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Suzuki GP100 full restoration


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Hello everyone!


I recently decided to dive headfirst into motorbikes as the wife rides (hers has been off the road for years now), and bought myself a suzuki gp100:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zps0gbuol00.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg4_zps6p0dl8oh.jpg


Remarkably fresh looking clocks:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg3_zpsjahtfgqk.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zps9drom7gm.jpg


It is a complete barn find by the guy i got it off, complete with bits of hay and birds nest in the wheels. It has no v5, no number plates and i think i can see the vin plate.


Anyway, the engine turns over but doesnt start, so because of my little knowledge of bikes i decided to have a little look. The carb is lovely and clean, receives fuel (new), has oil (new), there is a spark too. Still not starting, so using some easy start i managed to get flames to come out of the carb which says to me that the timing is off??


Anyway, i dont have a haynes manual (ordered though) so had no idea how to set the timing etc. so i have just started to strip the bike down.


Here it is after a few hours wrestling with rusted bolts, any tips to loosening and getting these out easier?


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsjptfvcrz.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsd60pquue.jpg


As you can see, there is a decent amount of rust, however it is all surface and the structure is pretty good, just very dirty.


The plan is to strip it, get it all back to metal, paint it, sort the wiring out, put it back together and back on the road fairly swiftly and on a budget. All the essentials look good, brake disks are good but the pads will be replaced, sprocket looks good, chain is dirty, clutch lever and LHS switch assembly is nackered and broken.


My limited mechanical knowledge is due to my mini you can just see in the background. So any advice wether mechanical, styling, paintwork etc is whole heartedly welcomed.


Thanks for looking and i will keep updating as i can.


Phil

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Evening all,


So, first update of (hopefully) many over the next two weeks. I have managed to strip the bike completely and have started cleaning up the frame.


The frame is now grime free and tomorrow i will start wire brushing all of the paint and surface rust off. Got myself a few wire brush bits for the drill so hopefully they will do the trick.


I also took delivery of a couple of bottles of deox gel to help with more stubborn rust.


So here is a picture of the stripped bike dotted around my once tidy garage:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpshktbpysp.jpg


I decided to try the deox gel on the underside of one of the mud guards, so wire brushed it as best as i could and de greased it and applied a coating. Hopefully if will turn out alright ready for it to be painted.


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg3_zpsahrqcqdl.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsbxciskf8.jpg


So will wash it off in a bit and see how it does.


If it ruins the chrome paint/plating im not bothered, at the moment im thinking frame and most other bits black and things like the petrol tank, air box, battery cover (and maybe mudguards) in racing green?


Cheers for looking.

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Cheers!


So today was good, slow, tiring but got a decent amount done. This morning i stripped most of the paint and rust off with the drill and sandpaper.


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg3_zpsayq7aa6c.jpg


Then i coated it with deox gel and left it for a few hours to work. That dealt with the rest of the surface rust.


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsk583jnwn.jpg


Then came painting, so first of the real coats are on, will leave it overnight then another coat in the morning. Should hopefully have the frame completely done tomorrow!


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsbnqajusp.jpg


Ive decided on racing green for the tank, airbox etc. still not sure about the mudguards though.

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So, another quick update.


Have spent the last few days cleaning and painting various parts. So, have painted the tank, mudguards and battery cover a nice dark green. Just waiting for it to harden properly so it can be sanded down and then lacquered:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsooljwpiy.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpszecx4uq7.jpg


Took my suspension bits down to a local motorbike garage and they said that they will pass an mot, as the corrosion isnt at the bottom and the seals seem ok. No leaks from the back shocks so they should be fine. Any thoughts?


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg3_zpseoqx7ewo.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg4_zpsanpu5jnp.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg5_zps3cscjmqv.jpg


So the frame and swinging arm are painted and ready to go back together tomorrow!


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg6_zpsrftxtjpr.jpg


I apologise for the state of the garage, normally its pristine and houses the mini.


Cheers all.

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So here we go, a little update.


Have had a short few days what with the wife dragging me away to salisbury to spend my money on crap. So today i managed to do a bit more on the trim and tank. Also ordered a few bits like rear brake shoes and clutch/light switch assembly.


