My GS650 and it's wonderful personality.

[Dre]

Hello everyone. First post here but I have been reading up for a few weeks now. I recently purchased a 1981 GS650GL with roughly 22,000 miles. The P.O. said he recently had the carbs done and new battery stored it well etc. It is pretty clean so I don't think it was neglected.

There are a few things that have noticed after reading through a lot of these posts and I wanted some advice/ opinions as to what these things might mean.

First thing I had noticed was that as soon as you go above 63MPH the bike buzzes/vibrates very bad.

Secondly, There was one random day about a week ago where I was going along and the bike died on me and to get it started I had to open the throttle very wide before it would fire. about five minutes later I stopped went in the store came out and had to do the same thing to start it. went about a mile slowed to a stop and as soon as I pulled the clutch in to stop in first gear it died and I had to open the throttle even wider to start it. Took it on the highway for about half an hour and that problem has not showed up since.

Third, I recently replaced the plugs and 1 and 4 were very black but still had good life on them. would it be running too rich if this guy had had the carbs done recently? While I was doing this I tightened some of the boot screws on my carbs and it seems to be running a little better. It starts differently after I did that. Wants a lot less choke and does not want the choke as long. Also when I start it after a few seconds the thing revs up to 3 or 4,000 on its own till I put the choke down quite a bit.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this. I really like how helpful all of you are and the love of the GS. Any help or advice you could give me would be great. I don't really have many tools yet and am on a limited budget but I can pick stuff up as I go. And if there is anyone in the Minneapolis area maybe we could go for a ride sometime.

[Skyboy8950]

Dre,

Welcome. BassCliff will be by soon to give you your mega welcome.

Your bike sounds like the one I just sold! Though mine was an 82. I had replaced a head gasket, redone the carbs, and did a valve adjustment but it still vibrated badly at ~5000RPM no matter what gear you were in. Thats just the way it was. I tried to figure it out and never did. The way I solved the problem was selling it to some poor first timer (almost crashed the bike on the test drive around the block).

One good idea whenever aquiring a new bike is to do some maintenance on it even though the PO said it had been done. I told the guy I sold the bike to that the inside of the engine was gold plated...

Anyway, rebuilding the carbs, synchronizing them, doing a valve adjustment, and changing the fluids is a great start and takes little investment. Could all be done in a weekend and costs about $50. Plus it is fun!
If it is a problem of speed rather than RPMs like it was for me, then check the balance of the wheels and other such things.
See what kind of problems you have after that, if any. BassCliffs website has all the information you need to know to do those things.

I wish you the best.

[jdfet1]

Hi and Welcome!
I to have a GS650GL but mine is an 82. I really enjoy mine as well. I was spending some time reading through some things and have found that there seems to be several different sounds/ vibrations that these bikes make. I have a loud chirping sound between 55 & 60 but its gone at about 65. I did go away after I installed a radio in my windjammer and wired in a set of ear buds! It is very annoying to me.
Otherwise I love the bike, it rides well and it looks pretty good dressed up with the fairing and bags/trunk. Besides the chirping sound, the only complaint would be the small gas tank. I know that is an issue with others as well.
sounds like good advise though to go through it and change the fluids. Should serve you well!
Good Luck.

[Dre]

Good Idea Indeed

When you say it's about $50 to rebuild the carbs and sync them and do the valves is that if you have all the tools already and the shims? I have read the guide on valves and I also will not have a garage to work on it for about 3 or 4 weeks when I move out of my crappy apartment. What is involved with syncing the carbs and I should try to rebuild them first not buy the rebuild kits? I am fairly well mechanically inclined but have not done anything like this stuff before...

[Skyboy8950]

When you say it's about $50 to rebuild the carbs and sync them and do the valves is that if you have all the tools already and the shims? I have read the guide on valves and I also will not have a garage to work on it for about 3 or 4 weeks when I move out of my crappy apartment. What is involved with syncing the carbs and I should try to rebuild them first not buy the rebuild kits? I am fairly well mechanically inclined but have not done anything like this stuff before...

I guess there is some initial investment:

Carb sync tool (I can't remember the proper name): I paid $120 for a Morgan Carbtune. If you got any motorcycle buddies, see if they have one. If not, there are cheaper alternatives.
Valve shim tool: $15
O-rings for Carbs: $15. Cycleorings.com. Do not buy the rebuild kits unless there are broken or corroded parts.
Carb dip: $10. Comes in a 1gal paint can. Dunk your parts for a few hours then rinse with warm water.
Carb Cleaner: $4.
Shims: $5 each from z1enterprises.com. You may be able to swap shims around from one valve to another. Also, there is a valve swap around here somewhere...
Fluids: Standard.
Filter: $5.

You may find something else that is wrong in the process and end up spending a whole lot more, like I have done many times.

Also, you don't need a garage. I did all that stuff in a parking lot once, though it is not preferable.

