Pods

[snark]

If I wanted to put a set of Pod filters on my GS450L (and I still haven't made up my mind on this yet); what would I need to do to do it properly? I'm not totally sure that the benefits of the Pods would be worth the work involved. Anybody do this on a 450 yet?

[Hoomgar]

My 2 cents worth... or more

First off, if you install Pod filters the benefit you would be looking for is a performance boost. In a 450 I am not sure it would be worth your time looking to do this. Maybe on a larger bore high performance model but not on an economy model like your talking about here. Those bikes were not made for stomp but for basic affordable transportation.

Secondly if you do put them on your going to have to rejet your carbs to match them and unless your a pro at doing this to these older bikes your in for a lot of fun. (depending on your definition of fun :roll: )

Thirdly, some people complain of having issues with water and wind once they have converted to Pod filters so you will now have the potential for new problems that you have not had yet. It is a more complicated setup. Definitely not easier or lower maintenance.

Fourthly, it's an L model. L model bikes are in the cruiser type family and therefore not as apt to needing performance boosts. Typically this type of mod would be done to an E model bike or any of the more sport type models and not so much the cruiser type models. That is not to say it hasn't been done or that you cannot do it.

My recommendation would be to keep the bike stock. Service it and maintain it in it's stock running condition and enjoy it for what Suzuki made it to be. My personal preference would be to not do that type of work to a bike like your talking about.

All my personal opinion stuff aside, if you do want to do it, you will need to rejet your carbs to work with them and maybe a few other tweaks here and there (like vent tubes, etc... ) depending on what year your bike is what type of carbs it has on it. You will get a small performance boost if and when you get it done and done correctly. On a small. low HP engine however that increase may or may not be even noticeable.

I really do not think it is worth your time or money.

Hope that helps

[Billy Ricks]

I'm with Hoomgar on this. If you had a four cylinder bike it is a worthwhile mod. In your case a good tune-up will net just about the same results. Tuning a two cylinders carbs is simple. You don't even need guages. Just let the bike run on one cylinder at a time by removing one spark plug wire at a time. You'll have to raise the idle speed with the throttle stop to get it to run on one cylinder after warming the bike up first. Start with the cylinder with no idle speed adjuster on the carb itself and adjust the mixture screw for the highest smoothest idle you can get. Pay attention to the tach reading after adjusting the mixture. Then switch to the other cylinder. Adjust it for the smoothest idle then adjust its idle speed using its individual adjuster to match the cylinder you already did. After you're done you'll need to drop the idle speed back down with the throttle stop.

[duaneage]

Don't try to make a greyhound out of a hunting dog. IF you do decide to do it keep the old airbox around to go back to just in case.

Look at bumping it up about 10 sizes to areounda 125, there are threads on this site that discuss it, search for pods+450+rejetting and hang on.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Reading quickly through previous replies, I agree with the others.
If you do try it anyway, you'll have to re-jet all three jetting circuits. Pilot, jet needle, main. Be prepared for some trial/error. You'll lose some low/mid-range grunt, not good on a 450. So think about it.

[snark]

Thanks, you've saved my L from a mistake. I like her the way she is and am happy with the way she performs, but of course, one of my friends who would hop up a Power Wheels motorcycle to "just see what would happen" mentioned this to me.

[bucketsofgs1000]

I rejetted my XS400 to match uni pods and a cheap MAC 2 into 1 and I noticed a considerable increase in power and throttle response. It was my first jet-kit-less rejetting job and seems to have worked very well. The real reason behind that change was a rusted out exhaust and bad air filters which I could not find replacements for at a reasonable price. All in all, I am very happy with the change, although it is nothing like a real sport bike.
Despite my good experience however, I would have to agree that a small engine will not be a really powerful engine no matter what you do to it. But, if its your only bike, you can't afford a bigger one, and you are growing out of it, and you don't mind tweaking it for a while, it could be a lot of fun and give you more of a power increase than you might expect.
I do still run my XS400 up around 7k rpm regularly to get the power I want out of it. That's why I'm building a GS1000 now.

[tconroy]

I got it!!!!Keep the L and buy another one to haul @#@ on !!!!!!!!!!!