My '85 GS450 Project Log

[RogueZuki]

Background

Hi everyone. I finally picked up a bike today after looking around for awhile and only coming up with over-priced bikes. I finally found someone on Craigslist selling a "1985 Suzuki". The guy didn't have much more information than that. I made it over to his place this evening and after kicking the tires and deciding if it was worth getting into, I said "deal." We loaded it into his truck and he followed me over to my place (free delivery!). It was fun getting it out of the back of his truck as he only had an old piece of wood that we used for a ramp. The bike didn't want to come all the way out and with the rear tire on the ground and the front tire spokes jammed with the board, I told the guy to get out of the way and I swung it around to the left and just man-handled the thing. The most important part: paid $200 cash!

This thread will be used to catalog my restoration process, ask questions, post pictures, all that.

Pictures

Pics will come tomorrow as it's too late tonight.

Questions

First question: Is there somewhere I can do a search with my VIN to find specifics about the bike? It didn't come with a title so that's going to be a PITA to get replaced.

*Update 1* The bike has a Suzukimatic transmission. Are these fairly reliable or should I expect to do some work on this? I went through the gears without it running and it seemed to shift just fine.

*Update 2* I just figured out that the bike is a GS450GAF and not the GS450LF that I was thinking it was. Seems the difference is in transmissions.

Known Issues

Will post up more tomorrow, need to go over it better.

[kparkfan]

I dont know about using the vin but i used google to come up with stuff on my 81 450L. might try that route.And welcome to the 450 club.

[RogueZuki]

I dont know about using the vin but i used google to come up with stuff on my 81 450L. might try that route.And welcome to the 450 club.

Thanks.

*Updated first post to include a little more info about the bike.

[bgmart450]

I always wanted to give a 450A a ride. Good Luck with your project.

[RogueZuki]

Quick update before I head out the door:

She runs!

It's amazing what a new battery and some gasoline will do to make a bike run. The previous owner had a different battery than the YB-12B-B2 that it's supposed to have and then put it on a normal car charger when he tried to show me the bike but it wouldn't start. Told the guy that it wasn't good to put a bike battery on a 6 amp car charger, response was "ehhh, it's ok". Bull****.

Anywho, so far so good. She runs but after a little bit, gas was pretty much pouring out of the carb (at least that's where I think it was coming from).

Ok, all for now, gotta run.

[Charlie G]

R Z,

Sent you a PM and just checked out your bike picts. I think you have a keeper. Which direction are you going with the bike. Stock, cafe, rat or just running. Running is real good. Good luck. I'll check your progress as she goes.

[RogueZuki]

I'm still trying to come up with a list of different vendors for parts and trying to find out what parts might be interchangeable for the different years.

I think first thing I'm going to do is try to find a Service manual for my bike.

[bgmart450]

The manual for the automatic might be rough to come by, I seem to remember some folks around here having trouble getting one. I am sure a good amount of the stuff will cross over with the 'L' or 'T' model of the same year, but not all of it.