[maro]

I guess there is some initial investment:

Carb sync tool (I can't remember the proper name): I paid $120 for a Morgan Carbtune. If you got any motorcycle buddies, see if they have one. If not, there are cheaper alternatives.
Valve shim tool: $15
O-rings for Carbs: $15. Cycleorings.com. Do not buy the rebuild kits unless there are broken or corroded parts.
Carb dip: $10. Comes in a 1gal paint can. Dunk your parts for a few hours then rinse with warm water.
Carb Cleaner: $4.
Shims: $5 each from z1enterprises.com. You may be able to swap shims around from one valve to another. Also, there is a valve swap around here somewhere...
Fluids: Standard.
Filter: $5.

You may find something else that is wrong in the process and end up spending a whole lot more, like I have done many times.

Also, you don't need a garage. I did all that stuff in a parking lot once, though it is not preferable.

Valve shim tool: $15

Make that 3 bucks and use the zip tie method. Check Bass Cliff's website for the instructions on valve clearances. really easy to do.

You will also need a new valve cover gasket. Order this along with your shims, since you won't know what shims you will need until you pull the current ones. Also, make sure to do a search for steve's valve clearance chart.

BTW, adjusting your valves will help lose the vibration. so will a carb synch. Do the clearances first!

[Skyboy8950]

You will also need a new valve cover gasket.

RealGaskets.com. They are made out of silicone and are reusable. Just got mine.

[Dre]

New Problem...

Thanks for all the help and advice everyone! This past weekend I have been riding a lot and noticing not all the time but every few rides or so that it gets kind of sluggish and fights me a little generally in second gear. I think it is missing or something but generally after I ride high rpm's on the highway for a little while the problem seems to go away for a while. Also sometime when I first start the bike my right muffler sounds a little weird for a minute or so kind of like a putting. Any ideas or has anyone run into this before?

[Dre]

Hey also just to clarify the vibration is when it is just over 5000 rpm's in any gear not just over 65mph...

[BassCliff]

Hee Haw Howdy!

Hi Mr. Dre,

The more TLC you give your bike right up front, the more smiles per gallon it will give you in the long run. Here is your very own mega-welcome!

Let it be known that on this day you are cordially and formally welcomed to the GSR Forum as a Junior Member in good standing with all the rights and privileges thereof. Further let it be known that your good standing can be improved with pictures (not you, your bike)!

Perhaps you've already seen these, but I like to remind all the new members. In addition to the carb rebuild series, I recommend visiting the In The Garage section via the GSR Homepage and check out the Stator Papers. There's also a lot of great information in the Old Q&A section. I have some documentation on my little BikeCliff website to help get you familiar with doing routine maintenance tasks (note that it is 850G-specific but many tasks are common to all GS bikes). Other "user contributed" informational sites include those of Mr. bwringer, Mr. tfb and Mr. robertbarr. And if your bike uses shims for valve adjustments, send an email to Mr. Steve requesting a copy of his Excel spreadsheet that helps you keep track of clearances, shim sizes and other service work.

These are some edited quotes from one of our dear beloved gurus, Mr. bwringer, with ideas on basic needs (depending on initial condition), parts, and accessories.
***********Quoted from Mr. bwringer************
Every GS850 (and most other models) has (or had) a set of well-known issues that MUST be addressed before you have a solid baseline for further troubleshooting. It's a vintage bike, and it's quite common (as in, every single GS850 I have had contact with) that there are multiple problems that have crept up and slowly gotten worse over the years. It's not like a newer vehicle, where there's generally one problem at a time.

These common issues are:

1. Intake O-rings (install NEW OEM or Viton only - common nitrile O-rings will quickly deteriorate from heat)
2. Intake Boots (install NEW -- these cannot be repaired)
3. Valve clearances (more important than most people think)
4. Carb/airbox boots
5. Airbox sealing
6. Air filter sealing
7. Petcock (install a NEW one)
8. On '79 models, install new points or Dyna electronic ignition (or at least verify that the old points are working correctly)
9. On all models, it's fairly common to have problems with the spark plug caps. These are $3 or $4 each, and often worth replacing if you're keeping the stock coils/wires.
10. Stock exhaust with NO leaks or holes -- good seals at the head and at the junctions underneath.
***********************************
Carburetor maintenance:

Replace the intake boot o-rings, and possibly the intake boots. Here's the procedure:

http://bwringer.com/gs/intakeorings.html

Here's an overview of what happens with this particular problem:

http://cycleorings.com/intake.html

You'll also want to examine the boots between the carbs and the airbox. There's a good chance these are OK, but check them over.
And finally, if things still aren't exactly right, you'll want to order a set of o-rings for BS carbs from the GS owner's best friend, Robert Barr:

http://cycleorings.com

Once you receive these rare rings of delight, then you'll want to thoroughly clean and rebuild your carburetors. Here are step-by-step instructions that make this simple:
http://thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

