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'79 (?) GS750; New owner, new rider

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    '79 (?) GS750; New owner, new rider

    Good Evening, everybody out there. A quick snippet about me: I'm Wade, am 38, live in California, got my M1 endorsement on my driver's license in March, have about 10 hrs experience riding motorcycles, and my mom gave me my dad's old motorcycle. My background is 10-1/2 years Navy, and 10 years law enforcement.

    I just brought the bike home (a couple weeks ago now, actually), it's a GS750. The bike is in need of some major work, and now and then I ask myself if I'm really up to the task. Before I go into what's wrong with it, some info about it:
    I believe it's a '79, though I'm not certain. For some reason I was thinking that it was a '77, however I got to thinking:
    -My Dad moved to Arizona in '78. The gas cap has a pin-looking thing on it that says "Motorcycle City Scottsdale." Obviously he bought it after he got to Ariz. and didn't bring it with him.
    -There's a sticker that says the motorcycle conforms to 1979 regulations.
    -The serial number sticker says it was "MFD 9/78," and we all know that the new model years come on the fall prior.
    So, It appears I have a '79 Suzuki GS750. With 18k miles on it. I think it's the Sport-Touring model, because the VIN is GS750E-#####.
    I remember, growing up, I think my dad gave me 2, maybe 3 rides on it. It would always sit at the inside-most area of the carport, often under an orange blanket. He would always say the brakes need work. Always something about the brakes.
    Now, yes, the brakes need work. The motorcycle has sat and collected dust for at least 20 years now. I will need to replace the brakes, probably the lines, too, just to be safe.
    The tires are rotted. I'm sure there's no oil in the front fork. The chain is rusted (which is odd, as it was in the valley in Ariz its whole life).
    The carburetors are removed and missing pieces. It appears two floats are gone, all four float chambers are gone, and I'm sure various bits are missing. I'll have to dismantle each of them and figure it out and order parts (or order 4 new carbs?).
    Air box is missing. No battery.
    The entire electrical system needs overhauled, I imagine. I don't think it'll be that hard, once the seat and gas tank are off, it's a matter of running wires, correct?
    The engine.
    The engine....
    No idea. Starter should get replaced. The gear box will need going over, I imagine. But should I open the engine up?? I don't know.
    I have so many questions about what to do with this motorcycle, and in what order, I am quickly feeling overwhelmed.
    I do have a few questions to start with, with everything tumbling around in my brain.
    Carburetors: The Haynes manual (and about everywhere else, it seems) says that the motorcycle uses VM26-SS Mikuni carbs. I can't find anything about those on the web except that that this motorcycle used them. Whenever I do a search, the VM26-606 carbs come up. Are they interchangeable? So long as the specs line up, they should work? Should I try and rebuild/find parts for the old, or buy new? New is about $300 based on what I've seen so far. Rebuilding may cost as much in the long run.
    Wheels/Tires: The tires are rotted and falling apart. The bike doesn't run yet. Is it pointless to go out and get new tires? It would be a helluva lot easier to move this thing around without flats.
    Motorcycle stand: The bottom of the engine (or gear box? no idea) hangs down below the bottom of the frame. Would a motorcycle stand work for this bike? There's a center stand, but I can't seem to get the bike up on it, and I imagine it would be easier with air in the tires (which brings me back to wanting to get tires).

    Anyhow, there's my intro. I don't expect answers to my above questions here, those are just a few examples of what's whirling through my head. When I get to it, I'll post appropriately in the forum after first searching through the threads to see if it's already been answered. Right now I'm off to remove the gas tank and seat, to better get at what's underneath.... Cheers.
    ~Wade

    #2
    Welcome!

    Ahhhh!!!!

    I love 750s!!!

    Thanks for the narrative and the pic. Love it!

