VIN NUMBER ID

[Anonymous]

:P I have a 1980 GS850?, which number/letter of the vin# will tell me what model this is, I think it's a GS850g

[Redman]

Dont think there is any one digit that specifies G verses L.

My Hayes manaul says that frame numbers for 1980 are;

GS850GT are GS850-116014 on

GS850GLT are GS850-7000001 on

That is the frame number that is on the metal tag on the frame neck.
And do you see a "MFG DATE"? Which is the month and year for the date of manufacture.

But of course there are other ways to detect an G from an L:

G: Fairley flat seat, colored fenders, flater bars, more square tank, front axle at bottom of shocks, "GS850G" on side panels (all characters same size).

L: Stepped seat (2-3 inches), chrome fenders, pullback buckhorn bars, tear dropped tank, leading front axle in front of shocks, "GS850L" on sice panel with the L being a lots larger.

It was difficult, arugh, but I went back, arugh, and deleted my editorial comments about the differernce between the G and the L, arughhhh uh uh, to avoid any arguments as has happend here before.

[Anonymous]

VIN NUMBER ID

Most important is on the frame neck if the first 6 digits are GS850G then the frame is for a shaft drive

And if you have a G at the end you have a shaft drive

P.S. Thats a good thing

[Anonymous]

vin#

shaft drivw w/stepped seat it's a G,bike didn't have any emblems on the side covers when I got it, THANKS GUYS

[Redman]

Yes, if its shaft drive then it is a G. Then the question becomes if its a G (called "G") or a GL (called "L")

In post above I was trying to describe differernce between the G and the GL. IF it has the stepped seat and other things listed above then it is a GL.

When you look in parts catalogs there may be another letter appended so then it becomes GT ot GLT where the T designates the the model year 1980. There is a section of this web site that describes these model designations.

[Anonymous]

VIN NUMBER ID

One more heads up the GL thing is important when working on the front forks.

The GL forks are different internal seals

Thats the biggest difference I found while restoring my 1980 GS1000G