My first GS "dorkbox"

[rustywvw]

So, I got hosed on this bike. My fault. I didn't know anything about them, I needed a bike and the price wasn't to bad. I've always wanted a KZ750 or a kz1000 I hate anything honda but a cb would have been cool. No, I get stuck with Dorkbox. My first ride was about 30 miles. the bike would rev up and get louder but not really go faster. brought it home and bought a new clutch pack. Ride two around 50 miles. Dorkbox was running good and everything seemed to be ok. But I hated it. so I went to the motorscooter store and bought a harley 1200 sportster. I'm in love. the harley is a way better bike. It's fast and it feels solid. It rides smooth and handles great. So I tried to sell Dorkbox. No one wanted it. I figured I would put a new tire on it and try again this spring... As I was pulling the rear wheel I see I have to replace the chain and sprockets. Plus I have to clean 37 years of road grime off it. I like cleaning my cars and machines. My harley is cleaner than when I bought it. My old lady picks on me because I spend more time washing it than I do riding it. So now I'm taking dorkbox apart and doing what I can to make it sell without spending too much money. I'm finding so many little problems. Like the idiot replaced all of the philips screws with hex bolts on the left side of the engine. Wiring issues. The frame is cracked where the rear peg and exhaust mount. little things that I can't sell the bike with. So now I'm almost down to bare frame and it looks Like we are doing a full rebuild and cleanse. I might try and get a 750 engine if it will fit. That's where you guys come in. If i have to be stuck with dorkbox i might as well make it right.

 

[roeme]

It would help a lot of you were to put your thoughts into smaller paragraphs, rather than letting your train of thought to rumble/ramble on for a big wall of text.

If by hex bolts you meant to say allen bolts, that would be a good thing actually.

Not sure what bike you have there. If it's a 550, then you should consider keeping it. They're quite fun.

 

[Guest]

You really can't compare a bike from a shop that (presumably) has been gone through before it was put on the floor, to a 40 year old bike that may have sat in someone's garage for the past 20 years.

I'd keep it and go through it slowly when you have the time.

 

[Crankthat]

Next time you travel down the east coast in a truck, put it in the back.
Might even pay some of your gas☺

 

[rustywvw]

No. by hex bolts I meant they went to home depot and got bolts. Not socket head cap screws(allen bolts). which would have been the wise choice.

It would help a lot of you were to put your thoughts into smaller paragraphs, rather than letting your train of thought to rumble/ramble on for a big wall of text.

If by hex bolts you meant to say allen bolts, that would be a good thing actually.

Not sure what bike you have there. If it's a 550, then you should consider keeping it. They're quite fun.

 

[rustywvw]

My 96 harley sportster is a better bike. like i said, it's solid. The suzuki feels squishy and light. It's a 37 year old jap bike. I'm not upset. knowing what I know now I would have walked away. Unlike my harley it was a daily ridden bike by some hipster kid that didn't know the ins and outs of working on anything but his engineering degree. The harley had less than 7,000 miles on it and it is just a clean bike.

You really can't compare a bike from a shop that (presumably) has been gone through before it was put on the floor, to a 40 year old bike that may have sat in someone's garage for the past 20 years.

I'd keep it and go through it slowly when you have the time.

 

[rustywvw]

So today I was pulling apart my old lady's fatboy. Had my friend over to help and we were talking about the future of dorkbox. I'm going to use the bike. It's a fun little bike. He loved the use of Hex bolts where socket head cap screws or button head screws should have been used. I will be needing parts for this bike. It's a 1980 gs550e as far as I know. I'll stick with the 550 if I have to.

 

[dorkburger]

Dorkbox...... I like it.....

 

[rustywvw]

It had a luggage trunk on it when I bought it. We call those dorkboxes.

Dorkbox...... I like it.....

 

[rustywvw]

here is a hex head bolt where a socket head cap screw should be.

 

[dorkburger]

Well, give him credit for at least using a metric bolt. ..

 

[Steve]

Other than a fuzzy picture showing a four-cylinder GS and your vague description, please give us a clue. :-k

What bike to you have?

It has been said that the GS hive-mind is darn near omnipotent and rather omniscient, but we are not yet clairvoyant, so please give us a clue.

