Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Bandits '77 GS750 Revival

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Bandits '77 GS750 Revival

    Hey guys,

    Starting yet another build thread, but this time I'm serious, I promise! My previous build threads were started when I was in the middle of a move, everything in storage, then buying a house so I was trying to be ambitious yet failed. This time it's for real though! We're settled into the new house, I've finished getting my garage set up for the build (cleaned out, heat installed, benches built), and most importantly, my wife said GET THOSE BIKES DONE. Aye Aye, Captain!

    I don't believe I've posted much about this bike yet, but I bought it Nov 2019 if I recall correctly. Bought it from a truck driver who never had time to ride it so it had been stored in his parents dirt floor barn for years. He rode it occasionally, but said it hadn't ran in about a year at the time I purchased it. I took it home (to a storage unit rather) and it has sat the last two years. Brought it into the garage this evening and I have parts on the bench ready to begin.

    I think my overall plan for this bike is simply to revive it. It's not perfect but it's complete (minus a side cover) so I intend on preserving it. Probably won't do a full-on restoration. I kind of like the patina it has and I think it'd look good cleaned up cosmetically with all the mechanicals repaired/rebuilt as necessary. To start, I'll be rebuilding the carbs, new intake boots, air filter, plugs, and anything else it takes to get it running. Then I'll rebuild the brakes, suspension, new tires, and hopefully start riding it. Not sure on overall timeline. I hope to have it road worthy by spring (budget permitting), but it may take more time than that depending on how things go.

    Right off the bat, I need to do something about the mismatched rear fender/tail (not sure what it's called) and find some new side covers. I'd like to get some OEM side covers but man they're expensive... Maybe I'll try to make my own out of fiberglass?

    Enough rambling, here are some pictures. Let me know what you guys think, and if you have any ideas.







    Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated!
    Last edited by 93Bandit; 07-25-2022, 02:43 PM.
    - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
    - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

    #2
    Lose the crash bar!
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
      Lose the crash bar!
      I plan on putting it on my 850.
      - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
      - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by 93Bandit View Post
        I plan on putting it on my 850.
        It's an ugly fecker of a crash bar, but a great place to mount auxiliary lights.
        It will probably do a good job of protecting the cases, though.
        Ignore the anti-bars peanut gallery. They've never had to walk home because of a punctured engine casing.
        ---- Dave
        79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
        80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
        79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
        92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Grimly View Post
          They've never had to walk home because of a punctured engine casing.
          I ride in an ambulance.
          1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

          2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Grimly View Post
            It's an ugly fecker of a crash bar, but a great place to mount auxiliary lights.
            It will probably do a good job of protecting the cases, though.
            Ignore the anti-bars peanut gallery. They've never had to walk home because of a punctured engine casing.
            You read my mind. I'm considering some fog lamps on the crash bar once installed on the 850.
            - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
            - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
              I ride in an ambulance.
              Well, if you're going to do it, do it right.
              ---- Dave
              79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
              80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
              79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
              92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

              Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

              Comment


                #8
                Made a little progress Friday night. Pulled the carbs and disassembled them on the bench. Overall they don't look too bad inside. I've seen much worse, so maybe a few hours in dip and a thorough scrub and they should be ready for new o-rings. The new intakes arrived yesterday. I plan to start cleaning this evening and get them on the bike early next week. Wife and kid will be out of town so I'll have more shop time to get things done. Frame and engine need a good scrub as well so I will likely do that before putting it back together.


                Oh, I left the crash bar on just for you, Rob!



                Last edited by 93Bandit; 12-19-2021, 10:16 AM.
                - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                Comment


                  #9
                  Made quite a bit of progress yesterday. Got the carbs all cleaned up and reassembled with new orings. Put them back on the bike with new OEM suzuki intakes. Scrubbed some of the grease and dirt off the frame and engine and airbox and put it all back together. I pulled points cover off thinking I'd need to clean them, but they look brand new. PO must have put new points and condenser on it at some point. I decided to trust their installation and put the cover back on. Filled the tank with some fresh fuel, set to PRIME and would you know, it fired right up on the first crank. I couldn't believe it.

                  Here's a picture of the "cleaned" engine... I only cleaned the worst of the grime off. I'll do a thorough scrub once the engine comes out for a rebuild someday.



                  Also, a video of the first start. You'll see my surprised face after it fires. (Click on image)




                  I ran it for a bit yesterday and it has a hanging idle and doesn't want to idle so I think the carbs need fine tuning of the idle jets and a balance.
                  - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                  - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Wow! Imagine how good it would run without the crash bar.
                    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                      Wow! Imagine how good it would run without the crash bar.
                      We may never know! hahaha

                      I'll take it off sooner or later.
                      - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                      - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                      Comment


                        #12
                        image by Bob Wayne

                        Notice on my first bike (which was a genuine pussy magnet) crash bars, complete with highway pegs. After about a year, I thought, "What do I need these for?" Off they came. Off came the padded sissy bar/luggage rack. One benefit of no backrest is, the kitties have to wrap their arms around you. Of course the stubborn creature in the pic always insisted on sitting in front.
                        1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                        2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by 93Bandit View Post
                          Made quite a bit of progress yesterday. Got the carbs snip for brevity Also, a video of the first start. You'll see my surprised face after it fires. (Click on image)




                          I ran it for a bit yesterday and it has a hanging idle and doesn't want to idle so I think the carbs need fine tuning of the idle jets and a balance.
                          I was trying to explain to my (younger than me) wife the odd phenomenon of the '80s where tank badge emblems were swapped & inverted for "show". I'm glad to see you're continuing the fad into the current era. Well done Sir!
                          Paul


                          sigpic




                          Originally posted by Grimly
                          Watery bints handing out swords is no basis for any system of government.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by slayer61 View Post
                            I was trying to explain to my (younger than me) wife the odd phenomenon of the '80s where tank badge emblems were swapped & inverted for "show". I'm glad to see you're continuing the fad into the current era. Well done Sir!
                            Yeah, he's so retro, he even flipped the petcock to the right side of the pike, and also inverted the logos on his Craftsman Creeper and his Stihl leaf blower.
                            Rich
                            1982 GS 750TZ
                            2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                            BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                            Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Rich82GS750TZ View Post
                              Yeah, he's so retro, he even flipped the petcock to the right side of the pike, and also inverted the logos on his Craftsman Creeper and his Stihl leaf blower.
                              LOL It took a lot of effort to do all that, but when there's a will there's a way
                              - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                              - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X