1980 GS550E Electronic ignition .... issue

[tatu]

Yes that's the setup. That was good time s in France..
Now near Hanover. I lo g for the roads of the Somme area and Normandy.
I am on my way to Leipzig.
230 miles and bike ran like a dream. I stopped befoe
It wanted too.

I think France an d Spain are the good routes.
I have not enjoyed holland or Germany so far.
Pic is from when I was trapped in holabd and carbs out in a field !
[ATTACH=CONFIG]47592[/ATTACH]

Was that because of the roads? I found Holland the most stressful driving in any country that I've driven in because of their bikes/bike path system and the random direction that they can run into you from.

[Charlie G]

Tidy field surgery set out....very good! Love the tea.

[ukjules]

Yes Holland roads are so random.
I am now at colditz castle. Got here via two 250m
Leaps via Bergen belsen and a stay in a overpriced hotel.

Bike now going like a dream. Still need that proper petcock.
Pipes hanging out is only a make do.
No leaks anymore though.

Belson is a to visit. Incomprehensible.
Colditz is too. I rode the bike right to the front gate.
Alas the hostel there was full.
Again I had the horror of not finding anywhere to stay.
But did after a lot of stress.

Prague next then switz.

What would you do if you could not find hotel , campsite
And it was dark in a strange country ?
Put the tent up anywhere ?

[tatu]

[QUOTE=ukjules;2332983]Yes Holland roads are so random.
I am now at colditz castle. Got here via two 250m
Leaps via Bergen belsen and a stay in a overpriced hotel.

Bike now going like a dream. Still need that proper petcock.
Pipes hanging out is only a make do.
No leaks anymore though.

Belson is a to visit. Incomprehensible.
Colditz is too. I rode the bike right to the front gate.
Alas the hostel there was full.
Again I had the horror of not finding anywhere to stay.
But did after a lot of stress.

Prague next then switz.

What would you do if you could not find hotel , campsite
And it was dark in a strange country ?
Put the tent up anywhere ?[/QUOTE]


Back in the day, I used to camp, couldn't afford hotels or B&B, the trick is to set yourself a stop time in the afternoon and start looking for a place to stay/stop. You can lose a lot of time if/when you strike camp in the mornings so hostels are good from that point. The main thing is making sure the bike is safe while you're asleep.

Do satnavs have POI function that can help these days?

[londonboards]

You and I have similar stories to tell. You must come and see me on your way home through Dover.

When you have a moment and you want to read how Tatu and others put me back together on my trip to Italy, have a look at this:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?227567-Rectifying-An-Electrical-Problem-in-Italy-1

On this forum you have the experience of guys who used to assemble these bikes when they were delivered to the dealers back in the day, who have raced them for 30 years, who have performed 100s of engine rebuilds, written nearly 20,000 posts on this forum, driven a GS1000 across the Sahara, driven a GS850 around the world, put millions of miles on their bikes.

You can't get better than that.

Good luck with the trip.

Keep up posted and check the voltage on the battery at 3,000 - 4,000 revs every day. Your charging system is your Achilles Heal on this machine. Ask me how I know?

[ukjules]

2 nd night at colditz in b&b. Great place.
Did the extended tour showing all the escaperoutes
Inc Reid and airy neave.
A must do.

1391m so far and oil change 500m ago.
All holding up well.
In my extended toolkit I have multimeter and will
test charging .
Today was plugs and any oil leaks. There were not.
Plugs ok.

A short hop to Prague tomorrow early.
I realise you should leave early to avoid the horror of being caught out.
I dint know why it worried me so much but I take on board
Method of happens.

104m to terezin a camp in checz, then to Prague campsite
for early afternoon.

Plan , camp Prague for 2.nights, to Munich, to
Zurich then a beach as. checked weather and then looks good south.

Advice given is superb.
I could not have done it without for sure.
Next time , it's France and spanin only.

Will update

[Charlie G]

][/URL]

Hope this is alright?

[ukjules]

Made it to Prague.
Roads ok and views and tunnels awesome.
Prague ok but of course my bike issues take my time.
Camped 5m out @ £2 a night.

Issues :
Carb 2 float bowl screw leaking slightly ?
Is there a gasket or copper washer on them ?

Front plastic mudgueard holes in as I keep forgetting
Lock is on when take off when break camp.
Will last though.

Choke mechanism collects fallen off.
Do cmsl have them ?

Brake fluid top up stop needed for rear.

Plugs fine and engine clearly in good order.
65-70 mph only though.

Sunny , warm for past 18 days.
1591 total Miles.

Munich next then alps.
Will try and post some pics.
Dec of my bike in front of mountains. Aiming for eiger.

[steveb922]

Should be an O-ring on the float bowl screw - I have a spare if you're desperate. But you might be better off to find something close to get you through the next few days, and then re-newing the four when you get home. Which bit of the choke mechanism is not co-operating?

[ukjules]

Spent so much time on here writing and having what I write be lost.

One .ire time.
Does anyone know what dia the carb float bowl drain screw is ?
I can. Order fibre washers .
M4 ? M5 ?

[ukjules]

Choke.mechanism.
I can't explain without a picture and can't upload.

Like a u shaped thick wire that allows choke to.move in and out

Via choke pull in steering head

[ukjules]

Clutch cable broke.
Managed to bodge one with help of Honda garage.

Can anywonen who has a Haynes Manual take pic
Of clutch adjustment section. The bit on the engine casing.
Tis about 4 paragraphs informing to back off screw a number of turns ....
Can't femeber if.

[ukjules]

Prague to Munich.
Will Vista dachau tomorrow and poss octoberfest a beer festival in Munich
Day after.

Engine fine. No oil loss beyond what a expected.
Smooth running .

Issues

Clutch adjustment
Petcock pipe to tank. Hanging out as wrong Petcock. Nothing to be done until right Petcock.
Choke mexhanisim collet to hold u shaped wire thing on place.

1800m approx covered .
Day 22
Av 240.a day. When going

Chain and sprockets still just about ok.
Pushing on to France and Barcelona.

[tatu]

Clutch cable broke.
Managed to bodge one with help of Honda garage.

Can anywonen who has a Haynes Manual take pic
Of clutch adjustment section. The bit on the engine casing.
Tis about 4 paragraphs informing to back off screw a number of turns ....
Can't femeber if.

Is it like this?



If so, screw your cable adjuster on the handle bar in, slacken the lock nut, I think 10 or 12mm spanner take it back a couple of turns, then back the slotted screw till it feels floppy, then screw in till you feel it start to resist then back off a quarter turn and lock it off, do the final adjustment on the handle bar, you want 1-2mm free play on the lever.

[tatu]

1 and 2 and two are the bits that concern you here......