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11K views 60 replies 10 participants last post by  lugnut1009 
#1 · (Edited)
Figured i’d better just start a build thread to keep track of my builds and to possibly get some good advice.

So the back story, my wife and I decided we might want to start riding motorcycles. Neither of us have ever ridden one before, but how hard can it be? Ha

First I found an ‘85 VN700 that has been totally disassembled and engine freshened up, and a fresh powder coat on the frame, but in purple... it also came with a complete parts bike. It’s on the back burner.

Then we bought a 99 VN750 that a young kid had and couldn’t get running. After getting it home and pulling the carbs, they were in bad shape. The plate between them was broke where the throttle linkage attaches and the top of one of them looks like it has been beaten with a hammer. Luckily I had a parts bike! Those carbs looked great and fairly clean. Pulled out the plastic air box and did the ear shave while I was there, then reinstalled the carbs. Dang them things are a PITA to install!!! Anyway I got it running and drove it up the road! Love it! Now the petcock valve leaks (have one on order) and one of the carbs leaks from the idle air adjust screw. Will post updates here hopefully soon...
 

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#2 ·


Couldn't get my other pic to upload last night on my phone. I will try to document with pictures a little better than I have so far.
 
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#3 ·
Wow that surely is a purple bike!

I would suggest that you and your wife take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic rider course. Professionally trained riders have fewer accidents than friend/relative/self-taught riders, and when they do, their injuries are less severe.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Found a really easy way to block off the exhaust ports instead of making coasters, the tube size is perfect to tap for 1/4" pipe threads. Then just install a plug.

Untitled by lugnut1009, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/23pk1q8
 
#6 ·
Finally figured out how to post pictures from Flickr.

Last night I plugged the exhaust pressure ports on the 99, found a vent tube I didn't plug off the other day, and took it up the road again for a quick test ride. Ran great. The fuel petcock valves from Amazon (china...) came in and they are completely wrong, not really surprised. I will return them, but in the meantime I will try to stop this one from leaking. Can't wait to get started on my 85!

One thing I've been researching a little is a good budget friendly way to lower my wife's 99. Everything I've read seems to point to cutting some foam out of the seat and having it recovered and replacing the rear shocks with shocks off of a suzuki savage 650. Am I on the right track?
 
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#8 ·
Took apart the stock petcock today and rebuilt it with new o-rings. Hope the diaphragm doesn't leak on me again. But if it does, has anybody just removed the diaphragm and installed a flat solid gasket without the valve seat and spring? Seems like an easy way to get rid of the leaky problematic vacuum valve portion and have a normal dual outlet fuel petcock...

**Tried searching, couldn't find anything
 
#9 · (Edited)
There was a thread, or some posts, where the stock petcock was modified to flow without vacuum. Don't recall the details.

But it's not hard to rebuild the petcock.

edit: First one I clicked on: http://www.vn750.com/forum/22-carbs-fuel-system/27017-remove-vacuum-requirement-petcock-4.html

From post #6 by wmsonta:

To eliminate vacuum control, remove the spring and shorten the protrusion on the opposite side of that spring. If the protrusion provides a 'seat', simply removing the spring/disconnecting the vacuum source will remove vacuum control. If the resulting fuel delivery is insufficient, find a spring with a slightly larger diameter than the protrusion and install it on the gas side of the diaphragm using the protrusion as the spring guide. You quite possibly could remove the spring and just turn the diaphragm around. Install it backwards.
 
#11 ·
we should be getting hit soon.calling for pouring rain till about 11,then a whole lotta snow

Sent from my LGL34C using Tapatalk
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the help. I installed the valve when I got home and no leaks!! Worked great! Ride it around a little over 5 miles or so. Runs good. Still pops a little when I let off the throttle but I probably need to tweak the carbs a little. I just cleaned them and put the idle air screw back where it was (2 turns). Then I did the ear shave, does have stock exhaust though.
 
#13 ·
Is there a front fender extension that fits our bikes? I live on several miles of gravel road in rural Mississippi and have noticed it’s building up a lot of mud/dirt on the lower radiator...
 
#14 ·
Unless you can find the rare Tour-pak fender, there's nothing else specific for the bike. Should be able to find a 'mudflap' and make it fit. I saw one for Harley a couple of weeks ago that was really low priced, if I see it again, will let you know.

The popping could be the coast enrichers sticking, some rides might clear it up, seafoam helps.
 
