78 GS550E Mild Performance Project

[Guest]

I picked up this bike a couple years ago, got it running that night with a battery and some fuel. It fell to the back burner for a while and I'm finally working on getting it legal and want to see what I can do with it. Fired it up again about two weeks ago and haven't really got it off my mind.

My basic idea for it is that I want to improve braking and suspension foremost. I'm exceptionally interested in doing away with the stock air cleaner and making a dual set, one for the left pair and a second for the right pair. I would like to remove the starter for a kick only setup and hopefully jam some of my electronics into the starter cavity. I would really like to work out a handmade 4 into 2 exhaust. Not currently interested in bumping up the engine displacement, but not totally opposed to the idea.

I'm looking for suggestions, either positive or negative, to further my ideas.

[Nessism]

Leave it stock and get it running well. Only after you have everything sorted out should you start modding it. Pods pretty much suck so get ready to loose some hair rejetting if you go down that foolish road.

Good luck

[Twepterzod]

I don't disagree with that sentiment at all. I've considered just a straight up restoration because it has less than 10k miles, then finding a good home for it because I can't leave well enough alone. All my other projects are weather beaten and war torn when I get them. My hair is falling out at a pretty rapid rate, but I've never considered that it might be from the last set of carbs I worked out to run with V-stacks... wouldn't surprise me though.

I'm not in a big hurry to modify the engine performance if I do, I've got an 80s Honda twin for all that mess right now.

I'm still open for more opinions. I found that I'm a big fan of this engine series and I would like to hear about personally tried and true suspension and brake setups for sure. I'll worry about waking up the engine as is later down the road... providing there's no hitch in getting it legal.

[Nessism]

That bike deserves a restoration if it's as nice as you say. I brought a 550E back from 30 years in the previous owners garage and they are fine bikes. The seat is uber comfortable and the bike is a very useful tool. The only way to add enough power to be worth the effort is by installing some 650 cylinders. Things like pods and/or an exhaust are not worth the hassle, other than a lighter exhaust is nice.

[Steve]

And I would SERIOUSLY re-think putting any electronics into the empty starter cavity.

Electrical things like to be in a cool environment.
Locked into a small cavity on a hot engine with no air flowing is not quite that environment.

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[Twepterzod]

I kicked the engine over yesterday on a whim. I gave it two slow prime rotations then actually kicked it and it fired right up... really surprised me. When I got it a couple years ago it had a license plate that had sticker from 1989 on it.

Lets theorize that I try leaving it as stock as possible and work out a 4 into two exhaust without any kind of cross pipes and have some decent mufflers... could I lose some machine weight and not have to re-jet the carb set? Or are there any suggestions on exhaust designs I could try? I'm really into making my own parts whenever possible.

[Steve]

Will a home-made 4-into-2 exhaust be lighter than OEM?

Maybe, but it will depend on what tubing you use. Suzuki used double-wall tubes on the downpipes, so they are a bit heavier. If you use some really thin-wall tubing, you might shave about 5-10 pounds off the exhaust system.

I don't think Suzuki did any crossover pipes in the exhaust until about 1980, so your bike probably never had one.

Even if you install a 4-into-1 header, if it has a decently-quiet muffler, you might not have to change jetting much. Suzuki did a lot of work getting the stock exhaust to flow quite well, so you are not going to improve the overall system enough to matter much.

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[Twepterzod]

I hadn't even considered the engine heat in that idea. I really like seeing a clean machine that appears to be only motor... but there wouldn't be any sensible way to allow enough (or any for that matter) cool air flow into there.

Thanks for catching that one for me. I saw that once somewhere and thought it was neat concept.

[Twepterzod]

I would definitely attempt to use a single wall stainless tube for the exhaust. I'm not really sure how much weight I could potentially save by doing that, but it does make me feel a little better that I might not need to alter much else by making a system.

I have a certain infatuation with stainless steel, and if I can detract next to nothing for making the bike a little more personalized then I'll definitely try it.

[CrazyCloud]

I lost over 20# switching from stock exhaust to a 4 into 1. Obviously 4 into 2 wont be quite as much, but you get the idea. I would much prefer a stock exhaust but mine was rotted and the V&H is much cheaper.
I second the idea of getting it running good before messing around with it, especially if going to kick only. I went to kick only on my 750 and really like it... now that everything is in tune. You won't be able to check compression well after you pull the starter, so make sure to measure that first.
I put my tools in the starter box and secured the lid with strong magnets. My favorite suggestion for the starter spot is a "hot pocket" oven, mmmmmm. Should be easy to hide electrics in the tail cowl.
Have fun, good luck!

[Twepterzod]

I'm definitely on board with getting it running right as stock. I'll get one of the O-ring kits from cycleorings and start there. After that comes in and I get this process under way I'll get a thread set up under projects because I know I have a multitude of questions pertaining to ideas I already have, but are pretty much unrelated to performance.

Thanks for the responses!