    Ed
    GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
    GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
    GSX-R750Y (Sold)

    my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
    Originally posted by GSXR7ED
    Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

    Comment


      #3
      Wade, welcome to the site.
      Sounds like a lot of work, but you will quickly find the collective knowledge base here is incredible.
      Good luck with the project. Cool to be restoring Dads bike. Im not sure of the year, but definitely a 750e
      sigpic
      When consulting the magic 8 ball for advice, one must first ask it "will your answers be accurate?"

      Glen
      -85 1150 es - Plus size supermodel.
      -Rusty old scooter.
      Other things I like to photograph.....instagram.com/gs_junkie
      https://www.instagram.com/glen_brenner/
      https://www.flickr.com/photos/152267...7713345317771/

      Comment


        #4
        you can do a lot with that, I bet! but you'll have to get some carbs and airbox as price of admission to "Play". of course, forget tires until the motor runs...any bike scrapyards around you? Worth a drive to check em out versus ebay.
        Ps. looking at it, I wouldn't imagine you have to redo entire electrics. Mostly they "are all there" as to harness but the charging system seems to be a problem area so expect to replace components .

        and of course, go here:
        BikeCliff's Website
        Last edited by Gorminrider; 04-29-2017, 12:46 PM.

        Comment


          #5
          Welcome. I'm kind of a newbie too. But one thing i've learned is take it one step at a time. Make sure the motor spins freely and gets good compression before you start ordering parts. Do you know why your dad parked it for 20 years? Was it a mechanical issue or did he just not have time for it?
          1981 GS 850G

          sigpic

          Comment


            #6
            There's a couple of vintage motorcycle shops nearby, I'l definitely be stopping by their place to avail myself of their expertise, and I'm going to check with them before I even consider taking apart the carbs. I don't think I'll take the wiring apart after all; I took the seat, gas tank, and speedo/tach assembly, and all the wiring looks solid (need bulbs, of course). I think somebody's told me of a few scrapyards, I'll have to set aside a weekend to hit one of those, too.

            Originally posted by Gorminrider View Post
            you can do a lot with that, I bet! but you'll have to get some carbs and airbox as price of admission to "Play". of course, forget tires until the motor runs...any bike scrapyards around you? Worth a drive to check em out versus ebay.
            Ps. looking at it, I wouldn't imagine you have to redo entire electrics. Mostly they "are all there" as to harness but the charging system seems to be a problem area so expect to replace components .

            and of course, go here:
            BikeCliff's Website
            The engine definitely spins. I put it in neutral and slowly pushed the kickstarter, and it turned, and I could hear it from the intake/exhaust holes. The bike was parked for a while because of brake issues, and my dad just couldn't afford to do them. I moved away from home 21 years ago at 18 to join the Navy, and it hadn't been ridden since I was 10 or 12 I imagine, due the the brakes. Then 8 years later my dad passed. My mom kept the bike, and never did anything with it. She eventually moved to a different part of the city, and out of the house my dad died in, but held onto the house, leaving the bike there, along with a big orange truck that belonged to my then-teenage brother. Eventually, some dude around the corner from the house towed my brother's inoperable truck and the motorcycle to his house. My mom found out, had words with him, got them both back, but by then the motorcycle had its carbs removed, the airbox was gone, frame covers were missing, and there wasn't a battery. So that's the condition I got it in, and why it's in that kind of disrepair.

            My Mom was going to get rid of it and sell it, so I asked her if I could hold on to it, and she let me. So with my wife irritated as all getout because she firmly believes I won't get it running and that it will cost too much (I second the latter), I really want to get it running. I'm determined.


            ThanksEverybody!

            Originally posted by mrhedges View Post
            Welcome. I'm kind of a newbie too. But one thing i've learned is take it one step at a time. Make sure the motor spins freely and gets good compression before you start ordering parts. Do you know why your dad parked it for 20 years? Was it a mechanical issue or did he just not have time for it?

