New Old Bike

[Uncle Ernie]

Well, shoot- they don't look anything alike, do they.

Maybe a Japanese and American version? What the heck's going on? I've actually seen one here in the 'States that had the word "Temptor" on the tank, but supposedly it was grey-market.

Well... nice picture, anyway.

[MZRider]

Originally Posted by Uncle Ernie

I've kept this picture for a long time; one of the prettiest cafes I've seen allegedly based on a Tempter.

That's Savage based, not Tempter. Very cool - whodathunkit?

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by jeep44

I have one of those Tempters out in my barn. My Dad bought it new in '84 (I think) and rode it for a while. He gave it to my Nephew, who fried the electrics jump-starting it from a car. It got pushed into my barn,and there it has stayed. I started to look at it last summer,and picked up the necessary parts on eBay,along with a shop manual. I'm going to get it running after I finish the Triumph that is the main project now. It has wire wheels, and a solid red tank.

You've probably have a GR650X. It came with the single color, wire wheels and non-air adjustable front suspension, otherwise it's pretty much the same as mine. If you check out David Riess(?) he has one just like it. Some pretty neat stuff about the bike. Mono rear shock, centrifigal crank weight that lightens as the revs build, balance shaft, fuel gauge. Pretty cool. Parts are pretty scarce for this bike, but you won't see one on every block.

[jeep44]

Yeah, it's the base model "X". It is in very good condition,even though it was last run in '95. It has been stuffed in a corner of my barn all this time,covered with a sheet. The mufflers have been plugged to keep mice out. The engine sidecovers have become badly tarnished -they will need some serious polishing. Seeing this thread made me go out and spray some PB Blaster in the spark plug holes,and turn it over a few times. I think it will be a fairly straightforward operation getting it running again-hopefully by the end of this summer.

[vtwin]

Jeep, check out the Suzuki GR Forum, pretty quiet site, but the only one I've found that's really dedicated to the GR650. Good luck with yours.

[vtwin]

Well, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.



Amazing how much stuff a bike is made of...



I decided to lube all the bearings in the rear end....like ten of them!




Pretty complicated setup with the mono-shock....

As you can tell, this isn't going to be a show bike. But one with alot of "patina".

I've reassembled the engine and with the help of my daughter, reinstalled it into the frame. Funny picture in the service manual, shows one guy removing the engine by himself. Let me tell you something, I sure couldn't do this without hurting myself!



I wired it back up, put on the front end after replacing the lower bearing and greasing the upper one.



Decided I was too anxious to try out the new battery, so I hooked up the exhaust and cranked the engine for the first time over a year and a half. Oil started pouring out of the clutch rod seal as I forgot to put the rod back in. Some fresh plugs, some carb cleaner down the vacumn hose and viola, she fired up! Albeit on one cylinder, but it runs! I'm pretty happy. So as soon as I get the brake pads and shoes I ordered, I can put the wheels back on and take it for a spin.

[Caddy82rats]

for the cam tensioner, maybe you can flaten it drill it an put 2 home made clamps ? Same fitment as a camshaft

why a broken timing chain ? Ask you dealer, forums etc
Maybe a worn cam tensionner ?
On old KZ dragsters it was usual to put mecanical ones with bolt and nut
is it the way ?

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by Caddy82rats

for the cam tensioner, maybe you can flaten it drill it an put 2 home made clamps ? Same fitment as a camshaft

why a broken timing chain ? Ask you dealer, forums etc
Maybe a worn cam tensionner ?
On old KZ dragsters it was usual to put mecanical ones with bolt and nut
is it the way ?

I checked it out and found out the spring wasn't wound in the right direction. It's a very simple tensioner, uses a "clock" type windup spring to spin the adjuster outward. I think the previous owner didn't wind up the tensioner to apply pressure to the adjusting part. If I get my brake parts, I should be able to take it for a spin during the long weekend.

[Shmerel]

now that you've come this far, why not turn it into a mean sexy bitch?

[vtwin]

This going to be my tug as soon as I find a suitible hack. Check out the frame, looks stout enough for duty!

[vtwin]

It's been over a year and a half since I brought this little orphan home. Well, I've been anxious to get this back together. My late nights have paid off.



It's not perfect, but has great "patina".



I'll probably never have it pristine, but that's ok, as even my '07 Ulysses is just as dirty.

I was able to fire it up as well and it sure ran poorly until I oiled up the factory type air filter and closed up the air box. Then I discovered the replacement fuel tank leaking fuel all over the place. Leak at the petcock and the sending unit. So another order of parts and waiting. No riding this bike just yet.

[Motoduc1]

I love these stories! We just seem to have an infatuation with underdogs...and I've always believed no motorcycle should be left to rot, rust and die. I don't care if it is a Vincent Black Shadow or a Honda CM 400 (not to offend CM 400 owners!): no motorcycle left behind!

Great work! Please continue to keep us posted!

[bpeckm]

Originally Posted by Motoduc1

I love these stories! We just seem to have an infatuation with underdogs...and I've always believed no motorcycle should be left to rot, rust and die. I don't care if it is a Vincent Black Shadow or a Honda CM 400 (not to offend CM 400 owners!): no motorcycle left behind!

Great work! Please continue to keep us posted!

Now that's worth quoting!! Love it!

[vtwin]

So many issues to getting an old bike running. It's no wonder people give up on these bikes and store them on the side of the house. After fixing the fuel leaks on the bike, (petcock and fuel sender gasket), I sure feel better about not seeing raw fuel coming out of the loose header pipe. And the right cylinder isn't spraying fuel out of the spark plug hole either. Those vacumn petcocks seem to be more trouble than they are worth. So a little tuning and the bike is running decent. I took it out for a short ride down the street and it seems to run ok. Kinda nice to just tootle along. This bike is not going to scare any liter bikes, that's for sure. I do have some questions and looking for some advice. The right cylinder is popping through the exhaust at idle. Seems to clear up while riding, but upon cold start, it really pops, like one of those old time single cylinder industrial machines that are on display at car shows. Sound like carb problems? Also, the starter drags when the engine is warm. I'd say maybe the starter is seizing when warm, but if you put the choke on, it cranks easily, weird. So i still have some issues with the bike, like the fork seals leak and the battery isn't getting charged. Seems the rectifier isn't ohm specing at all. But at least I can actually take it for a short ride.

[bpeckm]

Originally Posted by vtwin

So many issues to getting an old bike running. It's no wonder people give up on these bikes and store them on the side of the house.

snip
But at least I can actually take it for a short ride.

Don't give up.....! We are either all nuts for doing what we do, or, or... Well, maybe we are all nuts, but it's a nutiness that is worth aspiring to.......