Trim details you like on your GS but not others

[Notz]

For example.
I like how my gas cap is centered on my 78 750 but not thrilled by the offset to one side on the 1000s. Same with the Chrome grab handle at the rear of the seat.

I like my slightly higher rear seating area, but detest all other King/Queen seats, especially those giant bucket monstrosities that you see as replacement seats all over craigslist.

The 80 MPH speedos were also a big fail.

Never really cared for the square cam covers on the later models either.

The chrome rear fender on some models looks out of place.

The choke on the triple tree would not have been my design/location choice.

Folding footpegs? On a dirt bike fine. Not so much for street machines. I use mine for clearance gauges.

Love the glove box in the tail section. Some models have zero under seat storage. Not sure if all the GSs have helmet locks, but another feature I like on mine.

I like being able to turn off my headlight as well. (not that I do all that often)

a 4 into 1 where you have to eliminate your center stand and drop your pipes to change your oil filter doesn't seem well thought out either, and often times you lose ground clearance. Makes one side of the bike look asymmetrical too.

a separate license plate light rather than a clear bottom on your running light - FAIL!

Only a few GSes looked good with the rectangular headlight.

I also like having a kickstarter & prefer my mags over spokes.

reflectors on the tail-piece....eehhh...some ok, some not so much, I also like the upsweep on mine rather than the downturn on later models. (1000S excluded)

I would get into the L's but I'll leave that one alone for now, I'll just say that I would have a similar feeling seeing a RD with ape hangers, a King/Queen seat, windshield, highway pegs and leading forks...just ain't right.

I'm getting into mods now moreso than stock options, but I just gotta!

Some of the bigger fairings look ridiculous, although I never minded the backrest & rack. Top Boxes? As handy as they are ugly.

Stretch & lowered? Just WHY?!?! Strip, I understand, street? Dunno unless your 4ft2.

I could go on (AND ON), but let's hear some of yours.

[850 Combat]

There are a lot of trim pieces with no function. Lower fork crown cover, and round cam end covers are two. The little covers at the weld joint between the muffler and head pipe could have easily been engineered around. How about removable mufflers with clamps? The big rubber cover around the gauges looks worse than chrome or painted gauges. I like the offset tank caps. The splash back less. These bikes are heavy. The festoonery doesn't add much weight, but it sure isn't needed. I would have preferred a nice alloy lower fork crown, and maybe a slightly more presentable brake line arrangement. On the 1979 through 1981 touring versions, they put the turn signals where the saddlebags go. Sheer Genius. (In my opinion, the only improvement on the '82 and later "G models" was the relocated turn signals.) Of course Honda put gauges where the tank bag goes on some gold wings. I like the square valve covers. They represent a butt load of additional power. Power looks good to me. On my Skunks, I don't like pulling the rear airbox to get to the battery one little bit. Good reason for pods, but my pretty one isn't getting them. The project one is. Its got rearsets and a pipe anyway.

[Notz]

I have to agree with the functionality of the off set fill hole. The splash factor on my GS is terrible. However I do prefer the look.
What was the Pulp fiction line?
"What we find pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the eye is seldom the same"
Same with the 4 into 1 pipe, I understand the reasoning and sometimes prefer the sound, it just disturbs the over all symmetry and balanced look of stock pipes.
Some of the instrument clusters are cluster-f's, some rather well thought out.
I view mine as solid middle ground, nowhere near the best or worst.
Kinda like judging hot sauces - a good middle measuring stick is Tabasco, a solid 5 across the board.

[tkent02]

I will agree and disagree with you. The offset caps let you fill it all the way up while on the side stand, or on the center stand. If you enlarge the vent inside the filler neck, the splash problem goes away. The flat seats are the most comfortable by far. Folding footpads make better clearance gauges. Spoked wheels are lighter, mag wheels were cheaper to make, so they sold them as the latest "style". Kick starters are a good backup, but cost money to make. I was disappointed when they did away with them. 80 mph speedos are a huge fail, but have gotten me out of a few speeding tickets. L's just ain't right. Neither are stretched and lowered bikes on the street, they make minibikes for midgets. Clutch safety switches are dangerous. I don't like the square valve covers on the 750s. They represent a butt load of additional engine failures. Chrome always looks out of place on a motorcycle. The choke should be on the carburetors.

[Frank Z.]

I like the mirrors on the '79/'80 S models; they remind me that nothing is lurking behind (including brakeless cars, cops, falling off mc pieces, etc.), and keep me apprised on the condition of my armpits. I couldn't see these particular mirrors on anything else... except maybe a Miata.

[Tim Tom]

I hated the black plastic handle-bar clamp cover. It hasn't been seen on my bike for quite some time.

Also really dislike the round cam cover caps, but that's more likely because after the second set fell off (YES even WITH lock tite!) I gave up on em.

I like the rear grab rail on my seat. It provides a good place to secure a 'fork' mounted tool bag on longer rides, but it doesn't interfere with anything there.

[gearheadE30]

2 big ones for me.

I hate the choke in upper triple - it doesn't stay on unless my hand is on it. Pain in the ass.

early GS1000 side covers versus early 750 ones - the 1000's don't follow the lines of the frame at all, and it always bothers me, where the 750 ones do follow the frame. I also like the 750 tailpiece better. Luckily I have a 750. .

Mine:


A 1000:

[tkent02]

I hate the choke in upper triple - it doesn't stay on unless my hand is on it. Pain in the ass.

A new choke cable will fix that.

[mrbill5491]

Hmmm...bout the only thing I can think of is, I should'a bought the 1100 instead of the 750. Then again I didn't know that much about bikes when I bought my 750. Oh, guess the one thing I don't kind of like are the turn signals. Seems a bit on the bulky side to me.

I like my pipe. Biggest plus was the weight reduction, I still have access to the drain plug and filter, no problem and it sounds cool. There is no such thing as perfect, just close to it.

[trevor]

The only thing I don't like about my 750 is that it is not an 1100.

[tkent02]

The only thing I don't like about my 750 is that it is not an 1100.

That can be fixed. Very easy conversion to put the 1000 engine in the 750, which can also be upped to 1100ccs very easily. It's what Suzuki should have done in the first place.

[redstedman]

I reaaly like the tank & side cover lines of the 1100ez & ed. Very "flowing" & good looking. Suzuki did a good job of copying my Honda F bikes lines.

The dumbest thing is the access to the battery, what a nighmare. Removing the airbox is a bitch. Here in the great white north I remove my batteries, store them in my basement on a battery tender.

[Baatfam]

The dumbest thing is the access to the battery, what a nighmare. Removing the airbox is a bitch. Here in the great white north I remove my batteries, store them in my basement on a battery tender.

One word: Pods

I never thought the square lights looked good.
The big train light is the best looking GS headlight.

And folding pegs can be a blessing...

[850 Combat]

A new choke cable will fix that.

Or a clothes pin. Those look great on my clutch cable.

[Notz]

The 750T, is this an example of reverse engineering ?



A rear drum brake, single front disc, square mirrors (not sure they're stock on this photo), along with that chrome rear fender...
seems like they went backwards on this design.

And this fairing...just don't think I could do that to my GS. It also has the drop your exhaust to change the oil filter mod.



& TT - I'm with you on plastic handle-bar clamp cover.

On the other hand(s), I so much prefer the handlebars on the 1000s!

BTW gearheadE30, what handlebars are mounted on your 750? I like 'em!
I had a 79 that had the choke on the carbs rather than where your is, same paint scheme.
I'd like to see a pic of your instrumentation, looks interesting.
Front brakes & shocks look beefier too.