Progress update on my '83 GS850GL

[Wingsconsin]

I first found this bike in a state of terrible neglect living in Dubuque IA. with an owner who had neither the skills nor the resources to do a proper resurrection. He was riding it , when he could get it running, and that seemed few and far between. It was clean and shiny, but ran terribly and had been neglected for quite some time it seems. I bought it and brought it home in October of 2013.
This is the Craiglist photo I first saw...

From that time forward I have been tinkering, and working , and spending on getting it really ready to be a daily rider and commuter. Most of the seals leaked oil, it had not been valve adjusted since who knows when, it ran awful, the carbs were a mess, the tires old and worn, the brakes worked (kinda). Some parts and pieces were missing but it was mostly whole and a survivor of sorts. Being the first Blue on Black GS850 GL I had ever seen I fell in love with it and decided to renew it .

New seals, valve adjust , valve seals, stopping all the leaks eventually, and a carb tear down and clean and adjust,; followed by adding a luggage rack, working gauges, and hard saddlebags; new tires, brake caliper cleaning and bleeding the old fluids out, fresh
fluids everywhere and some more TLC...

Here she sits in my garage this morning...

And Finally - The saddlebags have lights in them and I added them to the brake light circuit... See a You Tube video here...
--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cwZHV-337E

 

[Wingsconsin]

You may notice the MIXED years accessories...
Things like the round turn indicators in the front ('82) vs rectangular in the rear ('83)
The 85 MPH speedo gauge is not original to the bike. I have the 140 MPH speedo OFF as it squeals something awful and I found this working replacement.
The bike was built as an '83 in late '82 and I think they may have mixed parts at the assembly plant as they ran out of '82 parts....? (maybe)
Or these have been replaced by a Previous Owner who paid little attention to details...(likely)

The newspapers under the bike are to catch any wayward oil drips - but after 3 days since the last running - no indication of leaks (finally - I have been messing with the stator cover way too much).

Still left to do...

Bleed front brakes (again).
Hang case guards - I have them already
Re-cushion the seat (add foam to add width and thickness for better comfort)

Tinker with some additional running lights (LEDs)

And whatever else I find to do as I ride the snot out of it...

 

[koolaid_kid]

They started building 83 models around Oct. 82, so it is a true 83 model.
Nice story, nice bike.

 

[jsandidge]

Nice bike!

Nice bike!

Very nice! Where'd you get those saddlebags?

 

[Wingsconsin]

They started building 83 models around Oct. 82, so it is a true 83 model.
Nice story, nice bike.

Yep - date code is for an October '82 build

Very nice! Where'd you get those saddlebags?

Bags are Mutazu LN size hard bags - About $125 delivered to my door. Decent bags, included mounting brackets and hardware, ABS material and keyed locks ..

-->> http://www.mutazu.com/