            Comment


              #7
              Welcome to the site, Wade.
              That was an excellent into.
              While you may want to get some "advice" from your local vintage bike shop, if you find the carb cleaning task too daunting ther are several memebers here that offer that service who would do a better and cheaper job on them. Steve, Chuck Hahn and Chef among others come to mind.
              Here is the tutorial for your carbs that can be found on Cliff's site. http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...rb_rebuild.pdf
              2@ \'78 GS1000

              Comment


                #8
                Re: the wiring, these bikes are famous for burned connections, along with faulty regulator and rectifier. Clean up all the connections and replace the reg/rect with a SH775 when you're ready to invest. Right now you need to read the service manual, Haynes & Clymer manuals. Get to know this bike before you get stuck into it. There's tons of threads on the '77-79 750, pick through them and you'll find all the must do's to get your bike running safely and reliably.
                -Mal

                "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." - B. Banzai
                ___________

                78 GS750E

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks! Doing a bit of looking, it appears the SH775 was replaced? Should I still go with the 775?
                  I'll definitely be doing tons of research when figuring out how to get this sucker running!



                  Originally posted by allojohn View Post
                  Re: the wiring, these bikes are famous for burned connections, along with faulty regulator and rectifier. Clean up all the connections and replace the reg/rect with a SH775 when you're ready to invest. Right now you need to read the service manual, Haynes & Clymer manuals. Get to know this bike before you get stuck into it. There's tons of threads on the '77-79 750, pick through them and you'll find all the must do's to get your bike running safely and reliably.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    The SH775 is still available but the price has gone up significantly to $150-$190. By the time you're ready to replace your R/R hopefully something else will be in favor....

                    http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/polaris/PP-4012941.html


                    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polaris-4012941-REGULATOR-3PH-35A-SERIES-105C-/272166633927
                    -Mal

                    "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." - B. Banzai
                    ___________

                    78 GS750E

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Thanks! I'm definitely going to bookmark these to know what I'm looking for down the road!

                      Originally posted by allojohn View Post
                      The SH775 is still available but the price has gone up significantly to $150-$190. By the time you're ready to replace your R/R hopefully something else will be in favor....

                      http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/polaris/PP-4012941.html


                      http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polaris-4012941-REGULATOR-3PH-35A-SERIES-105C-/272166633927

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Welcome to the forum Wade, cool intro. Do you have any pics of the other side? It looks like your dad may have had a 4-1 header added. Is there and air box or did he run filter pods? BTW, I may be able to help out with some of your missing carb parts. I have a set I'm selling some of the parts from and may have some of what you need if you deside to rebuild instead of replace. When you decide send me a PM.

                        Rick
                        GSRick
                        No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.

                        Eric Bang RIP 9/5/2018
                        Have some bikes ready for us when we meet up.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I do, and I added a few. He did add a different exhaust to it, it's a 4 to 1 Kerker, or so it's stamped. There's no air box or pods, so I'm not sure. I'm assuming that the neighbor that took it did something with the airbox. I'm going to be using an air box, at least until I can get it running smooth with its original components. I may end up changing things around later, I'm not sure. Thanks for the carb parts offer. I'm in the process of getting what I need, and right now I just need to sit patiently..

                          Originally posted by gsrick View Post
                          Welcome to the forum Wade, cool intro. Do you have any pics of the other side? It looks like your dad may have had a 4-1 header added. Is there and air box or did he run filter pods? BTW, I may be able to help out with some of your missing carb parts. I have a set I'm selling some of the parts from and may have some of what you need if you deside to rebuild instead of replace. When you decide send me a PM.

                          Rick

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hey Wade, good to see you trying to get your Dad's bike back on the road. I've owned two of these 2V 750's and have some opinions on your project if you care to read on.

                            I get that it was your dad's bike, so that's something that we can't put a dollar value on. This said if I was you I'd be looking for a complete parts bike, or even a running one to strip for the betterment of your bike. One should be one there for under $1,000 that will save you big in the long run.