***************************************
OEM Parts/Online Fiches:

I would definitely double and triple the recommendations to use Cycle Recycle II and Z1 Enterprises as much as possible. These guys are priceless resources. Z1 tends to have slightly better prices, CRC2 has a wider range of goodies available. If you're near Indy and can bring in an old part to match, CRC2 has a vast inventory of used parts.
http://denniskirk.com - Put in your bike model and see what they have.
http://oldbikebarn.com - seems to be slowly regaining a decent reputation, but it's still caveat emptor. They don't have anything you can't get elsewhere at a better price anyway.
http://www.babbittsonline.com/ - Decent parts prices. Spendy shipping. Don't give you part numbers at all. Useful cross-reference if you obtain a part number elsewhere. Efficient service.
http://bikebandit.com - Fastest. Middlin' prices. Uses their own parts numbering system to obfuscate price comparisons -- can be very confusing for large orders. Cheapest shipping, so total cost usually isn't too bad.
http://flatoutmotorcycles.com - Slow. Cheapest parts prices, crazy shipping costs. Don't expect progress updates or much communication. Real Suzuki part numbers.
http://alpha-sports.com - Exorbitant parts prices. Different type of fiche interface that's quite useful at times, especially with superceded part numbers. Real parts numbers. Shipping cost and speed unknown due to insane, unholy pricing.

Stainless Bolts, Viton o-rings, metric taps, dies, assorted hard-to-find supplies and materials, etc:

http://mcmaster.com - Fast, cheap shipping, good prices. No order minimum, but many items like bolts come in packs of 25 or 50. Excellent resource.
http://motorcycleseatcovers.com - Great quality, perfect fit (on original seat foam), and available for pretty much every bike ever made. Avoid the textured vinyl -- it's perforated.
http://newenough.com - You DO have riding gear, don't you? Great clearances, always outstanding prices and impeccable service.
***************End Quote**********************
Additional parts/info links:

GSR Forum member Mr. duaneage has great used upgraded Honda regulator/rectifiers for our bikes. Send him a PM.
New electrical parts:
http://stores.ebay.com/RMSTATOR or http://www.rmstator.com/

http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/index.php

http://www.electrosport.com/

For valve cover and breather cover gaskets, I recommend Real Gaskets (reusable silicon):

http://www.realgaskets.com

Carolina Cycle

http://www.carolinacycle.com

Ron Ayers Motorsports

http://www.ronayers.com

MR Cycles

http://www.mrcycles.com

Moto Grid

http://www.motogrid.com

Salvage/Used

http://www.ricepaddymotorcycles.com

http://www.ozpowersports.com/

If all else fails, try this:

http://www.used-motorcycle-parts.org/

Used bike buying checklists:

http://www.amadirectlink.com/roadride/Riderresc/checklist.asp

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html

Lots of good info/pictures here:

http://www.suzukicycles.org

http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Motorcycle_Wiki

http://www.bikepics.com
Basic motorcycle maintenance/repair:
http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm
Online Clymer manuals:
http://search.ebscohost.com/ Click on "Small Engine Repair" then "Motorcycles". User=library, password=library. Note: This link may not work if you are on a school campus.

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed of your progress. There's lots of good folk with good experience here.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
(The unofficial GSR greeter)

Click here to visit BikeCliff's website.

[Dre]

Thanks for the welcome.

Hey Stupid Question but where do I get new boots and where do they most commonly leak air from? I am going to order new o-rings and most likely boots but I am looking through z1 and other sites and I can't tell what section the boots would be under, I have looked through there carb and air sections...

[Suzuki_Don]

Hey Stupid Question but where do I get new boots and where do they most commonly leak air from? I am going to order new o-rings and most likely boots but I am looking through z1 and other sites and I can't tell what section the boots would be under, I have looked through there carb and air sections...

Z1 do not list the carb boots. But can get them from their local Suzuki dealer at a very reasonable cost and their postage is brilliant when compared to some Suzuki on line dealers. Send them an email, ATT: ROB. and he will get back to you with all the info.

[Steve]

Z1 do not list the carb boots. But can get them from their local Suzuki dealer at a very reasonable cost and their postage is brilliant when compared to some Suzuki on line dealers. Send them an email, ATT: ROB. and he will get back to you with all the info.

I have encountered that when dealing with Z1, too. I mentioned that I was placing an order with someone else because they did not offer the parts I needed, and the reply was, "just get us a part number, we can order anything."

.

[Suzuki_Don]

I have encountered that when dealing with Z1, too. I mentioned that I was placing an order with someone else because they did not offer the parts I needed, and the reply was, "just get us a part number, we can order anything."

.

Exactly my experience too steve. And can you believe $11 postage to Australia for camchain and boots, etc. when others wants $50 or $60 bucks.