Cheap petcock for GS850s

[Grimly]

I spied that the petcock for the GSX600F was the same fixing holes, but the outlet was different to the GS850.
The outlet position makes no difference to me, as I'm not using the standard bank of carbs any more and have plenty of space behind the petcock.
For those of you who object to being held over a barrel for either an original (used or new) or an outrageously-priced copy, here's an option, if you can wangle the pipe into the back with perhaps a right-angle pipe.
Anyway, it arrived today, and I'm quite impressed with the quality of it. If somebody told me it was an OEM part, I'd have believed them.
s-l1600.jpg

[Grimly]

Extra post because of post attachment limitation.

I'll get around to fitting it soon - I might have to slightly alter the elongated hole in the GS tank, but perhaps not.
As it turns out, the epoxy repair I did to the fuel outlet pipes is holding up, but I'd rather have a new petcock that might last another 40 years (I honestly don't think it will, but a decade would be good).
Oh, and after all this, the price?
A mere tenner or so.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Valve-Fuel-Switch-for-Suzuki-Katana600-GSX600F-Petcock-Tank-Tap-Motor-J9F8E/312365909333?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Examining it more closely, there's an unfinished drilling on the LH side (looking at it straight on) which could be completely drilled out and the existing outlet fixed into that, with the original outlet blocked off. There are even a couple of nubs on the new hole position which would locate the outlet angled pipe, exactly as they do on the rear outlet.
This leads me to believe that some other bike uses the same petcock with the front outlet position (ok, the GS850, for example) but if the petcock is made with that option, they must have made some for something else.

[Grimly]

See it there?

[Brendan W]

That was a find. Keep us posted. At that price I'd do it for peace of mind.
Might just wait a bit to see if you set yourself on fire
Could have saved 11p if we had done a group purchase

[Gorminrider]

because of that bend, at the outlet, it might even suit a GS450E / GSX400E On these, the petcock is at the rear of the tank and its outlet was on the left side of the tap. ..the space between petcock and frame is small..but this right angle might work the space available.

[uk gs nut]

Looks like an early GS1000 fuel tap for VM carbs ??

[Grimly]

Looks like an early GS1000 fuel tap for VM carbs ??

Might be, at that.
They've copied something very closely and added a tweak or two. I was under the impression the Bandit taps were of less use and had overlooked them because I thought they only worked with their remote knob. Not sure whether some Bandit 600s use a plainer tap like this, but that's what it's sold as. All this time I was certain that it would be just like Suzuki to re-use something they already had in their parts bin, but it was frustrating not knowing what it would be on. Without a handy m/c breaker nearby I was reduced to scanning the various online sources for measurements.

[Grimly]

Petcock fitted to the tank today. Fits perfectly, no adjustment needed.
Only thing that might affect some installations on the normal 850, is the fuel outlet hose - on mine it will clear the underside of the frame rail but will have to curve over the air filter. On the standard bike it might foul something else, like the airbox. There's about an inch and a half behind it, so I will be able to get a rubber right angle pipe onto it, to drop the pipe down and under the carb, like the other one was.
I'll be ordering another one of these to molest with a drill and some epoxy to fit a forward-facing outlet.
on tank 05.jpg

[Gorminrider]

huh! thanks for the pic! I think I can tell from it if it's useful on this tank too..

[Burque73]

Interesting setup. Did you make that intake manifold?

[Motojoe2492]

This is what I ordered for my 1983 GS850G. Looks just like the factory, so we'll see how it works. My luck would be it being a mirror image or something totally off somehow. I will try to post comparison pictures from old to new when it comes in the mail.

I like the intake system, did you adapt triumph carburetors? I would love a link to a build. I've considered switching to two carbs quite a few times for the odd factor. And I can't leave well enough alone

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Valve-Petcock-For-Suzuki-GS1100-GS300-GS650-GS450-GS550-GS750-GS850-From-CA/253333544074?fits=Year%3A1983%7CModel%3AGS850G&hash=item3afbdb1c8a:g:Z2cAAOSwsYpaRJ48:rk:3:pf:0

[Grimly]

Details here...

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?217341-Big-SU-on-GS850&p=2104106#post2104106

[Burque73]

Details here...
https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...06#post2104106

Thank you. Looks like the pics are gone but still very interesting.

[Grimly]

Thank you. Looks like the pics are gone but still very interesting.

The pics are on imgur and showing up fine here.

[Motojoe2492]

Details here...
https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...06#post2104106

Now that is an awesome alternative. I’ve been debating between fuel injection swap or something similar to this with maybe some large blowby carbs, either way I could add a small turbocharger if I wanted to.