GS Road Trip Reliability? 2000 Miles or more?

[Buffalo Bill]

Last year I did 8k miles after leaving home the weekend before Memorial Day. Dealt with a broken clutch cable at the Bedford rally and a toasted regulator later that summer along with chasing gremlins due to not quite having my carbs as clean as they should have been. All three of those issues where prep related, a punctured front tire was really the only unforeseen problem.

This year I left April 25th and have covered close to 16k miles. Replaced the chain and sprockets about a month in which I should have dealt with over the winter as well as a front tire which also should have been replaced as well. A broken master link was a bit of an embarrassment since I should have been packing another. Replaced my rear tire at 9k miles, had the seal where the clutch actuator pin goes into the case give out and my center stand broke which was welded back together. My stator went out about a month ago which I didn't think would happen with the SH775 installed.

I'm carrying a LOT of weight in tools, the three tire irons and 29mm socket for the front sprocket being probably half of it. Parts wise it's just some electrical crimps, a couple of spark plugs, valve cover gasket and a master link. There's a small baggie of screws, nuts, washers and bolts, a tube of RTV, electrical tape, zip ties, tube patch kit and good old duct tape just in case.

We've seen pics of your bike loaded, nothing left behind right?

[Buffalo Bill]

While I've been on a number of long trips on my GS 1000, the last being to Sandy's rally, I will remind long timers of Shiraz drum.

He rode a semi prepared 850 from Montana past the Arctic Circle, back down the West Coast to Tierra del Diego and back to Argentina, where it melted down.

When he stopped by, I rode the 850 around. It was horribly overloaded and undersprung. It was updated in CA.

So, he went 9,000 (?) Miles with only a few problems on his under prepared 850.

I remember that thread. It turned into an epic story. The ride up to the Arctic circle just to photo a road sign, "Because it's there".

[Jedz123]

I did a couple +1000 mile weekends with my 81 GS750L in the before time... IT overheated and also had R&R failure...
That was the first and last season I tried to tour on my GS750L and quickly bought my Bandit 1200 for the next year. Have been on bikes that are younger than me for touring since.

[bwringer]

Thinking back over many GS rallies where we ride long distances to get there and then ride the absolute wee out of the bikes on the twisty roads... leaving out crash damage, here's what stands out to me:

- There have been many stator meltdowns and electrical issues. I and a few others usually bring a spare GS stator and usable Honda R/R with me (two or three stator types cover almost all GS models), and there have been several parking lot stator and R/R replacements. One guy in Wisconsin made it back to the hotel and was making arrangements for a trailer rescue when the crowd basically hijacked his bike over his protests, replaced the stator, and fixed several bad connections. That was pretty funny; he was starting to get really embarrassed and annoyed, and everyone just sort of ignored him and fixed the bike anyway. I don't think he really believed that some stranger would just happen to have the correct part and that we could and would actually fix it in the parking lot.

- A few sudden oil leaks from valve cover gaskets or bolts that came adrift.

- I've seen way too many ancient tires in truly frightening condition. Yeek.

- A few bad or broken clutch cables, often accompanied or caused by worn-out levers. Usually there's a way to cobble up some sort of functional replacement.

- I once walked up to a perfect stranger in a remote area of Wisconsin to inform him that a bolt was missing from one of the front calipers on his GS. (I have this weird ability to subconsciously spot broken stuff.) He started to panic a bit because there was no cell signal, but I rummaged in my tool kit and soon produced and installed a replacement, and checked the other fasteners. Something similar has happened several times. Not many people carry a selection of spare fasteners in their tool kits, but my little collection has been called into action many times.

- Speaking of which, there have been many incidents of missing caliper bolts, axle nuts, fork bolts, etc. stemming from hurried pre-rally tire replacements. New tires are great, but triple-check that everything's there and torqued, wouldya?

- There have been a few folks who showed up with broken or unprepared bikes hoping for advice and assistance. I don't think anyone really minded the people who showed up with a GS on a trailer and seeking advice. It gives us something to do in the evenings, and you have a plan for getting home, etc. However, it's honestly pretty annoying when someone makes zero effort to prepare, rides to the rally on a dying bike, then hopes the collective will somehow be able to patch his bike up enough to get back home.

- On a related note, when someone at a rally magically produces and installs the part your GS needs to continue and get home, don't assume it's a donation. Someone has just saved you a hell of a lot of time, trouble, and cash -- ask how much and pay them for the part and then some without squawking. This sort misunderstanding is thankfully quite rare, but it's popped up a few times.

