81 gs850

[toofar]

Loosen the fork clamps. Upper and lower. Try and support the bike in front so it doesnt slam down. I pushed my forks up through the top clamp 2 inches. I run clip on bars though. Its pretty easy to drop the front end. Just dont go too low or the bike will handle funny.

Thanks. I'm planning on running clip on bars too. I think I'm gonna use the stock bar tower as a mount for the tach and speedo to bring them in closer. I gotta find some first. Any suggestions on aftermarket ones? Also, can someone let me know the fork diameter so I know which clip ons to get? Can't find my micrometer.

[toofar]

I'm assuming that a tank from a gs550 will work on my bike. Just looking for verification before I order it. Thanks.

[toofar]

Can some let me know what carbs and from what years I can use on this bike? I found some Mikuni 26mm carbs off of a 79 gs850 and some from a 83 GS750. thanks

[7981GS]

The rims on that bike are '82-up.
The CV carbs from the 750 might fit if the spacing is the same.
The '79 carbs are too small to fit into your intake manifolds beside being smaller carbs.

Eric

[Dogma]

Well, a lot can be adapted, depending on how much work you want to do. For the least effort, you want Mikuni BS32SS, and those aren't horribly rare from parted out 850s. Being a cafe project, I assume you're going to do pods (K&N, right?) and a 4->1 pipe. So, it won't matter how it's jetted since you'll be installing a Dynojet kit anyway. There's a carb specs thread here from which you can glean what models have that size carbs. Other manufacturers used those carbs too, but I'm not sure what might be different. The only difference among GS bikes is jetting and a couple different styles of choke linkage.

The '79 850 carbs are VM carbs. From what I've read, they're a little twitchy off idle in comparison to the BS32SS. Get a comparison opinion from someone who's used both, though. The '83 750 carbs are BS32SS. If they're in good enough shape, I'd nab 'em.

Edit: Take Eric's advice on checking the carb spacing.

[toofar]

Thanks for the responses. I'm a newb to bikes so I appreciate the help. This bike needs lots of stuff.

[toofar]

Is there any aftermarket carbs, other years or maybe ones from a 1000+ cc bike of the same year I can use?

[7981GS]

The 34CV carbs from just about any '80-up 1000 or 1100 can work in those manifolds.
I ran '81 GS1000 carbs in my 850.

Eric

[toofar]

I haven't been working on my bike for awhile. I did find a tank and I found a set of carbs off an 81 gs850. Will these work on my 82?

[Steve]

I haven't been working on my bike for awhile. I did find a tank and I found a set of carbs off an 81 gs850. Will these work on my 82?

Physically, the tank will fit, but the mounts at the rear of the tank are different, and will need to be modified, unless it's an "L" tank.

The carbs will work, but the "choke" mechanism will be different. The '81 carbs have a "choke" that is activated by a knob that comes through the middle of the steering stem. The '82 carbs have a "choke" that is activated by a lever under the left handgrip. The actual mechanism on the carbs is different, too, not just the activation mechanism.

.

[toofar]

Physically, the tank will fit, but the mounts at the rear of the tank are different, and will need to be modified, unless it's an "L" tank.

The carbs will work, but the "choke" mechanism will be different. The '81 carbs have a "choke" that is activated by a knob that comes through the middle of the steering stem. The '82 carbs have a "choke" that is activated by a lever under the left handgrip. The actual mechanism on the carbs is different, too, not just the activation mechanism.

.

Ok, I'm sure I can make the choke work, but you're saying they should fit and work well though right?

[toofar]

Well, I picked up another bike today. It's a mish mash unit. It's a 78 Suzuki 250 frame and this guy shoved a 93 Suzuki katana 600 engine in it. I'm hoping to at least be able to use the carbs from it. Do you think I'll be able to use the things like the throttle and start switch. Do you think I can use the tach and speedo, or will it only work with the Katana engine? Is swapping engines a dumb idea?

[toofar]

Finally got around to checking the new bike out more. Turns out to be an 82 Suzuki GS450t. Still pretty sure I'm not keeping the 93 katana 600 engine in it though

[toofar]

Well I started my wife's gs450 cafe and needed somewhere to put the 93 Katana 600 engine. I have a spare GS850 shafty frame laying around. Thinking of putting it in there with new wheels and a mono shock swing arm. Anyone done something like this before.

Got a little distracted from my GS850 and built this, 1979 KZ650.