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Ressurection of an '89

Started by jen_, May 22, 2014, 06:41:06 AM

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gsJack

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on June 02, 2014, 08:36:48 AM
Quote from: Twism86 on May 23, 2014, 08:46:45 AM
You wont have a problem getting rid of those clip-ons!! 
Go with sonic or progressive spring. Get rid of the fuel filter. Change all fluids and put on new tires. Check the tank for rust. If you feel up to it clean the carbs and put in larger jets while you have them open. All of that will really freshen up that bike.
the 89 clipons as stated, ARE and always will be the holy grail of parts

Not to an 80+ year old rider yami, I have stock bars with risers.   :icon_lol:
407,400 miles in 30 years for 13,580 miles/year average.  Started riding 7/21/84 and hung up helmet 8/31/14.

jen_

Quote from: gsJack on June 02, 2014, 08:18:27 AM
The Conti Motion is a radial tire and the Lasertec is a bias tire.  A radial front with a bias rear is considered a bad mix but a bias front with a radial rear is OK.  Your mix wouldn't pass inspection in EU but we don't have inspections here in OH but some states do.

How bad is a bad mix?  They are both round and made of rubber.  The old tires were bald and cracked.  I was trying to keep the cost down.
'89 project bike

gsJack

Quote from: jen_ on June 02, 2014, 08:51:59 AM
Quote from: gsJack on June 02, 2014, 08:18:27 AM
The Conti Motion is a radial tire and the Lasertec is a bias tire.  A radial front with a bias rear is considered a bad mix but a bias front with a radial rear is OK.  Your mix wouldn't pass inspection in EU but we don't have inspections here in OH but some states do.

How bad is a bad mix?  They are both round and made of rubber.  The old tires were bald and cracked.  I was trying to keep the cost down.

I suggested Roadriders when you said Lasertec Jen, the Lasertec are quite pricey here now.  Local place that is online too for stock sizes:

Lasertec:  $125, $143

Roadriders:  $103, $116

Kenda K671:  $76, $82

Check prices at AMT if you haven't bought yet, seem to be best prices right now:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/

I put a Kenda K671 on the back of a CM400 I wanted to use another year once and my 02 GS had a new K657 on it when I bought it and it was only half worn when I put new radials on in the spring after putting 5k miles on the Kenda.  I think the 671 are as good as the B'stone Excedra tires that came on your bike and on my 97 GS when they were new and I used them up.  Worth considering if your price shopping for tires for moderate riding at legal speeds one up, might want a little better for a lot of 2 up riding though

Finally, back to your question, the radial bad mix can cause serious oversteer and loss of control when pushed to the limit.  You'll probably never experience it yourself and I'll not worry about it myself unless I grow young again  :icon_lol:  but bike might not pass where they inspections.

407,400 miles in 30 years for 13,580 miles/year average.  Started riding 7/21/84 and hung up helmet 8/31/14.

jen_

Well, the tires are already on the wheels, so that's how it's gonna stay for a while. :embarassed:
'89 project bike

jen_

#24
So far:

-Changed the fork oil and fork seals. Think we did it right, but no test ride yet.

-New front brake pads on (HH).  Tried to bleed the front brakes, but couldn't get any pressure to build up in the line.  No fluid would come out the vent bolt on the caliper after many squeezes of brake lever (30+).  The MC appears to be leaking at the junction with the lever.  The little rubber boot thingie is cracked. Just a few drips at a time. I assume this is the problem? So replace the master cylinder?

-New handlebars are on but getting things arranged so the control cables are long enough has been a chore -- and now the MC has to come off again.

-New rubber is on front and back, wheels back on, and chain adjusted.

Still on the to do list for now is an oil change and chain lube.  Almost ready to ride!  Need to get those front breaks sorted!
'89 project bike

Big Rich

If your master cylinder is leaking out of the piston area, you basically have 2 options: buy a rebuild kit and tear open the MC.....or find a newer MC on ebay and just swap them out. They are usually pretty cheap on eBay, but you're never 100% sure what you're getting.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

jen_

Got a MC rebuild kit, then managed to shear the break lever pivot bolt in half taking it off.   :technical: :2guns: :cry:

Now I remember why I HATE WRENCHING.
'89 project bike

Philipp

Hey Jen

I ran into a bunch of these issues on my 89, best thing I can recommend is a tap wrench (can be gotten almost anywhere). The bolts on my bike were giving me nothing but trouble that way (2 trips to machine shops to get busted bolts removed). The tap wrench made my life a lot easier though.

By the way all the dried out rubber grommets and cushions can be revived with dot4 brake fluid believe it or not just bathe them in it for a few minutes each and they are their old springy self.

Philipp

MARider

Honestly for the trouble I would just buy a master cyclinder..ie katana sv another gs one. On older bikes I ave had..I used to live near an amazing motorcycle junk yard and just used things that fit.

jen_

I shopped for a used Master Cylinder.  Everything on fleabay for the few days I looked was in marginal condition, possibly no better than mine, or was $100+ dollars.  The goal is to ride this bike this summer, not just work on it.

