Hello and meet my 83 GS850G

[chitown_risti]

Well hello everyone, I never properly introduced myself albeit being a member for two years now. Anyways, glad to be here and share a photo of my bike. Unmolested, 7k original miles. I am at a loss as to whether strip the bike and convert it into a cafe or keep it as it is and just enjoy riding it. Only mods done to it were replacing the handle bar, grips and mirrors. Definitely rides like a dream.
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[chitown_risti]

Here's another....
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[chitown_risti]

Aaaaaaand another.....
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[chitown_risti]

Lastly, my other bike. Pardon for being a non Suzuki...

Meet my 1975 BMW R75/6 56k original miles
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[Burque73]

Thanks for the pics. That's a very good looking GS.

[Baatfam]

Nice. I wouldn't change a thing, except maybe find a front fender for her.

[steve murdoch]

Welcome to the site, risti.
That GS is too nice to cafe.

I like the look of the BMW.

[bwringer]

Agreed -- there are plenty of beaters out there to chop up if that's your thing. That one is far FAR too nice for that fate.

That said, I would absolutely make some functional upgrades, mainly suspension and brakes, plus assorted reliability fixes like the rear driven spline, reg/rect. These will make the bike so much more enjoyable.

And yeah, find a front fender. They're color-matched on the G models, so it might be a difficult search. The 82-83 1100G came in the same color combo, so that might help.

Awfully nice to see one of the other '83 color schemes!



Mine's "Cosmos Blue"... and very, very much not that nice:

[rphillips]

Like they said, way too nice to cafe. You can make a cafe out of any old beater & still have a cafe. You have a really nice old bike that needs a fender...Don't take this wrong, it's just my opinion. If you find old beater upgrade it to a cafe or take a nice bike & downgrade it to a cafe. In the end you have a cafe. Good luck & welcome.

[alke46]

Like they said. Plus, you said it rides like a dream, so why would you eff it up?

You have one cafe already, use this one for when you want to go dream-riding.

[alke46]

Also, what do you have against front fenders?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

If you café this bike, you know we will all gather at your house and take turns beating you soundly about the head and neck. Get a front fender and send it, treasure it, don't change.

[storm 64]

I say Café the heck out of it!!! Custom seat, Custom speedometer/tachometer, get rid of that heavy exhaust system the whole nine yards...
Can I have the original seat, speedometer/tachometer, and heavy exhaust system?

[rphillips]

Storm...You should be ashamed of yourself...but good luck.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Storm...You should be ashamed of yourself...but good luck.

I think Norm was being very supportive in offering to haul the OP's spare parts away for free after the café mods. He's a hell of a guy.