My GS650G project thread.

[82GS650GZ]

This is the thread for my GS650G project. I will be posting pics as they come and she takes shape. I will also be asking alot of questions as I go along and I hope that some of you will take the to educate me.

So, first question:

Fenders: Will the front fender off of a GS550L or a GS750L fit on my GS650G? I really like the chrome look and am just trying to see what options are out there. I have spent a great deal of time scouring ebay lately.

[tconroy]

This is the thread for my GS650G project. I will be posting pics as they come and she takes shape. I will also be asking alot of questions as I go along and I hope that some of you will take the to educate me.

So, first question:

Fenders: Will the front fender off of a GS550L or a GS750L fit on my GS650G? I really like the chrome look and am just trying to see what options are out there. I have spent a great deal of time scouring ebay lately.

More to come Soon. I hope to get the first round of pics up later today or tomorrow.

The 750 has larger forks and will not fit but the 550 might.I will be watching this thread cause I often think about changing mine but dont want to put any money into doing so. You might check salvage yard sales online.

[82GS650GZ]

Will Do.

Still on duty and have to go to my second job later today.... I should be able to get the pics up later tonite. This project is twofold; First to get her running well again, and then this fall/winter, taking her back apart and making her pretty. My buddy (whom this bike will be for) Is thinking he wants to change the stock Burgendy color for a metal-flake blue or something similiar. I think that color would look good with the Chrome fenders.

Here is where she stands as of friday night:

Tank - Off
Seat and rear cowling - Off
airbox and carbs - off
Carbs - rebuilt x4
pod filters - in house
Oil & filter - needs to be changed
Forks - really soft, need to be rebuilt?
Needs full lube job
need to fab mounting plate to take place of stock airfilter box
Need to fab licence plate bracket to mount to rear shock. Saw a good idea, going to try to replicate...
tires?
And more to do. Getting her back roadworthy is the hard part, making her pretty is going to be fun.

BTW, My buddy "claimed" the bike the other night by spilling "First blood" on her. He wiped the cut on his hand on the cam end covers and looks at me and sez "MINE!!!"

Yeah, but I still have the title!!!

[Nessism]

Good luck with your project.

Little reminder: the bike won't run properly with pod filters in place of the airbox unless you rejet the carbs. Problem is that the commonly available jet kits are not cheap and require the use of an aftermarket exhaust.

Good luck.

[tconroy]

I would stick with the airbox instead of pods in my opinion unless your planning on getting a 4 into 1 exhaust.good luck trying to find any used ones. I have been looking for 2 years and found nothing.New ones cost about 350 bucks from motad or mac but i hear mac is of sub standard quality.These bikes run great with stock airbox and wont bog down when riding in the rain.You might try to put a spacer of pvc pipe in the top of the springs (about 2 1/2" long) and see how that feels.You wont have to use air in the forks this way.I have progressive springs in mine and they are about $80 for a set and well worth the money.Also some progressive shocks in the back will make a good complete suspension.If you look at my pics you can see mine. I got them brand new for 150 bucks.The bike rides a little stiff but you can be as aggressive as you want in the twisties.I have had this setup for about 3 month now and it's starting to loosen up just right.Dont forget to clean all connections and especially grounds.

[Nessism]

Cheap fix for the fork is to cut off 3 inches of coils and then fashion some longer spacers using PVC pipe. By removing coils the spring rate is increased which is the proper way to stiffen the front end as opposed to adding more spring preload which mostly increases ride height.

[CA180]

Fender

Hey, i was reading your thread. You said that you wanted a chrome. Well, i've got a chrome fender from my 550L. I never really liked the chrome. So maybe if you have a decent fender we could trade. Let me know if your interested!

I can get pics if you want.

[82GS650GZ]

More.....

My Buddy lost the cable for his camera, so the pics will be up after he finds it.

But to update...... IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!! We got the carbs put back together and back on the bike. We put the tank back on, slapped in the new battery, and put about a Gal of gas into the tank. With a little coaxing she fired right up. I am still waiting on the carb sinc tools (manometer) to get here to do the fine tuning, but she runs. I do have a few more questions...

