New owner/learning/maintenance questions

[kaijetucker]

First, I have a 1981 GS 750L, which I love. I don't know much about working on it, so I am asking questions first.

1) Idling - sometimes it idles fine, sometimes it will choose to die. I start it full choke and let it warm up for a bit, then reduce choke until I get a decent idle (like 1100 rpms). I ride with the choke on the setting I get this idle from. After a while, at a light or something the bike will die. I have to keep on throttle to keep it going. The tips of the spark plugs are black.

2) Starting - difficult to start sometimes. The starter is trying, and it may ALMOST start, but then die. Tried with different choke settings.

3) Occasional backfiring/knocking - very occasional during idle, then with engine speed < 3500 has a lot of backfiring, then much less at > 4000 rpms.

I am not familiar with the anatomy of the bike, so if you can help, please include description and hopefully pictures.

Thank you for helping me learn!!!!

[bbytes]

You will get a lot of use out of Basscliff's Mega-Welcome (he should be around soon). I'm willing to bet that it has something to do with your fuel-air system, probably the carburetors. These are old bikes and the carburetors are easily clogged. You will want to tear them down, clean them up, possibly re-jet them, and put them back together, and resync them. Probably $100 in parts (carb rebuild kits are about $25 a piece).

Seriously though. Go through Basscliff's welcome and do everything it says. You will be glad you did.

[bbytes]

Double post

[kaijetucker]

Thanks for your tip!

[kaijetucker]

Stupid question, where is the welcome?

[bbytes]

I'm sure he will be around sometime today to give it to you. Otherwise, just look at other new members' posts and you will find it. He usually posts on a new member's first thread.

[GateKeeper]

Stupid question, where is the welcome?

Here you go...

Hi Mr. kaijetucker

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

and welcome to the site

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. kaijetucker,

Um, nevermind.

Welcome to the forum. Don't forget to visit the main page of GSR. You'll find a lot of information there too. [http://www.thegsresources.com]

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[allojohn]

Welcome to the forum Kaijetucker, all the answers are here.

Once your machine is warm you should not need any choke - NONE.
Poorly adjusted valves will cause difficulty starting when cold - Adjust your valves. Adjust your idle when the engine is warm using the idle adjuster on top of the carbs.

Good luck!

[d_sal]

Hi kaijetucker,

Welcome to the forum. The forum has everything you will need to know to get your bike up and running correctly. I got my first bike earlier this year, and having little to no mechanical experience, I managed to use the forum to get me through the following:

1. carb cleaning
2. carb/manifold boot o-ring replacement
3. valve adjustment (botched this one pretty bad, when you're ready to do this, refer to my thread and learn what not to do)
4. set mixture screws using highest idle method
5. vacuum synced the carbs
6. front fork oil seal/ oil change

Until I completed 1 through 5, my idle was wonky. The general consensus around here is that your carbs need to properly dipped and cleaned with fresh o-rings before you can move forward. While adjusting my valves made some difference, changing the intake boots and vacuum syncing the carbs made a world of difference. My bike went from that wonky/dancing idle, to purring very nicely at idle.

Believe me when I say that if I managed do it, anyone can. Moreover, I managed to do all of this in the parking lot of my apartment complex, so a work shop is not absolutely necessary. All it takes is a little bit of money and a lot of patience.

-Daniel

[s_mike321]

I think your question has been answered. Just wanted to say nice for first bike. 81' GS750L My first bike too!