'85 GS700e restoration

[soundsource]

Just joined the forum after buying this lovely GS700e with only 10,000 on the clock. She's got some surface rust and could use a good polish. Hasn't been ridden since 1998 so I'll start with BassCliff's Newbie list to guide me on my way back to the road. My first proper bike when I was a teenager was a GSX250 which was a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to getting this one back up to speed. I'll keep you posted with pics as I go and I'm sure I'll be back for questions once I dig a little deeper! Thankfully she started first time with a freshly charged battery and petrol so that's a testament to the bike as a whole considering the 15 year period on pause... Here she is:



Looking forward to being a part of this little community of GS lovers - thanks to all for giving me the confidence to get my teeth into this project!

[jwhelan65]

Subscribed, these are great bikes, plenty of power and they handle great.

Good Luck!

[steve murdoch]

Still starting after a 15 year nap? I've got a bike that doesn't start after a 15 minute nap.
A U.S. import? Looks like the 8" headlight is still there.
Welcome to the site.

[soundsource]

Subscribed, these are great bikes, plenty of power and they handle great.

Good Luck!

Thanks Joe! Just check out your beautiful restoration - you've set the bar seriously high with that piece of work... too high for me for now! I'll have to settle for just having a bike that works as it should before I start thinking about adding new bits. What most impressed me with your project was your patience! Thanks for being inspiring. Hope you don't mind if I ask a question or two when I inevitably get stuck along the way?

[soundsource]

Still starting after a 15 year nap? I've got a bike that doesn't start after a 15 minute nap.
A U.S. import? Looks like the 8" headlight is still there.
Welcome to the site.

Hi Steve - Amazing after 15 years eh? Yeah the bike was first registered in the UK in 1997 and last ridden 98/99. You know best about the headlight, I'll get the measuring tape out tomorrow!

[Slowhand]

Hey Sound, she looks sweet ! Started without a carb overhaul, that is amazing. Mine sat for 17 years but I had to replace all the rubber and clean the hell out of the carbs before I even tried to start her. But she did fire right up after the rebuild/cleaning. Yours must have at least been stored correctly, meaning no fuel anywhere in the system. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do.

[Billy Ricks]

Seems strange seeing one of our tariff beaters in England. The design still looks fresh today. I had a guy approach me the other day and ask if mine was for sale, it's not.

[soundsource]

Hey Sound, she looks sweet ! Started without a carb overhaul, that is amazing. Mine sat for 17 years but I had to replace all the rubber and clean the hell out of the carbs before I even tried to start her. But she did fire right up after the rebuild/cleaning. Yours must have at least been stored correctly, meaning no fuel anywhere in the system. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do.

Hi Slowhand, well she starts fine but floods as soon as you twist the grip so the carbs definitely need a clean. On the plus side the rubber looks in pretty good order (photos to follow) but can't really tell till I open her up... Also no air filter present so that's another minor issue. Really like what people have done by fitting the K&N pods - seems like it's a must if the airbox really is that difficult to pull as people make out! Guess I'll find out soon enough...

[soundsource]

Seems strange seeing one of our tariff beaters in England. The design still looks fresh today. I had a guy approach me the other day and ask if mine was for sale, it's not.

Hi Billy, well I feel honoured to be flying the flag for little ol' England on the GSR forum. Are there any more Brits out there? You're right about the design! What you and Joe Whelan have done to your 700's is really quite something. I only hope that I'm able to do mine justice and have something that looks even a quarter as good as yours! Parts seem like they might be an issue over here though reading through GSR it seem that I might be able to pilfer a few bits from the more available 750s, am I right?

[Billy Ricks]

Hi Billy, well I feel honoured to be flying the flag for little ol' England on the GSR forum. Are there any more Brits out there? You're right about the design! What you and Joe Whelan have done to your 700's is really quite something. I only hope that I'm able to do mine justice and have something that looks even a quarter as good as yours! Parts seem like they might be an issue over here though reading through GSR it seem that I might be able to pilfer a few bits from the more available 750s, am I right?

Many of the '83 and up 750 parts will fit. The biggest difference is the body work. You can even drop a 750 crank and rods in the cases to have the full 750. If he valve cover looks the same then the engine parts will interchange. Just don't use a 750 rod on a 700 vrank and vice-versa. The short stroke of the 700 makes it rev nicely though. I have some things I've taken off of mine if you need thinks like calipers and stuff.

[soundsource]

As promised here are the "Before" pictures:

[soundsource]

And more...



















And finally - where all the work will be taking place. Not least a good clear-out first!

[Billy Ricks]

It's not all that bad for a bike that has sat for 14 years. A little elbow grease and maybe a fresh coat of clear to take care of the places where the clear has let go. If you can sand through that without cutting into the decals underneath a coat of clear would make the paint look almost like new. If your gauge glass is cracked as it looks it is I have cut my own before. I broke mine once and managed to cut a new one out of glass and even drilled the hole in the right place for the tripmeter reset.

[soundsource]

It's not all that bad for a bike that has sat for 14 years. A little elbow grease and maybe a fresh coat of clear to take care of the places where the clear has let go. If you can sand through that without cutting into the decals underneath a coat of clear would make the paint look almost like new. If your gauge glass is cracked as it looks it is I have cut my own before. I broke mine once and managed to cut a new one out of glass and even drilled the hole in the right place for the tripmeter reset.

Considering she started first time I think I'm on to a winner - these engines must be bullet-proof! Thanks for the tip on the paintwork, what kind of papers should I use a) on the paintwork and b) on the aluminium covers etc.? In terms of the glass I might just go for some perspex, unless you think glass is that much better?

I just finished clearing some crap out of the garage to give me some space to work... Looking at pulling the carbs over the weekend (It's 4am here at the moment so can't be making too much noise right now), so I need a bit of room and a clear bench-top!



When I took this picture just now I noticed another scratch on the front mudguard and it looks like the headlight bracket is bent too. Another couple of jobs on the list...



Good to have you along for the ride Bill, I'm sure your knowledge will be invaluable! Just read on your signature that you've got some GSXR bits on your beauty, I'll have to check through your restoration pages again to see what I might benefit from for mine... Thanks for the tip on the 750s as well!

[GateKeeper]

Restores are so much fun.....

best of luck on this one, your off to a fine start...

Cheers