                            A few random comments:
                            - Parts for 1977, 78 or 79 parts might all be interchangeable. If there are differences they are likely electrical, or cosmetic. Motors and frames are all the same
                            - Do get a stock air box and don't succumb to the temptation of pod filters
                            - Replace the brake lines with braided SS. Spiegler and others will make you a set for under $100
                            - The single piston brakes on those bikes are not the best ever made. I believe the discs on many of the 1980 to 1983 750 and 1100 GS bikes are interchangeable, vented and lighter. Please confirm that with others before you spend money on them.
                            - If your front brake cylinder is defective in anyway you should think about getting something newer unless you're going for a restoration. There are all kinds of better units on eBay.
                            - The forks are easily rebuilt, but you may need to make or borrow a few tools to get them apart.
                            - Assuming you have a 19" front rim the only tire to get is the Metzeler Lasertec, period. The rear I'd need to check on, but don't get anything larger than a 130 and stay away from the Chin Shin type brands
                            - I don't recall if the ignition on those was solid state or not. I believe the upgrade is an ignition from a newer 750, or a DynaS system.
                            - I would not open the engine unless you see signs of oil leaking behind the ignition cover, or yellow filings in the oil filter (means a rod is about to let go, check every time you change oil) Unlike the 4V plain bearing 750's and the 1100's your motor is the dictionary standard for "Bullet Proof" I wouldn't even remove the clutch cover until you've started and ridden it
                            - You might want to replace the cam chain tensioner with an APE unit at some point, but yours is likely ok
                            - Your bike will likely smoke a bit each time you start it. This is due to the age of the valve seals. As long as it goes away after a few seconds and it doesn't bother you leave it as is. It does not indicate a bigger issue
                            - Newer aluminum swing-arms bolt right up, but check the bearings first.

                            Good luck with this and keep us posted on your progress.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              That's a ton of advice..! I'll definitely remember to refer back to what everybody's been saying as I progress with the restoring. Thank you!

                              Originally posted by el Camexican View Post
                              Hey Wade, good to see you trying to get your Dad's bike back on the road. I've owned two of these 2V 750's and have some opinions on your project if you care to read on.

                              I get that it was your dad's bike, so that's something that we can't put a dollar value on. This said if I was you I'd be looking for a complete parts bike, or even a running one to strip for the betterment of your bike. One should be one there for under $1,000 that will save you big in the long run.


                              A few random comments:
                              - Parts for 1977, 78 or 79 parts might all be interchangeable. If there are differences they are likely electrical, or cosmetic. Motors and frames are all the same
                              - Do get a stock air box and don't succumb to the temptation of pod filters
                              - Replace the brake lines with braided SS. Spiegler and others will make you a set for under $100
                              - The single piston brakes on those bikes are not the best ever made. I believe the discs on many of the 1980 to 1983 750 and 1100 GS bikes are interchangeable, vented and lighter. Please confirm that with others before you spend money on them.
                              - If your front brake cylinder is defective in anyway you should think about getting something newer unless you're going for a restoration. There are all kinds of better units on eBay.
                              - The forks are easily rebuilt, but you may need to make or borrow a few tools to get them apart.
                              - Assuming you have a 19" front rim the only tire to get is the Metzeler Lasertec, period. The rear I'd need to check on, but don't get anything larger than a 130 and stay away from the Chin Shin type brands
                              - I don't recall if the ignition on those was solid state or not. I believe the upgrade is an ignition from a newer 750, or a DynaS system.
                              - I would not open the engine unless you see signs of oil leaking behind the ignition cover, or yellow filings in the oil filter (means a rod is about to let go, check every time you change oil) Unlike the 4V plain bearing 750's and the 1100's your motor is the dictionary standard for "Bullet Proof" I wouldn't even remove the clutch cover until you've started and ridden it
                              - You might want to replace the cam chain tensioner with an APE unit at some point, but yours is likely ok
                              - Your bike will likely smoke a bit each time you start it. This is due to the age of the valve seals. As long as it goes away after a few seconds and it doesn't bother you leave it as is. It does not indicate a bigger issue
                              - Newer aluminum swing-arms bolt right up, but check the bearings first.

                              Good luck with this and keep us posted on your progress.

                              Comment

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