does a shaft drive perform well in twisties?

[Anonymous]

how's it goin everyone? sorry if this has been debated before, but I couldn't find a definitive answer to my question. which is,

would a shaft driven motorcycle have a major problem in twisties and maneuverability compared to a chain driven bike?

I've read that it does increase the weight on the bike, and they're less maintenance, but haven't found the answer to my question. again, sorry if this has already been posted, and thanks for your time! =)

[Planecrazy]

As the owner of a "full dress" 1983 GS1100G "shaftie," who rides "enthusiastically" (ask anyone at the recent Brown County Rally), let me simply say that unless you are a total hard core racer you will not be disappointed by anything a shaftie does in the twisties...

Mine is a BLAST!!!

I rode with "the fast group" with a Vetter fairing, Vetter hard bags, and a KG trunk (unbalanced, because the left bag had all my tools in it), and had no trouble at all mixing it up with my cohorts in crime!!

Hope this helps,
Steve 8)

[gspaul]

I have had both chain and shaft drive, can not feel the diff.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The G is a little bit heaver, Suzuki did their job in the design department
It works great in the tristies

[Einar J Skog]

Hi

On my Gs1000GLx.,the footpegs, and my boots, are loosing rubber a long time before my friends do it on their bikes.
They ride (Fz750 , GPZ750, VFR750,GSX600F)
Belive the ordinary G verions have the footpegs up higher .???

Einar (second set of footpegs)

[Anonymous]

ask any connie or fjr owner whether a shaft bike handles in the twisties...

[Anonymous]

awesome, just what I wanted to hear =) thanks!

[feelergaugephil]

I own a 1981 GS1000G and I can throw it into any curves and twisties, it has never thrown me out or wobbled, I also have metzlers on it and a fork brace, it performs perfect, my buddy has a Kawasaki Z1000st which is also a shaftie and no problems with twisties there too....

[Jay B]

Doesnt matter whether a bike has a shaft, belt or a chain, none of those items affects how a bike handles in the twisties. Tires, shocks, springs, brakes, windshields (or lack of one) and the geometry of the rake and trail determine how a bike handles.

[Anonymous]

just as important, even more so, is a riders riding ability.

a lousy rider, ie most hardley riders, can make a gsxr a real dud thru the twisties.

[Anonymous]

I must admit, first time I rode my 850 I was impressed by how well it does handle, it goes where I want it to go and was an awful lot better than most of the sports bikes I've ridden. Being 260 pound makes a bit of difference in the way lighter bikes handle as well I suppose but the heavier 850 just takes it in it's stride, it even handles well two up and loaded!

[jpaul]

Jay, I have to disagree with you a little on your statement. The shaft doesn't have as much of an effect on the handling as the other components you mentioned, but it does have a slight effect. A shaft has more unsprung weight than a chain drive which affects the bikes ability to handle bumps. A shaft drive will also tend to lift slightly on acceleration and fall slightly when you let off the throttle.

All that being said, Suzuki was way ahead of the game when they designed their shaft drive models. The jacking effect was way less than on other bikes of the era, so the effects are hardly noticed, except when traveling at speeds well beyond what any partially sane person would choose on public roads. And if you've ridden the bike for more than a couple hundred miles, you've already subconsciously compensated for the differences.

[bwringer]

As the owner of a "full dress" 1983 GS1100G "shaftie," who rides "enthusiastically" (ask anyone at the recent Brown County Rally), let me simply say that unless you are a total hard core racer you will not be disappointed by anything a shaftie does in the twisties...

Mine is a BLAST!!!

I rode with "the fast group" with a Vetter fairing, Vetter hard bags, and a KG trunk (unbalanced, because the left bag had all my tools in it), and had no trouble at all mixing it up with my cohorts in crime!!

Hope this helps,
Steve 8)

As the leader (the guy who knew where to turn next, anyway) of the "maniac" group on that ride, I can personally attest to the fact that GS shafties handle great. The G models have a bit more ground clearance and steer a bit quicker than the GL models, but they are all WAY more nimble than you might imagine, with the right rider.

Having just returned from the E/SE GS Rally in North Carolina (countless twisties, including two Deals Gap runs), I can definitely say that the shaft drive effects are very minimal.

If you hop on a shaftie GS just after riding a chain drive bike, you can feel a very, very slight amount of torque reaction when you roll on the throttle in tight curves. It's very slight, and as stated, you get used to it quickly. The pronounced chassis jacking found in other shafties (esp. Kawasakis of the era) is simply not there.

Naturally, the sheer mass of the bike and the greater unsprung weight have their unavoidable effects (it ain't a GSXR), but a skilled rider can go a lot faster than you might imagine.

I might add that, as with any bike old enough to drink, you absolutely MUST pay attention to the suspension before entering attack mode. Progressive fork springs and rear shocks and some experimentation with fork preload and fork oil don't cost much in relation to the way they transform handling.

The rear swingarm bearings are very robust, but they're worth checking when you pull the rear wheel.

As far as tires, it's a bit controversial, but I have used and enjoyed several sets of cheapo ($130/set mounted and balanced) Cheng Shin HiMax tires clear to their edges, and been very pleased with the levels of traction and durability. (stay away from Cheng Shin's crappy tire lines, the "Barracuda" and "Marquis").

For only a little more money ($165/set locally mounted and balanced), I recently mounted a set of Dunlop D404s, Dunlop's less expensive tire line made by Sumitomo.

I've put over well over 3,000 miles on the Dunlop D404s in the last few weeks, and I've been very pleased -- excellent traction through the twisties in nasty wet conditions and excellent traction and wear clear out to their edges in the dry.

Some will insist that you have to spend $300 on Metzelers, Dunlop 491s, or Pirelli Sport Demons, but I think there's really no point. Less expensive tires can still dish out far more traction than anything available in 1983. You will reach the limits of frame flex and ground clearance long before you reach the tire's limits.

However, some folks would lack confidence unless they spent the extra money, so for them, it's worth it.

[Redman]

Like BWringer says: If you hear stories of shaft drives jacking up or compressing down... that may be true of early design of other brands with shaft drives, but is very minimal on Zuki GS shaft drives.

[gspaul]

On the 650 I can not feel the effects of shaft drive at all.