#16 ·
Well fiddled with the 99 some more today. Ended up putting a washer under the needles and it runs better. But I have the hardest time getting it cranked. Runs great once it fires off but it’s hard to start.
 
#18 ·
^^^ What he said. Use the choke when it's cold, but stay off the throttle. Remember to turn off the choke once the bike warms up.
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the reply Spockster. I ended up trying the petcock from my parts bike and it works great and no leaks. I can modify this one if I need to later or maybe I can find soft parts to rebuild it correctly later.

A little update on progress: My wife finally decided she wanted to try to ride hers (tired of seeing me riding it I guess). Well after several attempts and it dying on her on start off (operator error not the bike) she got it to take off and laid it down. She is ok, just a little bruised. But, she told me I have to turn it into a trike if I want her to ride with me and that I need to finish mine. So I started on mine a little and searched for kits to turn hers into a trike. Apparently this hasn't been done much on this particular bike, but I was thinking since I have a spare swing arm I could give it a try. I think a rear axle from one of those japanese mini trucks would be perfect. Square it up with the swing arm, make custom brackets, weld and bolt it up, then just have a custom drive shaft made. Factory shocks should be sufficient too. What do you guys think?
 
#21 ·
#22 · (Edited)
Thanks for the help. I really don’t want to go the “training wheel” style. But it would be nice to be able to take it off and return to a 2 wheeler after she was comfortable with it. I’ve been doing more searching as well...
 
#23 ·
I did the ignition pick up coil mod today. The 99 cranks SO much better now!!! Also have a new set of tires and wheel bearings I ordered for it show up today too. Hopefully I can get all that on this weekend.
 
#24 ·
When I think I have made progress something else seems to creep up on me... The 99 was running so good I guess it just had to act up, 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Went to work on my 85 and smelled gas, well looks like the petcock valve on the 99 has leaked through into the front cylinder and filled the crank case and carb with gas. Guess I'll be looking into rebuilding or retro-fitting those valves sooner than I thought after all...
 
#25 ·
It took me the better part of 4 years to get mine set up right to where it wasn't one thing after another. Trust me, the final product is worth it. Hang in there. You're in the right place for support.
 
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#26 · (Edited)
Not too much progress lately. I have done some of the boring stuff as time permits. I have a plan to fix the petcock valves to work without vacuum so nothing is running right now. I got most of the wiring harness and controls on the 85, got the fenders and tank painted with red/brown primer, got my clutch installed, ordered crank case vent pod filters as well as a set of vacuum port caps, and today I printed off the drawing and built a set of lowering brackets for the rear shocks.
[/url]Untitled by lugnut1009, on Flickr[/IMG]
Lowering Brackets - Flickr

And this is the type of paint job I'm shooting for, I first painted everything with grey primer, then red primer, and I have to find the right color blue or teal that I want. Trying to go for a 60's color of blue then sand through parts to show the primer underneath.


Blue Patina

Need to come up with a neat logo for the sides of the tank. I'll work on that this weekend while i'm out of town at the inlaws. Hope to have a good update next week!
 
#27 ·
WOW, spend a little time on this forum and I find all kind of stuff I want to do to my 85 before I try to crank her up! Like this jewel I just found: HERE
 
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#28 ·
Did a little modifying on my original fuel petcock today to remove the vacuum valve and fix a leak. I removed the vacuum diaphragm all together and replaced it with a solid piece of rubber gasket material. Then I found out (at least on this '85 model) the nipple for the vacuum unscrews and the threads are just M6 bolt threads. So I screwed a bolt in just to keep that plastic check valve piece closed as a back up. Didn't get a pic of the check valve but here is the assembled valve with another bolt and gasket to do the valve on the 99.

Petcock by lugnut1009, on Flickr
 
#31 ·
Sad day today. I thought I was getting really close to cranking the 85. Filled it with oil then started filling with coolant and it started leaking out of the base of the front cylinder. Very disappointing. It’s supposed to be a fresh rebuild but I guess a gasket didn’t seat well or something. I’ll find out eventually when I tear into it. What’s the best source for gaskets? I don’t have a local dealer near me.
 
#32 ·
Ebay, Partszilla, & Ron Ayers. Ebay is consistently the cheapest but does not always have what your looking for. Partszilla, & Ron Ayers are both fine choices (official Kawasaki parts dealers) for online orders.
 
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