$300 77 GS750 Stock to Bobber style build in progress

[cbbjoemama]

Hey im Joe from Columbus, Ohio (GO BUCKEYES!)

Figured id share this little project ive started with only $300 dent in the wallet.

Its a 1977 GS750, clean title, bought in non running condition, no handlebars either.

Im a gearhead with an automotive engineering degree and im Honda PACT certified. I love working on engines mainly but modifying damn near everything else is also my kind of style.

This would mark my 7th motorcyle ive owned since I turned 18, im 24 now.

Ive had some bad injuries from motorcycles, but the main one was from 10/2008 when a eldery woman pulled infront of me out of a mcdonalds and I tboned her and was catapulted off my 2004 ZX636

I always wear a helmet and thank god because i landed on my head and back and slid on my helmet for few feet. I ended up with broken shoulder blade, 2 broken wrists and thumbs, torn rotator cuff, torn lig in my right knee and purple and blue testicles (my pubic bone dented the tank)
the accident was found to be 100% her fault but i still got a laywer and im waiting to have surgery on my shoulder, until then ive been spooked out of riding.

So this is my entry back into the street again.. so i figured id create something fun to ride around, since i just recently moved to Columbus and people seem to have more motorcycle awareness here.

The first thing i did was try to get it started, then heard it kick over a few times till i was pleased then moved onto the tearing down phase.

pic 1) First thing, hacked off rear subframe

 

[cbbjoemama]

pic 2) end of day 1, added some old bars off a crf50 and bobber seat

 

[cbbjoemama]

I have more, but it only lets me upload one at a time, the other forums allowed 5, so guess i must create a photobucker account...

id like to post what it looks like as of today, with the army green tank, no airbox, black engine and flat black frame, with flat black rims too

im gonna change to glass black rims and scuff up the spokes to look polished, they have overspray on them, i also polished the fork tubes, next is to get straight bar and lower front and back, then add sportster tank and small dual headlights.

ill be back soon with more up to date pics

 

[Guest]

How does it run?

 

[TheCafeKid]

Those rims nd spokes are steel, not alloy alu like the 1000 so keep that in mind when you go to polish them up... Also, that bikes not going to run worth a jack with out the airbox unless you use pods (and not emgo pods they are garbage) and adjust the jetting... I've worked on many a 750... They're tough old birds but they do require the AFR to be correct.

 

[cbbjoemama]

How does it run?

lol, it runs, and idles and doesnt die when hot, and doesnt smoke (much) , revs up nicely, (not smooth). im happy, as long as i can cruise down the street

Those rims nd spokes are steel, not alloy alu like the 1000 so keep that in mind when you go to polish them up... Also, that bikes not going to run worth a jack with out the airbox unless you use pods (and not emgo pods they are garbage) and adjust the jetting... I've worked on many a 750... They're tough old birds but they do require the AFR to be correct.

man i didnt know they were steel, thank you! good looking out man, i bought some clear coat to spraythen. So no airbox is the reason why its not the smoothest revving woman ever, i didnt even run it with it on there...I have some small cone style breathers from a valve cover, but I doubt they will fit. but I dont plan on leaving them open to elements.
Where to buy pods, and do you remember what jet number you changed them out too? We are talking about the main jet correct?

Below) I actually have a pic of a bike that I idolize, id love to replicate this

Below) heres what shes looking like before i painted the engine with BBQ black and the tank, ugly old frig green. The integra is the other project ive been modifying for years, I had to jumpstart the bike with the car lol

 

[cbbjoemama]

Shes looking better everyday, this is before the then spraycans attacked it

 

[ChicagoBob]

Drag bars would look good. Oh, I'd recommend a front brake.

 

[Skateguy50]

you can post multiple pics with imageshack and not account, but whatever works.

Looks like you got some plans AND the skills to make it happen, we see a lot of would be bobbers posted for ungodly dollars on craigslist a lot. I have a feeling this wont be the case here, but follow TCK advice on the airbox stuff. I think a lot of people fiddle with a few tries on main jets once they get into pods so probably isnt one good answer either.

 

[cbbjoemama]

Drag bars would look good. Oh, I'd recommend a front brake.

yeah im going to a place called www.tubulartechniques.com today and having a 28" bar cut and dont know what bend to apply, but its only 99 cents a foot...it is wierd not having a front brake, but i like the look, until i almost run into a tree or rearend someone if my back brake ever fails...that would suck. Im looking for new pads and rotor now on oldbikebarn.com and on ebay, rear rotors have some scratches, not very smooth.

you can post multiple pics with imageshack and not account, but whatever works.

