1981 GS850GL Rebuild

[Guest]

Hey everyone.

I bought a 81 850GL back in 2011. I rode it for a couple years and had to put it away due to extended travel for work. It sat for 5 years. Time to get her going again.

The day I brought her home.


To start off I rebuilt the carbs, new carb boots, and new spark plugs.

Nice and gunky.


She ran! Not perfect but ran! Found a vacuum leak at the airbox tubes. Ordered new ones.

Well I decided to get rid of a long existing oil leak. Top end rebuild here we go!







Almost done with the worst gasket.


Well my hands are sore from gasket removal. I've learned a lot so far. I am mechanically sound but this is my first motor rebuild.

[Dogma]

You're certainly not hesitant to tear into a thing, are you? Keep up the good work, that's a nice example.

[TheBainza]

I should say I am a moving light technician. Essentially I repair the moving lights that you see at concerts. So far this has been easier than working on one of them.

[Brendan W]

Nice looking bike.
Maybe you could clear up something for me.
I heard this story that concert lights use a very old thread form, Whitworth or something, to cut down on the wrenching time in the air.
Was I dreaming?

[TheBainza]

From what I was told the clamps holding the light to the pipe/truss are a special thread. Not really sure though.