My real opinion on how GSs look

[ron bayless]

n the works: Engine rebuild. Frame bracing. GSXR 1000 monoshock conversion.

frame bracing? How are you going to do that? I am interested in knowing that.I have never been a knee dragger,but the flexiflyer name these bikes earned for a reason.

[crag antler]

n the works: Engine rebuild. Frame bracing. GSXR 1000 monoshock conversion.

frame bracing? How are you going to do that? I am interested in knowing that.I have never been a knee dragger,but the flexiflyer name these bikes earned for a reason.

Excellent source

http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/index.htm?patrick/hardcorekats/projects/marco/index.htm~main

[Serious Tim]

Weird. I've been on quite a few enthusiast forums over the last few years (even started a few myself), and it's the first time that I've encountered a thread like this by which people seem to make excuses for ownership....

"Yeah, I think it's ugly, but I ride one simply because (it's cheap/it's reliable/somebody gave it to me)."

After only a couple days and a couple posts here on GSresource, I hope this thread isn't representative of the membership at large.

I could walk into any dealership and pick a bike off the showroom floor, but I like my L because it's classically styled......it's safe, powerful, and predictable......and for cruising along the lakeshore on a warm day, it's a great ride. It's a motorcycle in the motorcycle tradition, meaning that it has chrome and a distinctive lack of tupperware. It makes no excuses for what it is. It's not meant for blazing along at 100 mph in stock form, it's not meant for being loud and garish either. There's still some of us left who don't want either.

My .02

[ron bayless]

Excellent source
http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/index.htm...index.htm~main

Man,that guy is so outta my league it aint even funny.I cant believe some one can doo all that.I wouldnt want to if i could.Nevertheless,what a great engineering job he did.

[80GS1000]

n the works: Engine rebuild. Frame bracing. GSXR 1000 monoshock conversion.

frame bracing? How are you going to do that? I am interested in knowing that.I have never been a knee dragger,but the flexiflyer name these bikes earned for a reason.

Well, the GS frame is actually pretty stiff, but the extra load I'm putting on it by the monoshock conversion and an offset front sprocket with a wide rear tire warrants a bit of bracing. Excellent info here: http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/patrick/h...tiff/index.htm

The flexy flyer moniker could really be given to the Kaw Z1, the GS1000 frame was/is pretty rock solid by comparison. Go watch "They Call Him Fast Freddy" and you'll see what I mean - the Kaw frame was flexing all over the place, while the Yoshi GS1000 frame was stiff.

The weave/wobble you find when leaned over hard on these bikes in stock form is mostly due to flexing of the stock forks and swingarm, but that problem can be corrected with some upgraded parts.

[ron bayless]

Well, the GS frame is actually pretty stiff, but the extra load I'm putting on it by the monoshock conversion and an offset front sprocket with a wide rear tire warrants a bit of bracing. Excellent info here: http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/patrick/h...tiff/index.htm

The flexy flyer moniker could really be given to the Kaw Z1, the GS1000 frame was/is pretty rock solid by comparison. Go watch "They Call Him Fast Freddy" and you'll see what I mean - the Kaw frame was flexing all over the place, while the Yoshi GS1000 frame was stiff.

The weave/wobble you find when leaned over hard on these bikes in stock form is mostly due to flexing of the stock forks and swingarm, but that problem can be corrected with some upgraded parts.

Yes i have read many times about the kz 900 flexy frames.See,for me, i cant tell the difference.I have ridden my bike over 120 miles an hour down the freeway and there is absolutely no wobble or anything scary except the speed itself.I do not lean way over on any road so the flexiflyer quote is one from cycle world in one of their american flyers articles.I wish I had that article now.A guy built an 1100 up to 160 horsepower and said he would never ride it,it was just for looks.Now that's dumb.

[dlancer]

I could walk into any dealership and pick a bike off the showroom floor, but I like my L because it's classically styled......it's safe, powerful, and predictable......and for cruising along the lakeshore on a warm day, it's a great ride. It's a motorcycle in the motorcycle tradition, meaning that it has chrome and a distinctive lack of tupperware. It makes no excuses for what it is. It's not meant for blazing along at 100 mph in stock form, it's not meant for being loud and garish either. There's still some of us left who don't want either.

My .02

Thats the same reason I love my L model. I was riding yesterday and I stopped to take a short break. I was looking at my bike and I thought around 1995 my 1980 L model was just a little goofy looking old bike. Here it is 2007 and my bike is now a really nice looking CLASSIC motorbike.


Dennis

[Roger P.]

