T
TheCafeKid
Guest
The 1976/77 GS750"B" was the first production prototype, along with the 76/77 GS400, of Suzuki's first foray into the 4-stroke motorcycle market. In the days after Honda dominated and literally brought the Brit Bike world to its knees, and the days during which Kawasaki's vaunted Z1900 and KZ900 were the hottest thing on two wheels, Suzuki soon trumped them all with a motor that many suggest was a direct rip-off of the beloved Z/KZ but shoved into a frame and suspension that handled better than anything out there at the time. While the 750B was slightly undersized compared to the 900cc's of the Kaw motor, it found it's niche rather quickly at the track, being able to handle its speed in the corners. From that year on, the battle for horsepower supremacy was on between the two companies. The battle still rages, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Over the last few weeks, and the forth coming few more, I have started and will detail a restoration project of one of these beautiful, elegant early GSs, worked by the hands of my beloved finace Rose (Kinnet) our friend Rob (Kparkfan) and myself. This particular model has been a bit of a passion of mine since becoming a GS fanatic.
My first GS was in fact one of these very bikes, though much had been done to detract from its factory splendor. At the time, I was very much ok with that, as I had in mind a different idea of the bike that I purchased, and, as I have detailed on this forum previously, did with it just what I bought it for. A Cafe Racer build. I grew up on dirt bikes, and didn't step up to street riding till a bit later in life, around the time I was 21 (about 13 years ago...god, im getting old..heh) and MY FIRST street bikes were both Honda CB models. I have always had a penchant for the older, 50's looking rods and racer mods that the Rockers and Ton Up boys did to their machines, so I have often tried to replicate it, at least in look. My first GS750, since I bought it in an already *ahem* modded condition, would be my first attempt at actually making a true to life, only the necessities and "go fast" bits, cafe style bike. And, while it performed the way I wanted it to in the end, the looks didn't quite turn out as nice as I wanted them too. Still, it was a good learning process, and, through this forum, site, members, and the retarded amount of research I poured myself into to get it running and performing the way I wanted, it served to start me salivating at the site of all things GS...
But anyway, lets fast forward a few years here. I'd built my cafe GS, decided that it while it was fun to flick, it was more or less a torture rack, and resigned myself to the fact that I would never really ride it on a regular basis. Plus, it was only a 750 for gods sake. In the subsequent year or so that I spent building the thing, I had owned an 1100G, and now owned (and still do) an 1100ES. Both mightily more powerful than the 750, and as such, my need for more "horsepressure" continued to grow. After a season and a half of riding my 1100ES, I'd surprised myself by becoming a much better rider, and soon found that while going 100 miles an hour through sand strewn curves was a hell of a lot of fun, the "older, wiser" me was recalling what it was like to just slow down and enjoy the ride. I recall a rally just last summer, where I, with my lovely wife to be in tow, along with BWringer, Jethro, AOD and some other members, wreaked havoc on the West Virginia mountainsides aboard our GS. At the end of the day, my darling asked if I had seen some pretty waterfall along the route... I replied that I had only seen yellow and white lines and tarmac, and plenty of gravel. It was at this point, I think, where I realized going 7/10s all the time, or 9/10s some of the time, might very well get me killed someday. And while I still do plenty of wicking it up, there are days where if it doesn't feel right, I will simply slow down and enjoy the ride, the smell of the air, the changes in temperature as you ride up and down the little valleys..
And I suppose, along with this new realization that riding slow can actually be fun, another part of me really started to fall in love with well done, stock beautiful restorations of these once mighty machines. Let's face it, even on an 1150, or 1100E, a bone stock GSXR is going to make mince meat out of any one of us with a competent rider aboard it. So, while still powerful in their own right, our beloved GSes aren't the kings of the hill anymore.
Having said that, in my eyes, there is still no more beautiful a machine than a 77 750B, or a 78 1000 with spoke wheels. Something about these bikes, their simplicity, the fact that its just you, a solid motor, whatever tires you've shod your machine with, and a hope and a prayer that your ancient brakes will stop you in a panic situation that makes motorcycling all that much more enjoyable, and therapeutic in my mind. There simply is no substitute. I've ridden a few 'plastic fantastics' and while they give a whole new meaning to the term "apex predator", it's just not the same.
At any rate, last summer, a good friend and fellow GSR member Brett Griffin stumbled upon a GS750 on Craigslist. He sent me some pics, knowing that I had an affinity for these ancient of ancient GSes, and after a short conversation, it was decided that, since he'd be on a work call in the area where the bike was located, he would pick it up for me for the paltry sum of $200.00. The motor was locked, but the pics showed body work that looked very promising.
A few weeks later it was delivered to me, and the story of how it ended up in this state of disrepair regaled.
Apparently, this bike was a one owner September of 1976 build date GS750B, bought off the showroom floor by an older gentleman who had owned the bike its entire existence. At some point in recent years, the man had set forth to do an oil change and valve adjustment on the bike, pulled the oil filter cap, drain plug and valve cover, and let the oil drain. In the meantime, as I understand it, he left for the weekend, going to see family, with the bike in the garage in this open state. Upon returning, he found that the river near his home had flooded over the weekend, and his garage was now underwater. The bike's motor was ruined. The roller bearings toast. The motor would never turn over again.
