I bought a Suzuki Service manual for $550 and got a free bike

[barnbiketom]

A 1983 GR650 Tempter!!
It was advertised on Craigslist as having BRAND NEW TIRES and NEW chain and sprockets..he had ridden it last year...??? also had electrical problems AND a "bad starter mechanism" I called and he said the starter just "whirred" like it was a bad bendix... hmmmmm...He admitted that he wasn't at all mechanical in nature hehehhe...

I finally made time to go see it after waiting him out 2 weeks.
He had a new battery with a smallish battery charger on it and indeed the starter just spun Quietly. hmmm
Also no headlite , tail light, NOTHING lit up except the hi beam indicator... hmmmm. nada.

I dragged it home, and immediately found a new battery installed, with NO WATER..dry as a bone and I mean DRY. the plates were all warped and it was like he had charged the heck out of it that way.
He had never put water in it..
I bought a new battery, installed it and pressed the starter button and it cranked normally, then it actually STARTED UP and idled great!!!!
Charging voltage showed 14.3 volts at idle.. and revved it was 14.6!!! Previously I was thinking it boiled out the water BUT
I actually think he never put acid in the battery????

Moving on, I found one fuse blown and when I put a new one in, EVERYTHING WORKED ..except when using the rh turns, it instantly blew the fuse when using the Right...
the turn signals are not stock, and I found a botched wire on the right rear signal.
Everything now works..
the headlite was blown, I suspect he had it running with a dry battery long enough to pop the headlight??? no battery/no buffer for the voltage.. I had a spare in the shop and PRESTO LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!

Bike runs and takes the gas, but after 1/2 throttle it's pretty sick...carbs are coming off for a look but they do look virgin!!
The air filter is butchered and flopping around, maybe it is drawing too much air..I'll fix that first.
Thanks to BIG RICH, I see how the filter is sposed to work and that's where I am!!
Gotta love craigslist..I can't wait to see how this thing goes!!! so far it's like the best handling smoothest one ever.. and seating position, handlebars etc are GREAT!!!!!!

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Steve]

That is a bit expensive for a manual. :-k

Good thing you got a free bike to soften the blow.

Nice score. :encouragement:

.

 

[barnbiketom]

Thank you Steve!! I really am excited!!
I ordered a new filter element off EBAY ( from poland..12 day wait) 25 bucks can't beat it!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171324392566
I will try to run it tomorrow with the existing filter but with a repair to the housing seal.. just to see!!!!!
WHEEEEEEEE

 

[Big Rich]

What a deal Tom. Did you see the 450e on the Pittsburgh Craigslist? It's the newer style body work, dent in the tank, and he is asking $650 obo.

Glad to help out with what I can buddy! I'll try and poke around the garage this weekend and see what all I have. I certainly don't have any stock signals though...

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

looks really nice
loved the paint scheme on those bikes

 

[BigD_83]

Hard to tell for sure, but from where I am sitting that looks like a good deal.

Rich can tell you more, but I hear they are known to have some timing chain issues. I helped someone once who was trying to fix his, and...well...he discovered the timing chain is not so easy to replace.

 

[barnbiketom]

Hard to tell for sure, but from where I am sitting that looks like a good deal.

Rich can tell you more, but I hear they are known to have some timing chain issues. I helped someone once who was trying to fix his, and...well...he discovered the timing chain is not so easy to replace.

Iwill get it running for more than a few minutes then check the valves . i see the tensioner is automatic and different than the GSs so the locknut csnt be done wrong...there is none.
It has 33,000 miles so who knows....

 

[Rob S.]

I would have just taken the free bike - you paid way too much for a manual. :xsmilie_mrgreen:

Ride it in health.

 

[eil]

That's a nice-looking tempter. I've only seen the red and black ones up to now, I think.

 

[barnbiketom]

Thanks everyone ..I am TEMPTED to make it a keeper.

 

[Guest]

From the excitement in your post I think you're pretty pleased with yourself, which means you got a great deal.

I think would have been happy with a GR650, but they are pretty rare here.

 

[barnbiketom]

well it's a cold day here, not sure what I'll get done. It's my day off so I'll attempt something lol but WHAT ARE THE TWO rubber straps that pivot, underneath the seat????????????

 

[Big Rich]

Every one of those straps I've seen have always been busted. I think they were used to hold down the factory chain lock. Buy I could be wrong.

 

[barnbiketom]

mine are nice shape.. maybe they are worth 100 bucks each lol!!
factory chain lock ..
i googled that and see they came with a lock? the holy grail of Grs........everybody must have pitched it lol

 

[Gorminrider]

good score! and the manual is worth something too...a lot of ink to pump one out of a printer.

 

[barnbiketom]

good score! and the manual is worth something too...a lot of ink to pump one out of a printer.

The manual is an official Suzuki Shop manual, in a 3 ring binder.. or at least looks to be authentic!!!

 

[barnbiketom]

Carbs need gone through.. The filter to airbox seal did nuttin..monday will be the reveal!

 

[storm 64]

Hey Barnbike, are you going to have your GR ready for Bike Nite at QS&L in Sharon next Wednesday? I'd like to meet up with you sometime...

 

[barnbiketom]

Hard to say. Hopefully no surprises when i open up carbs but i got a 98 orange 650 Savage.. I can go if im off..ill check schedule

 

[barnbiketom]

Hey Barnbike, are you going to have your GR ready for Bike Nite at QS&L in Sharon next Wednesday? I'd like to meet up with you sometime...

Storm, I didn't get a plate on the GR, I figured it was a pig in a poke, maybe blown up or something... and now have to wait till the title comes back to plate it. anyway, even if It's done by wednesday, I can't legally ride it just yet.
however I am off and will plan to go to sharon on wednesday. maybe see if my bro in law can go to.. we usuallly hit them a few times a year just for laughs ( cookie cutter HDs hahah)
I'l see what he weather is and let you know!!!!!!