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81 gs850 build or bust

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rattytatty
  • Start date Start date
R

Rattytatty

Guest
New here with a new project... I must admit I'm not a pro builder as this Will pretty much be the first actual bike build I've ever done.. So with that in mind I'm also not dead set on a direction to go with it but I am wanting it to be an offensive bike. Loud. Fast. Not shiny or beauty queen but more like a rat bike..

The idea of this started with a text from my bro asking if I could help bring a bike home that he was trading his muscle car for.. He said I could ride it back so I was pretty stoked being it was a 1968 shovelhead. A 1%'er bike with ape bars suicide shifter and only a headlight for lighting.. I've been under A lot of stress lately due to a head on car accident my wife nearly died in so I was pretty amped up for the ride.. Was a 2 hour ride using a dual sport helmet pretty late at night and I haven't rode for about a year and never rode a bike like that.. Fell in love with it I sure did.. I screamed in all good fun All the way back ran outta gas and was helped by a very nice lady.. After getting home and falling asleep with a sore behind and tore up forearms I knew what I needed to do.. To go find a bike to keep me healthy to so I can help keep my wife healthy as she recovers

Moving on....

I picked it up last weekend off My local craplist for $300 that someone bobbed so I wouldn't get shot at the podium for chop slashing a resto worthy classic.. Don't know much of the history but I figured I couldn't go wrong for the price



 
Love the front turn signals, those are keepers..... Good luck with the build, it's going to be a lot of work but it should help to keep you sane. Keep in mind you might be able to sell a few of the parts that you won't be using here on the sight to help fund the project, NOT the front turn signals, those are keepers... :p
 
Have fun with the build, I have seen a lot worse than that. As long as it runs and the compression in each cylinder are where they need to be , then you have a good foundation for any type of build from either putting it back to a stock or a bobber style (rat bike ) your options are both. I'm working on a 82 GS650 at this time and plan on building it over the few months, just take your time and put together a plan on what you want to go with it.
 
I think I have a name for the bike. Take a wild guess haha..
I have a feeling my electrical skill will go up after this project.. Can't trust one connection










0930161400_zpsb603gzq4.jpg
 
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To clear the air. I'm not building this plainly to **** people off giving bikers bad names by blasting my exhaust but what some may see as scum outlaw annoying or whatever negativity one could think some others may at the same time see it as art..as do I.. Not intentionally trying to **** people off or to offend and i know I worded some things that way.. How else to describe what I'm picturing in my head.. With that said I welcome everyone's input on where I should go on this project may even be open to other ideas..maybe I got the wrong bike to do what I'm picturing or maybe not..
 
Being that the rear of the frame has already been hacked, your only real option with this would be a bobber project anyway. That looks like the stock exhaust minus mufflers on the pallet in the one pic...would you be willing to part with that setup? Good luck with the project!
 
JHook said:
Being that the rear of the frame has already been hacked, your only real option with this would be a bobber project anyway. That looks like the stock exhaust minus mufflers on the pallet in the one pic...would you be willing to part with that setup? Good luck with the project!
Click to expand...

Yup those are the factory headers minus muffs.. Not sure if I'm gonna use them or not. So maybe but no guarantees of course...

Anyhow. I just came in from tinkering with it and sorted through the fire hazard rats best of wires ( yes I did get sparks and smoke from a hidden spot and will deal with that in short order) I pulled the plugs and checked for spark and poured some fuel down each cylinder and got it to fire for a short time. Called it a night and gonna get the old hag running hopefully. Fuel line and filter and some fresh gas outta do it or maybe gotta clean carbs

Feeling pretty stoked about it
 
Well I got it running for a few minutes. Pretty rough and misfiring coughing back through carbs but ran.. 2 pipes were cold so easy to track down.. Pulled carbs and bowls and cleaned it up pulled all the jets and blasted through every port. Saw that someone made a repair to a float post that failed. So off to the jb weld.. (some may have an issue with my methods but thats fine, not your bike)

 
Got carbs it back together and fired it up.. Ran like a pig. Snorting and snapping saw a couple flames fluctuating rpms near zero throttle response but running on its own firing on all 4.. Shot some carb cleaner near carb boots and rpms shot way up.. Boots are falling apart so guess I'll just have to get some.. Best thing.. No weird noises like taps or knocks so this project is a go!

 
If it was me doing this, and in fact I found the same broken float tab inside one of my carbs, you should try locating a rebuildable carb body for that cylinder if your budget allows you to. When disassembling carburetors one must take caution when trying to preform rebuilding. I had to buy a complete rack of carbs off eBay to replace the one that I found broken. With that said, I personally have never tried to fix one, and have found other bikes I have bought with this same issue and when it comes to vintage motorcycle or whatever it might be, carburetors came be a needle in a hay stack to locate at times.
 
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Beeone said:
If it was me doing this, and in fact I found the same broken float tab inside one of my carbs, you should try locating a rebuildable carb body for that cylinder if your budget allows you to. When disassembling carburetors one must take caution when trying to preform rebuilding. I had to buy a complete rack of carbs off eBay to replace the one that I found broken. With that said, I personally have never tried to fix one, and have found other bikes I have bought with this same issue and when it comes to vintage motorcycle or whatever it might be, carburetors came be a needle in a hay stack to locate at times.
Click to expand...

I would as well.. I agree there are better ways to deal with it but I've found that "band-aid" fixes with jb weld can last quite a bit of time.. Though I am fully aware that it can and probably will fail, gives me time to find another carb body and allows me to continue on with my tinkering.. With that being said, anyone know if other carbs will swap in with minimal work? Or perhaps have a carb body that you can part with?
 
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Yeah, I understand your situation, depending on which cylinder the broken float mount, theirs currently a complete set on EBay. When replacing that carb body keep in mind the mm size of the manifold mouth as well as the air box opening so they all are the same diameter. Yes short cut fixes will give you time, their may even be a member on this forum that just might have one. I'm good at rebuilding carbs , but not real familiar with the Suzuki GS model, I'm currently building one I saved from being crushed at a local metal recycler my friend works at, Gook luck on the build
 
azr said:
Love the front turn signals, those are keepers..... Good luck with the build, it's going to be a lot of work but it should help to keep you sane. Keep in mind you might be able to sell a few of the parts that you won't be using here on the sight to help fund the project, NOT the front turn signals, those are keepers... :p
Click to expand...

I know you secretly want these, we all know they're real head-turners and your really trying to prep me for an offer by downplaying the uniqueness of them..

Here's a teaser
 
Play the ball where it lays, I have no driveway, garage etc.. Harbor freight porta garage and recycled pallets works for me, plus free natural lighting!! Just hope it holds up to the winds we get sometimes, now that my workspace is nearly complete and I know the motor seems ok I shall now start tearing it apart, I won't be using some of my parts and will be looking for some parts ( not sure what yet but I do like to barter)

After doing some research and hearing some others concerns about converting to a hardtail, that will not be happening and in fact alot of my original plans have changed, gonna listen to the bike and see what it wants.. Stay tuned!

 
AMK said:
That looks like an "L" model tank.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll look into that, probably won't be using it, but of rust and bondo and the fact that it doesn't fit makes me look elsewhere

More awesome craftsmanship to fix lol


 
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Next is to get it to the sandblaster
Still not 100% sure how I'm gonna form the chopped end quite yet but i will know more once she's stripped

 
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