[csiamanis]

Whats up, Im Chris and am wanting to get my Grandpa's 1978 Yamaha 750 Sportbike up and running. He passed about 5 years ago and his bike is sitting in the garage rotting away. I need to do something with it.

What do you suggest for a bike that has been sitting for 10 years? Battery, tires, plugs, oil, carb rebuild? Is there a way to see if it is worth the money and not locked up? Throw in a battery and some oil with a bit in the plug holes and fire away? What kind of oil and how much do they take anyway?

Sorry guys, Im a car man. I just getting into the biking scene. Help me get this thing back on the road!

 

[DLIT]

You'd have to do pretty much everything you'd do for a car that's been sitting for ten years. Clean out the gas tank too. Fuel lines, carb rebuild, all filters, fork springs, all types of seals, the whole nine. It's gonna take time and money. I'd put in some calls and get some prices and availability.

 

[Gas Man]

:withstupi

Gas tank, gas lines, carb clean out, engine oil, fork oil and seals, air filter, check the tires.... and that should do it. Most of it is more work than cash...

 

[csiamanis]

Thanks guys. This info is of help. What fork are we talking about? I am a automotive technology student and should be able to take of most of this stuff myself, yet is there things I should worry about handling? Also, if I were to manually crank it, do it clockwise, right? I only want it to be a weekend cruiser. Some sites have been telling me to get new pistons and rings and to hone out the cylinders. I can do the honing at the shop, but I do not want to put too much money into it. Let me know if you think of anything else!

 

[ebbs15]

I've done some searching and found a SX and a TX ones a two cylinder... the other's a 4... and I found another that was a tripple but didn't say just said 1978 Yamaha 750:help:

 

[Gas Man]

csi... F those other sites... you don't really know if that is needed! You would be surprised how long one can sit and still start right up after a bit of maintance!

The Forks is the front suspension... those shiny legs that old the front wheel to the bike.

Buy this book. SEROIUSLY!! It will give you all the info you need to do all of this! Its a AWESOME book!!!

Granted in that thread the group buy is over but they can still get you the book or you might be able to get it on EBay or Amazon.

 

[No Worries]

This is just my opinion, but Yamaha didn't have a decent 750 until 1985 when they came out with the FZ 750. It's five-valve head and canted engine blew everything else away. Your's must be the triple which is a good bike, but... A free bike is great, but it depends on how much work must be done.

I have a 1979 Suzuki GS1000 that I bought new. I debated a long time about putting $350 worth of new shocks on it as the value of the bike is only $1K. But I've had the bike over 26 years and it was Suzuki's superbike at the time. It is now a great handling, classic superbike. Depending on how much time, money, and parts scrounging you have to do, you may wind up with an average, old 750.

Bikes are easier to work on then cars. I would look for a classic bike from the 80's or 90's to fix up. Something that would give fits to someone on a new bike. Some just need modern brakes, tires, and suspension.

 

[R1up0n1]

First off :welcome: csiamanis:twfrox:
and :iagree: with all the above.

 

[JK_DILLA]

fixing up old bikes is great and im glad youre doing one. Especially one with some sentimental value. If there is still compression then the hard part is done. Compared to cars like youre acustomed to, a bike should be a down right thrifty build. :welcome: and :luck:

 

[csiamanis]

Alright guys. I am going over there today to start ripping it apart and do some checking and cleaning. I will keep you updated. Oh - the bike IS an XS750-2D.Yet, now that I am reading the owners manual, I think it is a 76. The first page says "XS750-2D Owners Manual 1st. printing, September 1976 All rights reserved ect, ect."

 

[ebbs15]

Alright guys. I am going over there today to start ripping it apart and do some checking and cleaning. I will keep you updated. Oh - the bike IS an XS750-2D.Yet, now that I am reading the owners manual, I think it is a 76. The first page says "XS750-2D Owners Manual 1st. printing, September 1976 All rights reserved ect, ect."

that doesn't always clue you in to the year.. My bike is an 05 ZZR600... but the Manual says 02 ZX6R... because they're the same bike...

 

[ebbs15]

http://www.haynes.com/na401.html#anchor1227815
they offer a haynes manual for your bike... should help ALOT:dthumb:

 

[Gas Man]

Well one thing is for sure... it was built in 1976 or later... it definately isn't a 1974 :lol:

 

[ebbs15]

Well one thing is for sure... it was built in 1976 or later... it definately isn't a 1974 :lol:

:scratch:


EDIT: never mind I'm an IDIOT:help:

 

[csiamanis]

Here are some pictures.

I got a lot of stuff removed in the time I had. Im going to clean what I can and hack at it tommrorow. Can I just throw the carb into a parts cleaner?

 

[DLIT]

I got a lot of stuff removed in the time I had. Im going to clean what I can and hack at it tommrorow. Can I just throw the carb into a parts cleaner?

Do you have a carb kit for it? There might be some seals in there that'll get corroded from that stuff.

 

[csiamanis]

Nope, no carb kit. How much is that and where can I get it? What is all included?

EDIT: Also, I am having trouble getting the oil filter out of its housing. Is there a special way?

 

[jeeps84]

Nope, no carb kit. How much is that and where can I get it? What is all included?

EDIT: Also, I am having trouble getting the oil filter out of its housing. Is there a special way?

:welcome: to TWF csi
You need to go to a bike shop to get most parts. You can put the carbs in a vat after disassembly then cleaned, set floats and needles, reassembled, installed and synced.

If its an internal filter. It should slip right out. It may be stuck after being dry for years.

 

[No Worries]

...Can I just throw the carb into a parts cleaner?

No. You have to take them apart. There's a rubber diaphram under the top vacuum chamber cover. Carb cleaner will eat it up. Very expensive to replace if you can even get the part. Keep all the parts from each carb separate from the other carbs. If the rubber diaphrams aren't ripped, the only thing that wears out are the needle valves and seats above the float that let fuel into the carb. But all the jets and air bleeds have to be clear.

The only thing you can break are the idle mixture screws on the outside of the carb. Be very careful with them. If you tighten them down, the needle can break off in the passageway. Then you can just throw the carbs away. You also need a manual to adjust the float height.

 

[jeeps84]

Thanks for pointing that out No Worries. I realized after reading you post, I made it sound ok to drop the whole thing right in.:crazy: