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1979 750L on dirt roads

  • Thread starter Thread starter fergNW
  • Start date Start date
F

fergNW

Guest
Hi all,
I just bought a 1979 GS750 L. I know the engine and gearing is bad for off road, but I'd like to take it on gravel roads from time to time. Any suggestions for a tried and true, economical suspension/tire combo that would make it a little more dirt friendly?

I'm completely new, not only to GS but to motorcycles in general. Would appreciate any and all advice.
 
This thread may be relevant to your interests: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?225813-GS-for-a-dual-sport-like-bike

In a nutshell, gravel is fine if the road is decent. I not sure about tires myself, but you can see pics of some candidates in the thread.

I have taken my 750E with Shinko tires and crappy stiff rear suspension on gravel a few times (even on purpose once or twice) and it was fine as long as I kept the speed up, aimed for the smooth spots, and gave it very light inputs. A lower-slung L model should do even better, I'd think.
 
Any GS will do fine on gravel -- far better than any twitchy modern sportbike.

The L model may even be a bit better on squirrely surfaces than an S or G, since you sit down a little lower and your CG is lower.

A shaftie is even better, so you don't have to bother with cleaning a chain. :)

Go slow until you get used to it, remember to use less front brake, and if things get really hairy, be very careful about your ground clearance. Remember, it sits a bit lower when you're sitting on it, and you do NOT want to crack that fragile aluminum drain pan out on some inconvenient goat path.
 
its pretty tricky drifting a shaft drive much easyer with a chain drive
 
a53willys said:
its pretty tricky drifting a shaft drive much easyer with a chain drive
Click to expand...

I can't wait to hear your reasoning for that statement. Why is a chain-drive bike easier to drift, all other things being equal?
 
I don't know if you are old enough, but if you look at the original tires bikes came with in the 60's and '70's, you'll notice the front tire is ribbed and the rear tire is a "traction" tire. I'm pretty sure the Japanese intended this as the worldwide/all road setup for motorcycles. Not great at anything but good enough for all if you are just trundling place to place as most people worldwide use motorcycles for.. It's only nowadays that tires are so specific.


I've got Pirelli Scorpion tires on my gsx400T and I believe they help a little, while still being good road tires....it's a compromise you should not get overexcited about on a road-bike... The aggressive "tread thing" is really about having an edge on the tread to bite with, like a paddle in the water. If the tire isn't sinking a little into the road surface the edges won't do much..knobbier tires are going to do better when it's rougherground or wetter mud...but on a harder surface, they have less rubber on the road. IE: rainy days.... Against that, the bike with knobbier tires is weighing down harder on the "less rubber" it has on the road but the edges will blunt and round too, pretty quickly.


and, There's so many kinds of dirt/gravel road ...hard packed gravel, peagravel, gravel recently graded with piles on the edges and middle, wet gumbo. Try the bike with the tires it has on the roads you think you need to ride first and take it very easy
 
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