What is this?

I am in the process of restoring my first motorcycle, mor details on my signature. I have become very curious about older motorcycles, yesterday I drove by an inspection garage and they had al old Motorcyle parked outside. I guess it was lunch time because a lady came out, when I asked how much they wated for it she picked the phone and yelled.. $850.

When I asked her how old it was, she looked at me and said "hold on" at that point I asked her to forget it since she was going to pick the phone again. Obviously not their motorcycle nor had a clue of what they had.

Of course I do not know either but it seemed a bit expensive for the conditions of the bike. It may seem like everything is there but by being in the process of restoring one I am finding out of the cost to do all the serviced that an old motorcycle should've had for 20+ years at once.

 

It may be an early 80s GS something, judging by the size of the engine, probably an 850cc or maybe more. These were good bikes back then. Maybe 500$ worth, maybe not, looks a bit rough.
Last time I bought a bike with these dangling leather thingies, it appeared that the PO was maintenance-inclined...

 

I've got an 81 GS850 in the shop and that bike is a bit different.

Tail light on this one is molded into the fender like on the Secas. The starter is buried under the side cover with the end not visible like that one. Alloy wheels. Finally, it's shaft drive where that appears to be chain.

That one is likely a bit older and/or a 550.

 

After a lot of picture looking online I have narrowed it down to 78 or 79 Suzuki GS750 but I can't tell exactly what it is.

 

Based on the color scheme (assuming original tank) and wire wheels I'd make it to be a 1977 Suzuki GS750 with an ungawdly "king-n-queen" seat and Sportster mufflers.

Like this one, but without the fairings:

 

Thanks Fitz, I was close. It was in really rough shape and when they said $850 I almost laughed at them but the lady would have no clue anyways.

I thought it was worth stopping by but the seller/owner wasn't there, maybe I will stop in a couple of months unless they find somebody who is willing to pay top dollar for a bottom dollar bike on that condition.

The airbox had big holes on both sides, it was not close to ok looking.

 

But then again it might have been the sweetest running bike you ever saw......

 

^^Ah, the old book cover philosophy...Nice Polock
I especially like that as I am aging worse than my bike it seems

 

Old Suzukis didn't age well.

Here's the thing about the XJs vs. every other UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) of the era: That Suzuki is about three feet wide at the crank.

Yamaha, on the XJ, was the first Japanese manufacturer to move the alternator off the end of the crankshaft and in doing so, significantly "narrow" the motor. Honda followed suit a couple years later with the Nighthawks. Suzuki didn't until the GXR's.

There's another reason that the XJs are so popular compared to the Suzukis of that time period: they weren't very good motorcycles. You don't see very many of them because they didn't last.

Back in 1980, when I bought one of my SR500s brand new, I had looked at the Suzuki 450 twin as well. But the thing that really got me was that the Suzuki's rear shock springs were RUSTED on the "inside" right on the showroom floor. Seriously? Rusty chrome right out of the crate?

I bought a Yamaha.

 

let's not go there

 

I worked for a Suzuki dealer back in the 80's. I saw rusty parts on bikes right out of the crate all the time. I was told it was because the bikes were shipped by boat and the salt water did it. It was funny that I never saw rust on a Yamaha when I set them up out of the crate for another dealer.

 

I'm not. The Suzukis of today are certainly much improved over what they were in the late '70s.

I was comparing the Suzuki of 1980 to Yamaha in 1980. And at that time, they were no where near as well-made or well-finished a product as Yamaha's.

 

too bad is itsn't a gT 750

 

I'm still messing with MY 73 GT750K! Will probably get more done on it this year once I fix the short in the kill switch on the XJ. Need to pull the engine on the GT and replace the head bolts. Need to tear of the top and remove two broken ones.

 

My mate had several. The GS 750 was a great bike and very reliable. They were one of the first Jap bikes with good handling IMHO. See also:

http://www.mcnews.com.au/newsarchives/2 ... _gs750.htm

 

Something I only found out recently was they moved it back to the crank end for the XJ600, alternator housing is still behind the engine but it is empty

The wheels off those GS sell for stupid money here as they're a bolt in fit to convert GSX1100 and Katana to wire wheels