My next ride, 1982 gs125

[GSXJosh]

Hello, I have been riding on and off for the last 15 years. Sold my last bike afew years ago now and saw this old 1982 Suzuki GS125 come up for sale cheap and I just had to buy it.

 

Parts for these old girls are hard to find in Australia and I have noticed alot more in the UK and Europe etc.

 

She does need some work, runs the factory Mikuni slide carb, missing the factory air box, it's been replaced with a pod filter but the carb hasn't been jetted for it so I need to sort the air box as it runs horribly.

 

Plans are to get it really tidy, add a rack on the back and some low profile panniers and just enjoy it as a commuter bike to work.

 

Cheers Josh from Oz.

 

 

[Simon Davey]

Welcome to the forum @GSXJosh

 

Sounds interesting Josh, keep us updated with pictures. 

[JRH]

Hi and welcome 

[bonio]

Hi Josh. Welcome in.

[RideWithStyles]

Hi josh, 

Id balance them to the pod filters/socks first, get everything else sorted and running then look at the box later (eBay find in the meantime).

[Mold]

Hi Josh, my first and only brand new out of the showroom bike was a 1990 Suzuki GS125 and that's the bike that set me on my love for motorbikes. If bikes had feelings I feel sorry for that bike, the poor thing never had a service in all the time I had it and I used to ride it to the max every day. I don't know why it is never listed as one of those bikes that are unkillable, seriously if I needed a bike for reliability and motorway speed wasn't necessary, this would be the bike I'd pick, it's lightweight, nimble and the MPG is ridiculous. I live on the outskirts of the countryside and those short length sharp turn country roads would give me a 'buzz' (my last bike was a YZF600) and I still can't get that 'buzz' back and I've never had it with any other bike either. I suspect it was because it was my first motorbike and I wasn't used to the 'speed' LOL.

[GSXJosh]

Finally had some time to rebuild the carb. It runs a slide carb unlike the newer models.

 

I can get it to start and run, has an unreliable idle and after a rev the revs will hang and slowly come down eventually. 

 

I can't find any air leaks.

 

With the original carb what settings should I start with for the mixture screw? I can find plenty for the newer carbs but no settings for the slide carb.

 

Also the needle settings, I understand I should be making it richer because of the excess air it's now getting with the pod filter..

 

Still trying to find an original air box.

[RideWithStyles]

Don’t mess with mixture yet.

 

Slides generally don’t use vacuum to operate, either natural contact friction or its on roller bearings to control the slide /inlet, so it its holding its most likely that sticking or from the cables/adjuster/mount.

 

japs had a very logical thing for these, might be something like 1turn out from closed or three turns back. 

Edited January 20 by RideWithStyles

[GSXJosh]

A risk we take when buying a cheap old bike.. will give it afew oil changes and see how it goes.

 

[Simon Davey]

What on earth is that?

[GSXJosh]

First oil change... I suspect this is a flood bike.

[Simon Davey]

Grim. 

[RideWithStyles]

Yeah not a good sign to put it mildly.

[GSXJosh]

It gets worse.

 

Small chunk of alloy and the whole bottom of the side cover was full of metallic sludge, it moved with the magnet.

 

Alot of heavier pieces too the same texture as sand, it obviously has had some water sitting in it for a while.

 

The thing is the motor does run, but what worries me is how long for... I'll do an oil and filter change in it and wait for the new air filter box to show up and go from there.

 

I'm not rebuilding it. It was meant as a cheap run around bike. Motors for these aren't easy to come by in Australia.

 

 

[Simon Davey]

A couple of oil changes flushed through will do the trick. At least just the fact that it's running is a real bonus.

[GSXJosh]

Well...... Cleaned carb again used all different types of wire and probed every carb hole I could, made sure everything was spotless. Could eat off it.

 

Motor now won't fire... Hmmmm... Checked spark... Got spark.

 

Checked fuel, got fuel.

 

Airbox fitted, yep.

 

Valves adjusted. No need they are within spec.

 

Finger over spark plug hole, crank motor... Hmmmmmmmm

 

Compression gauge found in my massive mess of a garage.

 

80psi. Lowest recommended is 113psi.

 

Pulled the head cover off... Which forms part of the camshaft housing, the end section of the cam is badly scored so the head cover was as well.

 

So now I'm at a turning point with this bike.

 

Do I

 

A. Rebuild it.

B. Source a gs125 motor from a wreck of a more modern version that bolts in.

C. Bin it.

D. Find something else. Which knowing me... Will need work.

 

The bike other than the running issue is 99% complete.

 

I Bought this for myself for turning 40, I wanted something to tinker on... I did however almost buy a brand new klr650... Probably should of done that.

[Simon Davey]

All you need for a KLR650, is jacket gloves and helmet.