my zuki - project crapslap - with current pics

nols

nols

Active Member
I hope I deleted my other post in cafe, but oh well. I got this 79 suzuki gs425 for 250bucks....Was a little worried cause it was below zero and would not start when I bought it. Got her home and threw some jumper cables on it and whamo! fired right up and runs like a top! In talking to the guy I bought it from his good buddy used to own it and used it as a project when he went to cycle mechanic school so this bike has been totally torn apart and put back togeither a few years back or so. I'm going to put some hard tail struts on her and make my own seat, some shorty z bars or something, A Flat black repaint and replace some cables, etc misc garbage. Basically ride and fix while I find things wrong. First pic is my bike and second pic is an inspiration pic I found on the net.....sort of what I am looking for give or take......
 
Re: my zuki winter project

yeah I'm keeping my spokes the way they are unless I paint them to match. I bought some paint for it the other day. A semi flat black that is oil and gas resistant! not that I plan on spilling, but you can never be too safe
 
Re: my zuki winter project

+1. check out www.thegsresources.com if you run into mechanical issues (but keep the chop stories for here, them traditionalists don't like seeing a GS going under the knife ::)).
 
Re: my zuki winter project

SO- I ran into my first issue today. I was running the bike a little bit and fixing some wiring cause really that about all I'm good at! The bike died and I couldn't get it running again....I pulled a spark plug and it was sooty black! Now if I'm correct is that either my air\fuel carb settings are running- incorrect or I have a weak spark? The good news is I got all the lights working correctly and pretty much all my plans mapped out for what I'm going to do.....so that was good news anyways....Any suggestions?????
 
Re: my zuki winter project

if your carbs aren't dialed in right you may have noticed it hesitating before. could be rich and you flooded the engine, in which the plugs would look like that. pull out one plug, dry it and try starting it. Before reinstalling it check for spark. Might be weak ignition/battery- does the electric start work? I know you say the wiring harness is your thing but it could even be a faulty fuse. if the electric start doesn't work.
 
Re: my zuki winter project

I rechecked the wiring and it was good. The battery is dead the electric start cllicks, but the battery is too weak to turn it over and I've just been kickstarting it. I'll have to check the plug wires next......I'm not getting any hesitation or spitting and sputtering from the carbs either....
 
Re: my zuki winter project

Here are some various pics. I'm going to cut where the first inner fender ends and new one begins. The one with the sticker on it. The seat I make will be up to the first support bar. The fender will be just enough to make sure I don't fly back on the tire and lose the jewels!!!!!
 
Re: my zuki winter project

These pics are of the carbs off and the black struts I forgot about in my garage. Very little modding to do and those struts will fit pretty sweet and lower the bike the way I'm looking for it to be...!
 

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Re: my zuki winter project-with current pics

Nice, I am building a GS425E now into a cafe! The previous owner put a lot of GS450L parts on her! If you have an 18" front snowflake wheel I would love to get it from you if you want to sell it! PM me if this sounds like a deal! Also check out my build. Click the link in my sig! I will be watching your build! Also if your interested in a trade for my 19" snowflake I am game for it! might work out since we are building the different styles of bikes. Will be interesteing to see them move in the different directions at the same time. Your starter is much better than mine!
 
Re: my zuki winter project

nols said:
I rechecked the wiring and it was good. The battery is dead the electric start cllicks, but the battery is too weak to turn it over and I've just been kickstarting it. I'll have to check the plug wires next......I'm not getting any hesitation or spitting and sputtering from the carbs either....
Click to expand...

Sounds like your charging system is not working and your battery has slowly been going flat. The bike needs battery power to run the spark - and eventually won't run if there is no charging.

Put the jumper leads back on and see if it will fire back up. If it does, then check the voltage at the battery terminals while it is running. Over 2500 RPM you should be getting 13.5 - 14.5 V at the terminals. If there is no increase, check the wiring from the stator to the regulator to the battery. If that all checks out, you need to check the stator and regulator resistances / voltages (you'll probably need the manual for this). The original stator / regulators were the weakest link in the GS's electrics.
 
Re: my zuki winter project

hillsy said:
Sounds like your charging system is not working and your battery has slowly been going flat. The bike needs battery power to run the spark - and eventually won't run if there is no charging.

Put the jumper leads back on and see if it will fire back up. If it does, then check the voltage at the battery terminals while it is running. Over 2500 RPM you should be getting 13.5 - 14.5 V at the terminals. If there is no increase, check the wiring from the stator to the regulator to the battery. If that all checks out, you need to check the stator and regulator resistances / voltages (you'll probably need the manual for this). The original stator / regulators were the weakest link in the GS's electrics.
Click to expand...

I think it was just the battery was really old and died due to the guy that I bought it from not taking proper care of it. This bike had been refurbed in the late nineties and it has a new stator and other new electricals since I pretty much replaced or refurbished them all (minus a few bugs I need to work out of course) . It was running strangely but the carbs were all gummed up so I am cleaning them this week. I really need a manual for this bike. do they still have any free ones online anywhere???? Thanks for the info though I'll have to look into that.... never hurts to check....
 
I'm looking at handlebars....any suggestions? kind of open for anything at this point. whats on there now has got to go. I found these mini z bars what do you think? Length 29.5", Rise 3.5", Pullback 1", Center Mount 7", 7/8" Diameter
 
I'd give some serious thought to some nice short black shocks vs. the struts. I think if you want a rigid, you should go all the way and hard tail the thing. Struts are kind of a cheat :)

Plus I think shocks will look better, and will ride WAY better than struts. But it ain't my bike, so do what you like and I'm sure it's going to look awesome.
 
Tim said:
I'd give some serious thought to some nice short black shocks vs. the struts. I think if you want a rigid, you should go all the way and hard tail the thing. Struts are kind of a cheat :)

Plus I think shocks will look better, and will ride WAY better than struts. But it ain't my bike, so do what you like and I'm sure it's going to look awesome.
Click to expand...
+1
 
Tim said:
I'd give some serious thought to some nice short black shocks vs. the struts. I think if you want a rigid, you should go all the way and hard tail the thing. Struts are kind of a cheat :)

Plus I think shocks will look better, and will ride WAY better than struts. But it ain't my bike, so do what you like and I'm sure it's going to look awesome.
Click to expand...

I thought about shortening the shocks or buying a set. They have come way down in price........ I like having both hard and the shocks. It really doesn't take that much to get inside of them and shorten them. I probably will do that down the line while I'm riding and fixing, but my days I have left before ride time is starting to get shorter so I'm trying to get the major things done in a hurry. I'm going to the MMA fights tonight so there is another day lost....lol.....I may also weld some different tank mount on down the line too because if you tip the front end of the tanks on the gs series up it gives it the visual effect that you changed the angle of the forks and makes them appear different.......
 
I have a set of factory Suzuki GS450L shocks if you want them. I think they are one inch shorter than the GS425E Shocks and you will have a spare set to play with! PM me if you are interested!
 
I cleaned out the gas tank with some CLR and a hand full of small nuts and bolts....shake, sit, repeat....turned out super clean inside and all rust gone after flushing out with water. started stripping the old paint off the tank with the wire brush wheel. Mocked up a seat pan so I can figure out some angles and hinges so it doesn't fly off. I gave my carbs up to a buddy of mine to clean cause I was re-doing the wiring and didn't have enough time to get those, so I should have those back next week. I ordered a new clutch cable cause that one was smoked. Wiring is all done and tested out good. I also am mocking up where I'm going to cut the back end off. I tried a set of hardtail struts but it sat to low for my liking so I will eventually shorten the shocks this summer at some point.
 
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