Future GS550 owner reporting

[Luuk]

Hi guys!

My name is Luuk and I'm coming from The-Netherlands. Although I don't own a GS yet I thought it would be pretty useful to register here on this website which is a source of wisdom to be honest.

As this will be my first motorcycle I was looking for something not too heavy but still enough umph to get me going on the highway. Obviously the looks of the GS range is great and always loved the lines of the motorcycles of the seventies and eighties.

My goal is to first get a GS550 and make it roadworthy, get me going and make some miles on it before I am going to alter anything on the bike itself. (might go for new rear shocks and progressive fork springs)
preferably It would be the D series with double disc and spoke rims (correct me if I am wrong).

Last week I came across a nice GS550 but in the end there were just too many hidden faults, didn't feel right (brake fluid on the brake disc, quite a bit of oil on the forks, 3rd cylinder wasn't running, gauges not working, new battery but after a few times it only would start with the kickstarter. Overal power was really low (even though 1 cylinder wasn't playing along. and forgot to bring the compression tester.....)

That's all for now.

Luuk

 

[steve murdoch]

Welcome to the site, Luuk.
Dual disc, spoke wheels is a favourite look of mine as well.
Good luck in your search for a suitable GS.
When you do find one, repair manuals and just about everything else can be found here.
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

 

[Steve]

Welcome, Luuk. Curious how you formed the opinion that a "D-series" was double disc brakes and spoked rims. :-k

Usually, in the full model designation, there will be a letter at the end that denotes the model year. Unfortunately, those letters did not always follow a logical sequence. The 550 appeared in the 1977 model year, so it was the GS550B. It continued through '78 and '79, which were C and N. In 1978, there was a model that had a few more features. Might have been cast wheels and some fancier trim, I'm not sure. Anyway, that had the "E" designation, then the year designation, so that would be the GS550EC. The E model continued all the way through 1985, with a few changes along the way, but I think the only ones with spoke wheels were the standard GS550 models from '77-'79. Not sure when they started getting dual discs, and I don't think any left the factory with spokes and dual discs. I could be wrong, as I don't do much with the 550s.

For the full list of what was made when, and the letters for the model years, click HERE.

.

 

[Luuk]

Thanks Steve,

A very useful site indeed, great How To's and full with info. Already looking forward to getting my hands dirty.

 

[roeme]

Welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place.

And you already did everything correctly so far; first selecting the 550 as your (very) first bike is a wise choice.

Second, walking away from a bike that isn't roadworthy (must for a beginner's bike IMHO).

The 550 will bring you heaps of joy and prepares you for bigger bikes without endangering your neck too much (relatively speaking. even bicycles can kill you).

Edit: Model designations vary between countries in my experience.

(...) Not sure when they started getting dual discs, and I don't think any left the factory with spokes and dual discs. I could be wrong, as I don't do much with the 550s.

Apparently, the spoked wheels/dual disc combination was specific to Germany, where the 550D was sold in this fashion. http://gs-classic.de tells me that anyway. I suspect it might've been sold like that in other EU countries as well.

 

[Luuk]

Thanks for the reply.

I was talking to a seller who said it would be the D series, that's why
At least here in The-Netherlands, most GS550 with spokes also have dual discs, not sure if there was a difference between models in The States and Europe though.
When I search for GS550D it mainly comes up with European (parts-) sites.

 

[Guest]

DB and DC models were European variants, with twin discs and spokes.

 

[Steve]

Good to know. Thanks. :encouragement:

.

 

[Redman]

Luuk, Welcome to GSR.

Yes, 550 would be not too big, yet enough for the highway. 650 and 750 not much bigger.

 

[Redman]

I too am not sure what to think about "D series".

Here are what models of 550
Suzuki GS550 1977—1978
Suzuki GS550E 1978—1981
Suzuki GS550L 1979—1986
Suzuki GS550M Katana 1981—1983
Suzuki GS550T 1981—1984






Use link below for info on various year 550s



GS 550 E 1980
Overall Length: 2 175 mm (85.6 in)
Overall Width: 850 mm (33.5 in)
Overall Height: 1 150 mm (45.3 in)
Wheelbase: 1 435 mm (56.5 in)
Dry Weight: 196 kg (431 lbs)
Engine type: Air-cooled 549 cc inline-4, DOHC, 8 valves. 49 hp (35,8 kW) / 9,000 rpm, 42 Nm / 7,500 rpm.

Click on the image for larger format.
Here's more Suzuki GS550E info.

 

[Luuk]

Currently eying on an other Gs550D with spoke wheels and double disc's. The seller said the 3rd cylinder doesn't fire, there is a spark and compression.
I will bring the compression meter. Seller said most likely a carb issue.
Do you guys have any tips? Anything in specific I can check or test?

 

[Guest]

Take a plug spanner, see if #3 spark plug is wet, after the others have run.

 

[Guest]

You have to figure that IF it is just a carb issue, it will not be solved just by simply spraying a little carb cleaner into the carb, as the seller has probably already done that and it still doesn't work. Cleaning up a carb isn't hard per se, but it isn't a walk in the park either. Getting all the carbs synced could be a pain in the butt as well. Just know what you're getting into and make an offer accordingly.

 

[Steve]

Getting all the carbs synced could be a pain in the butt as well.

