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gs550 wont start

  • Thread starter Thread starter Quest
  • Start date Start date
Q

Quest

Guest
let me start by saying I dont know a lot about motorcycles at all.

I have a 1981 gs550 which has been running well for about a year. recently It had started cutting off out of no where. The other day I rode to the store and when i got back on it to ride home it would not start. I left it for a few hours then tried again while it was cold and it started right back up again but died in the middle of the street on the way home.

now it only cranks over sometimes. I went out this morning and it fired right up I rode it around in the parking lot a little and it seemed fine. I just went out to try to start it again but it wouldnt fire up. what could be the problem?
 
What's the battery voltage at rest and idle? Is fuel getting to the carbs and then into the engine properly? Do what Tom said and go through the maintenance
 
tkent02 said:
Can't expect a 35 year old motorcycle to run forever without any maintenance can you?
Start here:

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Everything you need to know is there somewhere.
Click to expand...

I never said I expected it to run forever i'm just looking for help to get it running again. Thanks you for the link but something so broad doesnt really help me is there any way you can point in a more specific direction?
 
Last edited:
cowboyup3371 said:
What's the battery voltage at rest and idle? Is fuel getting to the carbs and then into the engine properly? Do what Tom said and go through the maintenance
Click to expand...

I dont have a voltage tester so I have no idea what the voltage is. I dont think its a fuel problem because it runs fine when it does run but I could be wrong .
 
Quest said:
Thanks you for the link but something so broad doesnt really help me is there any way you can point in a more specific direction?
Click to expand...

Not without a better description of what it isn't doing. What you describe can be anything.
 
tkent02 said:
Not without a better description of what it isn't doing. What you describe can be anything.
Click to expand...

thank you very much. hopefully someone else is willing to help me because I dont know much about motorcycles and it doesnt seem like you are interested in helping me. I dont know what Im supposed to tell you guys about the problem because I know nothing but I'm trying to learn.
 
Tkent is right and is trying to help you but there are many different reasons for the basic symptoms you described. Getting the basic set of tools and running through the initial maintenance is needed for anyone to help you, especially when you are talking to people around the world.
 
tkent02 said:
Read. Learn. Get a meter. Fix it.

Can't see Jack from here.
Click to expand...

again thank you for your help. sorry if I came of rude but to be honest you are making this process more frustrating with your comments. I'm not trying to make enemy's I'm just trying to get my bike running. and I dont know where to start.
 
Why do so many people who don't know how to fix or maintain anything start with 35 year old motorcycles?

New ones are so easy.
 
tkent02 said:
Why do so many people who don't know how to fix or maintain anything start with 35 year old motorcycles?

New ones are so easy.
Click to expand...

Don't know about you, but in my youthful days, the piles of crap that needed lots of work (and had dire electrical systems) were only ten years old. Otoh, they could be picked up for the price of a night in the pub, or less.
It was a learning process - this guy is learning, just like all of us did.
It says a lot for the build quality of many '70s Japanese bikes that it's taken an extra couple of decades for them to turn into mouldering piles of crap, and learning projects.
 
Grimly said:
Don't know about you, but in my youthful days, the piles of crap that needed lots of work (and had dire electrical systems) were only ten years old. Otoh, they could be picked up for the price of a night in the pub, or less.
It was a learning process - this guy is learning, just like all of us did.
It says a lot for the build quality of many '70s Japanese bikes that it's taken an extra couple of decades for them to turn into mouldering piles of crap, and learning projects.
Click to expand...
This is a good observation- my first was a ten year old BSA Bantam (?)- I learned plenty from her problems.
 
to me it just sounds like there is a short somewhere or the R/R is going, but there is no way to confirm without testing.

I can tell you as someone who didn't know anything about fixing bikes till I got my first GS you are going to need;
1. a set of metric allen wrenches
2. a metric socket set
3. a phillips screw driver
4. a multimeter.

these are not optional. you can't own the bike without them. you will eventually get more stuff like a torque wrench and others, but you have to start with those 4. find a local harbor freight and get the cheapest ones you can, you'll eventually replace them with good tools, but its a great place to start.

for the problem you are describing you need a multimeter to see what the standing voltage of the battery and the voltage at 2000 RPM. then you'll need to do continuity tests on the wires.

All that being said, if it has the original R/R on it you're going to have to replace it at some point so you might as well do it now to eliminate it as a possibility. It's what solved my random cut out problem.
 
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