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Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill

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  • Griffin
    I don't own one. I know Brian Wringer (Bwringer) has access to one, don't know if it's his or not. He loves it.

    I went for a short ride today on my wife's 550L. Still too much sand a debris on the roads right now to really have fun. We need a good rain to wash the roads off.

    Assuming we don't get more snow down here yet this winter....
    Griffin
    The only thing I did to the carbs was strip them, clean/dip them, set the float heights per the manual, and set the mixture screws about 2 1/4 turns out. I have no idea if the carbs were ever rejetted or not. Bear in mind it did have the open Harley mufflers on it when I picked it up, so maybe somebody fiddled with the jetting.

    From what you describe, it sounds rich to me. You might also want to think about lowering the float heights a few thou and see what happens.
    Griffin
    Bill,

    Yeah, well, a conservative has got to hold onto something right now...

    Anyway, congratulations on your guy winning. Truth be told, I preferred him to Hillary, primarily because I thought it was time for the country to move on from the Clintons (and the Bushes, for that matter). McCain was about my last choice on the GOP side, so I didn't really have a dog in the fight this time.

    I will be very interested to see if O governs as Pelosi wants him to, or as he ran, more as a populist/centrist.
    Griffin
    Performance wise, the 8 valve GS750 is going to be similar to your GS1000G in acceleration. It will handle a bit better, and be noticeably lighter in weight. Actually fairly redundant to what you already have, other than the chain.

    The GS550, OTH, will be much lighter, easier to handle, more "flickable" on the road, but noticeably down on power, in a big way. It is also the most "overbuilt" motorcycle engine ever made.

    If you want an around town bike, the GS550 is hard to beat. When the traffic lightens up and the roads open up, the 750 gets the nod.

    I really enjoy riding the 550 in town. I would actually prefer to go even smaller and lighter with a GS450 or KZ440, when you come down to it. They still have plenty of power to get you out of trouble, and their good braking, lightness, and ease of handling are valuable in heavy traffic.
    Griffin
    It's hard to say what will be considered a "classic" in the future. I do know that the main reason that ultrasports bikes have such a limited appeal is they are so darned impractical. I don't know if you've ever sat on one for any length of time, but the seating positions kill your wrists, shoulders, and lower back. Even the kids that ride them admit that they can't ride more than half an hour or so without having to dismount and work out the kinks. I think one of the biggest reasons that the cruisers are so popular is that they are fairly comfortable and easy to ride.

    Like "our" bikes.

    The original '85-'87 GSXR750 is a classic, but none of the other versions are. It was the first hypersports roadbike. It's no more comfortable than any modern sportsbike, but originals command high $$$ because they were the first ones out the door.

    I think generally speaking, unless there's something special about a particular model, the broader the appeal of a bike (not too sporty, not too chopperish), the better the odds of finding a buyer willing to pony up a good price.
    Griffin
    Used GSXRs are a tough sell because they appeal to go fast guys who essentially fall into two categories:

    1. With Money - Will buy a new bike, or maybe a two year old one with very low miles.
    2. No Money - Can't buy anything, or will find the absolutely cheapest beater he can. Cosmetics don't matter, as long as it runs and he can make a nuisance of himself in heavy traffic.

    I would think that a later model Jap v-twin cruiser would probably have the largest market, or maybe something like '90s era Honda Nighthawk.
    Griffin
    Bill,

    No mechanical buffer for me, all done by hand over many hours watching BIG 10 football games... Go Boilermakers....

    Valves and seals for the XS ran me about $380. Exasperation for that project cannot be measured in mere dollars....
    Griffin
    A bike without a title should be considered a parts bike only, and priced accordingly. Now then, that doesn't mean it's impossible to get a title, but depending upon state laws, it may be very difficult.

    There are title services that are online, and they do work in some states. Essentially, the service owner lives in a state that doesn't require a title on an older bike (Maine and New Hampshire come to mind immediately). You "sell" them your untitled bike for $1, and mail them a notarized bill of sale. They then take the bill of sale to their local DMV, and register "their" bike. They now have a valid registration in their name in a state that doesn't issue titles for old bikes, so they are truly the legal owner. They then "sell" you back the bike for their fee (usuually something like $150-$300), and you get a notarized bill of sale and the registration. You then take it to your DMV, and hopefully they will issue you a title as the new legal owner.

    The DMV will have a list of states that don't issue titles on older bikes, so there are no worries there, IN THEORY. I do know that International Title Services in Maine has been successfully used by GSResources members in Colorado and Missouri. I also know that one member tried it in Minnesota, and had great difficulty. I don't know if he ever got it straightened out or not. I asked an Indiana DMV worker about it, and she had no idea what she'd do if someone tried to register a bike like that.

    It might be worth a try if you can get a screaming deal on something, but I'd check with the Michigan DMV first.
    Griffin
    That's great. Getting all the details worked out to make it roadworthy can be a bit tiresome, but generally that goes pretty smoothly once you have combustion.

    There are some rusty areas on the frame here and there, are you planning on taking her down to the frame and sandblasting/powdercoating it sometime in the future? I may do that this winter with Janeane's GS550L.

    Anyway, it sounds like you're happy with the deal you got, and that's a relief to me.

    Keep up the good work, and ride/wrench safely.
    Griffin
    Yup I agree. 50 hp is plenty of power, particularly for the first 1/4 from a standing start. Congratulations on your find.

    So, you gonna keep the Seca, or "move it along" come springtime? I would think that once you put some new tires on it and shine it up pretty, you could probably get about $1,000 or so for it.
    Griffin
    Cool. It'll be interesting to see how things progress for you.

    My main project this winter is to take my wife's 550 down to the frame, and do a complete clean/polish, replace/retorque every bolt, and replace all the connectors on the wiring harness so it's ready to go this spring.
    S
    you were not kidding bill, that seca looks great!
    1
    well after 5,000 miles on the 550 and seeing some of the 850s and 1100s on here I oogle over the bigger/better looking bikes.. I will probably ride it most of next yr too. It's my first bike and a pretty perfect fit for my relative inexperience (not so small to be underpowered and slow and not so big I can't hold on) BTW yours looks much better w/out the windjammer and funky seat.
    ben-
    S
    Hey there....I am VERY happy with my GPz. I bought it for $500, and I have done the usual maintenance to it. (Tires, sprockets and chain, fork seals, brakes, wheel bearings {precaution}, new battery). I have not had any problems with it what so ever. It is very peppy, responsive on the throttle. I would gear it up for better highway riding over 80mph, but that's about it. I am also 5'7" 135 lbs. Any heavier, definitely needs the gears changed. I would tell anyone and everyone, this is THE bike to have, as far as UJM's. I have nothing negative to say....so....Good luck if you decide to get one!!
    B
    I don't know of much around New Buffalo, but the next time I talk to Motorcycle George I'll ask him. Supposedly he "imports" VJ bikes from Michigan all the time. And yeah I am surrounded by Harleys in portage, however I have a 74 Honda CB400 Hawk 2 doors down in one direction and a 82 YJ 700 i believe its something like that in the other direction. But they actualy get to ride and I'm jealous as hell!! lol
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