GS650 Cherry Poppin Build

GodSilla650

Been Around the Block
I just picked up a 1982 GS650 today, it has 19K on the clock. Someone already hacked some clip-ons on there and in the process messed up the throttle and choke cable as well as the front brake. When I was looking at it he got it to run for about 15 sec with a real high idle, we moved the choke cable and it died and he couldn't get it to restart. I am confidant that it will run well after I undo all the stuff he did wrong.

Any experienced advise is welcome! Right off the bat I will be replacing the fork seals, replacing the leaking oil pan gasket, rebuilding the carbs, throwing on some pod filters and a 4 to 1 exhaust, fixing all the handle bar mess and sorting out the front brake.

Is there anything else I should do while I am digging into it given the age and mileage?

I plan to just get it up and running and do some minor mods for this summer and then completely tear it down and do the cafe build over the winter.

This will be my first bike build, although I was a car mechanic for 7 years and have worked on a few bikes here and there.

Thanks for looking, these are the pictures from the ad.
 

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Welcome to the site man!

First thing I'd do? Sign up over on the GSResources - they know every nut and bolt on old GS bikes. Then plan on going over the calipers, brake line, oil, carb clean, new intake rubber (and orings), possibly new tires if you need them, and go over the wiring system. The stator and R/R is a pretty known weak spot on older Suzuki's.
 
Thanks for the tips so far! Keep them coming!!

I know, I think the bike looks a lot better with the Z behind it :eek:

He is actually selling the Z if anyone is interested in it I could get you his contact info. He is in Naperville IL, it did look really clean, I think it had a little paint work on the Left Front Fender, but overall looked pretty damn good for the age.

The tires actually look to be in pretty good shape. I am going to order a bunch of parts right off the bat to get it running right and safe to ride, so I will add some of those things to the list.

I also need to sort out the wiring and reconnect all the lights, he removed everything and just cut the wiring so that will be fun. There are a few wires just twisted together not even wrapped up in electrical tape, its pretty hacked up. I will probably just end up making my own harness since I will be doing different lights and hiding the wiring anyway.

here are a few more quick pictures I took.

The last couple are of the oil leaks and crunched exhaust which I plan to take care of right away. Does anyone know if there are just 4 to 1 collectors out there? I don't want to drop $2-300 on a whole new exhaust if I don't have to.
 

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The guy I bought the bike from put clip on handle bars and the brake line, the throttle cable and the choke cable are all too long. Does anyone know of good replacements, modifications or fixes for this? It is causing a high idle when it will actually run and also for the bike not to start unless you mess with the cables. Thanks In advance!
 
The cheapest / easiest thing to do would put some actual handle bars on top. Maybe just superbike bars? That would straighten out the cables a little bit. It would make the bike much more comfortable to ride too.

You can try to re-route the cables so they aren't binding up, or look for shorter cables from another GS that might work. The "L" models had the highest bars and therefore the longest cables.
 
Big Rich, thanks for the tip. I was looking around and had found someone using cables off of another GS, they were shorter, but they were still having some issues. I was hoping there was a clear cut solution that others have done before, but it wouldn't be customization with out headaches!

I'm not planning on riding the bike for more than an hour at a time. Do you think the Clip On bars would be really uncomfortable? I know a lot of people run them, but is there a specific reason why they would be worse on the GS?
 
Because you don't have rearsets. Your knees will be rubbing your elbows without them.

Bars are cheap and you still have the normal mounts - save the clipons for later on when you get the build going 100%.
 
Nice 'L'. The GS650 is a really nice bike. Unfortunately, the L model is the worst choice for a cafe build, but you can probably make it work.

First thing to do would be to buy some cables for an 'E' (standard) model and put a proper handlebar on it. The Bikemaster Superbike or Daytona bars would be fine and they're cheap. Clip-ons without rear sets are a bad idea to start, but even more so with the L model, which has cruiser geometry and forwardish controls.

Once you get the controls sorted out, go through this service manual and perform ALL of the maintenance items, starting with a good carb cleaning: http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS650E_Service_Manual.pdf

If you really want a better performing bike, I'd skip the 4-into-1 and the pods, for now. Work on the suspension first. Get rid of those leading-axle forks, grab a 37mm dual disc front end off a GS850G and swap out the 16" rear tire for one from an E model. You can upgrade to dual piston calipers and larger discs with Salty Monk adapters, if you want. Get some progressive springs (or straight rates + emulators) for the forks and some Hagon shocks for the rear.

The charging system is the Achilles heel for GS bikes, so I'd factor in a new series-type R/R and wiring it directly to your stator. All the info can be found at www.thegsresources.com.
 
Sounds like a good plan, they do look cool, but I want a good riding bike and they are causing problems anyway. I am pretty much trying to eliminate all the problems on the bike right now. The reason why I want the 4-into-1 exhaust is because on of my exhaust pipes is crunched underneath. I am planning on rebuilding the carbs anyway and that's why I was thinking about switching over to the exhaust and pods because I would replace the jets and rebuild the carbs at the same time.

I am really looking to get it running right and stopping for this summer, I will dig into it a lot more in depth over the winter.

hardline_42 - Thanks for the info, the link you posted about the maintenance didn't work for me, could you post it again? I am new to the motorcycle game here and certainly don't know a whole lot about the GS specifically, I just like the look of it and though it might have some potential. I haven't really decided if I am going to go full on cafe racer, monster, or something else all together. I like design elements from all kinds of builds, but I also want something functional.
 
GodSilla650 said:
Sounds like a good plan, they do look cool, but I want a good riding bike and they are causing problems anyway. I am pretty much trying to eliminate all the problems on the bike right now. The reason why I want the 4-into-1 exhaust is because on of my exhaust pipes is crunched underneath. I am planning on rebuilding the carbs anyway and that's why I was thinking about switching over to the exhaust and pods because I would replace the jets and rebuild the carbs at the same time.