- In the early years of GS rallies, a lot of people were terrified of doing valve clearance checks and cleaning carbs, so lots of bikes were very hard to start when cold. Ten or fifteen minutes before we planned to leave, people would go out and crank and crank and crank and crank, then leave the bike on choke to warm up for ten minutes or so before departure, leaving a hydrocarbon haze hanging over the parking lot. I would make a point of walking up to my bike about 30 seconds before blastoff and giving the starter button a quick stern glance to demonstrate how a GS is supposed to start instantly and how long warmups aren't needed. That's gotten a lot better over the years, since "did you check valve clearances" is always just about the first answer to any engine question... peer pressure can be a good thing!

- For many of us, let's spare a few thoughts for dearly departed "Painter Dave" and his delightfully dilapidated machines. Somehow he always got there and mostly got home again on the most clapped-out rolling disasters we've ever seen. I've never seen anyone so adept at riding that knife edge of mechanical disaster.

- We've had two incidents of someone arriving at a rally on a dying or dead bike then buying a brand new bike at a nearby dealer and riding home on that.

[Griffin]

A few years ago, I took a fairly long trip on my 1980 GS1000G to visit a bunch of old friends and family I hadn't seen in person for years. I left Indiana and travelled northwest through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and both Dakotas. I came back through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Here she was before I left, with 29,600ish miles on her:



I returned home eight days later with just a tick over 33,000 miles on the clock. I changed oil and filter in the Twin Cities. Other than topping off oil every once in a while, no other things were done to it. By the end of the trip, the seat foam was totally broken down though, and the last leg from Rockford, IL to home was brutal on my tailbone and hips.


IF (as others here have noted) all the maintenance is up to date, and everything has been inspected/cleaned/lubed, I would have no issues with riding one of these bikes for a multi-thousand mile trip.

I routinely put in over a thousand miles at one of our 3-4 day rallies, including the there and back part, and have been doing that for the past 13 years. Only a couple times have I had an issue. There is obviously a good support system at a rally, so I generally don't do all the preparatory work (cleaning wiring connections, lubing/replacing cables, etc...) that I would do for a long solo or two-up trip.

Give me a week to prepare a GS or KZ for a trip, and I'll ride it to California without much concern.

[fastbysuzuki]

In 2017 we toured Spain & Portugal did around 2500 miles bike had 45000 on clock had no problems.
in preparation usual maintenance, valve clearances, oil/ filter change, air filter clean, check wheel bearings, clean electrical connections, check charging rate, changed secondary & final drive oil, make sure tyres have enough tread, if possible have tyres fitted tubeless, (saves a lot of hassle if punctured)
check your final drive to rear wheel splines are good for the ride length and grease them. Check all fasteners are tight.

Good idea to pack spare brake/clutch lever's, clutch/ throttle cables, 2x spark plugs, small multimeter, spare fuses, few mixed connectors, electrical tape, some good old gaffer tape, tubeless tyre repair kit.

Am am really hoping to go touring Spain July next year on the GS ( if health holds up)

[trevor]

My cousin and his wife and me and my wife completed two trips throughout BC on my old GS bikes...two up and loaded with luggage. No issues.

[Griffin]

……..
It would be very useful to people preparing to use their GS bike on long road trip adventures to have a short list of spares.
Thanks a bunch!
BiL

BiL,

To answer your final question, here is my checklist for a long trip:

Maintenance

- Oil (Rotella white jug)/oil filter (Suzuki OEM) changed
- Gear oil changed (shafties)
- Air filter clean/oil (K&N oem-style)
- All electrical connectors inspected/cleaned/dielectric greased
- AGM battery fully charged and load tested (free service at Advance Auto)
- All cables lubed, replaced if more than 5,000 miles/5 years old
- Hand levers inspected/replaced if worn
- Full charging system test (per POSplayer's write up)
- Tires inspected/replaced if necessary
- Rear splines (or drive chain and sprockets) cleaned/inspected/lubed (Suzuki Moly paste or WD-40 and Maxima Chain Wax)
- New spark plugs
- Resistances of coils and plug caps checked
- Valve clearances checked/new valve cover gasket
- Brake pads inspected/replaced if necessary
- Brake lines bled and flushed
- Fork oil changed if over 5,000 miles/five years old
- Carburetors balanced
- All fuses replaced
- Nuts and bolts in key places tightened/torqued

I know that looks like a lot, but it can be all done over a weekend if one is organized and things are in reasonably good shape to begin with.