If your butt hurts when doing a carb sync, you are doing it all wrong. :-\\\

The first time you do one, it might take a little bit of time, but after doing it a few times, it's over and DONE well within 15 minutes, and that includes hooking up the gauges, synchronizing the carbs, removing the gauges and putting everything back in place.

.

 

[Luuk]

Thanks for the replies.

Just to see if I am right: If the spark plug is wet, it could be weak spark, weak coil (also if cylinder 3 is just fine?), too rich mixture in general (or due to carburator float issue). ?

I will bring a compression tester, plug spanner, multi meter and spark plug NGK B8ES.

Previously I bought an old set of VM carbs to clean and reassemble. Wanted to have a little bit more knowledge of these carbs in general. I have cleaned this set thoroughly and used my ultrasonic cleaner for it as well. Most likely will check the bike this Saturday.

 

[roeme]

(...)Just to see if I am right: If the spark plug is wet, it could be weak spark, weak coil (also if cylinder 3 is just fine?), too rich mixture in general (or due to carburator float issue). ?(...)

- Weak coil: not impossible but unlikely if one of the two respective cylinders is firing. In this case, it is way more probable that the high tension cable, spark plug cap or in case of a cap with resistor that the resistor has failed, or the spark plug has fouled enough to short out (i.e. no gap anymore).

That, or an spark plug with an integrated resistor has been combined with a spark plug cap that also has a resistor. While usually there's still enough oomph to get a spark, it'll be weak and it doesn't take much of anything else being out of whack (see above), and you'll have no spark.

I haven't yet seen a weak coil (i.e. not enough to fire) on my bikes, they were either fine or dead. One bike was not not firing on a single cylinder in one case (coils were fine), the other bike wouldn't come alive and just stumble (one coil had failed, the other one was fine).

From my understanding, the transition from a coil working to failed usually happens quite quickly, not much in between. But maybe someone with more experience than me can chime in.

Too rich: can be due to
- needle valve not closing correctly because of fouling/contamination.
- damaged floats, but be aware that none of the 30year+ floats in my carbs have failed (yet?).
- float level setting wrong - but be aware that the tabs won't bend just for fun. Somebody would've tampered with it
- Air/fuel screw setting screwed(eheheh) up. Doesn't also happen by itself (again tampering), but all four would be wrong at the same time.
- clogged air passages, generally clogged up carb
- some more, but...

...don't assume that somebody has done shoddy work on the carbs. I suspect electrical. If you have one and know how to use it, take a multimeter with you, stick the probes in spark plug cap #1 and #3, measure resistance. Expect 15kΩ (spark plug without resistors, if resistors present, add 5kΩ per resistor) resistance. If you don't get continuity, or a much higher reading either the caps are bad or the coil has indeed failed (to distinguish you have to disconnect the plug caps and measure directly at the high tension cable). Intermittent reading is very likely a bad spark plug cap.

(All of this assumes VM22SS carbs).

Edit: resistance readings

 

[Luuk]

Thanks Roeme for the technical info. This Saturday we'll go and see what the GS is like. For the record, yesterday passed all tests, finally I have my motorcycle license.

 

[Luuk]

Hi Guys.
Now proud owner of an 1980 GS550E
Unfortunately the spoke version I visited was in a poor state. Luckily this 1980 version was close by. All 4 cylinders are running, rides well, good brakes and suspension. Unfortunately low compression on cylinder #4. Head nuts all torqued to spec. I'll see if Marvel magic oil will do any good

For now I am happy. Due to oldtimer regulations here in the Netherlands I can only ride it starting from March. Currently stripping exhaust, front fender, to clean it all up. Fixed the play on the tank cap.

The guy I bought it from never had real issues and rode with it in the mountains in Germany.

(any good image sharing service to add multiple pics in a post?)

 

[steve murdoch]

Congrats on the purchase.
Before removing the exhaust i would apply some heat and/or lubricant to the bolts at the collars.

 

[roeme]

Hi Guys.
Now proud owner of an 1980 GS550E
Unfortunately the spoke version I visited was in a poor state. Luckily this 1980 version was close by. All 4 cylinders are running, rides well, good brakes and suspension. Unfortunately low compression on cylinder #4. Head nuts all torqued to spec. I'll see if Marvel magic oil will do any good ��

For now I am happy. Due to oldtimer regulations here in the Netherlands I can only ride it starting from March. Currently stripping exhaust, front fender, to clean it all up. Fixed the play on the tank cap.

The guy I bought it from never had real issues and rode with it in the mountains in Germany.

(any good image sharing service to add multiple pics in a post?)

Congrats. Funny regulations...but you don't want to run these old machines on salty roads anyway, kills them slowly.
Yes, we need pictures! For image sharing I usually recommend imgur.

As mentioned in the newbie thread, I recommend having the valves adjusted soon (unless you know they have been adjusted recently). Also check all the other stuff mentioned there.
As soon as this is done, you'll have one of the possible reasons for weak compression eliminated.

Congrats on the purchase.
Before removing the exhaust i would apply some heat and/or lubricant to the bolts at the collars.

Also, when remounting the exhaust, add high-temp anti-seize to the bolts, and DO NOT OVERTORQUE, the aluminium threads strip easily.