What is that thing behind my saddle?

[Anonymous]

No, I don't mean the passenger holding on to the grabrail for dear life :mrgreen:

First I'll introduce myself, as this is my first message. I started riding four years ago, first bike was a GS500E. I graduated to an SV650S, you know, the little twin that "can hang with liter bikes in the twisties".... :?

Trying to do just that I totalled the bike and landed in the hospital. I was bikeless for 18 months, and seriously thinking I better not ride ever again. One morning I got up and purchased a really clean '86 GS450L on E-bay. Best decision I ever made, I am so glad to be back on two wheels. A mellower bike and much wiser rider shall help keep trouble away.

Anyways, I actually have a question. My bike has some sort of plastic box begind the saddle. I have noticed that, at least in pictures, not all GS450Ls have it. Curious as to what it is. I am guessing (wildly) that what I purchase is a California model, and that the box contains emissions-related junk.

Second, I have a real gripe with the handlebars. Frankly, I miss my clip-ons but plan to settle for a more standard arrangement. Does anyone have some suggestions? And while we are at it... is it hard to swap the original (utter POS) front brake caliper for something with actual bite and feedback? I am thinking maybe an SV650 caliper and disc....

Anyways, thanks for your help. Hope to participate more in this board.

[SqDancerLynn1]

I think you are right about it being emission equipment, Calif only model.
Go to http://www.bikebandit.com You can look up the canister and verify if that is what you are refering to

[Dark Jedi]

As for the brakes/ frontend.. there are several articles on swapping GSXR frontends on the 750/1000/1100/1150's. I suspect that, if you have the means, some experimentation will show that one of the smaller GSXR or Katanas from the 90's will fit that puppy.

Read those articles for the basic gist of it, get a gaggle of triple trees and various bearings, and tell us how it went...

BTW: Good bike! I did not own one, but had a riding buddy who did. Surprisingly peppy and capable for it's size. It will serve you well, young Padawan.

[Hoomgar]

Good to have you back (from anti bike land) Bio. Keep a cool head and there is no reason you cannot still have fun. We all have had to get that wild hair out of the way before we became real cyclists. You have just progressed not regressed that's all

The GS is a rock solid machine that is one of the finest pieces of the past you can get for your money. You will love that little 400 and my money is on you that someday not to far down the road you will be looking to get a larger GS

On the note about the bars. My main ride is a 78 GS1000 and it is fitted with aftermarket K&N super bike bars and I love them. I also have an 82 Kawasaki LTD 550 and as you know they came with some really lame bars on them. I like to call them sleepers because that is what they do to your arms when you ride it, they put your arms to sleep. Well I bought myself a set of stock GS1000 handle bars off ebay for it because they would go on without the need to shorten cables/wires and it was a world a differance. Being that this is my current ride while the GS is being rebuilt it is important to me that the bike be comfortable as possible. You can see how the GS bars look on it here:

Here it is with the stupid stock bars on it:


And here it is with the GS1000 bars on it:




Rock on!!!

[Detman101]

You've inspired me!! I think I'll put some handlebars like those on my Vulcan750 next weekend!
Why should the GS get all the upgrades hehe...

Dm of mD

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I found the schematic at the Bike Bandit webiste, and indeed the canister is present in California models only:

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/schematics/Suzuki/SU0075_033.gif

Good to know. Tee-hee-hee... maybe remove it and get more juice out of the engine??? Nah... j/k... :mrgreen:

Jedi: I don't have that much of a gripe with the suspension, plenty firm for the kind of riding I plan to do from now on. I will read the article anyways, perhaps I will find some good ideas in there. The 450 is a standard bike with cruiser licks, so there is no use in trying to turn it into something it is not. I just did not like the front brake at all. It has no feedback and not much power either. That is a project for the future: swapping master cylinder, rotor, and calipers for SV650 parts or similar and adding braided lines.

