looking at adding a 850 shaftie to the stable. Any advice?

[brand new bike zealot]

I am currently thoroughly enjoying my 78 550 so much that I am actually thinking of adding a 79 850 to the pack! I have only had my license a couple years, but these vintage bikes really turn my crank, both visually, and with their ease of maintenance.

Anyway, a guy is selling a 79 850, along with parts bike for $2000. Seems a little steep to me, but the bike is currently collector plated, which drops the license fee to $272 a year. Less than half that of my 550, which is one displacement class smaller...

What are the pro's and con's of a shaft drive? I understand they can get a little weird coming out of a corner under power. Do they use up too much of the 850's 79 horsepower to make them much easier on the highway than my 550? Are there any chronic problems with the suzuki shaft drive?

Thanks guys

josh

[robertbarr]

It's a heavy bike. Moving it around manually, parking it, etc. is fairly difficult. The '79 uses contact points; as long as you understand how they work, it's a barely significant detail. Carbs are VM, which are simple and robust.

Once the bike's rolling, it feels kind of like a 1000. Not hard to manage at all. The best seat in all of motorcycling.

The main problem with the shaft drive is the certainty that you'll be spoiled rotten after a few thousand miles, and you will NEVER take that 550 on the highway again.

[posplayr]

Nice comparision $2K Shafty

Well if you want to compare what you can get in the lower 48 look at this: \\/

http://prescott.craigslist.org/mcy/504601293.html

This has been listed since early December. It is listed in the Prescott (Az) Craigs list. I was eyeing this one till I got a 1983 GS1100ED

http://www.posplayr.100megsfree3.com/gs750/jims_1983_gs1100E.jpg

Jan 11th 2008 (two weeks ago) after spending the Christmas holiday fixing this one

1981 GS750EX bought Dec 19, 2007 (way back last year). It has been a crash course is motor cycle mechanicin.

I also got my M-1 license on Dec 19,2007 \\/

http://www.posplayr.100megsfree3.com/gs750/gs750_NewLook.pdf

Have fun, be safe.....

Posplayr

[mark]

The best seat in all of motorcycling.

Yup. Buttery smooth and good torque all the way through the power band.

[Steve]

Any advice?

Yes. Get it (them). \\/

I agree that $2000 is a bit high, but you are getting two bikes. 8-[
If the 'main' bike is in near-perfect condition, it could be worth it.

Pros and cons of a shaft?
Pro: No lubing a chain every day on a long ride. Check the fluid when you change your oil, change it when you change your tire. No chain oil stains on the rear wheel and your luggage. Quieter than a chain.

Con: A bit heavier than a chain, saps a bit of power from the engine. Not recommended for racing purposes.

Many other shaft-drive bikes had a problem with 'shaft effect' which is a result of the swingarm changing angle due to throttle position. Adding throttle would force the swingarm down, raising the rear of the bike. Chopping the throttle when you realized you were a little enthusiastic going into a corner would lower the rear of the bike, reducing what little clearance you had. I have owned several of those bikes and can agree with that. However, many of the magazine test riders commented that Suzuki had finally tamed the dreaded 'shaft effect' and that their shaft-drive bikes almost handled like they were chain-driven.

I am told that seat comfort ranks right up there with the best of the stock seats, but we started with an L model, which has to have one of the worst of the stock seats. If, for some reason, you find that the seat is not comfortable, there are several options. Among them is a replacement from Saddlemen/Travelcade. Their website has changed, making it hard to read, but the same product is available from JC Whitney for a few dollars less. You would have to call them for specifics on which model to order.

.

[BassCliff]

Don't be scared

Mr. brand new bike zealot,

I can't say enough good things about my motorcycle. Use it for what it was designed for (sort of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none) and it will serve you well. It's a gentleman's motorcycle, not a "rip around town like a crazy kid" motorcycle. It's fun in the canyons and comfortable on long trips. It's easy to work on. It has a respectable amount of power. It may be a little on the heavy side for its displacement, but I think that makes it more stable on long highway rides. I do love my bike. See if the seller will negotiate and they will be even sweeter. You might want to upgrade to electronic ignition, but I know of at least one 79 that is still using points.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[brand new bike zealot]

Thats good news about suzuki shafties being more stable than most. I'm not planning to use this bike to rocket around town, that's what my 550's for http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...ons/icon10.gif

Thanks for all the opinions, they pretty much echo what I thought. I want the bike for highway trips, which sounds like just what it's designed for, I hadn't even thought of the lack of oil spray on the saddle bags! Bonus! I think I'll see if I can talk him down a few hundred, and then I just might do it!

[BassCliff]

More info

Mr. brand new bike zealot,

To follow up, I'd like to repost some very wise words and great information from Mr. bwringer...
*****************************
From Mr. bwringer:

Every GS850 has (or had) a set of well-known issues that MUST be addressed before you have a solid baseline for further troubleshooting.

It's a vintage bike, and it's quite common (as in, every single GS850 I have had contact with) that there are multiple problems that have crept up and slowly gotten worse over the years.

It's not like a newer vehicle, where there's generally one problem at a time.


These common issues are:

Intake O-rings (install NEW OEM or Viton only - common nitrile o-rings will quickly deteriorate from heat)

Intake Boots (install NEW -- these cannot be repaired)

Valve clearances (more important than most people think)

Carb/airbox boots

Airbox sealing

Air filter sealing

Petcock (install a NEW one)

On '79 models, install new points or Dyna electronic ignition (or at least verify that the old points are working correctly)

On all models, it's fairly common to have problems with the spark plug caps. These are $3 or $4 each, and often worth replacing if you're keeping the stock coils/wires.

Stock exhaust with NO leaks or holes -- good seals at the head and at the junctions underneath.


None of these things can be neglected, worked around, or half-assed in any way. Once they are squared away, you most likely have a bike that runs like a dream -- these issues account for a very large portion of running problems.

If not, then you can pursue more exotic problems. For example, I have found incorrect float heights a couple of times due to a common misunderstanding in how these are best measured. But you can't uncover other problems without making sure the intake/exhaust paths are leak-free, the valves are adjusted correctly, and you're getting good spark.
*************************

Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff