jpg