Spare Parts
- Headlight bulb
- Full set of fuses
- Stator
- Reg/rec
- Throttle and clutch cables (old ones that were replaced while still intact will do, emergency use only anyway)
- Spade-style electrical connectors
- Small roll of wire
- 4 spark plugs

Tools
- 3/8" drive socket set (6mm-17mm, comes in a plastic hard case)
- 8, 10, 12, 14mm wrenches
- Needle nose and regular pliers
- Flat and cross tip screwdrivers
- Wire cutting/stripping/crimping pliers
- Electrical tape
- Allen wrench set
- Spanner for shock adjustment
- Maxima chain wax (if necessary)
- Small double-A flashlight

All the tools and spare parts fit in a small nylon bag I picked up somewhere that is easily stashed in a tank bag.

Although not as complete as the old gentleman's guide for touring in Europe, this seems to cover pretty much any base that can be covered on the road or at a hotel.

[Buffalo Bill]

Brett, would synthetic gear oil be mo betta in a shafty? (oops…hope I don't start another endless oil debate!)
All the pics are a big help for considering luggage options.
Thanks!

[Griffin]

Brett, would synthetic gear oil be mo betta in a shafty? (oops…hope I don't start another endless oil debate!)
All the pics are a big help for considering luggage options.
Thanks!

I've been using synthetic 75W-90 Valvoline for years and everything is still good:



It's about $9-$10 at Wal mart.

[Brendan W]

I used to make 2000+ trips on new bikes. The only issues were a rear wheel bearing failed on a two month old Z650 and a spark plug cap exploded on a two year old R100.
I've put about 15000 on the 850 and apart from electrical issues with the r/r and corroded switches and connectors back at the start it's been as reliable as a Swiss clock. Longest trip on the GS was 400 miles two up.
Prep is the key.

[kingofvenus]

In 1986 i was working at a now closed Honda dealership, one mourning a guy pulled into the lot just as i was opening. He was riding a rather worn looking xl500. He was on a ride from Alaska to New York. Had to stop to buy some spark plugs, it used one up about every 600 miles or so....

[alke46]

That's odd, I wonder what was wrong with the engine or plug for that to be happening.

[Wingsconsin]

In June of this year (2019) I ventured out on my 1983 GS850GL -

I had invested some considerable time, effort and money in getting it up to excellent operating standards and did not fear a break down.
The plan was to ride to southern Illinois, thru Nashville, to the Tail of the Dragon and up to the Back of the Dragon and end up 4 days later at the Brown County Rally in Bedford IN .
In many days of weather both hot & cold ; wet and dry the bike ran perfectly.
Started everyday easily; ran all day long without a miss; stopped well, turned proficiently and generally was a real joy to play on.
Eventually the torrential rains just emptied my soul of wanderlust and I went home 1 day early (much to the pleasure of my fellow rally attendees as I took the rain with me) .

I had the bike up to date on all maintenance and required updates (as much as I could)

Tools on board:
Spare Wire and tools required to make an emergency splice with butt connectors
Spare stator (even though mine is new with a new R & R and coils, wires, plugs etc.)
Assorted sockets, wrenches, screw drivers and tools need to make a road side repair -
Credit Card - Cell Phone - Good Attitude

2500+/- a few miles in 7 days on a 36+ years old motorcycle -

Lesson learned ~~
Surprisingly I used OIL when I was running the interstates at 75 to 80 MPH (or more ) -
The old girl was not leaking it , nor eating it (new valve stem seals installed) -
It was just 'disappearing' ...?
The common consensus was that at those higher RPMs the 4 cylinder beast was consuming it via heat and evaporation -

Once home and just riding as a commuter (slower) the oil disappearing act stopped
Next season I am going to change to Synthetic Oil from the Regular Dino Oil
I have been told that the higher flash point of the Synth may help mitigate this problem.

Average MPG ranged from 35 on the interstate to 47 on the back roads typically low - 40s .
I can live with that -

[RichDesmond]

...Lesson learned ~~
Surprisingly I used OIL when I was running the interstates at 75 to 80 MPH (or more ) -
The old girl was not leaking it , nor eating it (new valve stem seals installed) -
It was just 'disappearing' ...?
The common consensus was that at those higher RPMs the 4 cylinder beast was consuming it via heat and evaporation -

Once home and just riding as a commuter (slower) the oil disappearing act stopped
Next season I am going to change to Synthetic Oil from the Regular Dino Oil
I have been told that the higher flash point of the Synth may help mitigate this problem...

It's normal for an engine to use a little oil on extended high speed/high rpm rides. The pistons generate a lot of air movement in the crankcase, and some oil froth gets carried up the breather hose into the airbox and then burned. V-twins are more susceptible to it since the actual crankcase volume changes, but I-4s do it too to some extent. Switching to dino from synthetic won't change anything.