Dons GS550/650 On Fire

[Suzuki_Don]

Well after 2 1/2 years my project has finally reached startup stage. A complete restoration from the ground up. Frame powder coated, every bearing and bush that could be found has been replaced. A 700cc conversion on the top of a roller crank 550 bottom end with 6-speed transmission. A complete electrical upgrade going from one fuse to six and many other electrical alterations. Too many other things to mention.

I have had a lot of help from many, many people of the GSR site during this project, so I am sharing the results with all of you. Thanks to all who helped in any small (or large) way.

Here is the moment at start up:

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd105/donclifton/GSR%20Pics/?action=view&current=P1000177.mp4

Hope this clip comes out all right, it was a bit jumpy on my computer, mind you it's not that powerful.

I think I have some tuning to do on the bike. It runs well, but the choke can be turned off as soon as the motor starts and the response is instantaneous. Not how it should be. It looks to be a bit rich on the needle as I did follow Nessism's advice and raise the needles as suggested. Or it could be I have the incorrect air jets or pilot jets, although the pilot jets are the ones for the 650 motor. I haven't taken it on the road as yet, I am waiting on a gel battery to arrive.

Did the finishing touches tonight, fitted the blinkers, tail light and headlight. Just have to fit the tank, seat and battery now and I can go for the first test ride. It will be interesting to see what it goes like once it has properly warmed up (whether it is too rich to run properly) or whether it is OK on the road.

 

[Johno]

Great moment

Great moment

Congratulations Don,

Nice to see the fruits of your labour.

Can't wait to here about your first ride.

Paul

 

[indyjoel]

very nice, excellent work

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks guys I appreciate your thoughts. After I sort out the motor and do a bit of running in I have some paint work to do to complete the package. It should look pretty smart then.

 

[hampshirehog]

Blo*dy 'ell Don - I saw the thread title and thought you'd had a workshop fire.....

Nearly there mate. Looking good, sounds good and should run like a trooper once you've got the carbs tuned in.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Blo*dy 'ell Don - I saw the thread title and thought you'd had a workshop fire.....

Nearly there mate. Looking good, sounds good and should run like a trooper once you've got the carbs tuned in.

Thanks Wally. Talking of tuning the carbs, I had purchased a Colortune to adjust the idle mixture some time ago for the 550 and I have just realised I cannot use it on the 650 as it has smaller plugs and it won't thread in the plug hole. Maybe I can get an adaptor, but I reckon the adjustments will be done before I can manage that.

BTW No fires down here, we only get bushfires in our summer.

 

[Guest]

Nice work Don, that things lookin real good indeed

 

[Matchless]

Don,
It looks and sounds good!
I think you should leave that silencer off, I think I heard it over here when you started it!

 

[Guest]

Yep, I also thought you burned up your new bike.
I'll keep the monopoly on those threads. :-k

 

[Nessism]

Is that the first time the bike was started Don? Amazing that it would run so steady if that's the case. As far as turning off the choke right away is concern, maybe try turning in your pilot screws a smig and see if that leans the idle a little. Looks great and keep going!

 

[posplayr]

Don,
Great sounding Engine. The first time I listened to the video I must have triple clicked it as there were three videos running at once and your bike sounded like a Ferrari. Anyhow once I got it down to one it still sounds great. I would be tempted to run with just an open tip as Matchless suggests.

What are your plans for colors?

Jim

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Great leap forward!

Great leap forward!

Sounds good! Hope you get it on the street soon.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Is that the first time the bike was started Don? Amazing that it would run so steady if that's the case. As far as turning off the choke right away is concern, maybe try turning in your pilot screws a smig and see if that leans the idle a little. Looks great and keep going!

Ed this is the actual clip of the very first start-up, I was a bit embarrassed about the voice over so did not include it initially. Before start-up I had coated the cams with moly, replaced the cam cover and cranked the motor for about five 30 sec bursts until the oil pressure light had gone out. When the motor started I adjusted the large idle screw underneath the carbs to slow the idle speed a bit and that is the only adjustment that I have made to anything.

Although there was an oil leak when I first started the motor, it appears to be oil tight now. It's amazing the difference it makes when you fit the tacho cable which stops oil spewing out the top of the motor. At least I knew the top end was getting plenty of oil.

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd105/donclifton/GSR Pics/?action=view&current=P1000176.mp4

So far I have done all my testing using a spare 12v car battery and am waiting on a gel battery to arrive so I can take the bike for it's first spin. Ed I think I have the mixture screws at 3 turns out. It's a long time since I rebuilt those carbs so I will need to go and check the specs in my workshop notebook.

Ed, I notice when I rev the motor there is a whisp of black smoke coming out of the headers. So I might have to drop the needles in the slides to their original position, especially when the silencer is fitted to the headers. I am hoping when I take it on the road the jetting and needles will be pretty close.

BTW what is the effect of changing the air jet, I currently have 160s in the carbs.

Anyway I am quite pleased with myself because I had done a lot of things on this rebuild that I had never attempted before. One being slotting the camshaft sprockets and degreeing the cams. Was quite a relief when it started to not hear any knocking or clunking noises.

Thanks to everyone for words of congratulation. Still a little way to go yet to finetune everything.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Don,
Great sounding Engine. The first time I listened to the video I must have triple clicked it as there were three videos running at once and your bike sounded like a Ferrari. Anyhow once I got it down to one it still sounds great. I would be tempted to run with just an open tip as Matchless suggests.

What are your plans for colors?

Jim

Hey Jim, thanks for your kind words and don't let STEVE hear you say anything about running an OPEN EXHAUST.

 

[landshark]

Looking good Don!
You'll be road tripping past here soon!

 

[Nessism]

Hey Don,

I'd ride the bike as is before you start fussing with jetting. I'll bet you are pretty close the way it is.

Good luck and congratulations.

 

[tkent02]

Yes, ride it hard right away, the window of opportunity to get a good ring seal is very short.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Yes Tom I plan to. Even when I have started it up in the shed I had given it quite a few revs, never let it idle really.

 

[indyjoel]

New video looks even better

Let know when it is road ready and we'll go for a ride

Can't wait to see and hear it in the flesh

Dumb question. The fuel tank you are using on the bars, what have you put on the can end i can see to stop the fuel leaking out to the hose?

Joe

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Dumb question. The fuel tank you are using on the bars, what have you put on the can end i can see to stop the fuel leaking out to the hose?Joe

Joe that would be great. See below a couple of pics of the auxiliary fuel tank I made up from an old (40 yrs) oil container.

Not sure what you meant by your question Joe, but the fuel line just pushes onto the brass ferral i soldered onto the tank.

Thanks