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Are 550s supposed to be quick little bikes?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 1977GS550
  • Start date Start date
Find a safe road, get going, put it in second gear, aim the bike in a safe general direction, hold the throttle wide open, DO NOT BACK OFF OR SHIFT UNTIL 9,000 RPM.

Report your findings here.
 
You are not taking advantage of the 550's strengths. Your riding style would be O.K. with a torque monster like my GS (although I seldom ride that sedately). But for your bike, I would be taking it to 5-6 k at every shift. If you need to get somewhere in a hurry, wick it up to redline at every shift. You have stock pipes so it will not make a racket, and the experience will be much better.
 
Don't be scared of the red line, either. If I'm in a hurry I'll hit 11k and not think twice about it...
 
tkent02 said:
Find a safe road, get going, put it in second gear, aim the bike in a safe general direction, hold the throttle wide open, DO NOT BACK OFF OR SHIFT UNTIL 9,000 RPM.

Report your findings here.
Click to expand...

Really, that is just the Rx for you. That gorgeous bike is just crying for some revs... Don't be afraid to slip the clutch a little to start out briskly either. It has a wet clutch, it was meant for it. It's fine to just start out loafing, but if you want to merge quickly or whatnots, you need a few revs to light a spark under you.
 
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I couldn't resist... I think I'm in love! <3
 
Thanks for posting those right to the page, Allie. I couldn't get my computer to upload so I just posted the links. I'll try riding the bike like you guys say and let you know. Just curious, what do you mean "slip the clutch, it's wet and meant to do that?" Like I said this is my first bike so a lot of what you say goes over my head :P
 
For a quicker start you can wind the throttle higher than normal before you let the clutch out so you're higher in the power band. In a car that = lots of smoke, on the bike the clutch plates are bathed in oil so you won't burn it up short of serious abuse.

Now get thee hence and do those things unto your throttle that the Good 'Rev'erend Kent hath revealed unto you.
 
Gorgeous 550. Feed some speed to your ride, their only happy when spinning fast.
 
Shouldn't be that different from my old Yamaha Radian, a 600cc. 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, according to an old Cycle World article.

Most Japanese motors in these old bikes like to rev. Have the same issue teaching people to drive my old Miata. They want to shift at 2k rpm. Nothing happens in the car until you hit 6k. Its about getting into the power band and then staying there in and out of the corners. It'll feel like a different bike if you wind it up.
 
After a life of driving V8s .. motorbike revs tend to scare me. I've always thought my '79 GS550 was slow, but I have given it a good wringing out a few times .. it's fast enough ( however I tend to favour the laziness of my GPZ750R1 .. wonder how a GS1100 or GPZ1100 would go??!! :) )
 
oldrookie said:
Shouldn't be that different from my old Yamaha Radian, a 600cc. 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, according to an old Cycle World article.
Click to expand...

It's not going to be as fast as a Radian. They had 4 valve/cylinder 600cc motors and probably give up a decent amount of weight to a GS also. Always felt so exposed riding my friend's YX600. The 83-86 GS550s got the 4 valve treatment plus a slight bump in displacement, and went from 48 to 64hp.

Nonetheless, your 8V GS550 should be able to take all but the fastest cages on the road.
 
I ride my 550 just like you do but I think these guys/gals are right and it needs some revs. I have yet to peak over 4500 rpms although my bikes having some issues right now. Even with my XS1100 5000 rpm scares me. I keep thinking it's going to blow up all over which is probably what's in your head too. I am back into this stuff after 11 years and now I'm remembering back to my days with my 350 Honda and 7000 to 8000 was pretty much the norm and I use to smoke my brother's 750 light to light as he was apprehensive. Maybe I got old...
 
tkent02 said:
Find a safe road, get going, put it in second gear, aim the bike in a safe general direction, hold the throttle wide open, DO NOT BACK OFF OR SHIFT UNTIL 9,000 RPM.

Report your findings here.
Click to expand...

Tkent, thanks so much for this advice. After coming from american pushrod motors, I too was apprehensive about going past 5-6k, as I though the bike would jettison its rotating assembly. Wound it out to 9k in second gear yesterday and wow! I feel like capt. Picard "warp speed, engage!" Doing 75 in second has me wondering why 4th and 5th are even there.
 
Souske said:
Tkent, thanks so much for this advice. After coming from american pushrod motors, I too was apprehensive about going past 5-6k, as I though the bike would jettison its rotating assembly. Wound it out to 9k in second gear yesterday and wow! I feel like capt. Picard "warp speed, engage!" Doing 75 in second has me wondering why 4th and 5th are even there.
Click to expand...

No learn to launch it without going below about 6,000, and you have a quick little bike...
4th and 5th, what about 6th? Well you don't need to keep it wound out all the time, just when you want to accelerate.
5th for top speed, 6th for cruising along sedately. Just be ready to downshift about three times if you need to go.
 
tkent02 said:
No learn to launch it without going below about 6,000, and you have a quick little bike...
4th and 5th, what about 6th? Well you don't need to keep it wound out all the time, just when you want to accelerate.
5th for top speed, 6th for cruising along sedately. Just be ready to downshift about three times if you need to go.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I cruise in 5th with my GS700 at 60.....then I get behind granny doin 45....just drop back down to 3rd, get in the left lane and NAIL it! Wizz by them doin 70 in no time and get back in the lane and settle back down to 60.....of course only when Johnny Law aint around :D
 
Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. I took the bike out and wound it up to about 6000 rpm before I shifted. I see what you mean about flying in second gear. That does make me feel good to know that my bike can be quick if I want/need it to be because I love it so much and didn't want to have to start looking for a bigger bike. I like how slim and trim she is. Thanks again! Hey, by any chance are any of you guys/gals in the Cleveland area? There is a vintage bike night that I'm going to check out for the first time on Friday night if anyone is close and interested.
 
1977GS550 said:
Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. I took the bike out and wound it up to about 6000 rpm before I shifted. I see what you mean about flying in second gear. That does make me feel good to know that my bike can be quick if I want/need it to be because I love it so much and didn't want to have to start looking for a bigger bike. I like how slim and trim she is. Thanks again! Hey, by any chance are any of you guys/gals in the Cleveland area? There is a vintage bike night that I'm going to check out for the first time on Friday night if anyone is close and interested.
Click to expand...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you to take it to redline in 2nd gear

Then you'll know

You're still leaving a lot of HP unused
 
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