I am really looking to get it running right and stopping for this summer, I will dig into it a lot more in depth over the winter.

hardline_42 - Thanks for the info, the link you posted about the maintenance didn't work for me, could you post it again? I am new to the motorcycle game here and certainly don't know a whole lot about the GS specifically, I just like the look of it and though it might have some potential. I haven't really decided if I am going to go full on cafe racer, monster, or something else all together. I like design elements from all kinds of builds, but I also want something functional.

If you're new to motorcycles, I would recommend against making any changes to either intake or exhaust. Unlike cars, these older bikes were tuned from the factory to make reasonable power without too much concern for emissions or efficiency. A free flowing exhaust and pods with a stock top end and stock CV carbs, even if well tuned, are not going to significantly improve performance. If you can't find a stock replacement for your exhaust, get a 4-into-2 instead.

Here's the link to a website with a lot of GS info. The link to the manual is on the page:
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

BTW, I just realized that your bike is a 650GL so you want the GS650G manual. Any parts you source for the rear end should come from a GS650G and not an E since the G is a shaftie while the E is chain driven.
 
That's great info, thanks a lot!

I was thinking about that for the exhaust, I wonder if it would make a difference if I just kept the same exhaust and just did different mufflers with a similar flow rate.

The Pods and exhaust is really more for looks than to try and go faster, I honestly don't really even care about going fast. I bought a mustang in high school, threw a supercharger on it in my early 20's. I still have it, but it is kind of too fast to be enjoyable for me. I also hurt my back doing a wheelie on an atv because I was showboating, so I'm trying to be smart about this and not give myself something I will make stupid decisions on.
 
GodSilla650 said:
That's great info, thanks a lot!

I was thinking about that for the exhaust, I wonder if it would make a difference if I just kept the same exhaust and just did different mufflers with a similar flow rate.

If your exhaust is in good shape, stick with it. They're double walled and pretty heavy compared to an aftermarket exhaust, but durable and typically don't require removal to change the oil. I'd stick a couple of SuperTrapp universal megaphones on the stock exhaust.

GodSilla650 said:
The Pods and exhaust is really more for looks than to try and go faster, I honestly don't really even care about going fast.
Pods will have a serious effect on the overall driveability of your bike (not just top speed) and it's a hefty price to pay for looks. They're for applications where the stock airbox doesn't flow enough air due to bigger than stock carbs, ported heads and bored out engines. They're fine on the racetrack because racers tune their carbs to a given track on a given day. On the street, elevation changes, temperature, moisture, crosswinds, airborne dust and debris will all negatively affect how your bike runs if you have pods and no airbox.

GodSilla650 said:
I'm trying to be smart about this and not give myself something I will make stupid decisions on.
That's good. Focus on making your bike a safer, better performing machine first. Start with dual front brakes, non-leading axle forks, fork emulators and springs, shocks, and beef up the electrical system. Once you have a well-maintained, reliable ride that stops and corners you can go crazy with chasing a look.
 
I am fully on-board with keeping the engine as stock as possible, I would like to ditch the mufflers due to the damage in the picture. Getting a little different sound out of it would be nice too.

I ordered 3 new cables today from the GS650E with the lower handle bars; clutch, throttle, and choke, so hopefully they will sort out the issues I am having.

I also ordered a new oil filter that comes with a new gasket, I suspect that is where the "oil pan" leak is coming from.

The previous owner ripped off the turn signals and tail light so I ordered 4 new turn signals, but I am still deciding on the tail light. I might wire up the stock one for now just to get it road legal. these are the new turn signals I got. I plan on tucking them under the seat in the back. I am not sure what the plan is for the front, hopefully they are not very noticeable when not is use, but noticeable when I need them.
 

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Parts Ordered seat upholstry

So I got some parts ordered, here is the list so far.

LED turn signals
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IBH4VUO/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Short throttle cable
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0075YX1BO/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Short clutch cable
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009O2HT2M/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Short choke cable
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU372W/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oil Filter with seal
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E2ARDO/ref=oh_details_o06_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Carb Rebuild kit (4 pack)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121335544864?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Clubman handlebars from amazon (will post link later)

I plan on fixing all the leaks with silicone gasket maker until winter time when I will pull everything apart to polish and paint. Then when I reassemble I will use actual gaskets.

I also removed my seat cover because it was ripped and pretty haggard looking. I purchased vinyl from Hancock Fabrics and cut pieces to match, now I just have to sew it up and stretch it back on. In the back left corner of Hancock Fabrics they have "remnant" vinyl for $5.00 a yard, if you had a small seat you could easily cover it with 1/2 a yard. I have a 2 person seat and I used 1/2 a yard and then a small corner out of the other half.

I plan on making another custom seat, but I want to be able to switch back and forth between a 1 person seat and a 2 person seat. I have a leather jacket that is too big that I plan on using for the leather to cover the custom seat.
 

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You probably could have done without the eBay carb rebuild kit and just gotten an o-ring kit from www.cycleorings.com for about $15 since the brass parts are usually in good shape after a thorough cleaning. Also, some genuine Suzuki carb intake and airbox boots would have been a good idea. Follow this tutorial for stripping and dipping the carbs:

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_BS-CV_Carburetor_Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf
 
If the carb mounts/boots haven't been replaced, do it.

It sounds like the high idle and won't stay running issue, are 33 year old carbs boot issues. The cleanest and most perfectly rebuilt carbs won't work without good boots.

I got mine for $117 shipped from Z1.

Your 2 left pipes are blued pretty good. The factory stuff is double walled, so they got pretty damn hot....... Also points to intake leaks (boots)
 
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