K
Kratzer
Guest
Hi everyone. I have been posting a little around here from time to time but just thought I would go ahead and write some things about my bike and what not.
I have a 1981 GS850GL. I am not ashamed of that little L after the G. I like my bike. I like it a lot. I am not sure that there is another bike I would trade it for right now. It has a lot of my knuckle skin and sweat as well as a little money invested in it right now. I would like to see some return on investment.
I bought the bike this winter. I bought it from a coworker who has become a friend of mine. Hes a divorced 40 year old guy, with kids that spend a lot of their time at their mothers. He's kind of lonely, and has one hobby. Riding bike.
The first bike I saw of his was a 1981 GS850GL. I loved that bike from first sight. His uncles owned the bike from new, and it was in great shape fore the age. Absolutely great shape. He road it for a couple of years, and during his stent riding it, he had nearly every gasket replaced, and new V and H pipes put on it. Like I said, he has one hobby. RIDING bike- not wreching bike. He bought a harley with his tax return this year. So his Suzuki became an extra bike. Add together the fact that he doesn't like to wrench on bikes with his desire for a riding buddy, and I end up buy my bike for $250. It was a bargin because there was a problem with it. The battery wouldn't charge.
So I get the bike to my house, and find this site. I read the stator papers, and figure since I am in the bike so cheap I will go ahead and replace the R/R and the stator, both with upgraded parts. I use basscliff's useful walk through, and wah la. The bike charges.
Next problem please. The bike has a hang up at 3550 rpms. Add seafoam to a couple of tanks of gas, and what problem?
I also put a new rear tire on it, and cleaned and bled the brakes. Finally, I changed the gear oils, and motor oil. I find out that one of the oil filter caps stud bolts is striped. I replace the stud bolts.
Now, after growing in love and knowlodge of riding the weather finally breaks this last weekend. But alas, I am going out of town. Drats. Foiled again. That was the most tortuous 70 degree sunny days of my life.
Now, today the weather is 64, and theres a 21 MPH wind. My dad hasn't seen my bike, and he loves Suzukis. He's dying to see it. I'm dying to ride it. My dad lives about 75 miles from me. Man, dare I make the trip. I dare. On the way there, I fight the wind, its mostly at my back. What a joy, other than the 2 times that the bike starts to fade and ends up dying (I later realize it has to do more with my inability to choose appropriate gears than the bike). I say hi to mom and dad, eat a little dinner, and then head home. Riding perpendicular to the wind, its much different from riding with the wind. I am on a 4 lane highway, and riding through a woods. I am riding northboud, and preparing to make a right turn. I start to lean, and as I start taking the fairly gentle bend in the road, I exit the wooded area, and a gust of 20+ mph wind hits me, with my lean. Oh man. That was my first adreneline rush, that was not voluntary from the bike.
So basically other than some white knuckle riding home, its pretty uneventful otherwise. The bike is stronger the last 10 miles than the first, and the carbs are getting more debris and garbage out of them all the time.
It was my first 100+ mile ride today. My hips and shoulders are telling me "way to go" with their soreness (and I have opened the door for the L critics). I can't wait to do it again.
Brown County here I come.
I have a 1981 GS850GL. I am not ashamed of that little L after the G. I like my bike. I like it a lot. I am not sure that there is another bike I would trade it for right now. It has a lot of my knuckle skin and sweat as well as a little money invested in it right now. I would like to see some return on investment.
I bought the bike this winter. I bought it from a coworker who has become a friend of mine. Hes a divorced 40 year old guy, with kids that spend a lot of their time at their mothers. He's kind of lonely, and has one hobby. Riding bike.
The first bike I saw of his was a 1981 GS850GL. I loved that bike from first sight. His uncles owned the bike from new, and it was in great shape fore the age. Absolutely great shape. He road it for a couple of years, and during his stent riding it, he had nearly every gasket replaced, and new V and H pipes put on it. Like I said, he has one hobby. RIDING bike- not wreching bike. He bought a harley with his tax return this year. So his Suzuki became an extra bike. Add together the fact that he doesn't like to wrench on bikes with his desire for a riding buddy, and I end up buy my bike for $250. It was a bargin because there was a problem with it. The battery wouldn't charge.
So I get the bike to my house, and find this site. I read the stator papers, and figure since I am in the bike so cheap I will go ahead and replace the R/R and the stator, both with upgraded parts. I use basscliff's useful walk through, and wah la. The bike charges.
Next problem please. The bike has a hang up at 3550 rpms. Add seafoam to a couple of tanks of gas, and what problem?
I also put a new rear tire on it, and cleaned and bled the brakes. Finally, I changed the gear oils, and motor oil. I find out that one of the oil filter caps stud bolts is striped. I replace the stud bolts.
Now, after growing in love and knowlodge of riding the weather finally breaks this last weekend. But alas, I am going out of town. Drats. Foiled again. That was the most tortuous 70 degree sunny days of my life.
Now, today the weather is 64, and theres a 21 MPH wind. My dad hasn't seen my bike, and he loves Suzukis. He's dying to see it. I'm dying to ride it. My dad lives about 75 miles from me. Man, dare I make the trip. I dare. On the way there, I fight the wind, its mostly at my back. What a joy, other than the 2 times that the bike starts to fade and ends up dying (I later realize it has to do more with my inability to choose appropriate gears than the bike). I say hi to mom and dad, eat a little dinner, and then head home. Riding perpendicular to the wind, its much different from riding with the wind. I am on a 4 lane highway, and riding through a woods. I am riding northboud, and preparing to make a right turn. I start to lean, and as I start taking the fairly gentle bend in the road, I exit the wooded area, and a gust of 20+ mph wind hits me, with my lean. Oh man. That was my first adreneline rush, that was not voluntary from the bike.
So basically other than some white knuckle riding home, its pretty uneventful otherwise. The bike is stronger the last 10 miles than the first, and the carbs are getting more debris and garbage out of them all the time.
It was my first 100+ mile ride today. My hips and shoulders are telling me "way to go" with their soreness (and I have opened the door for the L critics). I can't wait to do it again.
Brown County here I come.
/(I'm being nice to her and so far she's responding) LOL Glad to here the bike is working out for ya!!
