Seb from France

[Guest]

Hi this is Seb, 48, from France. I owned a few bikes in the past (Yamaha DTR125, GS550, Freewind 600, DL650), but have been using mainly Italian scooters for the past twelve years... until September 2020 when I came upon this nice 1979 GS850. It is stock except for the 4in1 exhaust, and for the front light, front brakes, and airbox that come from a later model.

I could not resist her appeal even though she came with some issues (cracked saddle cover and side panel, leak at base gasket, left turn signals working 10% of the time, carbs need rejetting and adjustement, noisy front brakes, sticky clutch to name a few).

For now I have replaced the saddle cover and fixed the side panel, and I am (slowly) working with a friend on the other issues. I hope to make it fully running by next spring.

Thank you guys for the wealth of information to be found here and on BassCliff's website. Cheers!

 

[rphillips]

The GS 850's are great bikes, congrats & welcome.

 

[Baatfam]

Welcome....

 

[salty_monk]

Salut! Bienvenue from a "Roast Beef"...

 

[Guest]

Thank you!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bob for resizing the pic, I'll try to do better next time !

 

[Gorminrider]

Bonjour, Seb! Nice bike! I like red!

...a bit of a digression, but I've heard Paris has very strict pollution laws that pertain to the age of a vehicle? Is there any such regulation that will affect you and your 850?

 

[trevor]

Welcome to the club...great bike! Question...what are insurance rates like in Paris? Cheers

 

[fastbysuzuki]

Hi, nice looking bike you have there, just wondering why the bike needs re- jetting as in the picture it has a standard airbox fitted?

 

[Steve]

..., left turn signals working 10% of the time, ...

Look at the bright side. :-k

Even when working PERFECTLY, turn signals only work 50% of the time.

.

 

[rphillips]

If self canceling don't work, you're correct, it's 50%

 

[Steve]

No, with everything working, it's 50%.

ON, off, ON, off, ON, off, etc.

That's half the time, that's 50%. :-\\\

.

 

[rphillips]

All in how you read it, On mine after appx. 15 sec. my auto cancel turns the signal off, it stays off till I turn it back on. If I take a 2 hr. ride, my turn signal bulb is not lit a total of 1 hr. (50%) of the time. If my self cancel does not work & I don't notice & leave it on for the 2 hr. ride, the signal bulb is lit for 1 hr. (50%) of the time. Surely you know I wuz just pok'in.

 

[Rob S.]

Can it core a apple? Oh, it can core a apple!

Welcome, Seb!

 

[rphillips]

Rob........ you're improving physically, I'm beginning to wonder about mentally?????

 

[Guest]

Bonjour, Seb! Nice bike! I like red!

...a bit of a digression, but I've heard Paris has very strict pollution laws that pertain to the age of a vehicle? Is there any such regulation that will affect you and your 850?

Thanks! Yes pollution regulations apply to the GS, but there is an exception in Paris for ?v?hicules de collection? / classic vehicules, a status available to over 30 year old vehicules in original condition. However it seems that the City of Paris is considering suppressing the exception this year, so we'll see...

 

[Guest]

Hi, nice looking bike you have there, just wondering why the bike needs re- jetting as in the picture it has a standard airbox fitted?

Hi, that's because there is a K&N filter in the airbox and a 4in1 exhaust, which seems to increase airflow. I tried to set the air screws according to specifications (2,25 turns) and the pipes turned red hot quite quickly.

 

[Guest]

Welcome to the club...great bike! Question...what are insurance rates like in Paris? Cheers

Hi Trevor,
My insurer (Macif) charges a little under 120 euros a year. This corresponds to the minimum compulsory coverage (liability toward ?third parties?). I tried to get extra coverage (theft fire etc.) but they did not offer it for old bikes.

 

[Guest]

Can it core a apple? Oh, it can core a apple!

Welcome, Seb!

Hi Rob,
Thanks, I suppose that this concludes the turn signals discussion! I thought that issue could be caused by corroded contacts, but strangely the signals do work when the bike is idle, and hardly when it is moving.

 

[steve murdoch]

Hi, that's because there is a K&N filter in the airbox and a 4in1 exhaust, which seems to increase airflow. I tried to set the air screws according to specifications (2,25 turns) and the pipes turned red hot quite quickly.

That shouldn't happen with just an aftermarket filter.
Have you checked valve clearances lately?
Did you leave it idling without a fan blowing on the engine?