!!!!!!!!HELP!!!!!!!!!hey guys new here and thinking about buying a 1980 suzuki gs850

[bonanzadave]

Damn all of the lovly attitude makes a guy feel welcome here

Best to have thick skin when asking these/us guys for advice on road worthy GS Bikes. Most will consider a cafe/bobber just a bad attempt at making a statement. Flat black paint is a cheap rattle can job to "cover up" flaws. Take the advice with a grain of salt. Its mostly covered by lots of miles on the road and plenty of hours in the garage. Don't get on Steves bad side. Hes grumpy : ) but he is also the guy who would show up at your place to help get your bike right. What we want to see you buy is a factory original, un-molested, well maintained machine. If you don't want that it would be best to end this thread and do it on your own......

[80suzukigs850]

Thank you. But a factory original bike is not what i want to do. I want a bike that isnt all original so that when i learn on it and turn it into my version of a cafe racer the automotive gods dont rain fire and brimstone down on me for doing it to a all original bike its like taking an all original 66 mustang and putting hydralics and tiny tires on it. I am by no means new to wrenching on stuff and i am also the guy to show up and help u get ur car right. I was just looking for advice and i should have been clear with what my intentions were with the bike. SORRY STEVE

[dorkburger]

Believe it or not, the guys and gals here are looking out for you. If your only wrenching experience is on that Rukus, buying an incomplete potentially problematic bike will potentially lead to frustration, and spending of more money in the long run then if you found a complete bike. Especially if youre in unfamiliar territory. If you choose to build a cafe bike, thats your prerogative. You can always sell the take off parts, or hold on to them for when cafe cool gets too old and uncomfortable......

[dorkburger]

Looks like I was late with my comment...
I understand your sentiment about not wanting to chop up a decent survivor....Right on.....

[bonanzadave]

You're right. For less than $1500 the pickins are slim on Wichita and KC Craigslist. Probably NOT what you want but I saw a couple Honda V45 Sabers, this nice looking 700 Nighthawk, and this sweet little GS.

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/4994673408.html

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/4975500342.html

[Steve]

Don't get on Steves bad side. Hes grumpy : )

NO, I'M NOT!!!

I'm one of the other dwarves.

... but he is also the guy who would show up at your place to help get your bike right.

Probably not, this time around.

I am not traveling for work any more, and he is 800 miles away, which is just a bit too much for a weekend visit to help.

... i am in wichita ks ...

And then there is that issue with the straight pipes. My help stops RIGHT THERE.

.

[80suzukigs850]

I have been working on cars trucks tractor, even built a couple cars since i could walk. And there has always been thing that needed fixing around the ranch i grew up on and trust me i understand they are trying to help but calling it a damn parts bike because its missing an indicator and a rear fender and muffler is alittle over kill i dont know were yall find these complete bikes but i am one of the few that would rather buy a bike that hasnt been pampered all its life and bring it back to factory original or do WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT TO DO WITH IT.

The point of the original post is for me to find out if any of these bikes that i have been looking at and reading about would be decent starter bikes because again i would much rather not have a pampered bike for my first bike and maybe mess it up in some way

So if yall cant be helpfull and give me legit ament reasons why i should or should buy any of the bikes i post here feel free to keep your 2 cents because most of the time it doesnt help too much AND IF YOU WERE BEING NICE AND NOT ACTING LIKE A CHILD THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMPUT AND HELP AND FEEL FREE TO HELP MORE IF YOU WANT

[Brendan W]

Statistically, Steve has a 6/7 chance of not being Grumpy. Is that every 7th post ?
@80suzukigs850 nobody wants to see you get stuck with an overpriced lemon that will bleed your wallet and enthusiasm. The guys with more experience have seen it happen too many times and we all just want you to ride from the time you take the keys and not get sucked into someone else's dream project that has gone all nightmare. As for legit reasons, sometimes it's just the smell of a bike spells trouble ahead. It can come over as telling you what to do. That is not the intent.

