GS650L, test your knowledge :)

[Anonymous]

Hi all, i'm new here. This looks to be a really informative forum, so lets test your knowledge....

I just aquired my very first road bike today: 1981 GS650L , shaft drive with about 26K miles. For $400 it seems to be a good starter bike
Looks fairly well, runs and drives excellent. If i had pics, i'd post them.


Question:

1. Are they all this cold-blooded??? Seems to take 5 min. before it idles on it's own with a cold start.

2. What is different about the "L" in the name 650L that is different from "GL" or "GX" or any others.....?

3. Are there any common problems associated with these bikes? I just want to be prepared for any ailments that might arise. Preventative maintenance is key. I really want to know this stuff!

4. It idle's rough, i'm thinking it needs a carb cleaning and sync. and some new plugs. I am very mechanically inclined and i want to do the work myself, but is there anything tricky about working on these carbs???

5. What's the HP on this engine?

6. Does this engine require any valve adjustments/chain tensioning ???

7. What should the engine compression be? I am going to check it this weekend, and i'll let you all know.



I know this may be alot of questions, but i am a seeker of knowledge and wisdom and i want to learn everything there is to know about the GS line-up.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

[Jethro]

Okey dokey... here we go....

#1. Yes they seem to be all cold blooded. Most people I have talked to in the know about GS bikes say the same thing. Things that may help- get an electronic ignition and make sure your coils are good. Also the carb question #4, a rebuild of the carbs may help. Make sure the intake boots from the carbs to the manifold are not cracked- even a little will put the whole thing out of whack.

#2. The L designation is for the "cruiser" model (sort of). Notice the dual step seat and higher rise handle bars. The tank is more of a teardrop shape also. Go to the gallery page and check out our year (I've got an 81 as well).

#3. Most common are the electrical issues with the stator (see "The Stator Papers" on this site). Also the head needs to be tourqed down every 3000 miles (mine needs it more often than that).

#4. Most tricky thing about the carbs? The cost of rebuild kits.

#5. I would assume about 65 horsepower for your bike when new. Anyone know for sure?

#6. Yes and yes. There are valve adjustments to be done every 7000 miles I think? The cam chain has a self adjusting tensioner- just make sure it is working and the chain is not stretched.

#7. Most important thing about compression is that they are all consistant. Any variation tells you the motor will be out of balance and will run choppy. Replace the rings if the cyls read different.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Wow, thanks for the fast reply!

I will certainly check out all those adjustments.....

[Alan Schlosser]

Both my original 1100L and current 1100L were very cold blooded. Like yours, once it warmed up it was ok. With my current bike, I took it to a mechanic for carb syncing. Along with the sync job, he drilled out the plugs that seal up what I believe were the pilot screws. What he did was to richen up the bottom end. He explained that these carbs were set up lean to meet EPA regulations. Anyway, it's like a whole new bike. Once I start it, by the time I get my jacket and helmet on, I can take the choke off and hit the road. It made a world of difference.
Al

[Anonymous]

Good info!