81 gs550 highway speed?

[Gorminrider]

Is there a special tool to adjust the rear suspension?

Yes, there is, but you can do without...seems easier if you put the bike on theCentre stand. You can oil a little where they turn and tap them in indents with a big punch to loosen corrosion a bit and then turn them by hand or pliers if need be but not so as to wreck finish..

[Gorminrider]

35-year-old mechanical tachometers are also of somewhat dubious accuracy.

good point.I have a couple that are dying and read low... Andmany speedos read high too. 5-10% is common.

[cb1ocker]

i ride my 77 GS550 on the interstate all the time. i can't get the speedo needle over 95, but i also don't think it's very accurate or that i should be riding that fast anyway, so i don't really mind. my tach is also of questionable accuracy. replaced the cable this past spring after it broke, but it doesn't seem to be any more accurate now than it was before it broke. it's always bouncing +/- 1k, regardless of how steady the throttle is.

[tkent02]

i ride my 77 GS550 on the interstate all the time. i can't get the speedo needle over 95,

Have you tried winding it all the way out past the redline in 4th, then in 5th, and then hitting 6th? Mine goes a LOT faster that way.

[sam000lee]

Huh, mine shows 12,000 a lot.

haha yeah must be broken

[sam000lee]

My GS450 can cruise happily at 70mph with the RPM at 6.5-7k for hours on end and I don't hesitate to do it.
I love passing huge Harleys with 1000cc+ engines on my little 450 when I'm not even trying to go fast.

I live in the city and definitely feel like that kind of riding (stop + go + lights) is far worse for the bike.

[cb1ocker]

Have you tried winding it all the way out past the redline in 4th, then in 5th, and then hitting 6th? Mine goes a LOT faster that way.

I end up winding it out pretty hard in every gear, but the needle never gets anywhere near the redline. I've always just assumed it's because the tach is so inaccurate. I've only ridden a handful of different bikes, and none of them another GS550, so I'm not entirely sure how it's supposed to sound when it's in the red, but the way it's screaming at the top of each gear makes me think it has got to be getting close if it's not there already, but I could be totally wrong on that.

[Falcon Taco]

A 550 should be golden! Man I ride my GS425 at 70-75 mph (speedo indicates 75/80) every day on my 24 mile commute and she sings pretty at 6-6.5k.
Never hesitate to run it up to 7.5k to pass some suckas at 85mph.

Gotta love that 6th gear...

[tkent02]

haha yeah must be broken

No it's not. My 550s have all done that. They just love to wind out.

[sam000lee]

No it's not. My 550s have all done that. They just love to wind out.

Not questioning the 550, I was more thinking one of those jokes that goes


Officer: Why were you speeding?
Rider: Weird, must be something wrong with the throttle...

But with a slightly different delivery

[81gs550l]

What's the purpose for adjusting them. I noticed the rear end gets pretty squishy when leaning in on uneven cornering. The struts/shocks look like there in good shape no rust or signs of wear tire pressure is good. I'm 200lbs

[Rob S.]

Have you tried winding it all the way out past the redline in 4th, then in 5th, and then hitting 6th? Mine goes a LOT faster that way.

6th gear on a '77 550?!?

Sounds a little tired to me. I would think a 550/4 should be good for an indicated 110 mph.

[GSCafe]

Not questioning the 550, I was more thinking one of those jokes that goes


Officer: Why were you speeding?
Rider: Weird, must be something wrong with the throttle...

But with a slightly different delivery

Haha, I lived that. I had the bike geared like 13/50 when I was commuting on surface streets. Even approaching highway speed was right uncomfortable. I got a ticket for 55 between two streetlights half a block apart. I fought it and won because if you measured the distance and did the calculations, it would make my bike faster than a Hayabusa which would not have reached 55 anyway if they were to stop at the light like me.

[tkent02]

6th gear on a '77 550?!?

Sounds a little tired to me. I would think a 550/4 should be good for an indicated 110 mph.

Yes, they all have six speeds. In stock form they won't wind out sixth. 90 is about it, they are dogs unless you wind them out. Just opening the throttle it will go faster in 5th than it will go in 6th. Depending on your sprocket ratios it may even have a higher top speed in 4th than 5th. It can't just accelerate in 6th far enough to even get to it's power band.

Red line it in 4th, then even farther in 5th, so that when hits sixth it's already at about 8,000 RPM and it will keep building speed.
The biggest part of the power band starts at about 8,000 RPM. If you shift short of that it's done.

[tkent02]

I end up winding it out pretty hard in every gear, but the needle never gets anywhere near the redline. I've always just assumed it's because the tach is so inaccurate. I've only ridden a handful of different bikes, and none of them another GS550, so I'm not entirely sure how it's supposed to sound when it's in the red, but the way it's screaming at the top of each gear makes me think it has got to be getting close if it's not there already, but I could be totally wrong on that.

Again, lugging a 550 is no good. Wind it out. The real power starts at about 8,000 or so, and continues as far as you want to go.