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    New GS550 Owner

    Hello good people!

    Today I decided that I needed a challenge. I have been wanting to get a bike for years, but never got around to it. That changed today, kinda. When I bought my house, there was an old bike in the back in the bushes that I forgot about. Turns out it is a '79 GS550. I pulled it out of the bush today to take a look at it, and to see how much "joy and passion" is going to be needed. It is actually in not bad shape considering it was in the bush for at least 5 years. And the rubber looks surprising good. The previous owner said it had good compression when put away, he was just having electrical problems.

    So you can expect to see me asking a lot of stupid questions around here for a while. I am a mechanic by trade, so it isn't like I'm new to working on machines, but as I am an Aircraft Mechanic, there probably isn't a lot of cross-over knowledge other than basic mechanics, how engines work, electronics, that kind of thing. Oh, and how to follow a manual. That will probably be my first question.

    Is there a good recommended tear-down "Haynes-type" book I should be buying right off the bat?
    (this is probably answered somewhere here already, I know how to use the search function... I'll use that now.)

    Anyways, Hope you are all having a good day! I'm off to do some searching and poking around this forum.

    >> Here is a link to my first photos of it. <<
    Attached Files

    #2
    Welcome and good luck. You can download a factory Suzuki manual from this link, along with a lot of other useful information. Also please check the Newbie Mistakes thread linked in my signature so you know some of the things to watch out for.



    Edit: 12,000 km is barely broken in. Hopely the speedo didn't turn over but even if it did that doesn't mean it's worn out. There was a member here that put 120,000 miles on his 550 before selling it to someone else that kept riding it.
    Last edited by Nessism; 06-08-2019, 07:19 PM.
    Ed

    To measure is to know.

    Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

    Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

    Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

    KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

    Comment


      #3


      Those tires look scary, the rest of the bike looks like a decent starting point.

      .
      sigpic
      mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
      hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
      #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
      #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
      Family Portrait
      Siblings and Spouses
      Mom's first ride
      Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
      (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

      Comment


        #4
        Looks like some fun there.
        I think Reagan was still president when those tires were made. Looks like the battery did some leaking too.
        Great pictures, take more as you tear it down, everyone enjoys those.
        1981 Suzuki GS250T
        1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo
        1985 Suzuki GS550E
        2004 Suzuki GSF1200S

        Comment


          #5
          Clymer Manual for 1979 GS550

          I just bought a 1979 GS550L that is not running. My goal is to get it running and convert it to a scrambler. I ordered the CLYMER manual for this exact model & year. It is a complete breakdown of all the bike's systems. The repair manual for mechanics with in-depth diagrams and how to's. Ironically, the guy who sold me this bike said the same thing about compression. I suspect I am having electrical issues with it as well. I just started going through the bike last weekend. Maybe we can troubleshoot together as we go through the bikes.

          Here's a link to the manual. But I think it can found on Amazon as well. https://www.clymer.com/suzuki-gs550-1977-1986-m373

          Link to my bike when I got it and at various stages of tearing it down. https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...2GUWl-Aw2HJrtI

          Just removed the tank this weekend. I'll keep this updated. I added a pic of the vision of my bike when complete that I edited in Photoshop. The front fender is still showing but that will be gone. Also I ordered bobber style handlebars in black. Those would be the only things different than in the picture of my concept.
          Attached Files
          Last edited by Guest; 06-12-2019, 02:43 PM.

          Comment


            #6
            Scrambler Concept

            Here is my vision for my GS550L. I already ordered the low bobber style bars...so thats the only thing that would be different than the pic. This is going to take a lot of work and will be a learning curve to get it to look like this.
            Attached Files

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Jwar10 View Post
              I just bought a 1979 GS550L that is not running. My goal is to get it running and convert it to a scrambler. I ordered the CLYMER manual for this exact model & year. It is a complete breakdown of all the bike's systems. The repair manual for mechanics with in-depth diagrams and how to's. Ironically, the guy who sold me this bike said the same thing about compression. I suspect I am having electrical issues with it as well. I just started going through the bike last weekend. Maybe we can troubleshoot together as we go through the bikes.

              Here's a link to the manual. But I think it can found on Amazon as well. https://www.clymer.com/suzuki-gs550-1977-1986-m373

              Link to my bike when I got it and at various stages of tearing it down. https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...2GUWl-Aw2HJrtI

              Just removed the tank this weekend. I'll keep this updated.
              The factory manual should be considered the bible of bike repair info. Only use that Clymer for backup because it's full of suspect info.
              Ed

              To measure is to know.

              Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

              Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

              Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

              KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

              Comment


                #8
                Thanks Ed!

                Until now, I had only heard good things about Clymer manuals. To do this conversion, I am going to be modifying and eliminating certain aspects of the bike to get it to look like I want. When all is said and done, I may have a very cool paperweight!

                Comment


                  #9
                  I have not compared manuals for the 550, but I do have all three manuals for my 850s: Factory, Clymer, Haynes. I would rate them in that order. Each has a small detail that the others might not explain quite as well, but for overall ACCURACY, the factory manual wins, hands down.

                  .
                  sigpic
                  mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                  hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                  #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                  #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                  Family Portrait
                  Siblings and Spouses
                  Mom's first ride
                  Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                  (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Steve View Post
                    I have not compared manuals for the 550, but I do have all three manuals for my 850s: Factory, Clymer, Haynes. I would rate them in that order. Each has a small detail that the others might not explain quite as well, but for overall ACCURACY, the factory manual wins, hands down.

                    .
                    I've owned several 550s - I'd go with exactly what Steve says.
                    1980 GS550ET

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Welcome!😁👍🏻

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Have a .pdf of the factory and a hard-copy Clymer for the bench, quick refference and to take notes in. I've grown really fond of the now tattered Clymer and it's oily smell but, when things get serrious it's the factory copy I turn to.
                        That said, there is possible excuse, no fathonable reason not to have a .pdf of the factory book. There's one on each computer & even keep a .pdf of the fsm on my phone so I have it to turn to on the road

                        What I'd like to score is an original assembly manual that the dealerships got... anyone have a copy?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by scratch View Post
                          (...)

                          What I'd like to score is an original assembly manual that the dealerships got... anyone have a copy?
                          Not sure what value an assembly manual (if there even was one) would add to the factory service manual? The latter is comprehensive.

                          If you're referring to the part lists/schematics/fiches, they're available from/viewable on numerous online sources, and original fiches often can be had on ebay and the like.
                          Also, some members here have some original fiches (or real good knowledge) in case a part number really eludes you.
                          #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
                          #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
                          #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
                          #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Got my hands on a factory PDF manual. Thanks for the scoop! I was told the factory manuals are not as detailed for rebuilds, restoration or advanced repairs. Having seen one now, I realize that is strictly not true! Nice to have a couple manuals in the library.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              New to both GS ownership as well as riding. I got a 1981 GS550T - partly because I didn't want to spend a lot on a bike that I may make A LOT of mistakes with. Though reading the top mistakes newbies make is buying an older bike is one of them . Did about a year and a half of riding on it before I was sidelined by an electrical issue. Right now it is back to running but from reading posts in the forum I think the idle issue may be down to poor seals on the intake side.

                              Comment

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