Larger Valves for 81 650 head

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  • ashdricky
    • Jan 2026

    #1

    Larger Valves for 81 650 head

    Dose anyone have any experience with installing larger valves? I dont plan to machine the head myself, I would just like to know what aspects to take into consideration when planning something like this?
  • rapidray
    Forum Guru
    GSResource Superstar
    • Oct 2006
    • 8195
    • So Cal

    #2
    I do it to customers heads all the time. It is all in cutting the valve seats correctly. Ray.

    Comment

    • Nessism
      Forum LongTimer
      GSResource Superstar
      Past Site Supporter
      Super Site Supporter
      • Mar 2006
      • 35783
      • Torrance, CA

      #3
      Waste of money. The 650 is already hot rodded compared to some other GS bikes. If you want more speed get a bigger bike.
      Ed

      To measure is to know.

      Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

      Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

      Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

      KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

      Comment

      • trippivot
        Forum Sage
        Past Site Supporter
        • Aug 2006
        • 2815
        • Des Moines , IA

        #4
        master piece theater

        I have not done a 650 but it's only money and time

        it only gets expensive if you cannot find compatable length valves in the diameter you want.

        new valves have to have matching keepers.

        keepers have to work in the retainers. retainers have to have adjusters.
        buckets have to work with retainers, buckets have to fit in head.

        installed heights for the springs you intend to use plus the lift cant smash the retainers into the valve seal.

        I hope you don't plan on using stock 650 springs with increased mass of the bigger valves. Valve float happens when the spring can't handle the cam lobe profile/ weight.

        grams turn into pounds at 8K< and higher
        SUZUKI , There is no substitute

        Comment

        • ashdricky

          #5
          Thank you this dose help to send me in the right direction. I figured it would be expensive, I am striving for 80hp which seems like a pipe dream, but we still intend to do our best. how will larger valves affect plans to shave material off of the entire head to slightly increase compression?

          Comment

          • tkent02
            Forum LongTimer
            Past Site Supporter
            • Jan 2006
            • 35571
            • Near South Park

            #6
            Originally posted by Nessism
            Waste of money. The 650 is already hot rodded compared to some other GS bikes. If you want more speed get a bigger bike.
            Ed,
            If I wanted to ride a bigger bike, I would wheel one out and ride it.
            Some of us prefer smaller, quicker, lighter more nimble bikes at least some of the time. Some of us prefer our smaller bikes to be very fast. Big GSes are heavy slugs. I like the 1100G, it's like riding a cannonball, a big heavy pig of a cannonball. It's powerful enough already. But I also like the little stuff.

            I hope this thread takes off. Any info about bigger valves in my GS 550/650/700 cafe clone or anything else that would help wake it up would be great.
            I want a little rocket.

            Ray, you have done this stuff to some GS 650s? Porting, hotter cams and things like that? What works the best? Not looking for a drag race motor, but one to blast around my little canyons and mountain roads.
            How big can the displacement go on a 650 cylinder? Bigger than 700cc or is that about it?

            This will be on a 1979 GS 550 bottom end if that matters.
            http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

            Life is too short to ride an L.

            Comment

            • rapidray
              Forum Guru
              GSResource Superstar
              • Oct 2006
              • 8195
              • So Cal

              #7
              tkent, call me at 714--356-7845. Ray.

              Comment

              • Nessism
                Forum LongTimer
                GSResource Superstar
                Past Site Supporter
                Super Site Supporter
                • Mar 2006
                • 35783
                • Torrance, CA

                #8
                Go for it Tom, I just don't think it's worth the money. The GS650 has a bathtub shaped combustion chamber and higher compression than the typical GS 8V engine, so how much more power do you think can be squeezed from it? $500 for head work will net you maybe five hp. Add some oversized pistons (another $500?) and you might get another four hp...maybe. Sounds like fun but before you know it your wallet will be empty.
                Ed

                To measure is to know.

                Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                Comment

                • tkent02
                  Forum LongTimer
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • Jan 2006
                  • 35571
                  • Near South Park

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Nessism
                  Sounds like fun but before you know it your wallet will be empty.
                  No, it won't. A stock Suzuki 650 top end with the largest oversize piston gives more power than a GS 750, almost as much power as a GS 850, according to someone who has done it. That's a huge increase from what the GS 550 had originally. Something like a 50% increase already.
                  I'm thinking I can do a lot better, while still spending far less than it would cost to buy another bigger bike that I don't want anyway.
                  I know the 550 bottom end is indestructible, so why not?
                  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                  Life is too short to ride an L.

                  Comment

                  • Steve
                    GS Whisperer
                    • Jun 2005
                    • 35924
                    • southwest oHIo

                    #10
                    Originally posted by ashdricky
                    , I am striving for 80hp which seems like a pipe dream, ...
                    If I remember correctly, the 650 was rated at 72 hp. Of course, that was probably crankshaft hp. You want that 80 at the crank or the wheel?


                    Originally posted by tkent02
                    A stock Suzuki 650 top end with the largest oversize piston gives more power than a GS 750, almost as much power as a GS 850, according to someone who has done it.
                    Not sure how much a 750 was rated for, but I think the 850 was rated for only 78 hp.

                    With the 650 having only 6 fewer ponies and about 100 pounds lighter, it is a rocket, compared to the 850.

                    Yeah, I have both of them here, I can compare them directly.

                    .
                    sigpic
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                    #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                    #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
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                    Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                    (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                    Comment

                    • Nessism
                      Forum LongTimer
                      GSResource Superstar
                      Past Site Supporter
                      Super Site Supporter
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 35783
                      • Torrance, CA

                      #11
                      Originally posted by tkent02
                      No, it won't. A stock Suzuki 650 top end with the largest oversize piston gives more power than a GS 750, almost as much power as a GS 850, according to someone who has done it. That's a huge increase from what the GS 550 had originally. Something like a 50% increase already.
                      I'm thinking I can do a lot better, while still spending far less than it would cost to buy another bigger bike that I don't want anyway.
                      I know the 550 bottom end is indestructible, so why not?
                      I'd love to see another good 550/650/700? hot rod thread. Don's was a lot of fun to follow. Go for it. What the F. It's only money.
                      Ed

                      To measure is to know.

                      Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                      Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                      Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                      KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                      Comment

                      • 1_v8_merc

                        #12
                        Turbo! Turbo!

                        Comment

                        • ashdricky

                          #13
                          Custom valves are proving not to be cheap, so I am looking for a slightly over-sized set of valves. Dose anyone know the dimensions of the 650 valves? dimensions of 750 and 850 valves?

                          Comment

                          • Suzuki_Don

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Steve
                            If I remember correctly, the 650 was rated at 72 hp.



                            Not sure how much a 750 was rated for, but I think the 850 was rated for only 78 hp.

                            With the 650 having only 6 fewer ponies and about 100 pounds lighter, it is a rocket, compared to the 850.
                            .
                            A web site I use regularly states the hp figures for the main GS models as:

                            550 -- 49hp
                            650 -- 73hp
                            750 -- 72hp
                            850 -- 77hp

                            As Steve states the 650 is a rocket. And it's great advantage is it's lighter weight and when mounted on the 550 crankcases the added advantage of an extra gear.

                            After I had my bike on the road for a couple of months I did a power-to-weight ratio comparison between my bike and other models in the late seventies. And to my surprise my bike has a greater power-to-weight ratio than the CBX1000-6 which was a real performance bike of that era.

                            Comment

                            • ashdricky

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Suzuki_Don
                              A web site I use regularly states the hp figures for the main GS models as:

                              550 -- 49hp
                              650 -- 73hp
                              750 -- 72hp
                              850 -- 77hp

                              As Steve states the 650 is a rocket. And it's great advantage is it's lighter weight and when mounted on the 550 crankcases the added advantage of an extra gear.

                              After I had my bike on the road for a couple of months I did a power-to-weight ratio comparison between my bike and other models in the late seventies. And to my surprise my bike has a greater power-to-weight ratio than the CBX1000-6 which was a real performance bike of that era.
                              do you know where i can find the valve dimensions for the larger gs models?

                              Comment

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