The little bike is starting to look like a bike again with the frame together and now the rear shocks on. The sprocket cleaned up very well after an overnight stint in the deox gel, and the rear wheel is ready to go on once the brakes arrive. Not sure on an easy way to clean the spokes of the wheels though, they look nice but im sure will be a proper pain. Have a load of stainless nuts and bolts to aid in the reassembly now too.


So here she is:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zps7j1fii1j.jpg


With the mini watching my every move.


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsplzmqnoc.jpg


So the job for tomorrow is to clean the engine as much as i can and get it fitted, ready for everything else to start going back on. Not looking to do much with the engine at the mo as it turns, compresses and sparks, with what i think is a timing issue preventing it from running.


Also, has anyone recovered a seat before? Im looking to cover it in a deep red, but have no idea what material to use and where to get it from.


Cheers all.

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Coming along nicely mate....... 8-)


I covered a seat a while back.....but with a leather seat cover specifically for the bike........and the seat pan is plastic, so a heavy duty stapler was all I needed...... 8-)

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Have you thought about going to a charity shop and grabbing a couple of leathery garments. I did a couple of door cards for a classic car that way and it only cost me £20 or so.

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Yea, its an idea. I had thought about old cusions too. Im wanting a deep red leather so should be able to find something, its quite a large seat though. Will have a good look in charity shops, cheers!

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Another full day in the garage, now the engine is back on, rear brakes fixed. Throttle attatched, new choke and switch assembly fitted. Am having issues with the front disk brake, no pressure at all so will have to strip it. Fluid is coming through when i bleed it but the lever is still spongy.


So pictures so far:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsoxw4pckk.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsog6keobs.jpg


Tomorrow ill try to get alot of the wiring back on, try and sort that now ive found my multimeter. I also inspected my magneto flywheel thing to look for the points, but none seen. Upon inspection of the haynes bible i found a page at the back whick talks about a different system fitted to the gp125 called n... D..., cant remember what the actual name was but there were no points on the schematic, so unsure how this works and how to adjust timing etc.


Cheers all, more to follow tomorrow!

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Another full day in the garage, now the engine is back on, rear brakes fixed. Throttle attatched, new choke and switch assembly fitted. Am having issues with the front disk brake, no pressure at all so will have to strip it. Fluid is coming through when i bleed it but the lever is still spongy.


So pictures so far:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsoxw4pckk.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsog6keobs.jpg


Tomorrow ill try to get alot of the wiring back on, try and sort that now ive found my multimeter. I also inspected my magneto flywheel thing to look for the points, but none seen. Upon inspection of the haynes bible i found a page at the back whick talks about a different system fitted to the gp125 called n... D..., cant remember what the actual name was but there were no points on the schematic, so unsure how this works and how to adjust timing etc.


Cheers all, more to follow tomorrow!

wasnt Nippon Denso was it as thats early jap electronic ignition system replacing the points

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So, last full on day with the bike, only little things to do now, so all is looking good!


Only the rear lights, headlight and seat to go back on. Need to get some replacement bits like the regulator and a flasher unit and it should be there. I think the cdi unit for the ignition is ok but that might be difficult to replace.


So the bits left to put on:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg1_zpsruoeo0kc.jpg


Only these few bolts etc that have multiplied and have no place!


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg2_zpsvputac46.jpg


So here it is in its new glory:


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg3_zpseb2sscax.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i432/philip-charlesworth/image.jpg4_zpsifcogbvi.jpg


So, as i said, just a few little bits to go now to get it road worthy, then just polishing and the small matter of a cbt and proper test.


Cheers

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Haha, sorry buddy. I do the same with most things. I get an idea and obsess about it until its done. The only thing holding me up is the bank holiday and the fact that most of the parts i need to get online. All the work has been done, totalling a cost of 163 quid, including the price of the bike. This is assuming i dont need any more bits that i havnt ordered already.

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  • 1 year later...

I am not sure if this is the correct way of going about this but I am desperately trying to find a seat for a Suzuki GP100. My husband is mid restoration but can not find a replacement seat. He has the foam and cover but the frame is completely rotten. I would dearly love to find one for his birthday and need advice as to where to try.

Thank you

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I found an ebay guy who had some a while back. Mine is just taped up for the moment.


The bike is fully working, just not registered with the dvla.... cant be arsed with the paperwork to be honest.


As soon as the weather is better ill try and get it done as i might be moving abroad soon. So watch this space and the bike will probably end up for sale on here to help me finish the reliant rialto i currently have on the drive too.

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