How far can I take this thing?

[dpep]

Don, I don't think the 650s ever had spline issues. Not 100 percent sure.

Interesting. I wonder why that would be? The 650s only began being produced the year the buttery splines started being used in the other Gs. Power issue? Different part number? I have never owned a 650 myself. Maybe someone else will be able to shed some light.
...

[azr]

I took my 79' 850 on a 3000+ trip with no issues. I've taken my 78' 1000 on many 7000KM+ trips, on my own and doubled up with full gear with no issue's at all. As well I've taken my 80 1000G on 5000+ trip with no issue's and plan to do more. Do all the routine maintenance and get her running good. Replace the reg/rec and stator ect.. and you can go anywhere you want. Take a good tool set, some gasket maker and a few extra cables (clutch, throttle ect..) and you're good to go.

[Charlie G]

Don, I don't think the 650s ever had spline issues. Not 100 percent sure.

Mine was trashed at 30k miles. I wouldn't take any spline from granted, check and lube them yearly!

cg

[tkent02]

Mine was trashed at 30k miles. I wouldn't take any spline from granted, check and lube them yearly!

cg

Ok, good to know. Maybe mine was already replaced.

[Carter Turk]

I did a ride from Washington to Michigan and back around Lake Superior, on a non stock bike with 90,000 miles on the clock and tired o-rings in the carbs. Fouled a few plugs in a torrential downpour and needed a friend to send a new chain and sprockets + a 32mm socket, while I was in Michigan. On the way home my clutch cable frayed in South Dakota, but I had a spare used one in my tail pack. I think I did the trip with a used stator I bought from TCK. No flats or tickets either.

[tkent02]

Ask Chris Sorbi how far an old GS can go.

[GSX1000E]

I am so old that I remember when CB350's routinely traveled across the country. Why not a more modern/larger bike?

[Steve]

Interesting. I wonder why that would be?

The 650s only began being produced the year the buttery splines started being used in the other Gs.

Power issue?

Different part number?

I have never owned a 650 myself. Maybe someone else will be able to shed some light.
...

The 650G appeared in 1981. The soft splines appeared (mostly) in the 1982 bikes.

Power? The 650 generates about 6 hp less than the 850.
I think it's more about 'weight', as the 650 is almost 100 pounds lighter than the 850.
(480 pounds for the 650, 557 for the 850, dry weights for both. Since the 850 carries about two more gallons of gas, the extra 12+ pounds helps make up the difference in wet weights.)

The same part number for the splines is used on the 650, 850, 1000 and 1100 shafties. The 450GA uses a different one. Apparently, the '79 850 does, too.

Alpha-Sports - Part Number Cross-Reference - Where Used

Part Number or Accessory Name

• 1980 GS850GL - REAR WHEEL (MODEL T)
• 1980 SUZUKI GS1000GLT - REAR WHEEL (MODEL T)
• 1980 SUZUKI GS850GT - REAR WHEEL
• 1981 SUZUKI GS1000GLX - REAR WHEEL (MODEL X)
• 1981 SUZUKI GS1000GX - REAR WHEEL
• 1981 SUZUKI GS650GLX - REAR WHEEL
• 1981 SUZUKI GS650GX - REAR WHEEL
• 1981 SUZUKI GS850GLX - REAR WHEEL (MODEL X)
• 1981 SUZUKI GS850GX - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 GS1100G - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS1100GKZ (Touring) - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS1100GLZ - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS650GLZ - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS650GZ - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS850GLZ - REAR WHEEL
• 1982 SUZUKI GS850GZ - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS1100GD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS1100GKD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS1100GLD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS650GD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS650GLD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS650MD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS850GD - REAR WHEEL
• 1983 SUZUKI GS850GLD - REAR WHEEL
• 1984 SUZUKI GS1100GKE Touring - REAR WHEEL

[gustovh]

Not at all shy about taking any GS I ride on long trips, the last one was a little over 2000 miles to southern Cal. and back. Do the maintenance and you will be fine.
V

[themess]

I rode my 82 GS650G 6,000 miles in three weeks, including 1,000 miles in 24 hours. If you take care of it, it will take care of you.

[5150/gs]

6 bikes 300 miles yesterday, had to repair 1 Harley 3 times, it ultimately broke down 15 miles from home, 5 houses from my Mom's place, parked it n rode home in a cage.
Battery had to be replaced, of course I got to go get it because I was the only one with luggage capacity on my G/K.
The final break down on the Harley, it spit the clutch bolt shattering his primary cover nicely, I saw the sparks n parts fly down the road, at 8pm.
You couldn't pay me to own a Harley.
My bags started out pretty much empty, and somehow ended up full, toting every ones crap lol.
I would check compression first for burning oil, if that's good it needs Valve seals, a bike 30 years old with 60k most like they are dried up, but having the head off may as well, measure pistons and bore and if within spec a light hone and rings should be sufficient. Just my 2 cents cause I'm that poor.

[DanTheMan]

Both of my bikes have been cross country. The 850 I bought with 25k on the clock, didn't have to do anything much to it until it had 68k. It has been ridden by me to the east coast once, twice to California, and a Midwest trip to Indiana and back, as well as all over MN, Iowa and Wisconsin. I've got work to do on it, otherwise it would be over the 100k mark already. My 1100G I've put 20k on since I got it 3 years ago. It had some ignitor problems, fixed that, it's been to Colorado and back, as well as all over MN. If I had the chance and the time to do it, I could leave tomorrow and ride to California and back, no problem. It has 97,500 miles on it presently.

[850 Combat]

I took my 79' 850 on a 3000+ trip with no issues. I've taken my 78' 1000 on many 7000KM+ trips, on my own and doubled up with full gear with no issue's at all. As well I've taken my 80 1000G on 5000+ trip with no issue's and plan to do more. Do all the routine maintenance and get her running good. Replace the reg/rec and stator ect.. and you can go anywhere you want. Take a good tool set, some gasket maker and a few extra cables (clutch, throttle ect..) and you're good to go.

I thought yours had a loose nut between the seat and the throttle.

[850 Combat]

I took three of them, 2 850s and an 1100G across the USA on a trim in 2009. over 5000 miles, the way that we went. One bike boiled the battery dry. I changed the sense wire to the battery from the tail light wire, and that was cured. The 1100 stared with close to 60,000 miles. One of the 850s had 45000 miles at the start. I love that bike, I paid 600 bucks for it, and put thousands of miles on it before I spent any money on it.

[cougar]

You guys in the sates are so lucky over here (New Zealand) after 6 hours of straight out riding you either have to stop or turn around and head back. I did 18 hours straight in one day stopping for fuel food and a smoke when needed on a unmaintained gs750 which had 140 k on the clock with no pre checks apart from oil level and tyre pressure (was young and dumb) didn't miss a beat.
had it a few years best bike ever (never did oil change etc) just rode it lots