FINALLY have the money for a GS450 or a GR650.

[Boogywstew]

Merry Christmas ! I have been lurking here, on and off for years, with only a very few comments.
1st: Is it safe to go to "gstwins" ? My browser keeps warning me not to?
2nd: At this point in time, are there parts not available for the GS450 or GR650 that would keep me from riding for a few weeks? I'm not caring about body work such as side covers, fenders, cowl? I think it would be prudent to buy any parts that are especially hard to get ahead of time and keep on hand. Electrical components come to mind. I'm not adverse to utilizing used parts and I would probably be mechanically talented enough to jury rig some parts from other bikes.
I own the Clymer GS450 manual now and will pick up a Haynes and a factory manual. I also intend to buy a parts bike since I will now have a 2 car garage.
I am well aware that the GS500 bike is much easier to get parts for but I am willing to tolerate some inconveniences to ride the bike I want.
Any input is welcome.

[salty_monk]

You can upgrade the brakes on either if that snippet helps.

Bwringer may be a good source of info on the GR650. Only thing of note I remember is bizarrely I think it has a slipper clutch.

[Cipher]

You can upgrade the brakes on either if that snippet helps.

Bwringer may be a good source of info on the GR650. Only thing of note I remember is bizarrely I think it has a slipper clutch.

No?15characters

[salty_monk]

Maybe the wrong terminology......

- And the most unique feature on this engine: A "dual mass" flywheel with a centrifugal clutch that disengages above 3000 rpm. So light flywheel above 3 k for good acceleration, and heavy flywheel below 3 k for steady idle and smooth low speed running.

[Nessism]

Don't bother stocking up on parts. Search out a nice clean bike, then go from there. From my experience, it's worth paying more for a good starting point.

I don't have any experience with the GR, but I wouldn't be afraid to buy one if it fell my way. They are quite rare, though. 450's are more common. One hassle with those bikes is carb parts. Suzuki changed the carbs over the years, and one version is hard to get parts for, the other is better. And while you say you aren't interested in a 500, they are a vastly improved bike over the 450; much newer tech. You can always make a project out of customizing the looks to match your desire. It's amazing what a cool paint job and small faring can do!

[Boogywstew]

I understand the GS500 engine will fit in the GS450 frame with the exception of the head which has the exhaust ports angled differently and they would hit the GS450 frame. I've read here and other sites that the GS450 head will bolt right up to the GS500 engine, solving that problem. I thought carbs and various electrical components taken from the GS500 could be installed on the GS450, especially charging components? I have seen only one, in my opinion, customized GS500 that looked appealing. It was basically a stock GS500 with a non Suzuki small fairing where the bottom of the fairing was extended along parallel to the bottom of the GS500 gas tank. It was approximately halfway in size between a stock GS500F fairing and a stock GS450S fairing. This isn't the exact bike I was thinking of so apparently there are more than the one customized GS500 that I find appealing.

https://motoridersuniverse.com/news/1255069-suzuki-gs500-cafe-racer-by-h2-moto.html

I only ride in the rain when I have to, but typically, it seems to happen no matter how I try to avoid it! My bike will keep it's fenders and the stock air cleaner under the seat behind the stock side covers like the Good Lord intended!
Thank you for your response!!!

[GS1150Pilot]

I have seen only one, in my opinion, customized GS500 that looked appealing. It was basically a stock GS500 with a non Suzuki small fairing where the bottom of the fairing was extended along parallel to the bottom of the GS500 gas tank. It was approximately halfway in size between a stock GS500F fairing and a stock GS450S fairing. This isn't the exact bike I was thinking of so apparently there are more than the one customized GS500 that I find appealing.

Dunstall style fairing, then.

[GRich]

Personally I would lean towards a GS450. I owned a few GR650's and engine parts were tough to find. But the 450 is still easy to get almost all parts for. There are some parts from a GS500 that will swap right over (carbs, R/R, etc) to a GS450.

What else are you looking for?