Looks like you got some plans AND the skills to make it happen, we see a lot of would be bobbers posted for ungodly dollars on craigslist a lot. I have a feeling this wont be the case here, but follow TCK advice on the airbox stuff. I think a lot of people fiddle with a few tries on main jets once they get into pods so probably isnt one good answer either.

yeah i used tinypic.com, seems to work for now. thanks tho!

so you see over priced bobbers on CL? is that what you are saying, or you see a lot of potential bobbers for too much $. lol im confused.

i like the look of no airbox, but seeing as pods are gonna set me back like 60 bucks, its looking more appealing lol.

do you know of any places to buying extended cables, throttle and clutch?

 

[Skateguy50]

Best option for cables is usually OEM, not sure how long you need but the L model ones made for the buckhorn bars might give you enough length.

As far as the CL stuff, saying we see a lot of folks hacking up a GS making a mess of it and asking 4xs its value if left alone. I'm just saying with your past experience it sounds like you should have a very nice bike when you are done unlike the stuff that shows up for sale on CL.

The airbox is by far the easiest way to avoid a lot of tuning work with the carbs and testing various jets and all that "fun". You could always work on a personalized side cover to hide the airbox and look your own. Mines nothing special just painted them black and clear coated a vinyl skate shop logo on it.

I really should update my signature. Edit, new pics in sig now

 

[Hammered]

You could always go with a drum front hub. Still have a brake and to be honest theres an ass load on Fleabay, hub and all for cheap. I choose one off a TS250. A little undersized, but it will do fine for my ride style. Look for a 6" or larger. Had one on my old Bonneville.

 

[cbbjoemama]

You could always go with a drum front hub. Still have a brake and to be honest theres an ass load on Fleabay, hub and all for cheap. I choose one off a TS250. A little undersized, but it will do fine for my ride style. Look for a 6" or larger. Had one on my old Bonneville.

found em on ebay! thanks a lot hammered...tonight i worked for a couples hours on the bike...

-I added my 30inch straight bars
-dissassembled the rear wheel and tore apart the rear caliper for new pads.
-sanded and cleaned the rear rim and all components
-put a light coat of flat black on it all with tire under masking tape this time..

one thing im glad is seems like the single front rotor/disc of the early model 750 is the same as the rear rotor.

so now all I need to look for is the pads

...next steps:
buy battery
get LEDs for brake light
buy some new grips
wrap the header
*id like to also create a way to add a passenger seat, i have some ideas, but my other half would love to tag along on my little creation
PLUS MANY MORE IDEAS!!!

heres a pic from the end of tonight...This is the first night I used the 150ft of extension cord because the garage has no electricity (in an aparment complex) so I run a cord all the way our by door and into the garage to power my light, mouse sander, and w/e else I can plug in without tripping the breaker...

thats masking tape all over the tire since im painting the rims the easy way...

im looking for whitewalls now, if I can get them, ill get the rims powdercoated, but for now...spraybomb will do the trick

sorry for poor quality pic too, I must have moved my hand when snapping the picture

 

[cbbjoemama]

where is the best place to purchase jets...

i was reading a bit about running pods looks to be 3 or 4 sizes up on the main jet then getting the mix screw in the right spot...

so what are the sizes if im 3-4 sizes up...i think when i cleaned them i read that they were size 100?

does that sound correct?

so + 12-15% or 3-4 zies up would be 112? or 115? something like that?

figured id buy a few jets around the same size

 

[cbbjoemama]

currently trying to rebuild or maybe replace the rear caliper...

everything else is going smooth, rims and spokes are being painted and next it the swing arm, then im about done, ill get some pics soon

 

[67camaro]

just buy a jet kit. It's well worth the 100 bucks.

 

[cbbjoemama]

just buy a jet kit. It's well worth the 100 bucks.

so are main jets threads all the same from carb to carb, i was looking for mikuni specific jets

 

[midnightcafe]

Joe,

Go to www.Z1Enterprises.com for main jets. There aren't any jet kits available for the 8valve motors I believe. I'm running 125 main jets, needles raised two notches on my VM26ss carbs ('79 gs750L).

I got my air pods from APE (american performance engineering), they aren't listed for the suzuki GS but for the Kawasaki KZ series because they share the same VM26SS carbs. Best thing is they only cost $60, which is an excellent price compared to K&N. You would want to get the K&N recharge kit from Z1E though.

 

[cbbjoemama]

Joe,

Go to www.Z1Enterprises.com for main jets. There aren't any jet kits available for the 8valve motors I believe. I'm running 125 main jets, needles raised two notches on my VM26ss carbs ('79 gs750L).

I got my air pods from APE (american performance engineering), they aren't listed for the suzuki GS but for the Kawasaki KZ series because they share the same VM26SS carbs. Best thing is they only cost $60, which is an excellent price compared to K&N. You would want to get the K&N recharge kit from Z1E though.

that ape website makes me drool! do you happen to know what size my carb intake is? 42mm? think my bike is a GS750(b)

 

[midnightcafe]

get the 42mm.