Hoomgar: love what you did to the Kawa. That is pretty much what I had in mind. I betcha the bars for the standard GS500 can be swapped in a flash for those neat but unergonomic cruiser ape hanger-wannabes. Curious: Do you or anybody else know of a good aftermarket bar that is cheaper than GS500 OEM?

Thanks a lot guys.

[Anonymous]

Are all instrument clusters in the GS line as lavishly equipped as they are on the 450L? For an econo-bike it is more than well-appointed. I have never had a bike with a real fuel gauge (they all had light indicators) nor ever seen one with a stock gear indicator.

[Pete's GS]

The '89 GS500, which is basically the same bike as the 450, came with clip-ons. Try the gstwin.com site for more info. Your present brake is probably okay if you go to a braided line and better pads. Maybe you'll want to go all out and drill the disk too.

[Anonymous]

LOL... thanks, but a tiny cruiser with clip-ons would be... too odd.

As for the brake: the sites I've read agree that swapping the original lines for steel braided lines does nothing for this bike. I'm guessing that moving one or two steps up in the ladder -GS500 or SV650 brakes- would do wonders. I'm not sure the front tire will handle the power of, say, an R1 caliper.

[Gary Lich]

Are all instrument clusters in the GS line as lavishly equipped as they are on the 450L? For an econo-bike it is more than well-appointed. I have never had a bike with a real fuel gauge (they all had light indicators) nor ever seen one with a stock gear indicator.

The 850's and 1100's also have gear idicators and a fuel gage, (not sure about the other models but I suspect they also have them)....

[HiSPL]

Definately try new pads and fluid first. Also take apart and clean the master cylinder and most importantly the caliper. Regrease the two pins that the caliper floats on and try the brakes again. You'll probably be alot happier with them. The caliper will stick on those pins that its supposed to slide on and that kills any perfomance the brake ever had... If thats not enough then you can go to braided hoses with definate improvements.

This is much, much easier than grafting other calipers to your bike....

[mcycle-nut]

I put some superbike bars on a Yamaha XS650 Special I had. Couldn't stand those goofy bars! I found I could even do wheelies with those bars on it!

[Anonymous]

Definately try new pads and fluid first. Also take apart and clean the master cylinder and most importantly the caliper. Regrease the two pins that the caliper floats on and try the brakes again. You'll probably be alot happier with them. The caliper will stick on those pins that its supposed to slide on and that kills any perfomance the brake ever had... If thats not enough then you can go to braided hoses with definate improvements.

This is much, much easier than grafting other calipers to your bike....

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I am in the process of doing this. The bike is at the shop as we speak, getting State Inspection. While at it, I asked them to change the fluid and clean the master cylinder. The pads will get changed only if they are glazed or in poor shape.

As for the braided lines: I will go ahead and get them after all. Since I will probably need a new, shorter line when I swap the bars, I might as well bite the bullet and get the braided ones.

Thanks for your feedback!

[crag antler]

Are all instrument clusters in the GS line as lavishly equipped as they are on the 450L? For an econo-bike it is more than well-appointed. I have never had a bike with a real fuel gauge (they all had light indicators) nor ever seen one with a stock gear indicator.

The 850's and 1100's also have gear idicators and a fuel gage, (not sure about the other models but I suspect they also have them)....

Plus the 82 & 83 GS1100E's have a oil temp gauge included with a fuel gauge and gear indicator 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :roll:

[Anonymous]

Definately try new pads and fluid first. Also take apart and clean the master cylinder and most importantly the caliper. Regrease the two pins that the caliper floats on and try the brakes again. You'll probably be alot happier with them. The caliper will stick on those pins that its supposed to slide on and that kills any perfomance the brake ever had... If thats not enough then you can go to braided hoses with definate improvements.

Quick update:

I just got my bike back from the shop (tires, chain, state inspection). While it was there I asked them to bleed the brake lines, clean the master cylinder, and the caliper too. I must say HUGE improvement. Not a set of Brembo superbike brakes, but much, much better than they were when I first got the bike.

Thanks to all who gave me such great feedback! =D>