What is going on with these struts?

[FlyingSteve]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-GS550-GS-550-ES-front-end-forks-GS550ES-Nice-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3cadc21c57QQitemZ260613217367QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

So what the hell is up with those gold colored things on the struts? Are they fluid reservoirs? And what is up with the triple tree and those handle bars??

Could that setup be easily used on an '80 550e? I'd like to get a wider (and more modern) front tire on my bike... Do the GS1000/1100's use a wider triple tree? Any other suggestions?

Ok, never mind the questions about those eBay forks... I did some research and now I see that in just 3yrs, Suzuki went from my lame retro GS550E to a much more modern-looking and performing bike. I cry now.

Would still be cool to get those forks and twin-discs in the front... So what does a bloke have to do to set that up?

[salty_monk]

A lot of work if you really want a modern setup.... especially on a 550!

Here's my 750.




You could probably fit a GS650, 850, 1000 front end complete to get dual discs though (one of those will be a bolt on, all of them should be somewhat a bolt on but steerer stop & ignition might be different) & then further upgrade that to twinpot brakes like this:




I think that 83 550 used a 16" wheel so not a fit for you unless you use the wheel from that bike too.

[FlyingSteve]

Your 750 is pretty nice looking! I especially like the second pic with out the windscreen.

Well, after I'm done working on my 550 and doing all the upgrades, I might just keep it the way it is and be done with it or I might see how much I can sell it for. I like the bike, but at the same time I'd really like something with a newer and more aggressive look. Whatever I would upgrade to, it would definitely be a naked bike style though, like your 750 in the 2nd pic.

[Danjal]

Those are the anti-dive units on a set of GS550ES forks. Mine has em. It just passes the fork oil through those little gold cans and the knob on em selects the size of hole the oil goes through. You can set your bound/rebound speed with them. The smaller the hole the slower the bound/rebound same goes for the inverse using the larger holes on setting 1. I feel a difference with it, but in all honesty springs make MUCH more of a difference.

I can give you some closer up pictures of them if you want. And a manual off of BC's site can explain it more with pretty pictures.

[FlyingSteve]

Well, I was thinking it would be nice to change the forks over to something like those. The triple tree should fit right on to my frame w/o modification, right? Then I could have dual discs in the front and have a modern tire in the front. Is the front tire wider for those forks?

Would the rear rim from the 83 550ES fit right on to my 80 550E?

I think that would be a pretty sweet upgrade all around for my bike and since I'm going for the cafe racer/naked bike look, that would definitely help to "modernize" it yet keep it retro.

[Danjal]

I cant say if they will or wont interchange. Never tried it.

[salty_monk]

I suspect you can make it work but I also think that the tyre sizing (i.e. rim width) was probably not a lot wider than what you have so you'll be able to go up maybe a size or two in tyre but you won't get modern radials.....

Front end - steerer stops, ignition, gauge mounts might be different among other things.

For the amount of work I would think you are going to be spending a lot of time for not much gain.
If you really want to go modern front & rear then do it properly & get something from the late 80's onwards as there were a lot of changes between 83-89.

It's not for the faint hearted!

Dan