A lot of questions!?

[Guest]

I have some general questions about my 1980 GS 550L. I don't have any manuals for it yet but was wondering about where to keep the oil level and what type of oil to run? I have also noticed that some of these bikes have dual front disk brakes while others do not, even on the same model? I saw a bike with dual horns and was wondering about modifying my bike for this, any suggestions? Know any good replacement sources for the fuel petcock on this bike? Is there any way to stiffen up the rear shocks, mine seem a little soft? Does anyone know if the cam end covers from a 1978 will fit my 1980, the holes seem to match, are there any seals and what type of screws fit? I know these are alot of general questions but can somebody please help? Thanks!

[my98xplorer]

Ok wow. For the oil level there should be a little window on the right side of the engine cover. As you add oil, have someone holding the bike up striaght and you will see the oil level rise. Also on the right side is where you add the oil, on the cap it should say what kind. Mine is 10w-40. As far as brands go, i just use the same as what i use in my car. My bike has over 70,000 miles on it and still runs great. (most of the time) I dont know what to tell you about the brakes?? The horns: I took both of mine off and went to discount auto parts and bought an air horn. It came with the compressor, and the 2 horns. If you go this route, you will also need a relay. The whole thing will cost you about $30, but its great and super super loud. The petcockcan either be rebuilt or you can get a new one from bikebandit.com. I have never done buisness with them but im sure a lot of other members on here have and they can tell you wheather they are good or bad. I got a rebuild kit off Ebay for $9.99 and it works great. The cam covers are pretty universal i think. If they look like they fit then they probably do. There are no seals and i couldnt tell you what kind of screws they take, mine covers are missing some screws too. Hope this helps!

[airportcop]

Hey, thanks for the help. I was aware of the sight glass or window in the right side of the case, I just wasn't sure if the oil level was supposed to be above the window or how much above or if it is okay if it is covering the window completely when on the center stand or level? It appears to be clean and I believe my filler cap does say 10W40 as well. I will investigate the horn idea as my replacement one seems weak. Any idea if the rear shocks can be stiffened up or adjusted as mine seem soft? Still have to figure out my charging system problem but have downloaded the Stator Papers flow chart and it doesn't seem too difficult. Just looking forward to learning more about this bike and getting it back on the road ASAP. Thanks again for your help. This site is a God send!

[ptm]

The sightglass should have markings next to it - a line near the top labeled 'F' (Full) and one near the botom with an 'L' (Low). When it is at the Full line the oil doen't quite cover the sightglass when the bike is on the centerstand.

Not sure about the later ones, but in the early years the E models have dual front discs while the standard and L models have a single disc. Interestingly in the owners manual for my '78 750, which covers both the regular and E models, it shows the stopping distance the same for both models...

As for the rear shocks, if they are stock, the only adjustment is spring preload. The collar that the bottom of the spring rests on has little steps on it. There is a hole (~1/4") on the side where you can stick a rod (included in the original tool kit) to turn the collar. The highest step is the highest preload - it's not much but it might hep a little. If that's not enough, you have to replace the shocks.

Hope that helps...

[airportcop]

Paul thanks very much for your assistance and knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Most shocks for these old bikes are still available from Bike Bandit.com or from a dealer who still has the microfische for your model. I have dealt mostly with Hondas but there are still a lot of parts still available for bikes made through the mid seventies. You can also find aftermarket shocks available through a number of websites. Read other posts related and some members mention them. As for the motor oil, you can use either 10w 40 or 20w 50 automotive oil. Just make sure on the bottle where the API symbol is that the oil does not say Energy Effecient. That will cause your clutch plates to slip as these old bikes use oil bathed clutches.