Me and my 850L

[Cyrano]

Hi guys, thought I'd finally make the effort and post here.

Firstly, what a great site, there seems to be everything one would ever need for these great bikes.

Me? I'm in my early 50's (really?) had had bikes all my life (6 in the last year alone!) some I've kept for a while and some I've moved on. Recently I've learnt that I don't want any more projects and I don't want to travel at light speed any more but I still need a bike in my life. I think I finally found a keeper. It is a USA import, bought from DK, and what there is of it seems to be original.

It is a 1980 GS850L, engine and box run well, exhausts sound great and chrome is good. Missing the side panels and paint on the tank is ghastly but solid and no rust.

Here's a pic to keep you going until I start my project thread.



I know what you're thinking... 'That seat!!!' Any future reference to me or my bike will now include 'You know... the one with 'THAT SEAT''

[tom203]

6 bikes in last year alone?? You got to slow down and enjoy the scenery and the 850 is good choice. Welcome, and be sure to visit Basscliff's site- same bike- for info overload

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[Larry D]

That seat was an option. You don't see an good clean example of one very often. Nice one.

[Wingsconsin]

THAT SEAT !?!!? Not original equipment for sure...

[Cyrano]

6 bikes in last year alone?? You got to slow down and enjoy the scenery and the 850 is good choice. Welcome, and be sure to visit Basscliff's site- same bike- for info overload

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Slow down? I know, hence the GS. First one of last year was my beautiful Triumph 900. Then I bought a XS1100 project. It was this one that made me decide to give up on projects so I've decided to break it and be done with it. I sold the Triumph to my neighbour and took his GPz550 in part chop and moved it on after I had done a few things to it. It was on ebay for 20 minutes before it sold. Then a guy got in touch and offered my another GPz550 and I did the same with that. Then I needed a ride and picked up a GSX750F cheap. It was a great bike (not too pretty cosmetically) but it wasn't quite my thing. Sold it.

Then I saw the GS and thought.. got to have that. It was what I was looking for when I bought the XS.

That seat was an option. You don't see an good clean example of one very often. Nice one.

Good? Clean? did I put up the wrong picture?

THAT SEAT !?!!? Not original equipment for sure...

I've read the entire internet and not seen anther seat like it. It is on the original base for sure. It needs recovering so I'll find out more then. There certainly isn't an aftermarket replacement cover for it so it will have to be a specialist job.

[JTGS850GL]

I faintly remember back in 1980ish that Suzuki offered a "highback" optional seat for the L model. I bet that is OEM. Or at least a recovered OEM. Very uncommon part... for a reason.

[Larry D]

THAT SEAT !?!!? Not original equipment for sure...

Look it up in a parts fiche....it was an option.

[Steve]

Look it up in a parts fiche....it was an option.

OK, Larry, let's see the link.

I just looked at the '80 and '81 850L fiches, under the "Optional" and "Seat" fiche, could not find it.

.

[Wingsconsin]

I know what you're thinking... 'That seat!!!' Any future reference to me or my bike will now include 'You know... the one with 'THAT SEAT''

I was primarily responding to this ...

[Cyrano]

OK, Larry, let's see the link.

I just looked at the '80 and '81 850L fiches, under the "Optional" and "Seat" fiche, could not find it.

.

Asking again, if anyone has a link to this part I'd be very interested.

I wonder if the part number is stamped on the base? I'll find out in time as it has to come apart for a repair to the base and a recover.

[Phred]

Check out Pitreplica . They have a deal where if they don't have the seat cover that you are looking for you can send yours in and they will use it as a template and send you yours for free. It is worth a try.

[Cyrano]

Check out Pitreplica . They have a deal where if they don't have the seat cover that you are looking for you can send yours in and they will use it as a template and send you yours for free. It is worth a try.

Thanks Phred, I'll keep them in mind for when the time comes. I see they're based in Singapore. I had a local guy do a cover in leather for a Nighthawk 750 I had. It was a good price but me made it a bit too short for a proper fit. Maybe I'll give him another chance. If not, then there are a few around the UK as recommended on OldSkoolSuzuki.

[Larry D]

OK, Larry, let's see the link.

I just looked at the '80 and '81 850L fiches, under the "Optional" and "Seat" fiche, could not find it.

.

Well......seems I was mistaken.....While there is no option for this seat for the 850, the option for this seat is available for the '80-'81 750L. I just thought it would be the same for the 850's as well.

Not the first time I was wrong.

[Cyrano]

Thanks for the info Larry, I found the option here LINKY. Available in white?

Apparently the item is now obsolete. No surprises there then.

[Grimly]

I can't find any cross-compatibility between GS750L and any year of GS850L seat bases, but there's one year (1980), when the 750L and the 1100LT shared the normal L seat - which leads me to wonder if someone did a bit of crossing over and modding.

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/suzuki/SP-45100-49105-40N.html