I got home from work Friday and put the clutch in, sealed the case with some Gray RTV.
Also, my idling needle i ordered showed up in my mailbox, i put that in the carburetor and got it all back together.
As soon as I got it all in, while it was up on the stand, i put it in first, pulled the clutch and the rear wheel spun free! Success!
I gave it a kick and it started right up and sounded great! I put on my gloves and helmet and went for my first ride around the parking lot. It shifts perfectly, very smooth, motor is running great, no leaks, no wierd noises. I was very happy to finally see the motorcycle running properly.
On Saturday I loaded it up on my Jeep's hitch rack and took it to my wife's grandparents house and rode around the neighborhood for hours getting used to it and just having fun.
After that, i took it to my friends dads house, the guy who sold me the bike and i unloaded it down the street and rode it up to his driveway and reved up the engine and honked the little horn. He was super excited to see the bike running and immediately asked to ride it to his friends house, the guy who sold him the bike. We went to his place just down the street, and the guy couldnt believe it was the same bike. He had it sitting for 5 or 6 years, sold it to my friends dad, he had it sitting about 4 or 5 years, so they were both very happy to see it alive and running.
So far the clutch works, the engine runs, the speedometer works, lights on the speedometer work, kill switch works, tail light / brake light work, brakes work, high/low gear change lever and mechanism work, almost everything works except the headlight. I will have to find out how to fix that in case they check when I eventually go for my motorcycle license.
It put a big smile in my dad's face to ride a motorcycle for the first time in 45 years.
UPDATE:
November 9, 2012
I went to AAA and gave them $117 and they registered the motorcycle and gave me a 2012 sticker!
I wasnt expecting it to be that much since it had been previously registered non-op and I think they charged me some fees for not registering it within 30 days of purchase. I guess this is just one of the down sides to living in California.
Oh well, the bike is now street legal, I just need to practice to pass the DMV skills test and get my license.
November 21, 2012
Got a working headlight from ebay. I installed it yesterday and it works perfectly!
Thanks for posting this! I have a 1975 G4TR that I've owned for over 15 years, and recently started riding again. It started cutting out after a while, and I suspected ignition trouble, so I tried to pull off the left side cover to look at the points. As you now know, pulling off the left side cover on a G4TR is much more involved than on most motorcycles. I think your pictures of the "transfer case" will help me figure out how to put that back together.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, glad I could help. Pulling the left side cover is a pain in the ass! Let me know if you need any more pictures or advice. I have taken those gears off and put them back on at least 4 times in the short time ive owned my bike. Hardest part is getting those stupid ball bearings to stay inside, I found out grease works well.
DeleteHey just picked up a 1972 G4TR-B with the hi/low. I have it completely apart as of now. Your blog was helpful especially without having a shop manual. I have restored 3 classic bikes so to date and this one is so filthy, it is going to be a challenge. One of my restores is on youtube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDym7wuUqPY&list=UUdhGkqDMbPuw0_IA5-vMIXQ&feature=share&index=4
ReplyDeleteJust clip and paste it. When I am done with my G4, I'll send you some shots if possible. Thanks, Scott