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Hot Cam in a GS850?

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    #31
    Originally posted by GS1150Pilot View Post
    That cam set may make it less fun to ride, however.
    That's what the dealer was telling me. "You'll get more power up top, but you'll pay for it down low. The bore increase may somewhat offset that."

    Nudge the throttle, nothing. Nudge it some more, nothing. Nudge it again...hold on! I rather enjoyed it.
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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      #32
      Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
      That's what the dealer was telling me. "You'll get more power up top, but you'll pay for it down low. The bore increase may somewhat offset that."

      Nudge the throttle, nothing. Nudge it some more, nothing. Nudge it again...hold on! I rather enjoyed it.
      Yes, I like a bike with a big response on the cams.....but that isn't a nice tourer. Which the 850 is designed for.

      I've found it interesting reading this thread as in my memory most of the queries around the 850 on here have been related to changing the gearing.
      The common complaint has been too high revs at highway speeds.

      You can hop up anything. As Rob has said, people race lawnmowers and HD's. Doesn't mean it's worthwhile. Can be fun though.

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        #33
        Originally posted by GS1150Pilot View Post
        Rob's just being Rob, which means silly. Nothing you are thinking about, if properly done, will ruin that motor. That cam set may make it less fun to ride, however.
        GS1150Pilot, less fun to ride do to reasons already explained, or do you have something to add?
        Ryan

        1979 GS850G - currently undergoing a major overhaul
        1986 GSX-R750 - I'm figuring it out

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          #34
          A rough recap of "all those reasons":
          - Yes, it's possible to install a hotter cam.
          - Because the 850 has one of the lowest power-to-weight ratios of all the GSes, it might be enough to notice.
          - The 850 has a wonderfully-wide power band which suits its intended purpose.
          - Installing hotter cams will change that power curve.
          - The shaft drive will likely handle the additional power, as long as you don't just dump the clutch.
          - The same basic driveshaft is used in the 1000 and 1100.
          - To really take advantage of the hotter cams, you might want to also change the carbs and exhaust, but that will further change the power curve.
          - If you just want more power, swapping in a 1000 or 1100 engine might cost less, but you would probably want to 'freshen it up' with new gaskets, etc.
          - Dropping new cams in your 850 will only require a valve cover gasket and some valve shims.

          Yeah, it's possible. Whether it's practical is something you will have to decide.

          .
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          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
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          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
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            #35
            Originally posted by RustyTank View Post
            GS1150Pilot, less fun to ride do to reasons already explained, or do you have something to add?
            Dropping hot cams in a motor without building the rest of it to suit (higher compression, possibly porting the head, not to mention the headache of rejetting to suit) will rob the bike of the powerband that has made it endure as one of the great all round Suzuki classics. It will do little to improve what makes that bike great, and the shift of the powerband is likely to make it less enjoyable, since it is not a race bike.
            "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
            ~Herman Melville

            2016 1200 Superlow
            1982 CB900f

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              #36
              Most cam manufacturers have a wide variety of profiles to choose from. Of course if you choose one of the more aggressive grinds then you will see a difference in the rpm range that the engine makes its power. There are “drop in cams” that are made to work well without having to change valve springs, increase compression, or modify the pistons for valve clearance. These cams usually have a modest increase in lift and duration. They are ground at mid range lobe centers like 105 if you install them without slotting the cam chain sprockets to degree the cams to your liking. The Web 118 grind description is as follows:
              “High performance street profile for stock engines. Very broad power range. Stock base circle.”

              This is not some pro stock race cam that idles at 3000 rpm’s and doesn’t make power until 8000 rpm’s. Just changing the cam timing with stock cams makes a difference that you can feel. 104-106 lobe centers gives you more midrange power with a slight loss of high rpm maximum power. Dar

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                #37
                UJM Jenga......... I wonder?
                97 R1100R
                Previous
                80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

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                  #38
                  Originally posted by brendan w View Post
                  ujm jenga......... I wonder?
                  bingo .....
                  "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
                  ~Herman Melville

                  2016 1200 Superlow
                  1982 CB900f

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                    #39
                    Unless you spend a lot of time wringing it out, torque is far more fun than HP.

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                      #40
                      I appreciate everyone's two cents. This was a fun discussion, great to get everyone's take on it. For what it's worth, I've decided not to do it
                      Ryan

                      1979 GS850G - currently undergoing a major overhaul
                      1986 GSX-R750 - I'm figuring it out

                      Comment


                        #41
                        Originally posted by Steve View Post
                        A rough recap of "all those reasons":
                        - Yes, it's possible to install a hotter cam.
                        - Because the 850 has one of the lowest power-to-weight ratios of all the GSes, it might be enough to notice.
                        - The 850 has a wonderfully-wide power band which suits its intended purpose.
                        - Installing hotter cams will change that power curve.
                        - The shaft drive will likely handle the additional power, as long as you don't just dump the clutch.
                        - The same basic driveshaft is used in the 1000 and 1100.
                        - To really take advantage of the hotter cams, you might want to also change the carbs and exhaust, but that will further change the power curve.
                        - If you just want more power, swapping in a 1000 or 1100 engine might cost less, but you would probably want to 'freshen it up' with new gaskets, etc.
                        - Dropping new cams in your 850 will only require a valve cover gasket and some valve shims.

                        Yeah, it's possible. Whether it's practical is something you will have to decide.

                        .
                        Thanks for the list Steve.
                        Ryan

                        1979 GS850G - currently undergoing a major overhaul
                        1986 GSX-R750 - I'm figuring it out

                        Comment


                          #42
                          Originally posted by Brendan W View Post
                          Sometimes the benefit being just having done it and learned something by doing. It's hard to put a price tag on experience.
                          This is partly where I was coming from Brendan. After looking at it from several angles I've decided that, as much as I'd like to give it a shot, right now may not be the best time for me to take something like that on. Best for me to keep it simple for now
                          Ryan

                          1979 GS850G - currently undergoing a major overhaul
                          1986 GSX-R750 - I'm figuring it out

                          Comment


                            #43
                            Quoted for truth and a laugh!

                            Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                            ........ But there will always be guys who drag race their lawn mowers and Harley Davidsons.
                            Paul


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                            Originally posted by Grimly
                            Watery bints handing out swords is no basis for any system of government.

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