1980 GS550e engine mod ideas

[NATEO]

My brother and I will be taking on a frame up restoration project on an 80 550e. my brother is the body work guy, with paint and cosmetic stuff. I will be doing the actual teardown/clean/ build, but I was looking for ideas to modify the engine. any thoughts? I just read that pods arent worth the effort, though my brother and I still have to discuss that. thanks
Nate O

[brveagle]

do a search regarding 650 head/pistons/block on the 550 lower end....

It'll add some ponies to your bike..

[NATEO]

do a search regarding 650 head/pistons/block on the 550 lower end....

It'll add some ponies to your bike..

did you do something like this to your 550?

[AirCooledHeaven]

Hi Nateo

A few years ago I modded my 1980 550E and was very pleased with the results. I got a used set of GS650 barrels and had them bored out to take a Wiseco 740 CC piston kit. It all fitted together very easily. Not sure if you could get a piston kit now though. I left everything else standard, jetted the carbs up two sizes, and fitted a 4-1 exhaust. The increase in torque was phenomenal and coupled with the bike's small size and light weight it just flew. Great fun. Of course you could get a useful improvement by fitting GS650 barrels & pistons. In fact I wonder if you could get the 650 barrels to take GS750 pistons? Not sure if the stroke is the same though on the 550 & 750...

[jimcor]

did you do something like this to your 550?

Nerobro, one of the Chicago GS guys, has done it. Do a search, he posted pics and details of his modification.

[brveagle]

did you do something like this to your 550?

yep... one of the funnest and most worthwhile things i have done

[Nerobro]

Yup, I did it. :-) Twas fun. Is fun. The thing will loft the front wheel with just a little clutch feathering.

You can get a LOT of performance just by getting a 4-1 and ditching that airbox. The airbox on the GS550 is designed to reduce horsepower. It's really quite disgusting.

You might consider contacting yoshimura about camshafts. I'm sure they were made, you might be able to get your hands on them.

[NATEO]

thanks guys, so just to recap, as my brother and I have the bike down to the frame, and are ready for mods....


650 head, piston, block on 550 low end...any year that works best?

4-1 exhaust- this looks like it will happen, because the stock exhaust is crap...

and remove the airbox. what should I put in its place? pods? I kinda like the looks of pods, but I hear they are a pain in the butt to tune....

thanks guys, we appreciate it!


btw, my brother just joined. his username is KCustoms, so hit him up and say hi! (he is 17)

[KGB]

How about getting some miles under you before building a rocket?




Like any motor getting it to breathe correctly, this includes inhale and exhale, will get the most performance.
As to how radical you want to go? Thats's up to you.
I read a story about 2 brothers that built SV650's for drag racing.
Good way to bond.
Nate get some miles under you first. Or improve handling first then motor.

[NATEO]

How about getting some miles under you before building a rocket?




Like any motor getting it to breathe correctly, this includes inhale and exhale, will get the most performance.
As to how radical you want to go? Thats's up to you.
I read a story about 2 brothers that built SV650's for drag racing.
Good way to bond.
Nate get some miles under you first. Or improve handling first then motor.

this project is mostly a bonding experience...otherwise, I wouldnt know what to do with it. I was going to look into springs, but between that and good tires, what can I do? this project is just to be creative and do something I love. I may not be an experienced rider, and I know that I dont know much about bikes (at all), but my dream is to be a bike mechanic, so this is a way of learning first hand. I was hoping to be riding before we started this project, but circumstances beyond anyone's control have prevented that. actually, I think i get my bike back tomorrow, and I should be taking my first ride on thursday.

so if you have any handling ideas, let me know. thanks

Nate
(and tom- kcustoms)

[Nerobro]

The first steps in getting the bike to handle is to get it up for your weight. you'll need preload spacers up front, and you'll most likely just have the option of cranking up preload in back.

Get new shocks on it. 26 year old shocks.. are shagged. Even emgo's will be a benifit.

Beyond that, I could list half a dozen shock MFG's that might do you well. Hagon, Emgo, Penske, KYB, Ohlins, Showa... The list goes on.

For the front end, racetech makes cartriage emulators. they're $160 or so, and springs that are suitable for your weight as well.

Right now I"m running KYB's off a ZRX1200, and I"m still working on the fork.