1980 gs450 project, oh boy

[MLow]

Well I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew, but here we go. I'm going to try to get this gs450 road ready.

Not sure which way I want to take it, maybe cafe racer, maybe frankenbike.

1980 gs450 for couple hundred bucks and gas money for the guy to drop it off.

I'm in the process now of wonder if it runs, wondering what I need to do to check if it runs. I ordered a service manual cause I figure that will help a bit... But I came to the internet in hopes there are wise and kind folk to come along with me on this journey.

I want to make this thing bad ass, but on a budget, so franken-bike seems to be the route.

I need to see what works, what doesnt, what I need to make it run. Then I can go from there to see what will be needed/wanted for the road. The gent I bought it from has no idea what I'm in for, he bought it as a package deal. He basically bought a garage full of bikes, and didn't want to touch this one...oh boy.

What I can think of that it's missing:

• Hand controls, throttle, switches, grips
• Exhaust(ouch), no headers or anything
• Battery
• Triple tree handle bar clamps
• Carb parts, float bowls, float needles, other parts I cant thing off basically bottom of carbs are missing
• Carb to airbox rubber boots
• Possibly some portion of airbox

Thats what I can think of looking it over, that would be needed to run and test if it's worth fixing up nice. I really like this bike and want to fix it up. But I have no idea if it is even capable of running.

What I've done so far.

• Haggle with guy, check if the engine turned freely(yes). I removed the spark plugs, and finagled the bike into first(shift lever assembly no hooked up), and pushed. It made what I am convinced are signs of good compression, but I know it turned over fine.
• Look at what he was actually selling in terms of how complete the parts looked, came with box of parts.
• Look for signs of crash or mis-use.
• Pay him for gas/beer(ugh) money to deliver it.
• Take plenty of pics.
• Run to internet for help.

So where do I start... I want to first and foremost check if it fires. Spark, compression, gas. Ok so I need to wire it up with a battery, and wire it up...it's all in shambles. Then I need to give it gas, some hoses, a fuel filter in case there is stuff in the tank, and oh yeah half of the carbs are missing...ugh, do I buy the missing parts, new carbs...? They look good, but there is the whole bottom half missing. Then don't I need some kind of exhaust to check if it runs, will it even idle with no air-filter/no exhaust? Will it even fire at all?

Picture bomb post coming soon.

 

[MLow]

Picture bomb

Picture bomb

Dropbox album: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hxo0tm0lke4n3qj/WeWx9mol-u
We have a GS450 wooo! Looks...bare.

Right side, can see coils and such. Lot's there yay.

Carbs missing whole bottom.

Carbs look good, missing a few bits unfortunately.

Gauge cluster, has a gear indicator, awesome. Can't read the milage...water in it.

Some random parts, looks like blinkers, headlight, and airbox stuff/filter.

Rear fairing thingy, looks awesome.

Tank, looks good on the inside. Seat is awesome. Side plastics look awesome too.

Front tire looks real good, cant find the date code but looks damn new.
Rear tire, kinda squared...lot squared. Good nuff to test ride I guess, holds air. Chain is all kinds of rusty.

 

[tkent02]

If there is no date code, and if it's a street tire, the tire is at least 27 or so years old. They started the date codes in the mid eighties, first with three digits, then four.

 

[MLow]

What would the date code look like?

 

[tkent02]

What would the date code look like?

DOT and some letters and numbers, the last four are the date code.

Like this:

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Libraries/Riding_Street_Images/20101111TireDate.sflb.ashx

 

[MLow]

There's only 3 numbers. 229 on the front, 013 on the rear.

I mean I'm not exactly going to take this thing out for a ride any time soon so tires are kinda low on the list right now. A list of which I don't even know, cause I am only just trying to get it running and my only experience is with mopeds.

 

[tkent02]

22nd week of '89, first week of '93 I think.

Old.

 

[Frank Z.]

About your carbs missing stuff: if the 450s ran BS34CVs, i have some parts for you (bodies, bowls, no slides however) for the asking price of free + shipping.

PM me if interested.

 

[MLow]

Not sure how to tell I can't find part numbers on it. I can take pics in detail though.

