What year did Suzuki eliminate the headlight switch ?

[Jerry]

My 81 gs650E is an odd bike it has a headlight switch and the front disks are vented but the rear is not. I think it was built with parts from other years.
I just don't remember what year they got rid of the headlight switch. The last Suzuki I had with one was a 74 or 75 GT550. anyone know what this switch is from?

IMG_3990 by Gerald Kaiser, on Flickr

[trevor]

My 1980 gs750e has one...but my 1980 Cooley does not...

[Jerry]

yea strange my 80 gs850 doesn't have one. I had a 79 gs850 in 1980 and I just don't remember if it had one or not.

[rphillips]

I think the U.S. may have been different than other countries. New laws for "79" required when riding a motorcycle, on public roads, the headlight had to be on at all times. All new bikes could not have a way to turn the headlight off. The "78" GS1000 had the off/on switch, with a removable part that slides up/down for on/off (like yours). In 1979 they used the same switch but the little, replaceable sliding part, had a piece of plastic molded onto the bottom that stopped the sliding part from sliding in the slot, so couldn't turn headlight off. We quickly learned to trim the little plastic tab off & could use just like the "78" models. Not sure about the 650's, but my thoughts if you remove the little sliding part on your 650, you will see where the little plastic stopper has been trimmed off. Of coures just my opinion.

[Jerry]

Thanks that would explain it. Ill have to check

[Redman]

1980
lot of changes in most models from 1979 model to 1980 model.
Loosing the head light switch.
headlight change from sealed beam to halogen.
ignition change from breaker point to solid state.
charging system stator bigger (18 pole instead of 12).
and the one that annoyed me: no kickstarter.

what annoyed me was that if battery was weak, could not turn off headlight and didn’t have kickstart.

[xkaes]

My '77 which was made in '76 has the headlight switch locked in place on ON. The HIGH/LOW switch works as it should.

[rphillips]

I've never heard of any "77" model anything having a non functional headlight switch. My opinion, yours has probably been replaced at some point. Like on Jerry's easy enough to remove the little sliding part to see if the little stop is there, if so, it is from a "79" or newer model.

[alke46]

My '79 has the on/off switch but I have no idea if a PO might have changed it. All I know is I like it when I want the light off, I can switch it off.

[hank2]

My '81 GS650G has the switch. A PO had removed whatever cover was on the actual switch, so headlights can indeed be turned off or on. I always burn them when riding but it's nice not to need to otherwise.

My state has a motorcycle headlamp on law but exempts bikes older than something like 1978. For years I rode a '72 BMW. They had a small 2-watt parking lamp bulb as part of the lamp assy. That could be on alone. Many, including me, would install a 5 or 10 watt halogen bulb of the same size and run only that as a daytime headlamp. It actually lit up the headlamp pretty well.

[Guest]

My '81 GS650L has the switch. It was handy for not draining the battery as quickly on days I was trying to get the rest of the electrical stuff out of hibernation on my long neglected bike.

[Jerry]

I am now thinking that at least in 81 the switch was only on bikes without self canceling turn signal.

[grcamna2]

The 1981 GS450TX has the on-off headlight switch.
My past 82' GS450TXZ didn't have it:headlight on full time.

[habsdoc]

All 3 of my 1981's still had the switches, but they were pinned inside to be in the on position only.

[cowboyup3371]

Both of our 81 550s have the switch to turn on/off the headlights but the fiche shows the piece that disables that function as an available part; only difference is a tab that prevents it from moving (I ordered it by mistake before).

81 550 Parts Fiche by Scott Baker, on Flickr