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I have the sad remains of what I think is a 900GTS. It has stood for 20? years after a bent valve & subsequent valve timing misunderstanding! I`ve owned a T 150 in one form or another for 33 years but feel a bit intimidated by this project.

Should be a piece of cake compared to a Trident. Send photos and other information and you'll get it sorted out.

Bruce

I would guess that sitting for 20 years has ruined the big ends, although the motor turns over with a fair amoont of compression & is not seized. The frame is cut behind top shock mounts & cosmetically everthing else is either trashed or missing. Good news includes a new alloy tank, Rita ignition & 40mm Dellorto carbs. I belive there are minimal miles on the motor since a full rebuild, which makes its current state even sadder. My plan is to strip & rebuild the motor, acquire a seat that matches the tank, fix the frame to suit the seat & refurbish to a tidy state. Too much is missing to attempt a full restoration but I want to end up with a bike that makes me grin when I look at it & when I ride it.

Good luck and welcome to the forum

Kerrin,

I would love to see pictures of the bike. Instead of tearing the motor apart immediately why not try to start it and see how it runs.

Bruce

I agree with Bruce,If it was not in the weather and otherwise fairly clean I would get it to run before condemning the bottom end. The big ends don't really suffer from inactivity unless dirt and moisture are involved.You can check for excessive play in the rods with the cyls. off.And don't be intimidated by all the shims and things just pay attention and things become pretty simple.

Like dear old Dad always says.........if it ain`t broke, don`t mess with it

Thanks for the positive thoughts; I`d assumed the rollers would have marked the bearing tracks & crank pin as the motor`s not turned in 20 years. As it is I shall have to pull the heads; the valve timing is still out & the bevel tubes are a chrome free zone. The previous owner [my brother] was much better at taking things apart than putting them back together properly & I will be happier knowing the valves & guides are OK. It is just possible that he hammered that bent valve straight & refitted it. Guess it depends on what I find how deep into the motor I go. I am going to take some before photos & will post them when I can.

I`ve taken some photos & will post them soon. In the meantime can anyone use this frame number to confirm that I do have a 900GTS & give me theyear of manufacture? I am guessing about 1978. DM860S852006 Thanks. Kerrin

kerrin wrote:I`ve taken some photos & will post them soon. In the meantime can anyone use this frame number to confirm that I do have a 900GTS & give me theyear of manufacture? I am guessing about 1978. DM860S852006 Thanks. Kerrin

Hi Kerrin,

I think the year is relatively easy. It's a 1975, so earlier than you expected. Both the frame numbers that Ian Falloon gives in his Bible and the numbers on Robert Miller/Bevel Heaven register of bikes support this.

The model is a little more difficult, mainly 'cos the GTS was introduced in September 1975.

On the one hand, Ian lists the following frame and engine numbers for the 1975 GT; but, critically, he doesn't differentiate between GTs and GTSs:

Frame numbers: DM860S 850001 - 853600 approx. Engine numbers: DM860 850001 - 853600 approx.

However, the nearest bikes to yours on the Robert Miller/BevelHeaven register are both GTSs - frame numbers 852269 and 851817.

So, yup, could well be a GTS. Lots of ways to tell, the seat and tank being the most obvious. Also twin discs on the front, a different instrument panel etc.

Ciao

Craig

Thanks Craig. Unfortunately I don`t have any original bodywork, just frame, engine & forks. There are twin discs & it looks as though a starter motor was mounted. On the other hand I suppose the same basic casings would have been used for both E/S & non E/S models? When my brother bought the bike it had already been modified with full fairing, alloy tank & small seat. It was so long ago that he can`t remember what it was. OK, now to go & experiment with loading photos. Thanks again.

Hi Kerrin,

The dual discs thing isn't itself a guarantee of a bike being a GTS 'cos some of the late GTs had 'em too - in fact, I'm fairly sure my old GTE did, but it's too long ago for me to remember now ... :-)

The GTS was, essentially, a re-styling exercise, so not having any original body work certainly makes it more difficult to be sure what your bike statred life as. (Also, Ian reports that the factory itself engaged in an amount of re-working of already assembled GTs into GTSs). However, a couple of other things to look for, all according to Ian

How is your headlamp mounted: chrome wires or black steel pressings - or somehow else ?

Do you have a starter relay situated under the left side panel?

What headlamp do you have?

On the engine side, Ian writes:
"There was considerable overlap in engine numbers between the 860 GTE and GTS as early GTSs featured standard GTE engines. Motors were obviously built and stockpiled during 1975 with 860 GTS numbers beginning around 852000. Around engine number 853000 some specific 860 GTS updates were incorporated, (which were) also fited to later GTs."

So it appears not a lot of help there!

Ciao

Craig

Here are some "as found" photos. [url=http://ultraxs.com/share-DOF2_4AFE92F7.html]

I can't get that link to work, Kerrin. Says there's nowt there ..

http://ultraxs.com/gallery-900GTS-10AB_4AFE8BB3.html

This is proving to be a steep learning curve. I have all the photos on a hosting site but making anything further happen is testing my patience. Thanks for your advice, unfortunately there are no headlight fittings & no starter relay. If ever I get these photos posted you`ll have a better idea of where I`m starting from! Cheers. KERRIN