[80suzukigs850]

Ok guys i found another and wanted to get yalls imput http://wichita.craigslist.org/mcy/5027489339.html

BE NICE

[Steve]

I have been working on cars trucks tractor, even built a couple cars since i could walk.

Sounds impressive, until you realize that most people learn to walk MUCH sooner in their lives.

... i understand they are trying to help but calling it a damn parts bike because its missing an indicator and a rear fender and muffler is alittle over kill ...

Only ONE person called it a "parts bike", the rest of us called it "partial" or "incomplete".
True, a couple of missing pieces does not make it a "parts bike", but the condition of the rest of the (first) bike did not help the impression any.

... but i am one of the few that would rather buy a bike that hasnt been pampered all its life and bring it back to factory original or do WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT TO DO WITH IT.

Attitude goes a long way toward stating your case.

The point of the original post is for me to find out if any of these bikes that i have been looking at and reading about would be decent starter bikes because again i would much rather not have a pampered bike for my first bike and maybe mess it up in some way

Well, please pardon us for trying to help. We were given the impression that this was your FIRST bike and you would be learning to ride on it, so we were trying to find something that would serve that purpose.

So if yall cant be helpfull and give me legit ament reasons why i should or should buy any of the bikes i post here feel free to keep your 2 cents because most of the time it doesnt help too much AND IF YOU WERE BEING NICE AND NOT ACTING LIKE A CHILD THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMPUT AND HELP AND FEEL FREE TO HELP MORE IF YOU WANT

Again, we were given the impression that you came here ASKING for input and we gave you reasons why you should not buy that (those) bike(s). And if you were not responding with such a childish attitude, we might continue to help you.

Statistically, Steve has a 6/7 chance of not being Grumpy. Is that every 7th post ?

Yes, and this must be the one.

You can now call me the EIGHTH dwarf, "Silent", because I am outta here.

.

[gustovh]

I hear your words, chop up the 850, there are more parts for it.

V

[BigD_83]

Ok guys i found another and wanted to get yalls imput http://wichita.craigslist.org/mcy/5027489339.html

BE NICE

I get that the market must be tight in your area, but I'd be a little hesitant to cafe up a litre bike at that asking price. I get that guys with a tonne of experience can take something like that and transform it to gold, and you have some wrenching experience on other vehicles, but my advice would be to start with something smaller and lighter, like a 400/450/500/550.

Smaller, lighter bikes that can be run to their potential can be far more fun than holding back a beast 90% of the time

[Rob S.]

Ok guys i found another and wanted to get yalls imput http://wichita.craigslist.org/mcy/5027489339.html

BE NICE

That looks like it has real possibilities. Take it for a ride, then talk him down a few hundred.

[Big T]

Both the 850 and the 1000 have good potential for you.

The 1000 is a bit overpriced IMHO, that 850 for less than $1,000 seems to fit the bill for you

It does need some mufflers or a 4-1. The CV carbs hate changes in the intake or exhaust system.

I'm assuming you've never worked with CV carbs, so that's your latest piece if advice

I do have to ask, is there a factory around there that makes flat black paint, or is that a regional thing?

And, don't get too upset at the answers you get here. Just be more specific. It's springtime and we get flooded with the "i'm going to get my 1st motorcycle and I don't know how to work on them" crowd, who jump at an old heap that's been all cut up and end up selling it in a few months

You sound like you've got some skills, so go buy one. If it's got most of the parts, you can see the extra ones here

[jbird7262]

@ RobS, exactly what I was thinking, ride it, make sure that the engine is cool before a test ride to make sure the "gremlins" have'nt been warmed up and hidden. If it runs and everything works offer $800.00 and see if he bites. Flat black must be todays "re-sale red" thats 3 for 3, there are other size GS bikes out there so don't be limited to big 4cyl. bikes. I picked up my GS750 E for $1200 delivered! and only had to freshen up the carbs and a rear tire, fix a few elec. quirks and I can go out any day or night, push the go button and she fire right up. And it was already cut up so I did'nt have to chop up a decent original. They are out there, but you may have to look beyond your state.