saving a 75 now with pictures

[srust58]

I recently picked up a 75 that needed saving. The bike is 100% complete but a little rough around the edges. It was last run in 1990 and has 10K on it. The mufflers are not bad, solid with no holes, some rust speckles, and one has been dented on the underside a bit. I think the bike must have fallen over in storage as the tank is a bit battered but clean on the inside so a friend in the body shop biz is pulling the dents for me. Side covers are fine but scuffed up a bit. The fenders are in decent shape. The frame shows no major corrosion but the rear shock springs are pretty badly rusted. The forks seals are shot, brakes inoperative with the brake lever bent. Seat/helmet lock is broken and the seat has a few small cuts. The carbs were clean and in fine shape but I am missing the enricher tube on the right side(small tube coming down from the carb body near the forward right corner). I changed the oil and put a battery in to see what works. No spark on the left side, turn signals on the right are out as is the brake light. High/low beam button is broken off but still functions if you can catch whats left with your fingernail. The starter kicks the motor over but sometimes seems to slip out after a few seconds. Compression seems fine. Clutch is a bit stiff but it shifts through all the gears. Well that is a pretty good description of what I have found with a good check of the bike. I have not attempted to trouble shoot anything yet.

My plans are to repair and replace needed items to get the bike running and looking good and drive it. A new paint job on the tank and side covers.

So at this point I need to deal with the the spark issue as I would like the first order of business to be getting it started. I am debating the fork issue as to repair or replace with a newer 35mm forks along with the better brakes. Any comments appreciated. This will be a back burner project as at this point I don't even have room for it at home.

[motormike]

Welcome to the tribe. If it's go'n to be a keeper.. then suspension upgrades are needed. Mikes Xs and 650 Central. That missing carb part and a set of serviable shocks can be had at SportWheels out in Jordan. Take your carb with you.. they have a LARGE pile of dead carbs. That starter issue is a weak gear... kits can be obtained... while you have the clutch out... keep them in order.. clean and check them over... also the clutch screw gear in the left engine side cover could be gummed up...as for bling.. paint... K-Mart rattle bomb... $.. or a nice professional job.. $$$$... as for the mystery spark... try and swap the orange and grey wires..on the coils... leave the plugs out.. kick it over... see if the problem moves to the other side... with the point covers off.. toggle the points by hand.. got spark?.. Keep plig'n away... Mike, MN

[srust58]

Thanks for the comments Mike. My body shop friend owes me a favor so I am getting a pro paint job on my 79 and now this one for the cost of the paint. He even has a pro who will apply new decals if I decide on that route.

[5twins]

I don't think you're missing the enrichener tube on the right carb. '74-'75 carbs only had an enrichener or "choke" on the left carb. The rich starting mix was fed to the right carb through a hose.

[srust58]

Jul 27, 2009 22:09:14 GMT -5 5twins said:

I don't think you're missing the enrichener tube on the right carb. '74-'75 carbs only had an enrichener or "choke" on the left carb. The rich starting mix was fed to the right carb through a hose.

Thanks for the info. You saved me a bit of worry and running around.

[xsleo]

As far as spark goes check the points. They are the same as your '79.
Going thru the wiring,checking that the connections are clean and tight, with a dab of dialectric grease, goes a long way toward fixing alot of your light issues.
Lubing the clutch cable is the best thing you can do to get an easy pulling clutch. I do it the way the book talks about, with a paper funnel and working a light oil down the length of the cable.
I might just change the fork seals. You might find the forks work ok. Ride it awhile anyway, doing the swap to a later style fork isn't hard, making the adapter to fit the 75 dash onto the later style trees is easy to do.
Give it a good going over, check adjustments, cam chain, valves.
Once you get it going you may like it better than your special.

[srust58]

Cleaned a few electrical connections and cleaned at reset the points and this has restored the spark to the left side and now all the lights are functional. Easy stuff first to get a few small victories under my belt. I am in the process of cleaning the carbs though they were not in bad shape. The floats are in better shape than the ones in my 79. After that when the tank comes back I can try and fire it up. The tank has a small bit off light surface corrosion inside that will clean right up with some CLR.

[motormike]

So long as you'r turn'n wrench's and screwdrivers... check the condition of you'r electrical brushes... Mike, MN

[scotts]

PIcs! We need pics!
I'm saving a '75 myself. Plan on keeping this one stock except for a few polished aluminum pieces. You gonna use the stock mufflers? If not, drop me a line.

[srust58]

I plan on keeping the mufflers.

[srust58]

The PO has buggered up the screws for the points so I have not been able to adjust them so I just cleaned them and the checked the gap on the old plugs and after cleaning them up put them back in. The carbs were pretty clean to begin with so I just pulled the bowls and cleaned the jets and pulled the needle diaphragms and cleaned up what I could while the carb bodies are in place. The air filters foam was crumbling so I removed it and glued some new foam in place for temporary filters. At this point I just wanted to see if the bike would run and leave a more thorough job for when I get the bike home, maybe even over the winter. So I was not all that hopeful but to my surprise it fired up on the 3rd kick. It idles with no problem and revs up fine but is not as smooth as it could be. It is running very rich at this point but starts on the first or second kick with no need to use the choke. No bad mechanical sounds from the engine so that's a bit of a relief. The rear brake is working good the front so so but all I have done was to flush new fluid through the system. The tach is pretty lazy and not very responsive. I will need to tackle the forks next so I can take it around the block for a spin. Not sure when I can get to that. May be a few weeks.

[roar]

Seeing as you haven't been able to adjust the points yet, be sure and take a light to your bike and check the advanced timing. Hate for you to take a few spins and hole a piston.

Get some pics up,
Roar

[srust58]

I got the points apart today. It took a nail punch and a hammer to knock the screws loose. So next I will track down some new screws. A quick check of the advance mechanism shows the parts to be in working order so when I get it back together I will check it with my timing light. The tank is still at the body shop and since it's a freebie it's a low priority but I may have it back by the end of the week. I have to start prepping for a week long wilderness canoe trip coming up so progress will come to a grinding halt for awhile.

[xsleo]

Take your old points screws to the hardware store and get allen head bolts to replace them. tall the screws, the ones to hold the points and to hold them in the engine. Makes it easier to adjust them.
The ones that hold the points may need to be shortened a bit. With the breaker plate out of the engine install the points and file the extra off.

[srust58]

Most of September was taken up by two vacations and the bike will stay at my friends over the winter so I have been dismantling it and taking the pieces home to work on them as time permits.

Got the forks apart and new seals installed. I was able to get one fork damper out just by undoing the 8mm allen bolt on the bottom of the fork. The other one just spun so I needed to get something to grab the bolt head deep inside the fork. Of course it is some oddball thing that no socket will fit. Using the damper I had out I cast a socket to fit it exactly using JB Weld and 1/2 inch copper pipe. I temporarily filled the hollow on the bolt head with wood putty and then sprayed it with WD 40 to keep the JB from sticking. Filled the bottom 1/2 inch of a short section of pipe with JB and stuck it over the bolt head for several hours. Soldered it to a longer section of pipe and let it cure for 24 hours before using.

Picked up this tool from Harbor freight for $4 to pull the fork seals. They were really stuck and it took about 10 hammer blows to get them out. No chance of damaging the forks by prying with a screwdriver.

Used a pipe clamp and the first thing at hand of the right diameter, a 1 3/4 hole saw, to press the new seals in with no fuss or pounding. Sharp pointy end away from the seal. ;D

If anyone is unable to get their forks apart I can make the short section and mail it out. I am in no hurry to put my forks back together as I won't need them till spring. I don't know what other years are the same.