 

[MLow]

Some detailed pics of the carbs. No markings other than "mikuni kogyo co, ltd japan" on the tops of them.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nwdet7ygiihpbqu/ruQiYLGkwB

 

[jeffasaurus2]

If there's anything you need for those carbs that Frank Z. doesn't have, I probably do. Also Free+Shipping!

 

[MLow]

About your carbs missing stuff: if the 450s ran BS34CVs, i have some parts for you (bodies, bowls, no slides however) for the asking price of free + shipping.

PM me if interested.

Your profile says your in Austin, tx is that true? I'm in south austin. S. 1st and wm. cannon.

Well I'm pretty sure it's a stock carb. Looking at the service manual pdf I circled the stuff I think is missing. Not sure if I got it all.

 

[eil]

Hiya! If the tank, seat, and fenders are in good shape, you might consider putting it all back together as stock. You won't get all of your money back (once you count the cost in parts) if/when you go to sell it, but you'll come out way ahead as compared to chopping it up. But eh, it's your bike. Do what you like either way.

Welcome!

 

[MLow]

Thanks for the welcome! Yes I would be fine with that, it seems like everything as far as body work is there, minus the rear fender for the license plate to mount to is missing.

I think it looks rad stock. Also seems to be the cheapest route since the parts seem cheap on ebay. Found a new set of carbs for $80. Not that great a price, but also not outrageous.

Just waiting to hear back from Frank as to what I should do for the carbs. I'm not sure of their model so I'm having some issues looking up parts.

I ordered a bunch of stuff that I know I need. Hope the parts I bought will work. I got throttle and switches, grips for 83 gs450 so I'm a little worried about fitting.

Snagged a 1980 gs450 like new exhaust. Gaskets.

Handlebar clamps, oil filter and seal, etc.

So I need to study the bike and the service manual to find out what type of fasteners/bolts I need that are missing. Which seems daunting. I might just call up somewhere and see about ordering all the bolts/nuts lol... Might save me more time/money than looking all of them up and checking.

The airbox is a bit of a mystery to me, I seem to have all of it, minus the clamps, which I can get easily. But It's not together, and it seems finicky in how it's made. How the hell does that thing go together. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[Frank Z.]

Ok. Saw your pics, and your particular 34s do look different from the GS1000 34s. That said, may be worth a shot to see if at least some parts interchange... maybe the bowls, idle screw, floats?
Seeing that we're neighbors, you're welcome to any and all parts that may work for you. I'm buried in ACL fest for the next few days; come up for air next mid-week, so perhaps we can meet up then.

 

[MLow]

Ok. Saw your pics, and your particular 34s do look different from the GS1000 34s. That said, may be worth a shot to see if at least some parts interchange... maybe the bowls, idle screw, floats?
Seeing that we're neighbors, you're welcome to any and all parts that may work for you. I'm buried in ACL fest for the next few days; come up for air next mid-week, so perhaps we can meet up then.

Sounds good man.

 

[MLow]

Ok so I might have run into a road block. I was looking over the service manual and got to the clutch section. Interesting design, different than what I expected at least. So I went to look at the push rod in there and it pushes in and out about an inch. I'm wondering if that is normal. I don't have any bolts to put the sprocket cover on and test the clutch lever with though. So I don't know if there is damage or what I'm dealing with it kinda has me freaking out.

 

[jeffasaurus2]

My clutch push rod does that also. As far as I know its normal, at least, I ride with it like that no problem.

Think it has something to do with the fact that our bikes utilize a two part push rod?

 

[850 Combat]

Those are cool. I actually thought about buying one in the day. The "S". I still might, if the right one crossed my path.

 

[MLow]

My clutch push rod does that also. As far as I know its normal, at least, I ride with it like that no problem.

Think it has something to do with the fact that our bikes utilize a two part push rod?

Whew, good then. I tried to push it in but maybe I couldn't get proper leverage cause it didn't budge with my hand.

I'm missing a lot of bolts, is there somewhere I can look for what sizes to buy? I assume it's mostly metric? I have a bolt company that gives me good deals and is helpful but they know squat about bikes.