.

 

[Guest]

Must have been fun trying to get a socket around that hex bolt!

 

[roeme]

View attachment 49623here is a hex head bolt where a socket head cap screw should be.

Omg, how did that even go in there?!

Looking forward to your progress.

If you don't already have, visit Cliff's homepage (link in my signature). With the schematics you should be able to fix your wiring issues in no time.

 

[850GT_Rider]

Welcome to the asylum.

You'll probably get more lovin' and more help here if you remember you joined a Suzuki forum and more specifically a Suzuki GS forum. You came to us, remember? So praising all things Harley while calling your GS 'squishy' and calling trunks (that some of us like) 'dorkboxes' isn't going to make us all warm and fuzzy. Do you want help with your Suzuki or just want to rant?

IF you truly want help, this is one of the best, most knowledgeable forums on the interweb. Lots of skills here from lots of helpful folks. If you have specific questions, find the appropriate sub-headings, ask your questions, and then pay heed to the responses. As others have said,read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread.

Put your year and model information in your signature. That helps us help you.

Now, your bike may indeed be 'squishy'. You mentioned a cracked frame like it was of little consequence. I wouldn't even ride a bike around the block with a cracked frame! The OEM suspension wasn't the best when it was new - now it's 40 years old and no doubt poorly maintained. The triple tree bearings could be shot. Forks may have insufficient oil and/or the wrong oil. Tires could be toast.

You've got a 40-year old bike that probably has 39 years of deferred or no maintenance. It's also a vintage machine that needs care and loving and wrenching. Lots of wrenching.

Good luck!

 

[rustywvw]

My bike is a 1980 gs550e. It is in nee of some major work. But the good news is that it runs. I do like my suzuki I'm going to have a build thread going up here soon. And as for "dorkboxes" they are fine to have and quite handy. Just not my style. I'm looking forward to sharing my progress with all of you.

 

[rustywvw]

I used a cold chisel to tap the bolt in reverse. They are all out and I'm going to buy new hardware from bellmetric.com they have all the metric stuff you will ever need.

 

[rustywvw]

The crack is not in a place that will make the bike unsafe. Later this week after I get the front end apart I will post some better pictures.

Welcome to the asylum.

You'll probably get more lovin' and more help here if you remember you joined a Suzuki forum and more specifically a Suzuki GS forum. You came to us, remember? So praising all things Harley while calling your GS 'squishy' and calling trunks (that some of us like) 'dorkboxes' isn't going to make us all warm and fuzzy. Do you want help with your Suzuki or just want to rant?

IF you truly want help, this is one of the best, most knowledgeable forums on the interweb. Lots of skills here from lots of helpful folks. If you have specific questions, find the appropriate sub-headings, ask your questions, and then pay heed to the responses. As others have said,read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread.

Put your year and model information in your signature. That helps us help you.

Now, your bike may indeed be 'squishy'. You mentioned a cracked frame like it was of little consequence. I wouldn't even ride a bike around the block with a cracked frame! The OEM suspension wasn't the best when it was new - now it's 40 years old and no doubt poorly maintained. The triple tree bearings could be shot. Forks may have insufficient oil and/or the wrong oil. Tires could be toast.

You've got a 40-year old bike that probably has 39 years of deferred or no maintenance. It's also a vintage machine that needs care and loving and wrenching. Lots of wrenching.

Good luck!

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Well, give him credit for at least using a metric bolt. ..

What he said…HA!!!
550 is half the power of a 1200. Disappointed you had to learn that the slow way.
Me, I had fun winding my 550 out, that kinda slowed racing down to my level.
Now I ride an 1127, and that's rather humbling to wind out.

 

[rustywvw]

What was the power band like on your 550? Where did the power seem to drop off? I've been thinking about the 650 upper end swap, or refreshing the 550. I look forward to riding the bike around. It will need some suspension work. One of the rear shocks was totally blown out.

What he said?HA!!!
550 is half the power of a 1200. Disappointed you had to learn that the slow way.
Me, I had fun winding my 550 out, that kinda slowed racing down to my level.
Now I ride an 1127, and that's rather humbling to wind out.