gs850 mods

[Guest]

Hi all, new here as you can see. I just picked up a 1980 gs850g in decent shape for $100. Thats right $100. I figured this would make me a good winter project. I plan on turning the bike into kind of a pseudo cafe replica, actually a kind of take off on the 1000s. I have already disassembled and cleaned and painted most of the parts. I guess my questions are--- which four into one system is the best. I was eyeballing the vance and hines system and found new ones for $255. I plan on running emgo pods, is the dyno-jet stage three kit a good match? Does anyone have any used stuff for sale?
This looks like a great site for GS owners with lots of good people, hope I can contribute!

[Deesel]

I like my Vance and Hines pipes, they sound good and help performance nicely. $255 is a good price.
Ive got a set of pod filters that Ill sell for $50+ shipping. I bought them off ebay and was told they were K&Ns. They look exactly like K&Ns but it doesnt say K&N on them anywhere. They are pretty nice. They wont fit my 1000 carbs so Ill sell them for what I payed for them.
If your interested email deesel@juno.com

[txironhead]

With pods and an aftermarket exhaust you'll have to go with a Stage 3...but don't think it ends there......

You've got to tune and balance the suckers, and you can only do that with a vacuum synchronizer. They're about $50-60 for the cheapest set I've found, luckily I know someone that'll loan me his for a six-pack. Eventually I'll buy my own set.

For advice on tuning your carbs, do a search here. There's LOTS of info and plenty of good guys to help you out.

Back to my @#$#ing wiring.....

[flyingace]

Not wanting to discourage your plans, but IMO the 850 is not a good bike for a cafe racer. It is a heavy two-up tourer that runs best box stock. You may be disappointed when the pods and exhaust decrease rather than increase performance. Generally these items drink more gas also. It's not that there's anything wrong with the aftermarket components, but the CV carbs are tuned to work with a stock exhaust and airbox.

You may want to collect more opinions about this project before you sink a lot of $ into it. I mean $100 is a great deal for an 850, you may be better off putting the money into restoring it to stock and have a really nice heavy two-up tourer.

[Deesel]

Pods and a good exhaust WILL increase the performance of your 850. If its tuned well it will NOT be worse on fuel.
It will need to be tuned differently- tuning is not hard if you what you know what you are doing. Probly a suckjob if you dont know what you are doing.
The stock airbox sucks and is worth removing (pods) or atleast modifying if you have the knowledge to retune the carbs. I have a fair amount of experience tuning carburators. My 850 responded remarkably to modifying the airbox for more air flow and a good exhaust with good tuning.
An ole 850 is no cafe racer but you can certainly improve the performance of that fine machine (without detracting from its mild manners) with some well thoughtout hotrod tricks. Them 850s can run real well- very respectable for what they are. Setting one up like a 1000s would be cool.
Its was well worth the effort in my opinion.
Eric
FYI- my well tuned 850 would run right with my friends box stock Kaw KZ1000. My well tuned GS1000GLZ will beat that KZ1000.

[stain]

I am going for the cafe look, not the handiling performance really. I like the look of the older half fairing bikes. I think the GS1000s, the Eddie Lawson replicas and bikes like that are some of the coolest bikes ever made.
At the begining of the year I sold my 1985 GPZ900 that was defairinged[ is that a word? ] and GP fairing added. It was all black with pods, 4 into one and stage 3 jetting. That bike looked tough and sounded tougher. Sold it for a sport tourer.
I do have carb tuning expeirence and my own sync tool but am not really looking to turn the 850 into a barn burner just make it run a little better. Stock suks I say.
I still remember the GS1100L I had in my junior year of high school 20 years ago!!
Thanks for the replys, I believe I am off to order some exhaust!

[txironhead]

Don't forget to throw a Dyna ignition into it if you're wanting to increase performance and reliability.

Damn, I wish I could follow my own advice....:-D

[stain]

best source for dyna ignition?

[txironhead]

Dennis Kirk and JP Cycles both carry 'em, but there's one highly recommended website that has them cheap:

http://www.z1enterprises.com/default.aspx

Lots of people here have ordered theirs from them and were very happy.

[Dave]

GS Pipes

Hi, Mr. Suzuki spent millions on producing the perfect bike,didn't quite get it right with the wiring,but the engines are second to non.If he could have made it better with a 4-1 he would of.Standard pipes look better,sound better,and give you all the power you need throughout the rev range.

[Junkie]

Hi, Mr. Suzuki spent millions on producing the perfect bike,didn't quite get it right with the wiring,but the engines are second to non.If he could have made it better with a 4-1 he would of.Standard pipes look better,sound better,and give you all the power you need throughout the rev range.

it's a bit of an old thread

as for the look and sound those are opinions, and you do get a bit more up top with a 4-1.

[doctorgonzo]

it's a bit of an old thread

as for the look and sound those are opinions, and you do get a bit more up top with a 4-1.

Opinion for sure. I do like the look of the stock pipes but not loud enough (for me). Mine are in excellent shape. If I decide to keep them (instead of getting a 4 into 1) they're probably going to wind up with the baffles drilled. I run a bit rich anyway.

[Dave]

Hi,drilled the baffles on my old GS850 (standards),started with small bore holes and just made them bigger until I got the tone I liked.Awesome,and didn't notice any power loss anywhere.\\/

[doctorgonzo]

Hi,drilled the baffles on my old GS850 (standards),started with small bore holes and just made them bigger until I got the tone I liked.Awesome,and didn't notice any power loss anywhere.\\/

Did you get a long bit and go all the way to the back of the baffle (or front if the bike front is reference) or holes at the back? I'm thinking long bit up the pipe to where the baffle starts, and yes, small hole made progressively bigger. until the right sound is there. As I said, I'm a tad rich from a stage 3 kit anyway, so not too worried about making it too lean.

[Dave]

Exhaust mod

Just drilled small holes through the cones at the back (as you look at the bike from the back I am classing the cones as the circle directly around the exhaust pipe but before the outer chrome).Spaced them out evenly and in a circle,you don't need lots I think I only drilled about 8 but make your mind up before you start drilling as you want the gaps to look perfectly spaced.Didn't go deep just through the first skin.Did the same on both sides (Standard pipes) leaving enough room to make holes bigger without spoiling appearance.Took it for a spin (to check sound and performance)Back to base and drilled holes slightly bigger.If I can remember rightly I went up to about a quarter inch drill bit with the holes,but if you've spaced them well you can go bigger. I reached the tone I wanted, performance was unaffected as far as I could tell(plugs good).I rubbed all the burrs down sprayed the cones black and spaced out evenly they looked and sounded as if they had been produced at the factory.Dare I say it but they had that old Brit bike rasp,worked for me.Did the same on my first gs (550) with a 4-1 motad much better than the standard motad sound (my opinion).No ill effects on that engine either.\\/