Tried to ride it a bit last night (with a random bolt jammed in holding on the brake lever).  It runs ok.  Some white smoke with the choke on.  Lots of clicking/tapping in the engine.  BUT it won't go into gear.  The "friction zone" on the clutch lever is at the very end of the throw, I think.  So I think I need to adjust the clutch cable?  A product of switching handlebars/control locations?
'89 project bike

MARider

I would say definitely check the clutch cable and adjust. Also here http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111282525017?lpid=82 I would say it is a better choice then trying to fix what may be more time and money then its worth. I personally have never had a master cylinder go bad. I have changed them out due to downing old bikes more than anything. One thing that has helped me as of late with my bike fixes is get one thing done before moving on to something else..be it small or not.

gsJack

Give it a complete 3 point clutch adjustment to get it right.  If the push rod free play isn't OK it's not going to be right.  Both my 97 bought new and my 02 bought with only 4k miles on it were off, too much push rod free play on both.  Only needed 3 point adjustment a couple times in 80-100k miles on those bikes after it was once made right.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500clutchadjustment_zps58ca4ce8.jpg
407,400 miles in 30 years for 13,580 miles/year average.  Started riding 7/21/84 and hung up helmet 8/31/14.

jen_

So it is on the road!

The left hand turn signal seems to have miraculously fixed itself.

The clutch lever seems to need a little more adjustment, but is functional.

Taking off the master cylinder to fix that seal, the BF managed to shear off the brake lever pivot bolt. Called ever motorcycle shop in town (4) and no one either had this bolt, or was willing to part with it. Ron Ayres had it...but wanted $8 shipping for a $2 bolt.  Instead went to a cycle salvage yard in Denver (was going down there to see friends anyways) and got one for 50 cents. Whew!

The mirrors need adjusting in a bad way.

The throttle cable is too short, so when you turned the bars to the left, the throttle would open.  :icon_eek:YIKES!!!  Moved the throttle control in on the bars for now.  The bars will need to be trimmed.  I think the answer to the question: Will Superbike Bars fit on my 89 GS? is actually no. Not easily they won't.

The most annoying nagging problem is the idle speed.  If you are moving along, then slow and pull in the clutch, the idle only goes down to 3000rpm. It will just sit there it will stay idling at 3000.  If you put it in first and engage it a tiny bit then pull the clutch lever back in, it will drop down to ~1200 rpm (or just a slow, normal sounding idle).  What is the dealio here? :dunno_black:




The 89 GS500e and a shiny new m796.
'89 project bike

Nocluejoe

I am having the same issue as you right now and I can tell you the things to check right now would be any vacuum leaks, check your float height (u tube method), the small oring on the top of each carb in the corner is still there, and last thing I know about is check your valves.

For me I did all the above except the valves and I'm still having the issue so looks like I am opening it up this weekend :/

gsJack

Hanging idle caused by too lean air/fuel mixture on 89-00 models that have old 2 circuit carbs.  Most here would be tearing into the carbs to re-jet.  I had it on my 97 bought new the first summer I had it and managed to adjust it out and never had it again for the 80k miles I rode it, stock all the way.

When coming to a stop if I had hanging idle I would reach under the carbs while sitting right there on the seat and slowly turn the idle speed down until it dropped back to normal.  Slowly, very slowly and not a tad more than necessary or idle would be too low after it dropped.  Had to repeat it a couple times before it was gone but it was gone for good then.

That was first summer on a new bike and only when hot on a hot days.  Could be different on older bikes with possible air leaks, etc that need carb work but worth a try. Never had it on the 02 with the 3 circuit carbs.


407,400 miles in 30 years for 13,580 miles/year average.  Started riding 7/21/84 and hung up helmet 8/31/14.

cbrfxr67

I bought my gs that way and went through the carbs which fixed it.  I think it was an Oring in my carbs that was almost disintegrated.  It's been awhile so not 100% but after going through them it was good.
"Its something you take apart in 2-3 days and takes 10 years to go back together."
-buddha

Big Rich

On an 89, check the actual rubber mounts between the motor and carbs - either they are old and need replaced (can find newer ones on eBay, so no need to buy brand new ones for big $$) or it could be a large ish oring between the rubber boots and engine. Older bikes tend to get a lot of air leaks around intake boots.

Is your throttle cable too short, or is it snagging on something? Simply rerouting it might help.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

jen_

So we have gone from the annoying-but-not-fatal issue of a hanging idle, to full on fueling issues. Stranded on the side of the road type fueling issues.

It started with the bike behaving like it was out of gas once you got it over 20 mph or so.  Sometimes you could stop, and then restart it, then nurse it along at 10 mpg, but roll on the gas, or upshift, and it would die again. Looking at the in-line fuel filter, it sometimes looked like there was no gas in there.  Finally put the petcock on prime and rode home in first gear on the shoulder.  There still seemed to be a little lugging, but not sure.  Really just wanted to get it home.

So now we have pulled the carbs for cleaning.  And probably we will change the type of fuel filter.  There is some sediment in the current one.  Now that the tank is off and the bike is everywhere, what else should we be looking for? We really just want to get it running and sell the beast to someone more mechanical. Don't want to do the valves. (didn't want to clean the carbs either, but here we are).  The inside of the tank really doesn't look that bad. I see one rust spot.

So far all the carb boots and seals look good. Opening them up tonight.

'89 project bike

MARider


jen_

#39
Disassembled the carbs a bit. Found one of the springs under the top cover broken in half. Could this be the problem? Otherwise they look pretty clean.
'89 project bike

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