I will continue this story, but I thought that I would toss out there for you all, a little tease.. A pic of what's to come..
Over the last few weeks, and the forth coming few more, I have started and will detail a restoration project of one of these beautiful, elegant early GSs, worked by the hands of my beloved finace Rose (Kinnet) our friend Rob (Kparkfan) and myself. This particular model has been a bit of a passion of mine since becoming a GS fanatic.
My first GS was in fact one of these very bikes, though much had been done to detract from its factory splendor. At the time, I was very much ok with that, as I had in mind a different idea of the bike that I purchased, and, as I have detailed on this forum previously, did with it just what I bought it for. A Cafe Racer build. I grew up on dirt bikes, and didn't step up to street riding till a bit later in life, around the time I was 21 (about 13 years ago...god, im getting old..heh) and MY FIRST street bikes were both Honda CB models. I have always had a penchant for the older, 50's looking rods and racer mods that the Rockers and Ton Up boys did to their machines, so I have often tried to replicate it, at least in look. My first GS750, since I bought it in an already *ahem* modded condition, would be my first attempt at actually making a true to life, only the necessities and "go fast" bits, cafe style bike. And, while it performed the way I wanted it to in the end, the looks didn't quite turn out as nice as I wanted them too. Still, it was a good learning process, and, through this forum, site, members, and the retarded amount of research I poured myself into to get it running and performing the way I wanted, it served to start me salivating at the site of all things GS...
But anyway, lets fast forward a few years here. I'd built my cafe GS, decided that it while it was fun to flick, it was more or less a torture rack, and resigned myself to the fact that I would never really ride it on a regular basis. Plus, it was only a 750 for gods sake. In the subsequent year or so that I spent building the thing, I had owned an 1100G, and now owned (and still do) an 1100ES. Both mightily more powerful than the 750, and as such, my need for more "horsepressure" continued to grow. After a season and a half of riding my 1100ES, I'd surprised myself by becoming a much better rider, and soon found that while going 100 miles an hour through sand strewn curves was a hell of a lot of fun, the "older, wiser" me was recalling what it was like to just slow down and enjoy the ride. I recall a rally just last summer, where I, with my lovely wife to be in tow, along with BWringer, Jethro, AOD and some other members, wreaked havoc on the West Virginia mountainsides aboard our GS. At the end of the day, my darling asked if I had seen some pretty waterfall along the route... I replied that I had only seen yellow and white lines and tarmac, and plenty of gravel. It was at this point, I think, where I realized going 7/10s all the time, or 9/10s some of the time, might very well get me killed someday. And while I still do plenty of wicking it up, there are days where if it doesn't feel right, I will simply slow down and enjoy the ride, the smell of the air, the changes in temperature as you ride up and down the little valleys..
And I suppose, along with this new realization that riding slow can actually be fun, another part of me really started to fall in love with well done, stock beautiful restorations of these once mighty machines. Let's face it, even on an 1150, or 1100E, a bone stock GSXR is going to make mince meat out of any one of us with a competent rider aboard it. So, while still powerful in their own right, our beloved GSes aren't the kings of the hill anymore.
Having said that, in my eyes, there is still no more beautiful a machine than a 77 750B, or a 78 1000 with spoke wheels. Something about these bikes, their simplicity, the fact that its just you, a solid motor, whatever tires you've shod your machine with, and a hope and a prayer that your ancient brakes will stop you in a panic situation that makes motorcycling all that much more enjoyable, and therapeutic in my mind. There simply is no substitute. I've ridden a few 'plastic fantastics' and while they give a whole new meaning to the term "apex predator", it's just not the same.
At any rate, last summer, a good friend and fellow GSR member Brett Griffin stumbled upon a GS750 on Craigslist. He sent me some pics, knowing that I had an affinity for these ancient of ancient GSes, and after a short conversation, it was decided that, since he'd be on a work call in the area where the bike was located, he would pick it up for me for the paltry sum of $200.00. The motor was locked, but the pics showed body work that looked very promising.
A few weeks later it was delivered to me, and the story of how it ended up in this state of disrepair regaled.
Apparently, this bike was a one owner September of 1976 build date GS750B, bought off the showroom floor by an older gentleman who had owned the bike its entire existence. At some point in recent years, the man had set forth to do an oil change and valve adjustment on the bike, pulled the oil filter cap, drain plug and valve cover, and let the oil drain. In the meantime, as I understand it, he left for the weekend, going to see family, with the bike in the garage in this open state. Upon returning, he found that the river near his home had flooded over the weekend, and his garage was now underwater. The bike's motor was ruined. The roller bearings toast. The motor would never turn over again.
I will continue this story, but I thought that I would toss out there for you all, a little tease.. A pic of what's to come..
Last edited:
