What a Difference a Day Makes ... Another Bike in the Garage

[Mr.humbucker]

About five years ago I "joined the club" and bought a GS550T to restore and ride. I had one new in 81 and longed for the fun I had with it. Another factor for the purchase is that vintage bikes here in British Columbia are about $250 to insure and ride. I had been paying upwards of $900 for the Shadow I bought in 09 and I didn't often get the time to ride. So I sold the Shadow and got some would say addicted to these old GS rides. Truthfully I quite enjoy wrenching and learning that goes along with it the most.

During this journey I have had a few different GS models that I have spruced up, some I sold and some I still have. My desire for the past four years has been to obtain a 1983 GS850G in blue. A few have come along on CL but were too far away in the US for me to drive to and pick up. My "plan" was to retire next year and once the "perfect" blue GS850G came available was to load up th truck and treat my wife (not sure she quite shared my enthusiasm) and drive wherever to go get it and bring it home.

So last Friday I did my twice a day search of all the CL etc listings for this magic bike and low and behold not 25 miles from my front door waited a beauty GS850G ... and it was blue too! To make a long story a bit shorter, which I now see is too late, I bought her and now she's home with her new GS stablemates in my garage. Pretty happy guy only now my wife figures I no longer have to retire to complete my bucket list quest ....

[trevor]

That's a beautiful bike you have there....congrats!

Where in BC are you?

Cheers

[Guest]

That's a great story. Congrats!

[steve murdoch]

What a beauty!
One of my favourite GS paint schemes.

[dorkburger]

Wow, that is a good looking pristine bike. Enjoy.

[robertbarr]

Nice score! Someone (more likely several someones) has / have been taking good care of that bike for you. Thoughtful of them!

[Mr.humbucker]

We are in Surrey, for those outside out beautiful British Columbia that's just down the road from Vancouver. And yes the previous owner did take great care of her. He was the second owner and had it for about four years as I recall. The first owner bought it new in 87. Another bonus is I have all the documents including the original bill of sale.

I have a bit of work to do to clean her up and some minor damage to the front fender from a low speed fall the previous owner suffered from being cut off in a parking lot. We have a top notch bike painter in the neighborhood who I will take it to this fall when the Pacific Northwest rains chase us from the open roads.

Job one now is to sell my GS550T (I converted from an 82 GS550L) to offset the cost and satisfy my financial manager aka wife so I am not sleeping with The new blue Suzie in the garage .... might if it were heated but it is not.

[Kiwi Canuck]

Murray, that's sure is a beautiful bike, I really like the GS850's as well.

Cheers.

David.

[Mr.humbucker]

Thanks David! Ya Christmas came early for me. Pretty thrilled with it.