telling the difference between a 650 and a 550

[Anonymous]

i'm in the process of picking up an 81 GS650G (i think) i just bought and all though the bike badges say 650G (and it is a shaft bike) the VIN i got given comes up as a 550...

so either the title (which i don't have yet) is for another bike...or the bikes had its badges messed with or something inbetween.....

so obviouslly i'm going to check the VIN on the frame (where do i look??) but are there any obvious signs ofa 650 vs a 550...?

Thanks

Phil

[Anonymous]

There is no 550 shaft drive. The engine displacement is cast into a pad on the lower side of the cylinders (usually the right side). The vin is on the steering head and may be hard to see, but it is stamped in there.

[lhanscom]

Did they ever make a 550 shaft drive? I know with my 700 they have the displacement stamped on the engine case (699). The VIN, along with the model, and year, should be on the head tube.

[AOD]

i am 95% sure all 550's were chain driven.

[redliner1973]

Wrong title, sounds like..... :twisted:

[satchmo]

I talked to a 550 racing veteran when I first bought my bike. He said that some typical street mods were to put a 650 engine into a 550, that way you get the 650 displacement while mainting the 6 speed gearbox that was standard on the 550. Is it possible you have a mix and match bike?

Satch

[lhanscom]

It's a shaft drive, so it would have to be the 650 engine.

[Anonymous]

hmmm... now that i think about it the gear indicator went up to 5...i'm guessing its the wrong title....this is a fairly large dealership so i'm guessing they have one or 2 bike titles floating around the place...