Page last modified: 05/11/08

Here we have what can be the start to a ton of GS model mechanical and electrical resources. With the help or our readers, it can be even more of a reference to all.

If you've stumbled across anything peculiar and/or useful technique or setting or adjustment while wrenching on your bike that caused a beam of pride to shine on your face, send that tip along. Also, if you know of some trade secret that helps the GS run better, stronger, longer; pass that along too. These little gems might be of more help to your fellow GS riders than you think!

All submissions will of course carry the author's name, so you might even become a celebrity!

Grease Up The Eyeballs and Take a Look Before Jumping In!

• A history of the GS Engine

• A Cutaway view of the GS Engine from a 1980-83 GS1100
  This is a nice drawing, but it is large - so be aware it may take a while to download.

• More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Motor Oil
  Don't be discouraged by the length, there's actually a lot of useful information here.

• More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Motor Oil Additives
  Why you should NOT use these in general...

• Braking Tip for GS Owners
  This might make sense, since the advice herein has been followed by the bike industry. However, the former tech editor does not feel the need to do so. But if it helps you it won't do any harm.

• How to Extract Stuck Screws
  Sensible cures for the most common workshed hangover... read this, if nothing else!

• Motorcycle Repaint Project - the cheap way
  How to repaint the GS and get it great looking once again.

• GS400E Engine Rebuild
  Read about Sonic's rebuild project.

• How to get inside your gauges
  Get inside those gauges without destroying it.

• VM carburetor rebuild
  This article was created by Paul Musser as an Adobe Acrobat file (.PDF).  It contains detailed instructions on how to rebuild your VM styled carbs.

 

The Stator Papers

• Stator Papers I - Primer on GS charging systems
  Most all air-cooled GS's seem to suffer from excessive wear on the stator. This article aims to explain the why's, what's and how's. Though the findings are not (yet) conclusive, due to the general GS nature of the problem it's essential reading anyway if you want to know why your bike drains its battery (or what you might expect and how to avoid it)! (Note from the author: this article is faulty in some of its assumptions, but the basic theory is there. I am still trying to beat Ritzo into submission into doing a definitive article on the subject).
  It actually generated some useful questions as well, which I've tried to answer -- sometimes with help of my friends.

• Stator Papers II - FAQ
  Find answers to the following questions:

  • How do I find out whether my charging circuit is OK?

  • What if my charging circuit seems OK, but the battery still drains?

  • How can I find out whether the stator has passed away, or if it's just a broken regulator/rectifier?

  • My bike seems to charge OK on idle and slightly up, but when the revs rise up to, say, 4000 RPM, the voltage on the battery poles starts to drop down. What's wrong here?

  • If, after starting the bike when the battery is on a charger, taking the charger off the battery causes the engine to run irregularly and then die after a few minutes, do I have a charging problem?

• Stator Papers III - The Solution to GS Charging Concerns
  At last, a good replacement rectifier/regulator unit available world wide!

• Stator Papers IV - Fault finding chart for checking your GS's entire charging system
  We've been in the dark too long, but now it's over. Ritzo Muntinga of Electrex USA, who actually knows about motorcycles electrics, finally came up with a generic fault finding chart for most motorcycle charging systems. We worked up an HTML version of this and adapted it to specifically troubleshoot your GS charging system. Using this, you'll be able to pinpoint the failing part(s) in the system much more accurately than with the scarce information in most workshop manuals.

• Stator Papers V - Why do charging systems on bikes fail so often at all?
  This article goes into the main reason of failing stators, main fuses, regulators/rectifiers and other expensive electrics: improper conductivity.

• Stator Papers VI - How to Rewind Your Own Stator
  So you don't want to spend money on a new stator and want to try fixing the old one.  Read this to see if you would like to give it a try.

Downloads

• Degree Wheel
  Use this when setting the timing on that GS engine of yours.

• GS Gearing and top end speed calculating spreadsheet
  Provided by Rick K. (Road_Clam in the forum), you can use this spreadsheet to calculate your top speed potential based on chain size and gearing.

 

Links

• Brad Brown's Rebuild Project
  Brad is in the process of rebuilding 2 GS850's  Follow the progress of this project by clicking on the link.

• BikeCliff's Webspace
  Here you will find a collection of maintenance pictorials that he is creating as he learns how to work on his 1980 GS850GT.  (Site added April 1, 2008).