$4,450
Santa Barbara, California
Category
-
Engine
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Posted Over 1 Month
1978 Suzuki GS750 Superbike History of the Suzuki GS: With the introduction of the 1969 Honda CB750, the motorcycle industry was destined for a major change. Up until 1969, the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, especially Kawasaki and Suzuki, were predominantely selling ever-larger displacement 2-stroke street bikes. These machines were light, fast and affordable. Some of these 2-stroke bikes were more than capable of humiliating the big British and other Japanese 4-stroke offerings on a performance basis. But with the introduction of the four-cylinder Honda 750, the world saw a new engine design that was smooth, powerful and oil tight. For a while longer, Suzuki continued to develop and sell their 2-stroke street bikes and had good success with their GT triple line that was offered in several displacements. But with the new Honda engine, and the new changes in emission laws, Suzuki engineers were working feverishly on developing a 4-stroke engine. Finally, in 1976, Suzuki introduced the GS750 on a limited basis to some world markets, but not to the United States. The new 4-cylinder 750 motorcycle was well designed, the engine bullet proof, and the handling on par with the best bikes of the day. The US market received the first GS750 models in 1977 and the bikes were a huge success here. Because of the new engine design, Suzuki went on to become a force in the 4-stroke street category, and eventually dropped the 2-stroke street line altogether. Without this change to 4-stroke engine technology in the mid seventies, Suzuki would have likely failed at being an influential motorcycle manufacturer. About this bike: This bike is a 2nd year, 1978 model and is destined to become a classic, and some collectors and enthusiasts put it in that category already. The bike clearly represents a notable milestone in the timeline and history of the Suzuki Motor Corporation. One unique option with this 1978 model is that you could purchase the GS model with wire spoke wheels and the single disc brake up front- definitely the old-school look that I like. I am the third owner of this 36 year-old classic, and it now has just 21,095 miles on the clock. The previous owner had the bike equipped with a touring windshield, handlebar risers, and a large rear trunk. The bike was very clean and appeared to have been ridden very gently. That condition was a big reason for my purchase of this particular bike in the first place. I am a classic motorcycle restorer. Please goggle Vintage Moto Factory dot com to see what I do with motorcycles from the '60s, '70s and '80s. My first thought was to do a full resotration of this bike. However, as time went by, I decided that the bike was too clean and too original to fully restore, and should be left on the original factory finishes. So cosmetically the bike was left as is, and the motorcycle received a full mechanical restoration - with a few changes made to enhance it as a competent rider. That said, the bike still looks beautiful enough to display as is. The paint, chrome and engine finishes are original, but very nice. They do show some light scuffs and scratches in places. Please see the photos and ask questions if you see something that concerns you. The recently completed mechanical work on this bike included, but was not limited to the following. Starting at the front of the bike, the forks were disassembled, with new fork seals, fork oil and stiffer than stock "Sonic" made fork springs installed - calibrated for the weight of the bike with a 190-200 lb rider. New tapered steeriing head bearings were pressed into the frame, and new front brake pads were installed to stop the bike. I feel a light pulsing in the front brake depending on the lever pressure, but it is nothing that upsets the bike. To keep the chassis in balance, and further complement the work on the front suspension, new Progressive shocks were installed at the rear with a complementary spring weight to the fork. The front and rear tires on the bike are modern (but not new) period correct-sized Cheng Shins. The tires work well in a straight line and at all lean angles that I found. The already solid engine received a lot of work as well. All four cylinders have good compression and near equal values. The valves were adjusted to factory spec and should not need attention for a long time. The bank of carburetors were fully disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt with all new rubber 0-rings (the good ones - not a cheap carb kit). Intake manifolds were also restored to ensure no air leaks. A new air cleaner was installed in the stock factory air box and the jetting in the carbs was adjusted to correct a lean mid-range from the factory settings and to enhance the slightly better breathing exhaust system. The electrical tune-up included new HT coils, new plug wires, spark plugs and spark plug caps, along with new points and condensers. A new oil filter and syntheic oil completed the engine work. And finally, the drive train was updated with a conversion from the 630 chain size to a new 530 chain along with new front and rear sprockets. This bike runs great and is now ready for the collector or the riding enthusiast, or both. The bike is completely original other than the rear shocks, and the slip on mufflers that are similar to, but not originals. I took the GS out last week for a 457 mile ride with a group of modern bikes. It performed flawlessly, with good power and sharp handling. The bike is very comfortable to ride and my body still felt fresh after a 12 hour day on the bike. The restoration work was performed by Vintage Moto Factory and you can visit my website at VintageMotoFactory dot com. Please check out my other work and my other commissioned restoration projects. If there is another motorcycle that you are interested in having restored, please contact me. Comes with a clear Wisconson Title. A deposit of $500 is due within 48 hours and is non-refundable. Shipping costs to the lower 48 States run between $150-450 depending on your location. Arranging and paying for shipping is the responsibility of the buyer, but I have some good shipping contacts that I am happy to share with you. The bike can be stored for several weeks (if paid for) while you arrange your transportation. International buyers are welcome. Questions? Call Bill at (805) 708-1129 Check out my other items!