Hey, they were still learning to make cruisers back then, using what they had at hand. The Intruder 750 in '86 was their final breakthrough into a properly designed cruiser style motorcycle. I'd challenge you to find any decent looking inline four cruiser. The Yamaha 650 Maxim comes to mind, as well as the Maxim X, but it was more of a mini-musclebike than a hardcore cruiser. I also agree, the Madura plumbed the depths of cruiser styling, along with the Virago 920, and the first Vulcan 750. Still, I do agree that the L models are cosmetically challenged, the 16V 550L and the 650L being the homeliest.

[gs650girl]

thanks

hey Isaac, I just wanted to let you know that your bike looks awesome! When I had just gotten my bike I found this site and I found pictures of yours on here when it had just first started to get chopped and it gave me ideas for my own...so I just wanted to say thanks and that it looks great!\\/

[GS Farmer]

Whoa there pardner. Better be careful what you say. Haven't you herd about the new hate crime legislation coming out of washington??? News has it that bill was lobbied for by L-Model owners!!!!

[tconroy]

Hey, they were still learning to make cruisers back then, using what they had at hand. The Intruder 750 in '86 was their final breakthrough into a properly designed cruiser style motorcycle. I'd challenge you to find any decent looking inline four cruiser. The Yamaha 650 Maxim comes to mind, as well as the Maxim X, but it was more of a mini-musclebike than a hardcore cruiser. I also agree, the Madura plumbed the depths of cruiser styling, along with the Virago 920, and the first Vulcan 750. Still, I do agree that the L models are cosmetically challenged, the 16V 550L and the 650L being the homeliest.

650 homeliest???? BITE YOUR TONGUE!!!!

[ron bayless]

Thanks guys I guess?

tRACY I SENT YOU A PM.iN CASE you dont get it,how do you ride without a windshield? I love the look without one,but the wind is very tiring,especially at freeway speeds.Ron B

[jimcor]

You guys are looking at the L thru the wrong end of the telescope. The L was never built as a 'cruiser', it was built as a factory chopper. The whole L or 'special' series of bikes from Harley to Triumph to the Japanese were all based on the custom bikes guys were building in the late 60s thru mid to late 70's. They featured extended forks, custom paint, high bars, pipes that saved lives, king and queen seats or at least custom upholstery and minimal what else. Back in the days guys were doing this, with varying degrees of success, to any bike with a motor (Shed a tear for the Indians that were chopped, or the Aerial Square 4 that was never quite finished in Hillsboro, OH). Some beautiful stockers became ratty, unstable, cobbled together, but still cool choppers. The extended forks were the deciding factor. The longer the better. Some guys raked the frames others didn't. The manufacturer's responded with toned down, but similar offerings. The L and others mimiced these custom bikes. The public loved them. They sold like hotcakes. Similar models still sell today.

[ron bayless]

You guys are looking at the L thru the wrong end of the telescope. The L was never built as a 'cruiser', it was built as a factory chopper. The whole L or 'special' series of bikes from Harley to Triumph to the Japanese were all based on the custom bikes guys were building in the late 60s thru mid to late 70's. They featured extended forks, custom paint, high bars, pipes that saved lives, king and queen seats or at least custom upholstery and minimal what else. Back in the days guys were doing this, with varying degrees of success, to any bike with a motor (Shed a tear for the Indians that were chopped, or the Aerial Square 4 that was never quite finished in Hillsboro, OH). Some beautiful stockers became ratty, unstable, cobbled together, but still cool choppers. The extended forks were the deciding factor. The longer the better. Some guys raked the frames others didn't. The manufacturer's responded with toned down, but similar offerings. The L and others mimiced these custom bikes. The public loved them. They sold like hotcakes. Similar models still sell today.

I agree with you 100 percent.My gs 1000 L is considered a model to avoid for some reason.It is mechanically identical to many of the other gs bikes.I got rid of the stupid handlebars,the step in the seat,now it looks just as good as any other gs in my opinion.

[ron bayless]

You just came off as a world class jackass. I especially like the use of the ellipsis for dramatic effect during your "..." half-assed, e-testically fueled tyrade about why my opinion, being different than yours, makes it both A: factually incorrect and B: worthy of your unsubstantiated derision.

You made several very strongly worded statements with zero detail or evidence, and presented them as fact.

This is "just my opinion"? I said that myself twice in this thread already.

I don't like how high the guages are. That makes me "ignorant of motorcycle aesthetics"? That's like calling me "ignorant of people aesthetics" just because I don't like the way a certain chick's nose looks.

After my initial post failed to bring about a decent debate, I left simple ****ing instructions, and then I repeated them. You need to read them again.

If you try what you did again, anybody who reads this might agree with your love of GSs, but they're gonna think you're some dumb kid who found a tall rock to stand on.

Isaac< i think what you are doing to your bike is great.And I think you need to shut up now.