GS850G Died suddenly on freeway

[Chuck78]

Pardon all of the typos! That was composed while walking my dog in 90 degree heat and direct sunlight exposure!
Also pardon my ever increasing jaded attitude...Although I barely look a day over 30, turning 40 (& having a rough year with lots of family& friends deaths & troubles! Getting old STINKS!), please pardon my ever increasing jaded outlook...

The vacuum petcock diaphragms don't last forever, and should be looked at in a similar light as decades old high mileage highway tires, fuel lines, intake boots/o-rings, carb o-rings, engine gaskets, etc... They aren't needy, they are just beyond their useful lifespan, much like a 40 year old, all original, well-used Pingel petcock would be.

[Boriqua]

Pardon all of the typos! That was composed while walking my dog in 90 degree heat and direct sunlight exposure!
Also pardon my ever increasing jaded attitude...Although I barely look a day over 30, turning 40 (& having a rough year with lots of family& friends deaths & troubles! Getting old STINKS!), please pardon my ever increasing jaded outlook...

The vacuum petcock diaphragms don't last forever, and should be looked at in a similar light as decades old high mileage highway tires, fuel lines, intake boots/o-rings, carb o-rings, engine gaskets, etc... They aren't needy, they are just beyond their useful lifespan, much like a 40 year old, all original, well-used Pingel petcock would be.

Everyone is entitled to the Cranks now and again!!! Some more Now than then

I learned almost he hard way about checking those fuel lines this weekend when mine sprang a leak. Thankfully I was pulling up home but from now on I think I will put a swap on my oil change intervals .. or is that a bit nuts?

Arizona ... eats rubber and batteries. I have replaced more car batteries in the last 10 years than all the years before that and you get one season out of windshield wipers and gas caps about 2 yrs.

[2BRacing]

…….Arizona ... eats rubber and batteries. I have replaced more car batteries in the last 10 years than all the years before that and you get one season out of windshield wipers and gas caps about 2 yrs.

Batteries in my cars and bikes always go south just after winter starts. I once told the battery store guy "You guys must love winter, because the cold kills all my batteries". He actually told me "No, it is the heat of summer that kills batteries - they do not like heat. As soon as they have to work harder when winter comes, the damage has been done, and they die".

I have also experienced what you say about rubber parts: I live about 80 km away from the coast and the original rubber pipes etc. on my 850G which I bought new are still soft and pliable. I recently bought a 1000G from my brother (he also bought it new in 1981) who lives inland in a drier climate and all the rubber pipes are hard!

[Dogma]

Steve, excuse me for butting into someone else's thread..(again) but with your experience with 850Gs I was wondering if the tank from a 1979-1981 GS850G tank has the same mounting as the tank for a same year Gs850GL ... GL's only have 3.3 gallon tanks... I would kill for two extra gallons sometimes.

My understanding is that they do not interchange without some welding on the frame. Dantheman did it years ago. I don't know what all was involved, but it was not a straight swap.

[Dogma]

OK, so I got curious enough to go look. I tried putting the spare '79-81 G model tank on my '80 850GL. The mounting is similar in style, but not compatible. The mount points up front are wider on the GL, so the tank won't even sit on the frame. By eyeball, the rear mount on the GL is 70-100mm farther forward. So, you'd have to alter the seat as well. My solution was finding a G model to ride. It fits my body better too.

[Uncamitzi]

OK, so I got curious enough to go look. I tried putting the spare '79-81 G model tank on my '80 850GL. The mounting is similar in style, but not compatible. The mount points up front are wider on the GL, so the tank won't even sit on the frame. By eyeball, the rear mount on the GL is 70-100mm farther forward. So, you'd have to alter the seat as well. My solution was finding a G model to ride. It fits my body better too.

Good to know and thanks for the legwork.. This is my first and probably last bike as I started riding when I was 58 years old.. now at 65... I fear my riding days are short enough to keep the miles to 100 or so between gas stops. lol