Gs850g vs 650g

[razorbacksrule]

Both are very clean and low miles the 650 super nice 14,000 miles 2nd owner all service records . The 850 has 21,000 miles and is all original except 4 into 1 Exhaust . Pics must of got resized when I uploaded them they are a lot clearer .

[Nessism]

Can't tell condition from those postage stamp photos. A "super nice" 14k 650 sounds like a winner to me, but a 21k 850 might be nice as well. I'd go for the 650 if you are going to riding mostly around town or short trips. The 850 might be the better choice for longer trips but a header throws a red flag to me since the carbs might not be properly jetted, plus the bike will make more noise.

[Steve]

... but a header throws a red flag to me since the carbs might not be properly jetted, plus the bike will make more noise.

Generally, I would agree with you, but like everything else, there are exceptions.

I still don't know what brand header is on my bike, all I can say is that it's not much louder than stock (if any), and I have been playing with the jetting, with surprising results.

The header actually came on my son's 850 when we got it many years ago. He got a 1000G and decided he liked it well enough to let the 850 go. With his consent, I swapped exhaust systems and carburetor jets. I finally got it mounted on my bike before the Ozark Rally in 2016, but just mounted the pipe and installed the jets that came out of my son's bike without doing any testing. At the rally, I got a few comments on how rich my bike was running. When I got home, I started testing.

Stock main jets are 115, I had 125s installed, which didn't sound too out of line. I installed 120s, the bike ran better. Installed 117.5s, even better. I don't remember if I still have the 117.5s in there or if I have gone back to 115s, but it seems to be doing quite well.

Jetting requirements are highly dependent on air flow. I still have the stock airbox, there is a K&N filter insert inside it. The baffle in the muffler is the puzzling part, though. While most "competition" baffles have a straight-through perforated core, mine is not straight through. There is a disk in the center of the bore that forces all the exhaust to go through the perforations into the outer area, then back through the perforations at the rear to make it out the exit. Adding fiberglass chokes it down, because it's not just controlling an echo, the exhaust actually has to flow through it. I have very coarse stainless steel wool in the outer chamber. I have all the smooth sound of a 4-into-1 pipe, but a low-enough volume level that I can ride all day with no problems.

I need to attack my base gasket leak sometime soon, I will look into fine-tuning the jetting at that time, as well.

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[razorbacksrule]

I'm not crazy about the header either wanted a bone stock bike .

[razorbacksrule]

IMG_5085.jpg Tried to upload a better pic

[Redman]

I had 82 650G from new untill 2005. Had 82 850G from 1994 till 2006.

SO I had been riding the 650G for 12 years when I got the 850G.
First observation is that it is taller and heavier.
THen notice More torque at lower rpm, not need to shift as soon or as much, a bit more acceleration but not much. More comfortable for longer rides beacuse bigger and heavier.

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[Redman]

Oh, an other thing, this took me a year or so to notice: THe 850G has a drain plug and fill plug for the secondary gears gear oil (650G did not, is in engine oil).

Secondary Gears; the gears on front of driveshaft, back side of transmission.

[Redman]

When/if talking to seller of 850G, ask them about the hub in rear wheel. That is much more subject to failure on the 850G than on the 650G. If seller seems ignorant of it, then you can assume it hasnt been greased and then you can proceed as if it is about to fail.

Not the final gear drive (some call pumpkin).
The hub IN the rear WHEEL, some call spline, called "joint assembly" on the microfische.

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[salty_monk]

From my experience on the 1000G the V&H header makes little difference to the jetting with a stock airbox and I am at sea level... You may need to adjust the pilot screws. It's noisier than stock for sure (but one of the quieter pipes out there).

[wymple]

When/if talking to seller of 850G, ask them about the hub in rear wheel. That is much more subject to failure on the 850G than on the 650G. If seller seems ignorant of it, then you can assume it hasnt been greased and then you can proceed as if it is about to fail.

Not the final gear drive (some call pumpkin).
The hub IN the rear WHEEL, some call spline, called "joint assembly" on the microfische.

.

I'm not remembering which years might have this problem, but it's a small problem. They are available (I have one on the shelf), and not expensive. A simple inspection will tell you it's condition so if shaky you can dig one up before getting too far from home.

[Wingsconsin]

I have owned them both - 650L & 850L
My riding is 100% alone on the GS bikes
I loved the 650 - quick-nimble-fun-fast-sporty- (all the great adjectives)
I sold it and found an 850 (quick enough-nimble enough-fun for me-fastish-sporty kinda)
The difference maker for me is two -fold
I am a bigger dude at 6' and 275# (down from 350#) -
I felt like I was too big for that bike/frame combo to be comfortable for some of my longer rides -
The bike is used primarily for cruising and commuting but it's not uncommon for me to go out for a 'ride' in the evenings and cover 100+ miles
And an occasional wild hair ride that might take me away for a few days covering 500 miles per day -

Depends is the best answer in my opinion - on your size, riding style, and plans on how to use it -

EITHER BIKE is going to be a great fun ride - once you sort out all the needs of a 30+ years old bike

'There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle' -C. Robert circa 2015

[Admiral Beez]

Steve, I realize that those are the published numbers, but if the 650 actually makes more than 60hp on a dyno I'll eat my hat.
The 850 numbers seem reasonable, but the 650 is way out of line. No way a mildly tuned, stock, 2 valve, air-cooled 650 is making 72@9000 rpm.

I’ve owned my GS650G since early 2018. My earlier bike for eleven years was a 1969 Triumph single carb 490cc twin with at best 35 hp. The GS650G with three more carbs and 180cc more engine feels like a rocket to me.

I’ve never ridden a GS850G, but find me an air-cooled bike made in the 21st century of 850cc or less that makes more power than a GS650G. I certainly can’t find one. Motor Guzzi V7 has less than 50 hp. Even oil-cooled bikes of 850cc size would be hard pressed.

[wymple]

Well, just drop back one century, to the 20th, when your bike was made, for air cooled punch?....Here's one that was fast

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xj650_sega%2081.htm

The KZ650 was a worthy competitor,

All the 750 air cooled 4's were beefier in the engine dept. All the 650's were within a tick of each other. I think all the tariff 700's were as well.

[Buffalo Bill]

Wait for a 1100G to show up, 1100GK even mo betta.

[RichDesmond]

...I’ve never ridden a GS850G, but find me an air-cooled bike made in the 21st century of 850cc or less that makes more power than a GS650G. I certainly can’t find one. Motor Guzzi V7 has less than 50 hp. Even oil-cooled bikes of 850cc size would be hard pressed.

Well, that's a bit of apples to mangos, as any air-cooled bike these days is not a performance driven design.

I'm not bashing the GS650 at all, I think it's a great bike. I just don't think that it makes close to 72hp.