There is a small plug witha tiny hole in it that covers up the Air mixture screw: How in the hell do you get it out so you can adjust the mix?

And yes, I did rejet the Carbs. I moved up to 120 mains instead of the stock 110 mains. Could someone let me know if this is right? More air needs more gas, right? My other bike is an EFI bike so I had to buy a whole new computer and have the local H-D shop($$$OUCH!$$$) plug their computer in and tune it.

Thank you for all of your help and suggestions so far. I think that I will try the longer spacer trick with the front forks. Thanks again.

[jbs80106]

wierd question...

my 82GS650G has a chrome front fender but it 'came' that way when I got it. Should be some out there.

[cberkeley]

My 83 GS650GL has chrome fenders front and rear. Some searching and you should eventually find some.

[82GS650GZ]

Daily Update....

:-D She Runs!!!

Fired her uo last night Took it for a spin around the block. She runs ok, but still needs to be fine tuned. Discovered that I need to replace the valve cover gasket though.

Changed all the fluids: Crankcase oil and filter, finial drive oil.

Managed to find a CHrome rear fender complete with taillight on ebay last night so that will be going on when It gets here.

Still trying to find the cable for the camera so pics are still in the works....

Thanks for your suggestions/help.

[82GS650GZ]

Update!

Well like I said before, She runs. Quite well actually. Took her for a couple laps around the block the other night and noticed a fine spray of oil on the front fender. Not good. Managed to track it to the cam cover gasket. Come to find out that the portion around the front of the front of the camshaft chain was not even there! So last night I replaced the gasket. Started taking off pieces that I am replacing. I had to relocate the license plate because I don't want to detract from the new chrome rear fender.(It's in the "mail"[-o<) Just a piece of aluminum plate with a tab bent at 90 deg that fits onto the top shock mount. Nothing fancy, But it works and looks good.\\/

I found a set of case guards on ebay last week and got them yesterday. the chrome is in pretty tough shape, but other than that, they are in good shape. I knocked most of the rust spots down with a heavy duty scotch-brite pad and then hit them with a couple coats of a rust conveter. that should be cured by the time I get home from work in the morning and I plan to paint them black to match the frame. Think that that should set them off from the engine cases nicely. I also bought a set of highway pegs this morning and will be waiting for them to get here as well.(Same for the sinc tools)

I have gone back and added a few pict to my earlier posts and will be adding more pics tommorrow night.

She's getting there..... Although I will have to put a new front tire on her before she gets too many more miles. She sat for a LONG time and the rubber on the front tire is starting to develop some cracks.

More to come........

[snowbeard]

nice work! a great bike. I've added a chrome front fender to my G model. I did exactly the same thing, I believe it was the first thing I bought that wasn't immediately necessary to get it running.

when I got it and tried to fit it the first time it wouldn't line up the holes and wanted to drag the back of the tire. This is because the G model doesnt' have a leading axle design, so the tire is a little further back in the forks. I put the plastic one back on for a few more years, then a buddy gave me a 110V welder and i decided to learn how to use it. I drilled out the rear holes to move them down, it's not even far enough to make a new hole, just widening the old one downward to raise the rear of the fender. Then I welded washers over the new holes on the inside of the fender so it couldn't slip back down and hit the tire.

so far so good, two years or so later!! (except it was crappy chrome already pitting and now is getting worse. oh well)

good luck and keep us posted!!!\\/

[82GS650GZ]

Just a quick question......

Is this the right book to get for the Mikuni carbs on my bike?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sudco-Mikuni-VM-TM-Carburetor-Tuning-Manual-Carb_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35620QQihZ014QQitemZ330169626882QQtcZphoto

I have been combing the Mikuni website and can find no mention if the type of carbs that are on it. I believe that they are BS32SS. They do have different manuals for free download, but I want to make sure I get the right one before I waste the paper.

[tconroy]

I dont think so. on the front page of the forum,left column towards bottom, you will find the carb rebuild series that will walk you through a step by step procedure on cleaning your carbs.I printed it out and put it in a 3 ring binder for future reference or in case someone needed to borrow it.It doesnt get any better than the one that's one this sight.